Packers dismiss growing concern around Jordan Love and signal firm confidence as the playoffs approach
Quarterback returns after missing two and a half games.
It was Week 16, Dec. 20, when Jordan Love took his final regular season snap. It will be exactly three weeks without playing football before the quarterback faces the same opponent, the Chicago Bears, but now in the playoffs.
Love suffered a concussion in that second Bears game and didn’t clear the concussion protocol in time to play against the Baltimore Ravens. Last week, Love sat alongside many of the Green Bay Packers’ starters versus the Minnesota Vikings, so it’s a long time between actual games.
“I don’t have any concern about that,” Love said, though, when asked about any potential rust before the postseason.
And this is because the circumstances now are very different from last season. Jordan Love had knee, calf, and elbow injuries throughout the season. Even though he missed only two games and big parts of two others, the quarterback wasn’t able to practice as frequently.
This time around, Jordan Love had enough practice time
Unlike last year, Love didn’t miss practices. Even returning from his concussion and limited by the protocol, the quarterback participated in the team’s activities ahead of the Ravens game, practiced at full ahead of the Vikings game, and made his normal preparation for the Bears.
“He’s got a lot of confidence,” head coach Matt LaFleur said on Wednesday. “We have a lot of confidence in him, as do his teammates.”
It wasn’t a perfect season by the Packers’ offense, especially in the redzone, but the unit was still able to finish the year in sixth place by DVOA — and that’s considering a Clayton Tune game. Individually, Jordan Love was second in adjusted EPA/play, seventh in success rate, third in completion percentage over expectation, and eighth in air yards.
“He just consistently goes out there and performs at a high level,” LaFleur added. “I know as an offense there have been some high moments and some not so great moments, but I don’t think that can all be attributed to our quarterback.”
Jordan Love hasn’t played in three weeks, but the Packers trust he will be ready to go in the most important moment of the season.
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