Comparing Jordan Love’s First 15 Games to Aaron Rodgers in 2008

After the Packers wasted a two-touchdown lead, Jordan Love led the team to the game-winning field goal against Carolina on Sunday.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Who knows if Jordan Love will win a Super Bowl in his third season as the Green Bay Packers’ starting quarterback. Or if he’ll win NFL MVP in his fourth season. Or, after that, if he’ll add three more MVP trophies to the mantle.

But by Year 1 comparison, Love has the advantage over Aaron Rodgers.

With the Packers improving to 7-8 with their 33-30 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, it’s Love who is guaranteed to finish his debut season with more wins than Rodgers, who went 6-10 in 2008. Love holds small leads in touchdown passes (27 to 25), interceptions (11 to 13) and passer rating (91.8 to 91.4) despite playing with a much younger supporting cast.

For Love, it was his third game-winning drive of the season, joining his comebacks against the Saints and Chargers. Rodgers had two game-winning drives in 2008 and didn’t get his third until his 29th career start.

“It’s obviously a complete team game right there,” Love said. “Guys are out there making plays for us, and Matt (LaFleur) trust in me to put the ball in my hands in some of those critical situations. We executed some plays at a high level today. It’s the guys around me helping me make those plays.”

On the game-winning drive, Love’s 36-yard completion to Romeo Doubs, which came with plenty of controversy and an accusation that the officials favor the Packers, put the Packers into field-goal range. Moments later, Love’s short pass to Tucker Kraft turned into a gain of 20 to set up Anders Carlson for a much shorter kick.

“The one to Romeo, we got one-high coverage, man coverage, and he made a fantastic catch right there on the sideline, which was a huge play in that drive,” Love said. “And then coming back later, the one to Tucker, I was able to fit it in between two guys and he was able to bounce off them and pick up some more yards. It was a huge catch by him and a great way to finish that drive. Two huge plays by those guys.”

That drive was made necessary because the Panthers rallied from a 30-16 during the fourth quarter. Green Bay’s defense faltered again and the offense had back-to-back three-and-outs.

But, when Love absolutely needed to deliver, he delivered to keep Green Bay’s playoff hopes alive.

“I admire Jordan’s resiliency, because it can get tough when you feel the momentum flipping,” LaFleur said. “They were down 14 points, they come back and tie the game, and he made some big plays down the stretch.”

In 2008, with Rodgers making his 15th start of his debut season, the Packers lost 20-17 in overtime at Chicago to tumble to 5-10. It was their fifth consecutive loss, with the last four by a total of 14 points.

On a 2-degree night with a wind-chill of minus-13, the Packers held the Bears to 210 yards. Mason Crosby’s game-winning 38-yard field goal at the end of regulation was blocked, and Robbie Gould made a 38-yarder on the first drive of overtime.

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Jordan Love Through Game 15

Week 1, at Chicago (win): 15-of-27 passing, 245 yards, three touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 123.2 rating.

Week 2, at Atlanta (loss): 14-of-25 passing, 151 yards, three touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 113.5 rating.

Week 3, New Orleans (win): 22-of-44 passing, 259 yards, one touchdown vs. one interception, 66.4 rating.

Week 4, Detroit (loss): 23-of-36 passing, 246 yards, one touchdown vs. two interceptions, 69.9 rating.

Week 5, Las Vegas (loss): 16-of-30 passing, 182 yards, zero touchdowns vs. three interceptions, 32.2 rating.

Week 6, bye.

Week 7, Denver (loss): 21-of-31 passing, 180 yards, two touchdowns vs. one interception, 90.8 rating.

Week 8, Minnesota (loss): 24-of-41 passing, 229 yards, one touchdown vs. one interception, 72.1 rating.

Week 9, L.A. Rams (win): 20-of-26 passing, 228 yards, one touchdown vs. zero interceptions, 115.5 rating.

Week 10, Pittsburgh (loss): 21-of-40 passing, 289 yards, two touchdowns vs. two interceptions, 71.8 rating.

Week 11, L.A. Chargers (win): 27-of-40 passing, 322 yards, two touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 108.5 rating.

Week 12, Detroit (win): 22-of-32 passing, 268 yards, three touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 125.5 rating.

Week 13, Kansas City (win): 25-of-36 passing, 267 yards, three touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 118.6 rating.

Week 14, N.Y. Giants (loss): 25-of-39 passing, 218 yards, one touchdown vs. one interception, 76.7 rating.

Week 15, Tampa Bay (loss): 29-of-39 passing, 284 yards, two touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 111.5 rating.

Week 16, Carolina (win): 17-of-28 passing, 219 yards, two touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 109.1 rating.

Total: 321-of-514 passing (62.5 percent), 3,587 yards, 27 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions, 91.8 rating.

Aaron Rodgers Through Game 15

Week 1, Minnesota (win): 18-of-22 passing, 178 yards, one touchdown vs. zero interceptions, 115.5 rating.

Week 2, at Detroit (win): 24-of-38 passing, 328 yards, three touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 117.0 rating.

Week 3, Dallas (loss): 22-of-39 passing, 290 yards, zero touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 80.1 rating.

Week 4, Tampa Bay (loss): 14-of-27 passing, 165 yards, two touchdowns vs. three interceptions, 55.9 rating.

Week 5, Atlanta (loss): 25-of-37 passing, 313 yards, three touchdowns vs. one interception, 109.4 rating.

Week 6, Seattle (win): 21-of-30 passing, 208 yards, two touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 111.5 rating.

Week 7, Indianapolis (win): 21-of-28 passing, 186 yards, one touchdown vs. zero interceptions, 104.2 rating.

Week 8: Bye

Week 9, Tennessee (loss): 22-of-41 passing, 314 yards, one touchdown vs. one interception, 76.7 rating.

Week 10, Minnesota (loss): 15-of-26 passing for 142 yards, zero touchdowns vs. zero interceptions, 72.9 rating.

Week 11, Chicago (win): 23-of-30 passing, 227 yards, two touchdowns vs. one interception, 105.8 rating.

Week 12, New Orleans (loss): 23-of-41 passing, 248 yards, two touchdowns vs. three interceptions, 59.8 rating.

Week 13, Carolina (loss): 29-of-45 passing, 298 yards, three touchdowns vs. one interception, 96.3 rating.

Week 14, Houston (loss): 19-of-30 passing, 295 yards, two touchdowns vs. one interception, 104.2 rating.

Week 15, Jacksonville (loss): 20-of-32 passing, 278 yards, one touchdown vs. one interception, 87.8 rating.

Week 16, Chicago (loss): 24-of-39 passing, 260 yards, two touchdowns vs. one interception, 87.6 rating.

Total: 320-of-505 passing (63.4 percent), 3,730 yards, 25 touchdowns vs. 13 interceptions, 91.4 rating.