Jordan Love: Playoff Loss to 49ers ‘Definitely Sits With You’

Jordan Love watched (and rewatched) last year’s playoff loss to the 49ers, which culminated with a late interception. On Sunday, Love and the Packers will host the 49ers in a huge NFC clash.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) leaves the field after losing to the San Francisco 49ers last year. / Dan Powers-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love went on one of the greatest runs in franchise history last year to lift the team into the playoffs and a wild-card rout of the Cowboys.

And then, with a chance to lead a game-winning drive at the San Francisco 49ers to reach the NFC Championship Game, Love threw across his body and was intercepted by Dre Greenlaw.

The 49ers won 24-21. As San Francisco beat Detroit the following week to reach the Super Bowl, all Love could do was think about the one that got away.

“I think just ending the season, getting into the playoffs and being knocked out by the 49ers, whoever it would have been, that game is definitely going to sit with you,” Love said on Wednesday, with a rematch looming on Sunday at Lambeau Field.

“That’s what you’ve got to sit with all offseason is going back, watching that game, trying to see what you could have done better, could have done differently in that game. It definitely sits with you through the offseason and then, obviously, you move on. Just knowing that that’s the team that knocked us out, we’re definitely hungry for this game.”

Love said he rewatched the game three times – not an unusual amount – but memories from the two interceptions he threw in that game were impossible to escape.

“No, not obsessing about it,” he said. “I think it was kind of just any other game but, at the same time, it’s all you’ve got. That’s what you finish the season on, so you want to go back and kind of see things that you ended the season on with and things you’re trying to correct going into the next season.”

During the second half of last season, Love threw 18 touchdowns vs. one interception to help Green Bay overcome a 3-6 start to finish 9-8 and squeak into the playoffs. Then, he threw three touchdown passes in a masterpiece against Dallas.

But with a trip to the NFC Championship Game on the line, Love in the rain and against one of the best defenses in the NFL was 21-of-34 passing for 198 yards with two touchdowns. While there were other mistakes, such as a missed field goal in the fourth quarter, the two interceptions proved fatal.

“It’s one of those games that it just sits with you,” he said. “No matter who it was, you’re going to sit and reflect on what you could have done better to get over that hump.”

What was the main takeaway after watching and rewatching?

“Nothing more than I probably did the first time,” he said. “I think the main takeaway is it sucks losing (and), obviously, getting knocked out of the playoffs. There’s going to be things that we see, I think, plays that we’ll see, things that they did on defense that gave us fits and things that we did well. So, just building on that for this week.”

Love hasn’t necessarily built off his late-season performance from last year. Entering Week 12, he is 24th in passing attempts but tied for first with 11 interceptions. He’s thrown at least one interception in all eight starts.

But while he made the critical mistake with the game on the line against the 49ers last year, he led the Packers to the game-winning touchdown last week against Chicago and the game-winning field goal against Houston.

“I think I grew a lot throughout that whole season and, obviously, I was proud of the way I played,” he said. “Obviously, two turnovers in that game, critical mistakes, the final 2-minute drive situation to go win and having a turnover, so just learning from that situation, put myself back in that situation, what would I have done differently? How do I grow from that, things like that.”

Love and the Packers are 7-3 and in a strong position to return to the playoffs. The 49ers are struggling at 5-5.

This isn’t a revenge game, Love said, but this is a rivalry game with playoff implications.

So, yes, this is an especially meaningful game.

“Just having them be the team that knocked us out last year, definitely plays a factor,” Love said. “At the end of the day, like you said, NFC opponent, and obviously since I’ve been here, we’ve had a lot of games against the Niners, so we want to go out there and get this win.”

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