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

Packers QB Jordan Love made a big mistake rather than a big play against the Raiders. Fifteen years ago, Aaron Rodgers did the same thing against the Falcons.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Jordan Love had a chance to be the hero against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night. Instead of throwing the game-winning touchdown pass, Love in the fifth game of his first season as the team’s starting quarterback threw the game-ending interception.

In Aaron Rodgers’ fifth game as the starting quarterback, he also threw a killer fourth-quarter interception.

The learning curve for a starting quarterback in the NFL is steep and unrelenting, even for a legend. That was the case for Rodgers in 2008. With the Atlanta Falcons having taken a 20-17 lead midway through the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field, Rodgers served up an interception that set up the Falcons for the decisive touchdown.

Love endured a miserable performance in a 17-13 loss to the Raiders. He completed 16-of-30 passing for 182 yards with zero touchdowns and three interceptions. Love’s league-worst completion percentage actually dipped. Three weeks after being No. 1 in the NFL in passer rating, he’s crashed to 28th under the crushing weight of five interceptions in back-to-back losses to the Lions and Raiders.

“There were opportunities. There were guys open,” Love said. “t just comes down to decision-making and being smart, taking care of the ball. But, like I said, there’s been opportunities. I’ve just got to be better in that area.”

Despite a dreadful performance against a secondary that was down two starters, Love had a chance to do what he did against New Orleans: snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Starting at the 42 with 1:55 on the clock, two completions to tight end Luke Musgrave and two first downs by running back Patrick Taylor moved the ball to the Raiders’ 35 with about a minute to go.

On first down, Love threw a strike to the sideline that was dropped by Romeo Doubs, the pass hitting him right in the chest. On second down, Love’s pass was thrown just a bit behind Musgrave, who probably should have made the catch, anyway. 

On third down, Love escaped the pocket. Had he scrambled, he would have at least gotten close to the first-down marker. Instead, he saw his best playmaker, Christian Watson, behind a backup cornerback, Amik Robertson.

Jordan Love was 16-of-30 passing at the Raiders :: Photo by Stephen R. Sylvanie/USA Today Sports Images

Watson has a 7-inch height advantage, but Love’s pass wound up short of the mark. Robertson made the game-saving interception.

Watson blamed himself.

“I’ve got to find a way or make a way,” Watson said. “I think my number was called way too many times tonight for the amount of plays I made. I’ve got to make some more plays.”

Love blamed himself.

“Once I stepped up in the pocket, I saw Christian and I feel like he had the DB beat by a little bit,” Love said. “Thought we had a play to win it right there in the end zone. Kind of just underthrew it. Didn’t get enough on it, didn’t get it out there enough and the DB made a good play.”

The Packers are 2-3 at their bye. After routing the woeful Bears in Week 1, Love failed to deliver a winning drive at Atlanta in Week 2, saved the day against New Orleans in Week 3 and came up short again with a chance to steal a road win against struggling Las Vegas.

“It’s tough. We had a lot of opportunities definitely,” Love said. “Our defense did a great job giving us those opportunities, and we didn’t do enough. I didn’t do enough. Obviously, there’s a lot of good stuff to learn from, but it’s tough because we had opportunities to win it and we couldn’t do it.”

A better start would help. The last three games, the Packers have six points in the first half. Against Atlanta in 2008, back-to-back three-and-outs put the Packers in a 10-0 hole.

“I’ve got to find a way just to be better, get some completions going and move the ball,” Love said.

As was the story against the Raiders on Monday, the Packers had a chance to steal a victory vs. the Falcons. Rodgers answered his interception with a 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Donald Lee to cut the margin to 27-24 with 1:56 remaining. The Falcons handed the ball to Michael Turner three consecutive times for the clinching first down.

The Packers, 2-3 at the time, finished that season with a 6-10 record. After beating Minnesota 24-19 in Week 1, they lost each of their final seven games that were decided by a touchdown.

Jordan Love Through Week 5

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.

Total: 90-of-162 passing (55.6 percent), 1,083 yards, eight touchdowns vs. six interceptions, 77.3 rating.

Aaron Rodgers Through Week 5

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.

Total: 103-of-163 passing (63.2 percent), 1,274 yards, nine touchdowns vs. four interceptions, 95.5 rating.

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