The Green Bay Packers improved to 5-6 on the season with a 29-22 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day. The win, their third in the last four games, saw the offense take another step closer to reaching its full potential. This came as a surprise given that they were missing starters Luke Musgrave and Aaron Jones, as well as Dontayvion Wicks, who had 219 receiving yards in his previous four games.
Of course, Jordan Love’s outstanding quarterback play was a big part of their success. The fourth-year veteran (but first-year starter) completed 22 of 32 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns (62.5%). He did not throw an interception for the second week in a row.
It’s no coincidence that the Packers’ recent three-game winning streak has coincided with Love playing his best football of his career.
And running back AJ Dillon, who was drafted one round after Love in the 2020 NFL Draft, has a strong message for the rest of the league regarding his quarterback going forward.
Green Bay Packers Running Back Warns the NFL About Jordan Love
Dillon said of Love after the game on Thanksgiving at his locker:
“He was outstanding throughout the game.” I’ve said it week after week, and even before we played, back in OTAs, that he’s special. I told you I’d run through a wall for the guy, and nothing has changed. He has command of the locker room and the huddle. Men look up to him. When he’s in the huddle, you know exactly what you’re going to get. He’s a fantastic player, and when he gets that confidence, watch out.”
All throughout the offseason, Dillon was one of Love’s biggest supporters during the flurry of doubts and negative press that he received for the crime of taking over the job for which he was drafted. Indeed, many Packers fans were Love’s biggest detractors despite his teammates excitement that he was going to be taking over the offense.
It has not all been pretty. Green Bay went through a four game losing streak and Love’s completion percentage was the worst in the NFL among qualified quarterbacks. Now, though, Love has just about the same exact passing numbers that Aaron Rodgers had through 11 games in 2008, the year he took over from Brett Favre.
How effective has Jordan Love been in the Green Bay Packers’ last four games?
Over the last four games the Packers have played, Love has 65.2% completion percentage for 1,107 yards, eight touchdowns, and two interceptions to go with a 103.1 passer rating.
On a per game basis over this time, these numbers average out to 276.8 yards, two touchdowns, and 0.5 interceptions per game. Over a 17-game season, they would equate to 4,705 yards, 34 touchdowns, and nine touchdowns.
The thing is, though, that Love and the Packers offense are just getting better. The starting and key players that were missing from their win over the Lions were already mentioned. With time, these players, Love, along with skill players Christian Watson, Tucker Kraft, Romeo Doubs, and perhaps even Malik Heath will become one of the most productive offensive units in the NFL.
Time will tell, but they are certainly trending in the right direction.
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