Oct 9, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) attempts a pass against the Las Vegas Raiders during the third quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
The Green Bay Packers gave the reigns of the offense to Jordan Love this offseason. While Aaron Rodgers seemed to want to leave the team, the Packers didn’t put up much fight to try and keep him. The Packers then signed Love to an interesting extension that basically gives him one year to prove he can be the starter. Because of this situation, the worst-case scenario isn’t him being bad. The worst-case scenario is him being mediocre and it might be coming true.
Green Bay Packers Jordan Love
I personally have been a Love fan since he entered the league and I was excited to see him play this season. However, mediocrity is the worst thing that can happen in this situation. If he is good, the path is obvious. The team now has the quarterback position locked down and can build the rest of the team around it. Getting the quarterback right is the most important thing in football. If he is bad, the path is a little more murky but still pretty clear. Love being bad means the team likely has a top pick. This year’s draft is full of good quarterback prospects. While I don’t think Caleb Williams or Drake Maye is in the cards, there are plenty of other good options that the Green Bay Packers could go with. Being mediocre puts the team in a tough spot.
We’ve seen it with other teams. The quarterback who is good enough to win some games but not good enough to win when it matters most. It is a frustrating position to be in. If the Packers continue their ups and downs this season, they will likely finish with some middle-of-the-road record. The quarterback options will likely be drying up unless the team decides to trade up for a certain guy something the Packers do not do often. If the team does decide to stick with Love because of the promise, the team is back to square one in trying to decide whether they actually have a franchise quarterback.
The Good For The Green Bay Packers And Jordan Love
Week 1 was a great performance against the Bears. Love looked confident and decisive with the ball. This spilled over into week 2 where through three quarters, the offense was humming along at a good pace. Mistakes here and there but nothing that totally derailed the operation. The fourth quarter of the game against the Saints showed the resolve of Love. He led the team back from 17 down in the fourth quarter and completed the comeback win. Throughout these games and even in the bad losses, Love has throws that make your jaw drop. The issue is those throws are amidst a lot of head-scratching decisions.
The Bad For The Green Bay Packers And Jordan Love
The fourth quarter in week 2 was bad. Green Bay had that game and gave it away to the Atlanta Falcons. Weeks 4 and 5 have been hard to watch. A blowout loss to the Detroit Lions was excused as a short week against a tough opponent but the offensive struggles were prevalent. The first half was atrocious with Love having no rhythm. There was a little bit more in the second half but it was too little too late. Monday night was even worse.
For this game, the team had 11 days to prepare and the offense came out and scored three points in the first half. Love threw a very bad interception and added two more on the night including the game-sealing one in the end zone. Each of the throws was a questionable decision. Throughout the night, Love made some good throws but it was amidst a lot of bad ones. Bad throws happen but Love has to show consistency in the rest of the season.
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A Lot Of Season Left
The optimist in me now gets to come out. There is a lot of season left. Green Bay sits at 2-3 which is probably what many people had them at going into the bye week before the season. Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has plenty of time to show that he can be the quarterback of the future. It is mediocrity that scares me. If the play that we saw tonight is what happens all season, the offseason is a complete toss-up which is never where you want to be as a team. The best thing for this team is if Love shows a clear direction either up or down. If not, the Green Bay Packers could be stuck with a mediocre quarterback in Jordan Love for years to come.
