Getty The Packers' Jordan Love.
When Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes walks into Lambeau Field for the first time in his career Sunday night, he’ll be looking across the sideline at a counterpart he believes is just starting to hit his stride.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love has made significant strides in recent weeks, especially in the deep passing game, and ahead of Sunday night’s showdown, Mahomes had high praise for Green Bay’s signal caller.
“Jordan [Love] has gotten better and better every single game,” Mahomes recently told reporters, via Pro Football Talk. “He’s always had the talent, but when you get more and more reps — I mean he didn’t play for three years basically — so he’s gotten more and more reps, you can see how much more comfortable he’s getting.”
Love has the Packers in the midst of the NFC playoff race, especially after upsetting the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, arguably his most impressive performance of his season.
The Packers have won three of four, entering Sunday night’s game against Mahomes and the Chiefs, with Love leading the way. Over the past four weeks, Love has completed a whopping 65.2 percent of his passes for 1,107 yards with eight touchdowns to just two interceptions, while adding 57 rushing yards.
“I feel like it’s just comfort, being comfortable in the pocket,” Love told reporters on Wednesday, via The Associated Press. “Obviously getting more reps, more reps, being comfortable with my reads, understanding what the defense is doing, where I need to go with the ball and just growing and learning (from) every rep I get and obviously learning from mistakes, learning from the good plays.”
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur believes that against the Chiefs, and a pass-rush that has produced 37 sacks so far this season that Green Bay can help Love find his footing and build on his recent momentum.
“You can dial up maybe some of those mid- to deeper plays that take a little longer to develop,” LeFleur recently told reporters. “Trusting if we don’t block it perfect, he’s going to get the ball out.”
Former NFL QB Sees Major Growth in Packers’ Jordan Love
It isn’t just Mahomes who has noticed major improvement in Love over the past several weeks.
Love’s strong play has gotten the attention of former NFL quarterback, and current ESPN NFL analyst Dan orlovsky, who has seen a big difference in the Packers’ quarterback recently.
“The last month, there’s been a lot of good,” Orlovsky said. “You hear the terms floors and ceilings, I would say his floor has been elevated the last month or so.”
In his third NFL season, and first as the Packers’ starting quarterback, Love has completed 60.5 percent of his passes for 2,599 yards with 19 touchdowns to 10 interceptions, while leading Green Bay to a 5-6 record, within striking distance of the postseason.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, a crucial factor contributing to Love’s success is his proficiency in play-action passes. He completed 9 out of 11 passes off play-action against the Lions, amassing 151 yards and securing a touchdown.
Love aims to sustain that success and guide the Packers to another pivotal victory in their playoff push on Sunday night against the Chiefs.
A.J. Dillon Returns to Practice for Packers
The Packers got some good news, ahead of Sunday’s game, as running back A.J. Dillon returned to practice on Thursday afternoon, according to ESPN.
RB AJ Dillon (groin) also returned after rehabbing yesterday.
Aaron Jones (knee), Jayden Reed (chest) and Robert Rochell (calf) did not come outside after stretch.
Dillon had previously missed the past two days after suffering a groin injury. Now that Dillon was able to get back on the practice field, there is a legitimate chance the 25-year-old will handle the bulk of the workload in the Packers’ backfield on Sunday night against the Chiefs, because Aaron Jones remains sidelined.
As an insurance policy on Jones and Dillon’s injuries, the Packers signed running back James Robinson, who could play a role Sunday night.