Near-perfect against the Cowboys, Packers’ Jordan Love pulls off an upset victory
Texas’s Arlington This postseason may be about how fast Jordan Love can lead the Green Bay Packers to a Super Bowl if the regular season’s objective was to determine if he was the team’s quarterback of the future.
It might happen sooner than anyone thought, judging by the NFC wild-card playoff victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Love left his coach and teammates alike in shock after Sunday’s 48-32 upset victory over the NFC’s No. 2 seed at AT&T Stadium.
“Wow, Jordan Love, man,” exclaimed Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. That’s pretty much all I have to say—’Wow.'” What he did, his elegance, his commanding demeanor… It merely demonstrates his development from his debut start against Kansas City [in 2021] until the present. Just incredibly proud and thrilled for him. What a dude he is. He really is a dude.”
Love completed his passing for 272 yards and three touchdowns without giving up a pass. With 10:23 remaining in the game, after his third touchdown pass to Romeo Doubs, a 3-yard sidearm ball that left the Packers ahead 48-16, it seemed like he was done for the day. His passer rating was 158.3. When he returned after the Cowboys had closed the gap to 16 points, that fell to 157.2 following two turnovers.
He surpassed Josh Allen’s 98.8 in a 2021 wild-card game to get a Total QBR of 99.3, making him the first player to do so in a playoff game since ESPN started tracking the statistic in 2006.
Aaron Jones, the running back, scored three touchdowns on Sunday to bring his total against the Cowboys to nine in four career games. “We believed in him from the beginning,” Jones said. It’s a process, as we all know. It’s not entirely his fault.
On Sunday, it wasn’t only Love either. The Packers started 27-0 thanks to interceptions by Jaire Alexander and Darnell Savage, who returned his 64 yards for a touchdown. Jones had three touchdowns and 118 running yards in another outstanding performance. With six receptions, Doubs gained 151 yards and a touchdown. Luke Musgrave and Dontayvion Wicks both caught touchdown passes, and the offensive line held Love mostly clean, allowing only three quarterback hits and no sacks.
