From Lambeau to Lombardi, Holmgren, McCarthy and LaFleur and from Starr to Favre, Rodgers and now Jordan Love we’re talking Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers football. This Packers Forum is the place to talk NFL football and everything Packers. So, pull up a keyboard, make yourself at home and let’s talk some Packers football.
There were a million things that could have been different which would have caused us to win, but I want to highlight one specific thing that I was really hoping would be different with Love (versus Rodgers) but proved to not be, even when it was crunch time and we needed it most.
We need to have a QB who makes plays with his feet. We don't want a QB who does it often, but we have to have a guy who is willing to pick up the first down via running. We had 2 4th quarter drives stall out on instances where Love could have simply run the ball for the first down. That was the difference (well, one of the differences).
This is an element to the game that we just totally leave off the board, that other good teams are not afraid to utilize. Look at all of the other good QBs, doesn't matter if they are known for throwing or running, they all make plays with their legs.
I am beyond excited about Jordan Love heading into the future. His 2023 performance exceeded my wildest expectations, except, as you point out above, when it came to running the ball.
Jordan just looks hesitant and unnatural as a runner. He had 3, -1, -1, 2, 12, 1, 2, and 10 yards or 28 total yards rushing on 19 attempts over the last 8 games of the season.
And I agree he passed up opportunities when it made sense for him run for a first down.
He also had crucial fumbles against the Giants and Bears late in the season when he did run with the ball.
Jordan also did not look at all comfortable when it came to the QB sneak. Anyone remember game 2 in Atlanta?
It is a good thing that I feel much more confident about Love throwing the ball 20+ yards downfield than I do about him running in the open field, but i'd sure like that aspect of his game to improve in 2024.
Jordan just looks hesitant and unnatural as a runner. He had 3, -1, -1, 2, 12, 1, 2, and 10 yards or 28 total yards rushing on 19 attempts over the last 8 games of the season.
And I agree he passed up opportunities when it made sense for him run for a first down.
Then MLF should design runs for him and -get- him comfortable. QB runs are a huge X-factor that can make the difference in a game.
“Most other nations don't allow a terrorist to be their leader.”
“... Yet so many allow their leaders to be terrorists.”—Magneto
It is a good thing that I feel much more confident about Love throwing the ball 20+ yards downfield than I do about him running in the open field, but i'd sure like that aspect of his game to improve in 2024.
It is exactly this. I think it would be pretty terrible to have a run-first QB, or a QB who quickly falls back on "instincts" a la Justin Fields. Way better for a QB to focus primarily on throwing. But we need to establish at least some modest ability to make plays with the QB's legs. And right now, we have zero ability to do that, despite having a QB who is young, which is generally when they are able to do that.
I love how Love grew through the year. But next year, I want the offense to do more throwing to Jones and the RBs. Add more screen passes too. They did great at deep throws. But once Tom got hurt, we learned something that isn't a strength about our offense. We are good there. But need to improve.
Come on down and try some of our delicious green chili! Best in the world!
Palmy - "Very few have the ability to truly excel regardless of system. For many the system is the difference between being just a guy or an NFL starter. Fact is, everyone is talented at this level."
So just imagine a season where Love:
1. Doesn't need the first half of the season to warm up to being a starter,
2. His WRs/TEs also have a full year of GROWTH behind them,
3. Watson STAYS healthy,
4. Defense offsets at least a few more of the offenses mistakes,
5. One more year in MLF's playbook, and
6. Another season of reading defenses real time.
Oh yeah, if he ever learns how to be any kind of a running threat...
My expectations are VERY high for the offense next year. I really think they are unrealistic and I'll need to temper them down a smidgen. But not too much!
Come on down and try some of our delicious green chili! Best in the world!
So just imagine a season where Love:
1. Doesn't need the first half of the season to warm up to being a starter,
2. His WRs/TEs also have a full year of GROWTH behind them,
3. Watson STAYS healthy,
4. Defense offsets at least a few more of the offenses mistakes,
5. One more year in MLF's playbook, and
6. Another season of reading defenses real time.
Oh yeah, if he ever learns how to be any kind of a running threat...
My expectations are VERY high for the offense next year. I really think they are unrealistic and I'll need to temper them down a smidgen. But not too much!
Had this argument with a few of my troops earlier. Jordan Love went from bottom 10 in the first half of the year (I’d argue bottom 5) and escalated all the way to top 10 at the end of the year.
I’d be shocked if he wasn’t a top 5 QB next season. I keep saying it but the league never saw an in season transformation like this before. He went from absolute dog &%$@ to great in a week and went on a tear.
