There’s no question that Jordan Love in 2023 played better than Aaron Rodgers in 2022.
It can be difficult to imagine a rebuilding quarterback leaving behind a legend, but the Green Bay Packers made it happen. This was partly because Rodgers was not playing at his normal high level. Last season’s level. Love finished his first season as a full-time starter ranked fifth in EPA/play with an 83.0 PFF grade.
That’s a significant improvement over Rodgers, ranked 21st in EPA/Play in 2022 (77.5 PFF grade). But it wasn’t just his performance on the field that made the difference.
The relationships and the way the offense is coming together makes things easier for the roster and coaching staff.”It’s great to have Jordan here with those young guys because there’s an open dialogue and we do a lot of it together,” Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stanavich explained this week. “It’s not ‘Do it this way’ or ‘Or else’ or ‘We’re going to do it this way.’
“Ok, let’s try. It will work? Okay, let’s go this way. That doesn’t work? Okay, let’s try. There is a lot of trial and error and a lot of things that we go through together. It definitely made us a lot better.”In Aaron Rodgers’ last year in Green Bay, there was a perception that the veteran quarterback didn’t like his youth much.
From antiquated hand signals to the desire to prioritize the weapons of seasoned veterans, there was a sense that young players would never have as much space and opportunity. “I never got a chance to hang out with him (Rodgers),” Dubs wide receiver Romeo said last season.
“It was always about football.”Christian Watson (611 yards in 2022) and Marques Valdes-Scantling (581 yards in 2018) were the most productive rookies of the Aaron Rodgers era. This year, freshman Jaden Reed led the team with 793 receiving yards for the first time since Rodgers left.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur also cited Jordan Love’s close relationship with the rest of the team as a positive development for the team. “It’s about doing the right thing. The guy comes to work every day with a good attitude. He’s one of those guys,” LaFleur said after the Week 18 win over the Chicago Bears. “He’s really improved over these four years.
“I’m so glad he found it.”It’s not necessarily Aaron Rodgers’ fault. The circumstances are just different. He is 15 years older than Jordan Love and has been in the NFL much longer. Love was 6 years old when Rodgers was drafted by the Packers in 2005.The age difference and Rodgers’ status in the NFL world were big factors.
But Jordan Love is a better fit for this new version of the Packers, with a roster full of first- and second-year pass receivers. Even if you take how well the rookie does on the field.A new era has begun in Green Bay.
Jordan Love’s calm and inspiring personality has been a huge positive for the Packers. Making the playoffs in his first season was a significant accomplishment, but it was also a result of Love’s ability to connect and lead his teammates.
