The Green Bay Packers have been a playoff team with Jordan Love under center in each of the quarterback’s first two years as the team’s starter. However, the standards are incredibly high in Green Bay after back to back sensational runs with Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. Love has demonstrated that he is solid at the position, but that’s not enough for this franchise.
Head coach Matt LaFleur is not going to let Love go into training camp or start the upcoming season with anything less than a full dose of confidence. Love had two of his best games in the 2023 postseason when he led the Packers to a road victory over the Dallas Cowboys and a near-upset of the San Francisco 49ers.
His statistics were not as good in 2024 as they were the year before and that has led to loud whispers that Love went through a period of regression last year. He threw for 3,389 yards with 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions last season after throwing for 4,159 yards, with 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2023.
LaFleur does not accept that Love regressed in 2024. “I think there’s like a narrative out there for whatever reason that he wasn’t as productive as the year before,” LaFleur said. “Well, he missed significant time. He missed the better of three games. So, you know, three games is a significant amount of time and you’re not going to produce as much from a numbers perspective.”
Packers facing significant competition in NFL’s toughest division
No matter how LaFleur looks at it, his quarterback is going to have to be at his best if the Packers are going to make a strong run in the NFC North.
The Detroit Lions have won the division two years in a row and they were the top seed in the NFC when the regular season came to an end. The Minnesota Vikings had a sensational season with a 14-3 record. If they had beaten the Lions in the last game of the regular season, they would have won the division and earned the top seed in the NFC playoffs.
The Packers are a very talented team but Love and his teammates are going to have to step up if they are going to compete with those outstanding division rivals and the improving Chicago Bears. Love certainly has an excellent supporting cast on offense, with Josh Jacobs running the ball and rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden adding significant speed and big play ability to the Green Bay offense.
