The Green Bay Packers’ transition from an iconic quarterback like Aaron Rodgers to a young, unproven talent like Jordan Love has been far from smooth.
Over the course of five games, the team has experienced highs and lows, with Love facing his fair share of struggles.
Despite these challenges, head coach Matt LaFleur remains hopeful that the Packers can turn things around.
“We all knew there were going to be some growing pains along the way, but I haven’t lost faith or belief in the group that we have,” LaFleur said on Tuesday, via the team’s official website. “I just think we can do things better. I think we can coach better, and I think we can execute better.”
In the opening game against the Bears, Love had an impressive performance, but things quickly went downhill from there.
In Week 2, he threw three touchdowns, but faltered in the later stages of the game, allowing the Falcons to stage a comeback and secure the win.
In Week 3, early game difficulties resulted in a significant deficit, only for Green Bay to bounce back after Saints quarterback Derek Carr got injured.
Week 4 saw Love face a devastating defeat against Detroit, and in Monday night’s game against Las Vegas, he threw three interceptions in a 17-13 loss.
When it comes to statistical performance, Love has fallen short in multiple areas.
He currently ranks last in completion percentage over expected, out of 34 quarterbacks with at least 50 pass attempts, according to Next Gen Stats, his completion percentage sits at 55.6%, the lowest in the league, and his passer rating is 29th overall at 77.3. In terms of EPA (Expected Points Added) per dropback, Love is in 21st place with -0.10.
However, LaFleur refuses to place the blame solely on Love’s shoulders for the team’s early season struggles. He believes that everyone involved, including coaches and players, shares responsibility for the Packers’ 2-3 start.
Matt LaFleur won't put Packers' early season struggles on Jordan Love: "We all knew there were going to be some growing pains"https://t.co/SEVnTsW1bv pic.twitter.com/oToF7THJdD
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) October 11, 2023
“There’s a lot of things we can do a hell of a lot better, and I think it all starts with the detail,” LaFleur said on Tuesday.
With the return of Aaron Jones after the Week 6 bye, LaFleur expects the team to benefit greatly. Jones, the dynamic running back, has been hampered by a hamstring injury since Week 1 but is set to make a full recovery.
Despite the challenges, there is still hope for the Packers. Coming out of their bye, they will face off against the struggling Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings, both currently holding 1-4 records.
LaFleur remains optimistic and believes that adversity can serve as a catalyst for growth and improvement.
“There’s a lot of good that can come out of adversity if you stay tough-minded and persistent and you don’t let it bring you down,” LaFleur said. “And that’s what I told our guys. I was like, nobody’s feeling sorry for us and if we feel sorry for ourselves, we will regress. But as long as we take that approach like, hey, we’re going to roll up our sleeves and get back to work, then you’ve got a chance to show some progress.
“That’s what I want to see. I want to see that fight from our team, and I believe that we will.”
