Jordan

Love

Love wasn’t helped by the fact that a) the Packers offensive line couldn’t go more than eight plays between holding penalties and b) Green Bay’s receivers getting injured at a prodigious enough rate to leave Malik Heath on the field in key downs. But it was not good enough for the Packers, who needed a transformative performance against a dominant Eagles defense and could not find it in Love. He finishes the year with a seasonal line of 3,389 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 picks. It’s not that the Packers are necessarily “bad,” but Love doesn’t have transformative weapons and the shape of the offense bent towards the run. It will be hard for him to be more than a bottom-tier QB1 with spike weeks without better receiving talent or a shift in offensive design in 2025.

This is Love’s second consecutive full practice, indicating the elbow injury he suffered last week is effectively behind him. The run-heavy Packers may be forced to throw the ball aggressively in order to keep pace with the Eagles’ high-powered offense. Love has a wide range of outcomes this week he appears to be healthy enough for a high-volume outing.

This is great news for the Packers. Love was a limited participant when the practice week opened on Wednesday so one can reasonably conclude that his throwing-elbow’s health is improving. The Packers have employed a run-heavy approach for much of this year but a matchup with the Eagles’ vaunted offense has decent odds of turning into a pass-heavy affair. Luckily, Love is on track to play.

Love took a hit to the elbow in Week 18 and did not return. Though, with little to play for versus the Bears, it didn’t make much sense for him to retake the field in the second half. Head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters after Sunday’s game that Love was held out as a precaution and will be good to go for their Wild Card Round matchup with the Eagles. A limited practice keeps him on pace to suit up this week. As a road dog versus a surging Philly defense, Love will be one of the weaker Wild Card Weekend fantasy quarterbacks. When asked if he will play on Sunday, Love responded, “we’ll see. Yeah. I’m hopeful.”

Love left the game after taking a hit to the funny bone in the second quarter. The Packers, who were only playing for seeding, opted to have Love miss most of the rest of the game after getting stretched out on the sideline. We wouldn’t be stunned if Love wound up on the injury report this week, but it looks like the Packers have dodged a serious injury.

The last thing you want to read if you’re a Packers fan, but it seems like an issue Love is poised to play through for the Wild Card Round. Love took a diabolical “funny bone” hit in the second quarter, giving way to Malik Willis. After spending a ton of time getting stretched out on the sideline, Love was seen throwing to begin the third quarter. The Pack then opted to play things safe and stick with Willis. Love might be at less than 100 percent, but he will almost certainly be ready for the playoffs. His status will be updated throughout the week.

Love simply couldn’t get the ball downfield against the Minnesota defense until the end of the game, and while there was certainly some pressure along with some passes that could have (in some cases should have) been caught, much of the blame goes on him missing on throws you expect the 26-year-old to make. The blessing here is the padded stats and a late passing touchdown to Malik Heath, but it’s still a disappointing fantasy effort. Love and the Packers have a game in Week 18 against the Bears that may not have any meaning, depending on what happens betweens the Commanders and Falcons.

Love was not sacked and did not commit a turnover in a game the Packers eventually pitched the first shutout of the 2024 season by any team. The offense was cooking on their first three possessions while scoring a touchdown on each, allowing the Packers to pull their starters early as they looked to escape Week 16 with a clean bill of health. Even through those efforts, wide receiver Christian Watson departed the contest after his only target and his status appears uncertain moving forward. The team did not pass an injury update on the young wide receiver but he was seen on the sideline getting his right quad massaged by the training staff just above the knee. Love and the Packers now turn their attention to one of the three teams to have beaten them this season in the Vikings in Week 17.

Love the Packers set the tone from the opening kick after winning the coin toss, electing to receive the first half kick, and marching the field to score an opening possession touchdown on a one-yard plunge from running back Josh Jacobs. While Love was only asked to throw the football 27 times, he made numerous veteran plays including a long completion to Christian Watson when the Seahawks jumped offside, a long completion to Tucker Kraft with a free play due to too many men on the field, and a fourth quarter touchdown toss to Romeo Doubs with under five minutes remaining that went down as one of the highlights of the game. The Packers improve to 10-4 and control their playoff destiny with only three weeks left to play. Up next for Love and the Packers are the reeling Saints at home in Week 16.

It was the tale of two halves for Love, who entered the break just 3-of-7 for 31 scoreless yards. Amazon’s Kaylee Hartung even asked Matt LaFleur — what’s with the lack of passing? Love then hit Christian Watson for a 59-yard, non-scoring strike on the second play of the third quarter and finished the drive 2-of-4 for 71 yards and a touchdown. Targeting Watson would remain a theme, as the inconsistent wideout caught three second half passes for 94 yards after those numbers were 1/20 before the break. Love dropped some ridiculous dimes without too many groaners mixed in. The Packers’ run game has been working, but Love is averaging only 22 attempts over the past month for no real discernible reason. He should probably be cut loose a little more, but we don’t expect that for Week 15 against the Seahawks’ fast-improving defense.