Jordan Love claps back at doubters after Week 3 comeback victory

After the game, Love did a phone interview with Peter King and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. They asked him if he hears the negative things people have said about him and if that motivates him.

Love responded:

“Yeah, man, it’s out there for sure. You know, something that I’ve been hearing a lot of that stuff since I got drafted. It’s one of those things that it’s kind of in one ear, out the other . . . because I know the position I’m in. All quarterbacks in the NFL are in a pretty scrutinized position. You know, you can’t let that stuff affect you.

“I just stay true to who I am and confident in myself, confident in my team. I don’t get ,you know, flustered by anything I hear or anything that’s out there because, you know, who are they to tell me who I am as a player?”

This echoes what Love’s mentor and Packers former quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, has said about/to him from the start: be yourself. All offseason, Love’s teammates commented on what a good leader he was and that he had the respect of the locker room for his ability to tune out the noise and do the work.

They also said that Love had the team ready to go to war for him, and that sure did show on Sunday. Love’s teammates rallied around him and, together, they pulled out the win.

Jordan Love Is an Improvement for the Green Bay Packers Over 2022 Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers, of course, is one of the best players ever in Packers history. 2022, however, was far from his best season with the team. Like the 2023 Packers, last year’s team was 2-1 after three weeks, but Rodgers was not playing his best football:

• 2022 Rodgers (through three weeks): 664 passing yards, four touchdowns, two interceptions, eight rushing yards
• 2023 Love (so far): 655 passing yards, seven touchdowns, one interception, 100 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown

Of course, many will point to the fact that Rodgers played through a broken thumb as a reason for his non-Rodgers like play in 2022. However, it is worth noting he did not break his thumb until the end of the Packers’ Week Five loss to the New York Giants in London. He was still healthy through the first three weeks of the season last year.

Jordan Love Is Not Going to Be Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers will always be a beloved figure among Packers fans. He provided some of the best memories of the past 15 seasons and will have his number retired by the organization when his career is over. He also is one of the most accurate passers in NFL history and has been known for taking care of the ball.

Love has done a good job (so far) of taking care of the ball as well. But he is putting more air under his throws in order to give his young wide receivers a chance to adjust to the throw. They are not as crisp in their routes as the veterans wide receivers Rodgers was known to throw to.

In other words, Love is giving his receivers a chance at the expense of his own accuracy. Putting more air under his throws, as opposed to throwing them on a line, allows defensive backs a better chance of breaking up the pass. However, it also gives his receivers a bigger chance of catching the ball.

How many times, over the last decade, did fans see Rodgers frustrated and yelling at players on the sideline? It became a common occurrence. Love, however, does not do that. He cool and collected, even when things get rough.

He is more concerned about others’ success than his own. This is not to say Rodgers wasn’t, but Love truly seems to be putting it all on the line to make sure his young pass catchers are successful.

And so far, it’s paid off.