Green Bay Packers: How Jordan Love compared with Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre in first start against Bears
By Todd Welter
Green Bay Packers starting quarterback Jordan Love has assumed ownership of the Chicago Bears after it was abandoned by Aaron Rodgers.
Love was 15 of 27 for 245 yards with three touchdown passes in a 38-20 beatdown of the franchise’s most hated rival.
He executed the offense in the manner head coach Matt LaFleur has envisioned. Love missed on some throws, but he made some nice passes when he needed to make them.
What Jordan Love did to the Bears on third (and fourth) down had to be demoralizing. He was 8-10, 141 yards, 2 TD, a perfect 158.3 passer rating.
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) September 11, 2023
There was 8-yard TD to Romeo Doubs on 3-goal. Thirty yards to Jayden Reed on 3-10. A 35-yard TD to Aaron Jones on 4-3. In a debut.
If Luke Musgrave did not run around the field like a baby giraffe, Love probably would have had four touchdowns and another 50 yards.
By the way, Musgrave had 50 yards receiving on three catches. If he runs a route better, he would have had an easy touchdown. Also, during a broken play, he got open and had a big gain but slipped-and-slide short of the endzone.
The Green Bay Packers are now 49-15 against the Bears since 1992 and have a nine-game win streak over their NFC North foe.
1992 coincides with when Brett Favre took over as the Packers starting quarterback. The Packers have made the NFL’s oldest rivalry one-sided ever since.
We will get to Favre in a moment. The bigger story was how would Jordan Love replace Aaron Rodgers after sitting behind him for three seasons.
The answer is the future looks bright.
The QB for the @packers has changed
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) September 11, 2023
The “manipulation” of defenses hasn’t@GetUpESPN @GBPdaily @RobDemovsky pic.twitter.com/L4wYyPa1Vd
Although, Love needs to prove he can play at a high level against a front four that can bring the pressure. The Bears defense was dominated by the Packers offensive line. Maybe the line will be able to protect Love at that level all season. Injuries typically put a kink in that.
Love played much better in his first career start against the Bears than Rodgers and Favre.
Favre completed 20 of 37 passes for 214 yards, a touchdown, and an interception on October 25, 1992 against Chicago. He was also sacked four times in a 30-10 loss at Lambeau Field.
The next month, Favre did go 16-for-24 with 209 yards and a touchdown in his first career start at Soldier Field in a 17-3 victory.
Rodgers completed 23 of 30 passes for 227 yards, a touchdown, and an interception on November 16, 2008 against the Bears. Rodgers was sacked just one time in a 37-3 thrashing of Chicago.
He suffered one of his five losses to the Bears the following month in his first career start in the town he unofficially owned. Rodgers was 24-39 for 260 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Love clearly had the better debut at Soldier Field and in the rivalry than Favre and Rodgers. Rodgers and Favre combined for nearly 50 victories over the Bears.
It is still unknown if Jordan will go on to have a legacy in this conflict between two of the NFL’s legacy franchises like Favre and Rodgers. It definitely got off on the right foot.
Related Story. What the Packers can expect from the Bears this year. light