On the league’s biggest stage, Jordan Love’s poise and precision left everyone questioning who truly belongs in the MVP conversation.QQ
Quarterback showed once again versus the Pittsburgh Steelers his high ceiling, and it’s been as consistent throughout the season as the Packers could hope for.
Jordan Love has done everything. Through eight NFL weeks, the Green Bay Packers quarterback is first in adjusted EPA/play, third in success rate, fifth in completion percentage over expectation. He is explosive, consistent, reliable, and elevates the entire offense.
And there was no way around it, Sunday was a big challenge for him. Playing on “Sunday Night Football,” against his predecessor Aaron Rodgers, a road game in a tough environment versus a respectable defense. Love overcame all these challenges to display one of the best performances of his NFL career so far.
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“There’s that added level of pressure,” Love admitted after the game. “I knew coming in this week that this was going to be a very hyped-up game and very talked-about game, with A-Rod coming back and playing against the Packers for the first time.
“Obviously, us going up against each other, you know that. At the beginning of the week, my mindset was just trying to come out here and focus on getting that win, block all the extra stuff out, be the player I need to be, focus on what their defense does, find ways to take advantage of that, and come out here and get this win. I definitely knew coming into the week.”
MVP conversation
It’s early for that, yes, since we’re still in the middle of the season. However, the Packers are first in the NFC — MVPs usually go to a quarterback from one of the top two seeds in their conference. The team success is there too. But that’s not a “QB wins” argument. Love has matured, has grown, and he’s played at an elite level this year.
“Jordan’s worked his ass off to get here,” Matt LaFleur said. “He was patient throughout the process, throughout the journey. And he just took advantage of the opportunity. He really did. I’ve said this many times, just to watch how he’s matured as a young guy coming in here at 21 years old, and he’s a grown-ass man now. And you see it, what he does, how he carries himself.
“He just is so confident. He’s a great teammate. He encourages the other guys. He’s a hell of a leader. And he’s really grown as a football player. I’m sure going into this game, he put a lot on himself. And I thought he went out there, and he’s just so consistent in who he is through the good times and the bad times. And I’ve seen him, there’s moments where you can sense the frustration from him, but he just keeps going. And I kind of like it when he gets a little pissed off. Because you don’t see it too often.”
It’s hard to replace Aaron Rodgers, who replaced Brett Favre. The Packers have a tradition of elite quarterback play since Bart Starr, after all. But Love doesn’t want to be anybody else.
“I’m just trying to play my game,” Love reflected. “Being behind A-Rod for three years, being able to see him and the high-level play he was capable of, and how he could put the ball on the money at all times, was very cool for me to see. But for me, it comes down to just trying to be the best quarterback I can be for the team. Trusting those guys, putting it out there for them to make plays, and those guys doing a great job of making those plays. That’s kind of all it is.”
Jordan Love is who he is. And the Green Bay Packers don’t need him to be anybody else. He’s been an elite quarterback now, and his locker room presence is as positive as a team could possibly hope for.