So just imagine a season where Love:
1. Doesn't need the first half of the season to warm up to being a starter,
2. His WRs/TEs also have a full year of GROWTH behind them,
3. Watson STAYS healthy,
4. Defense offsets at least a few more of the offenses mistakes,
5. One more year in MLF's playbook, and
6. Another season of reading defenses real time.
Oh yeah, if he ever learns how to be any kind of a running threat...
My expectations are VERY high for the offense next year. I really think they are unrealistic and I'll need to temper them down a smidgen. But not too much!
Had this argument with a few of my troops earlier. Jordan Love went from bottom 10 in the first half of the year (I’d argue bottom 5) and escalated all the way to top 10 at the end of the year.
I’d be shocked if he wasn’t a top 5 QB next season. I keep saying it but the league never saw an in season transformation like this before. He went from absolute dog &%$@ to great in a week and went on a tear.
Jordan Love did not suck early, did he get better later, of course, who doesn't, LOve had to deal with makeshift OL, and a bunch of rookie receivers, both positions took half a season to improve.
I don't know why you and others keep spouting these false comments, I mean it doesn't further the argument that Love might be great, why degrade the guy just to say that?
So just imagine a season where Love:
1. Doesn't need the first half of the season to warm up to being a starter,
2. His WRs/TEs also have a full year of GROWTH behind them,
3. Watson STAYS healthy,
4. Defense offsets at least a few more of the offenses mistakes,
5. One more year in MLF's playbook, and
6. Another season of reading defenses real time.
Oh yeah, if he ever learns how to be any kind of a running threat...
My expectations are VERY high for the offense next year. I really think they are unrealistic and I'll need to temper them down a smidgen. But not too much!
Had this argument with a few of my troops earlier. Jordan Love went from bottom 10 in the first half of the year (I’d argue bottom 5) and escalated all the way to top 10 at the end of the year.
I’d be shocked if he wasn’t a top 5 QB next season. I keep saying it but the league never saw an in season transformation like this before. He went from absolute dog &%$@ to great in a week and went on a tear.
Jordan Love did not suck early, did he get better later, of course, who doesn't, LOve had to deal with makeshift OL, and a bunch of rookie receivers, both positions took half a season to improve.
I don't know why you and others keep spouting these false comments, I mean it doesn't further the argument that Love might be great, why degrade the guy just to say that?
That four game losing streak, the Lions, Raiders, Broncos, and Vikings, he wasn't good enough. The team around him was not good enough, but he definitely wasn't good enough. That was a bad stretch of football from everyone, but it started at QB. I think we went through that entire month without scoring a point in the first half or something ridiculous. He started off pretty nicely, but that 4-game stretch was brutal.
Had this argument with a few of my troops earlier. Jordan Love went from bottom 10 in the first half of the year (I’d argue bottom 5) and escalated all the way to top 10 at the end of the year.
I’d be shocked if he wasn’t a top 5 QB next season. I keep saying it but the league never saw an in season transformation like this before. He went from absolute dog &%$@ to great in a week and went on a tear.
Jordan Love did not suck early, did he get better later, of course, who doesn't, LOve had to deal with makeshift OL, and a bunch of rookie receivers, both positions took half a season to improve.
I don't know why you and others keep spouting these false comments, I mean it doesn't further the argument that Love might be great, why degrade the guy just to say that?
That four game losing streak, the Lions, Raiders, Broncos, and Vikings, he wasn't good enough. The team around him was not good enough, but he definitely wasn't good enough. That was a bad stretch of football from everyone, but it started at QB. I think we went through that entire month without scoring a point in the first half or something ridiculous. He started off pretty nicely, but that 4-game stretch was brutal.
thing is, thats what a QB acts and looks like when there worried about pressure, and he had been dealing with the rush from every gap, free rushers, stunts, not picked up, once all that stuff improved, so did Love, same with the receiver group.
some of this also is a result of not having Jones, in the red zone he's another player a defense has to cover, lack of experience at receiver also makes it tough , that limits the plays Lafleur can call up, not to defend Love, just saying he had a lot of issues to over come besides being a 1st time starter.
whatever, it was exciting to watch Love finish last year with such command of the offense, ability to read defenses, set up his blocking, get everyone on the same page, not to mention some really beautiful passes, I expect he'll be even better this year
For Love it's not about being better Year 2. We have seen his peak. I don't think a quarterback can honestly be better than Love's peak. Dallas was THAT good.
For Love it is now about consistency. Love can't have his 4 game stretch early in the season, against the Giants, and more importantly can't falter like he did in the 4th quarter in San Francisco.
Our quarterback needs to rise up in the big moments. We struggle with that. I understand most teams do but Mahommes and Brady have absolutely bucked that trend. I hope Love has that pedigree.
