The Green Bay Packers put an emphasis this offseason on wanting to get off to a better start in the regular season. In the last two years, Week 1 has been a disaster for Green Bay, suffering blowouts at the hands of the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings.
In 2021, it was a blip on the radar as the Packers went 13-4 in the regular season. Last year, it was a sign of things to come, as they went 8-9 and missed the playoffs for the first time in the Matt LaFleur era.
Looking to set a better tone for this year’s campaign, the Packers adjusted their training camp game plan. It certainly seemed to work as Green Bay came away with a dominant Week 1 victory over the Chicago Bears, 38-20.
There were a lot of positive takeaways from the game, but arguably the most important was the performance of Jordan Love. Love is taking over as the team’s starting quarterback after sitting behind Aaron Rodgers for three seasons and he played a strong game.
He was shaky at points, completing 15-of-27 pass attempts, but when the team needed him most, Love stepped up. The Nevada product threw for 245 yards and three touchdowns without a single turnover. Green Bay’s offensive line was able to keep a clean pocket all afternoon, enabling Love to make plays.
“I couldn’t be more proud of just his performance, his poise,” LaFleur said after the game. “There’s a big-time belief in that locker room for Jordan Love. I think the guys, they’re going to rally around him. They’re excited for him. They love him. They respect him. He comes to work every day, great attitude, great energy. I think you saw that today.”
That poise was on display during the most pressure-filled times. Third down and fourth down, the last chance an offense has to extend a drive, is the most pressure-packed and Love came through regularly.
The Packers went 9-of-16 on third down against the Bears for an elite 56.2 conversion percentage. Last season, the league leader in third-down conversion rate was the Buffalo Bills at 50.2 percent for some context.
Love took his game to another level on third and fourth down, completing 8-of-10 passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns. That performance was a big reason that the Packers were able to come away with a decisive victory in Week 1.
What made it even more impressive was the fact Love accomplished that without his No. 1 receiver, Christian Watson. Watson was sidelined with a hamstring injury but the Packers’ playmakers were up to the task of replacing his production and providing explosive plays.
