Jordan Love Did What Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers Couldn’t

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love achieved something that neither Brett Favre nor Aaron Rodgers could. Love led the Packers to the playoffs in his first year as a starter. According to the Packers, Love is the only first-year starter in team history to take the green and gold to the playoffs since 1950. 

Packers fans have been spoiled over the last 30 years, and following in the footsteps of two legendary quarterbacks is no easy feat. With the exception of a game here and there, the Packers have had only two starting quarterbacks during that timespan. To compare, division rivals the Chicago Bears have started 36 different quarterbacks since Brett Favre took over for the Packers quarterback in 1992. Favre is a Hall of Famer, and Rodgers is all but certain to make it to Canton when he retires. 

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Rodgers’ and Favre’s First Years

Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers failed to take the Packers to the playoffs in their first season as starters. However, this is not to say that their first seasons were bad. In Favre’s first season as starting quarterback he threw for a total of 3227 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also had a solid quarterback rating of 85.3 (158.3 being the highest). Favre was also selected to his first Pro Bowl. The Packers finished the 1992 season with a 9-7 record, finishing second in the NFC Central. 

In Rodgers first full season as starting quarterback he threw for 4038 yards and 28 touchdowns. His quarterback rating was slightly higher than Favre’s at 93.8. However, the Packers were less successful in Rodgers maiden campaign, finishing 2008 with a 6-10 record, third in the NFC North. Although his stats suggest he had a better first year than Favre, Rodgers was not selected to the Pro Bowl. 

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Love Is In A League Of His Own

With A new, unproven starting quarterback and the youngest team in the NFL many pundits and fans alike were unsure of how the Packers season would unfold. Jordan Love dispelled these notions by putting up numbers that neither Favre or Rodgers could manage in their first season. In his first year as starter, Love threw for 4159 yards and 32 touchdowns. Additionally, Love only threw 11 interceptions (Favre and Rodgers both had 13). 

As the season progressed, Love steadily improved, throwing only 1 interception in his last 8 games. During that span he also threw for 18 touchdowns and had a quarterback rating of 100.5. Love also led the NFL with nine games throwing for multiple touchdowns and zero interceptions. 

The Packers, and Love, appear to be improving just in time for the playoffs. However, they will likely face a test unlike any other this season. According to Fox Sports, the Dallas Cowboys are ranked fifth in total defense this season, allowing just under 300 yards per game. The Cowboys also boast the fifth best total offense this season, averaging 371.6 yards per game.

The Packers will no doubt be underdogs going into the January 14 matchup, but this game gives Jordan Love the chance to continue to make Packers history. 

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