Green Bay Packer

BREAKING: “Jordan Love’s Struggles to Process Plays: What’s Behind the QB’s Difficulties?”

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Naturally, as Matt LaFleur took the podium for his usual post-game press conference following the Green Bay Packers’ 24-14 loss to the Detroit Lions, reporters wanted to ask about Jordan Love’s ill-fated pass that Detroit picked at the line and returned for a touchdown.

“How did you assess the pick-six?” a reporter asked him.

“I’ve got to look at it. I think Jordan was trying to make a play,” LaFleur responded. “He was under duress there. I think he saw Josh (Jacobs), but Joseph picked it off. You can’t do that against guys like Joseph and Branch. Joseph made a great play. That was a big-time play in the game.”

Another reporter asked LaFleur if there’s a delicate balance in coaching a young quarterback like Love, who has the potential to make big plays, while still guiding him to make safer decisions. Before he could finish the question, though, LaFleur cut him off.

“It’s really annoying up here, though,” LaFleur replied. “He’s fighting and competing, and we know we have to take care of the football, but I don’t question anything about what he’s trying to do. We just have to do it better.”

While it’s frustrating for LaFleur to field inquiries about Love’s interceptions, that doesn’t make them unwarranted. These are perfectly valid questions.

Love leads the NFL with 10 interceptions. In just seven games this season, he has nearly matched his total from all of 2023, when he threw 11 picks. His pick-six against the Lions swung momentum. The Packers went into halftime down by 14 instead of seven.

Detroit’s defense blitzed, collapsing the pocket as Love scrambled to his right. Even if he had completed the pass to Jacobs, he would have faced two defenders nearby. Love should have thrown the ball away and lived to play another down. LaFleur said in the press conference that he didn’t question Love’s overall process, but that was a game-changing processing error.

The week before, Love threw a red-zone interception against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Although Jarrian Jones made a good play, Love telegraphed the throw by looking exclusively to the left. He never gave the defense the illusion that the ball could go to the right.

In Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings, the Packers were in field goal range, down by nine points with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter. Minnesota simulated a seven-man pressure, but one defender dropped back. Harrison Smith came unblocked off the edge, and Love forced a throw to Dontayvion Wicks. He had a one-on-one matchup, but Love’s ball placement was poor. The pass needed to be aimed more toward the sideline but ended up too far inside, enabling Byron Murphy II to make the interception.

Even some positive plays have stemmed from Love’s poor processing. His 50-plus yard completion to Jayden Reed against the Los Angeles Rams was awesome, but he threw into triple coverage. In 99 out of 100 instances, that pass would result in either an incompletion or an interception.

Love has thrown an interception in his last eight starts. Just as it is frustrating for LaFleur to address questions about Love’s interceptions, it is equally annoying for Packers fans to witness him underperforming. Last season, Love had seven games with a 0.0% turnover-worthy play rate, so he has proven he can take care of the football. Furthermore, his turnover-worthy play rate was 2.5% in 2023 and has increased to 3.7% in 2024.

Having Aaron Rodgers, the most talented football thrower, as the starting quarterback for 15 seasons may have set unrealistic expectations for Green Bay fans regarding Love. However, we should not accept Love’s interception streak as a baseline standard. Love performs better whether he plays conservatively or attacks short windows.

“I’m putting the ball in jeopardy way too many times,” he admitted after the game against Detroit. “It’s definitely something I have to clean up.”

“Just comes down to staying true to my reads. If the plays do go out of schedule, just that fine line of being smart with the ball and not putting it in harm’s way,” he added. “Balancing to try to make a play versus just throwing it away and live to fight another day. It just comes down to staying true to my reads, make great decisions.”

Jordan Love has two weeks to address these mistakes and come off the bye ready for a demanding three-game stretch in 11 days.

 

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