Jordan Love maintains the Green Bay Packers’ winning streak against the Chicago Bears
Jordan Love maintains the Green Bay Packers winning streak against the Chicago Bears
In a surprising turn of events, it appears that Aaron Rodgers might have had to share his ownership of the Chicago Bears with the new Green Bay Packers quarterback, Jordan Love.
Jordan Love’s debut as the Packers’ quarterback bore an uncanny resemblance to Rodgers’ previous performances against the Bears. A convincing 38-20 victory in the first game post-Rodgers era sent a clear message: the Packers are still a force to be reckoned with.
Running back Aaron Jones summed it up, stating, “Nothing’s changed. We’re still the Packers.”
While it remains to be seen if Jordan Love can match the legacy of Rodgers and Brett Favre with a 15-year run, it’s evident that these are now his Packers. After three years as a backup, Love finally had his chance to shine, and on this particular afternoon, he made General Manager Brian Gutekunst’s bold move to select him as a first-round quarterback in the 2020 draft look wise.
This victory marked the Packers’ ninth consecutive win over the Bears, but it held a significance beyond the win-loss record.
Packers’ head coach Matt LaFleur expressed his confidence in Love, stating, “There’s a big-time belief in that locker room for Jordan Love.I believe the team will come together in support of him. They love him. They respect him.”
Behind closed doors, Love received a well-deserved cheer from his teammates when presented with the game ball.
“It’s definitely been a long time coming for me, three years as a backup,” Love reflected. “Observing, learning, and evolving while witnessing this team’s efforts; it’s satisfying to take the lead alongside these teammates, and securing a victory is exactly what we aimed for.”
Love started strong, orchestrating a scoring drive on the opening possession with patience and precision. However, there were moments of struggle, and the game remained closely contested at halftime with a score of 10-6.
Yet, Love’s performance evolved into a classic LaFleur-style offense. A well-executed screen pass turned into a 51-yard catch and run for Aaron Jones, who finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. By the time Jones caught a 35-yard touchdown pass, the Packers had established a commanding 24-6 lead.
Love showcased his accuracy with a perfectly placed 4-yard fade for Romeo Doubs’ second touchdown. Despite a minor fumble hiccup, he recovered and connected with rookie tight end Luke Musgrave for a 37-yard pass, earning him his third touchdown of the game and a 31-14 lead. In the first week of the NFL season, Love became the first quarterback to throw three touchdowns.
Love’s performance was well-supported by Aaron Jones, who had 127 yards and two touchdowns on 13 catches, albeit before a tight hamstring ended his day. Love achieved an impressive 15 completions out of 27 attempts, accumulating 245 yards, all without a single turnover.
His prowess on critical downs, with an 8-of-10 conversion rate on third and fourth downs, seven of which resulted in first downs, was particularly noteworthy.
Left guard Elgton Jenkins expressed his optimism, saying, “I feel like he can be a top-five quarterback. I maintain a positive outlook when it comes to my teammates, and I genuinely believe that Jordan has the potential to be one of those exceptional players.”
Ultimately, the most important statistic for Jordan Love on this Sunday was 1-0. While he’s still a long way from Rodgers’ 24-5 record against the Bears, cornerback Jaire Alexander aptly summed it up: “[The] Pack is back.”
It seems that perhaps the Packers never truly left, even with Rodgers’ departure for the New York Jets. Love’s optimism and belief in his abilities set the tone for this victory, affirming his place as the new leader of the Green Bay Packers.
