Along with HC Matt LaFleur, QB Jordan Love deserves blame for Packers' offensive woes

Before Green Bay Packers fans start calling for head coach Matt LaFleur's firing, they should also consider quarterback Jordan Love. 

The Packers (5-3-1) have now dropped two straight games after a 10-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on "Monday Night Football." During this stretch, Green Bay's offense has averaged a subpar 10 points per game. 

The slumping offense has raised questions about LaFleur's job security, and rightfully so. Offense is his area of expertise, so he should be drawing up plays that help the team score more points. However, Love's streaky play has made that process more difficult. 

Jordan Love backs Matt LaFleur

In a postgame news conference, Love admitted he must play better and said he still has confidence in his head coach. 

"I've got a lot of trust in Matt," the sixth-year QB said. "That's something that's not wavering at all. I've been with Matt since I got here. I know exactly what he's capable of; that's not wavering. It comes back to all of us — players, coaches, everybody — finding ways to improve and get better."

The recent offensive downturn coincides with Love's declining play. Over the past two games against the Eagles and the Carolina Panthers, he has thrown no touchdown passes and one interception. In his first seven starts, the QB tossed 13 TD passes and two interceptions.

Love's dip could certainly be tied to the loss of star third-year tight end Tucker Kraft, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear in the 16-13 loss to the Panthers. The TE finished with 32 receptions for 489 yards and six TD catches in eight games.

That said, Love has been inconsistent since becoming the Packers' starting QB at the start of the 2023 season. In his first eight games in 2023, he tossed eight picks before throwing just three in his final nine games. In 2024, Love launched 11 picks in his first eight starts but logged zero over his last seven.  

This season, Love's slide could be coming at the wrong time for the Packers, who are trying to cling to a playoff spot in a loaded NFC. Green Bay would have the No. 7 seed in the postseason if the season ended on Tuesday. 

The Packers would ditch LaFleur — whose contract ends after the 2026 season — before they would jettison Love. Still, if his play keeps spiraling, the team may wonder whether signing him to a four-year, $220M extension in July 2024 was the right move.