Green Bay Packers: Jordan Love “Handled Himself Well” in NFL Debut

As part of Sunday’s debacle in Jacksonville against the New Orleans Saints, we did get to see Jordan Love take the field and make his NFL debut for the Green Bay Packers.

I’m guessing that this isn’t how most of us expected it would happen–I’m sure there was hope that it would come during Week 17 when the Packers have the NFC’s No.1 seed locked up. However, as we all know, that wasn’t the case.

As the Green Bay Packers found themselves being blown out by the Saints, several starters were pulled, including Aaron Rodgers, which gave Love the opportunity to play most of the fourth quarter.

Love was on the field for 15 snaps, eight of which were passing plays, according to PFF ($$). He would complete five of his seven pass attempts for 68 yards and an average of 9.7 yards per attempt.

This performance included a 32-yard completion to Randall Cobb and a 19-yard completion to Amari Rodgers that resulted in the only third down conversion of the day for Green Bay. Love also had a nice touch pass down the sidelines in between to defenders, but Allen Lazard could not bring it in.

"“I thought Jordan did a lot of great things in limited snaps,” said Matt LaFleur during Monday’s press conference. “I thought he handled himself well.”"

On the third-down completion to Am. Rodgers, Love’s initial read wasn’t there, so he continued to go through his progressions and work his way across the field while also buying time in the pocket with his feet before finding the rookie wide receiver.

On the pass to Cobb, the offensive line gives Love time in the pocket as this deep crossing route develops. Love keeps his feet active, surveys the field after his first read isn’t available, and buys a little extra time as the pressure closes in at the end as he delivers an accurate pass.

Unfortunately, as Love had the opportunity to get the Packers into the end zone, he was hit and fumbled the ball in the red zone, which was eventually recovered by New Orleans. That play will turn into another key learning experience for Love.

"“You certainly don’t want to end it with the fumble in the red zone, I think that’s just one of those deals where the more he plays the better feel he’ll get for the pocket, and when to climb up, and when to hitch-in-place. He climbed in that pocket and unfortunately it collapsed on him.”"

With all of that said, it’s important to note that at this point in the game, with it being so far out of hand, that the New Orleans’ defense was running some pretty vanilla looks, and their goal was simply to not give up the big play.

This, of course, makes it much easier to diagnose what is going on pre-snap; it creates easier reads as the play unfolds and likely easier completion opportunities.

But nonetheless, it was an impressive debut for Love, who, just as he did during the preseason, looked calm and in control while on the field. Now, let’s just hope that we don’t see him again until Week 17 or if the script is flipped, and it’s the Green Bay Packers who have the big lead entering the fourth quarter.