Bottom of the Barrel Offensive Line, No Running Game, and WRs Leading The League in Drops. No One Is Doing More With Less Than Jordan Love This Year.
Kevin Sabitus. Getty Images.I think finally we've reached the point where the national media has begun to fully appreciate how good Jordan Love is at the quarterback position. I can't help Bears fans and their mental illness, but everyone else with a working brain has come to realize what Love is doing out there every week for the Packers.
These days every starting QB in their 20s who hits free agency gets a massive contract, but how many are actually worth it? When shit hits the fan how many can overcome obstacles and discard the excuse train to actually elevate their team and be the guy. We all know Justin Herbert to be the excuse king who has his fans cry about his o-line, receivers, offensive coordinators, and head coach. It's all gotta be perfect for him, and never his fault when it goes wrong. On the flip side there are plenty of QBs who have it all so easy for them like Bo Nix. Great coach, fantastic defense awesome offensive line, competent weapons. Must be nice to just throw screens the whole game and have your team win in spite of you. Love has nothing to work with and has to do it all himself.
Offensive line? The worst in the league without question. At times it's looked like the worst in NFL history. As makeshift as can be. Running game? What running game?
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Part of that has to do with the poor blocking up front and part of it is the fact that MarShawn Lloyd refused to hit any hole before Josh Jacobs came back a few weeks ago. Even with him here not much has changed. He's a nice option in the passing game at least, but on the ground things are a fucking chore to get anything going.
So the offensive line can't block and defenses know you're throwing it virtually every time. How about the receivers? Well thanks in part to Matthew Golden they lead the NFL in drops. The team left three touchdowns on the board against Dallas and that's not an exaggeration.
If I gave you that information you'd assume the Packers' season was over and there'd be no hope for a playoff push. Somehow it's quite the opposite. The season is very much alive and the Packers dare I say look dangerous? Why's that? Jordan Love is playing the best football of his career.
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This stat blew my mind.
Again, opposing defenses know Love is looking to throw the ball virtually every time and throw it deep past the sticks. That's usually a recipe for disaster, but not here. Love leads the league in passing yards and touchdowns despite virtually everything going against him.
Passing yards sometimes is a fluky stat because someone like Tyler Shough can rack them up while he's down three scores and defenses are not on their toes. Here they matter because it's the only way they're moving the ball and it's resulting in wins.
Love isn't going to receive serious MVP recognition over someone like Josh Allen or Joe Burrow, but by the exact definition of most valuable player he's been that for the Packers. If you're denying what you're seeing you're just a hater at this point. No one in the league is doing more with so little.
The o-line is starting to play a little better lately, but it's far from perfect, especially with the run-game. Just giving Love a little time to operate has catapulted the offense though. The addition of Laken Tomlinson has been a revelation. Would be cool to see Zeitler get in there, especially if Banks continues to struggle. They're operating with a backup center in John Williams, someone who is playing the position for the first time in his career. Despite facing a massive blitz rate last night, the Panthers never got home. That's a testament to slightly improved blocking and Love doing a fantastic job getting the ball out. To be able to hurt Carolina deep as much as he did is so impressive given the pressure he was facing.
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Even if you're not a Love guy, you have to appreciate as a football fan how he just throws the ball down the field. It's 10/10 entertainment. A true gunslinger.
Mini bye coming up to get healthy before a trip to Foxboro against the Pats. Parsons practicing next week, targeting a Thanksgiving week return perhaps? They really needed a win last night to give the season real juice. Now on the heels of that Love game we can really start to dream a little. Especially with the way this defense is playing. You're adding Micah Parsons to it? Gannon is gonna terrorize opposing offenses with that monster back in the fold. A season that was once dead on arrival is very much alive. Thank you Jordan Love.