Jordan Love is doing his part, and then some. The problem for the Packers is that the rest of the offense keeps making him work through a pile of self-inflicted issues.
Through eight games, Love sits atop the NFL with 2,246 passing yards and has thrown 16 touchdowns. He’s on pace for 4,772 passing yards, which would break the franchise record and edge past Aaron Rodgers’ 2011 total.
That kind of production usually points to an offense humming. This one is asking its quarterback to carry a load that would challenge just about anybody.
Green Bay’s rushing game has been stuck in the mud. The Packers are averaging only 60.6 rushing yards per game, the lowest mark in the NFL over the past decade.
Against Carolina, they managed just 66 rushing yards on 26 carries. That leaves defenses with a simple plan: force Love to win it through the air.
So far, he has.
The drops haven’t helped either. Green Bay has 23 dropped passes, eight more than any other team.
That’s a brutal number for any quarterback, especially one already operating behind a run game that isn’t giving him much support. Love’s growth into a passer who can keep an offense afloat has been one of the bright spots of the season, and the Packers’ 5-3 record shows how much that has mattered.
Still, there’s a difference between a quarterback surviving bad conditions and an offense actually helping him out. The Packers don’t need Love to shoulder even more. They need the rest of the unit to start pulling its weight.
The options for fixing it look limited. The trade deadline is coming, and maybe Green Bay could bring in another running back.
But with the run blocking the way it has been, it’s fair to wonder how much a new back would really change. The line could improve, too, though there’s no reason to count on that.
And on the receiving end, the issue is right there in the hands - or lack of them. Can the Packers receivers turn that around?
For now, Love keeps giving Green Bay a chance to be entertained every Sunday. Through eight games, he’s been more than capable of keeping the offense moving despite the mess around him, and that alone has been impressive.
Elsewhere around the team, Evan Williams was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month after posting 41 total tackles, four passes defensed, two interceptions, a sack, and a fumble recovery in October. Brandon Cisse was also honored, earning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month after leading all rookies in pass breakups and becoming the only rookie defensive back with at least 20 tackles and an interception in October.
In Other News...
Packers Walk Into A Patriots Moment That Will Dominate This Week
The Week 9 trip to New England already had a little extra shine for the Packers, and now it has a broadcast wrinkle to match. Tom Brady is set to call a Patriots game at Gillette Stadium for the first time in his broadcasting career when Green Bay visits Foxborough, adding another layer of attention to a matchup that was already going to draw plenty of eyes.
Brady said he is excited to return to the stadium where so many of his biggest moments unfolded, while Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and others around the organization have been taking stock of the occasion. The conversation around the game has also drifted toward Rob Gronkowskis upcoming Hall of Fame induction, giving this week in Foxborough a distinctly Patriots flavor even before the teams take the field. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Trade Buzz Just Raised The Stakes For This Defense
With the NFL trade deadline drawing near, Green Bay has started to look like a team that could be more than a bystander. The Packers have reason to explore help on defense, especially with Micah Parsons expected back from injury, and the idea of adding another proven edge presence has only sharpened the conversation around how aggressive they want to be.
One name that has surfaced in that discussion is Khalil Mack, a veteran pass rusher who would give Green Bay another disruptive piece if the Chargers decide to listen. Los Angeles has stumbled this season, which only adds to the intrigue around whether a player of Macks caliber could become available, and for the Packers the appeal is obvious: a chance to deepen a defense that could get a lot more dangerous if the right move is made. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Jacobs Puts Packers On Edge As NFL Wait Continues
Josh Jacobs situation has taken another turn as the Packers wait for the NFLs next move. The running back is already back in the middle of a difficult legal and league process after missing six games on the commissioner-exempt list following his May arrest, and recently released police records have now added fresh allegations from three women involving physical and verbal abuse.
For Green Bay, the uncertainty is the real issue. Jacobs has said he believes in his legal defense and expects to stay on the field for the rest of the season, but the NFL investigation is still ongoing, leaving the team to monitor a case that could continue to hang over its backfield. If the league eventually acts, any suspension would likely be applied against the games he has already missed, which only adds another layer to a situation the Packers would rather not have lingering into the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]