Advertisement

Without Aaron Rodgers, Packers and Jordan Love manage just one TD in loss to Chiefs

There was a way for the Green Bay Packers to come out of this past week's Aaron Rodgers situation looking good.

It was a chance for the team to look smart for its often-criticized first-round draft pick of Jordan Love last year. Love had to start at the Kansas City Chiefs after Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19. The pick of Love set off Rodgers and caused him to want a trade this past offseason. The front office had to be excited for the chance that Love would shred the Chiefs' porous defense and make it look smart.

Maybe one day the Love pick will pay off, but it wasn't Sunday.

The Packers didn't score until late in the fourth quarter and lost 13-7 to the Kansas City Chiefs. The defense played well enough to win, but the offense without Rodgers couldn't muster double-digit points.

It was a good setup for Love to at least play well enough to give the Packers some good vibes if they eventually part with Rodgers this offseason. There wasn't much Sunday that should give them a ton of confidence if they're going into the 2022 season with Love as their starter.

Ask yourself this: How many points do you think Rodgers would have put up on the Chiefs?

Daniel Sorensen of the Kansas City Chiefs hits Packers QB Jordan Love. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Daniel Sorensen of the Kansas City Chiefs hits Packers QB Jordan Love. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Packers offense struggles with Jordan Love

Love didn't do anything terribly wrong, but he wasn't impressive.

Love had a hard time getting Davante Adams the ball, which has to be the first priority in the Packers' offense. There was rarely any explosive plays downfield, no matter how often the Packers tried. Love struggled to deal with the Chiefs' pressure. Love wasn't making a ton of egregious mistakes. He just couldn't make anything happen.

With nothing going right for the Packers, they had a third down early in the third quarter. Love stepped to the line to make some calls, and the center snapped it when he was walking up. The Packers recovered that fumble but had to punt, and it was a reminder that Love was making his first NFL start. Even the simple things wouldn't come easy. Love was 19-of-34 for 190 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

On a different day, with more experience, Love could be the quarterback the Packers wanted so bad they traded up to draft him, even though it alienated one of the best players in franchise history. He's not there yet though. Not even close.

Packers finally score in fourth

Despite the offensive issues, the Packers were in the game. The defense was very good against Patrick Mahomes and a Chiefs offense that has looked surprisingly average lately. Special teams were a disaster for Green Bay, with two missed field goals and a muffed punt deep in their own territory. But they were in the game.

The Packers finally got a decent drive going in the fourth quarter. They were trailing 13-0 so the game wasn't out of hand. They picked up a fourth down to keep the drive going. But then Love misfired downfield, and L'Jarius Sneed picked him off inside the Kansas City 10-yard line. After that, the Packers got back into Chiefs territory and finally scored, with Love hitting Allen Lazard wide open on fourth-and-5 for a 20-yard touchdown. The interception looked very costly then.

That's when the Packers defense finally couldn't get a stop. Mahomes made a great throw on third down to Tyreek Hill that iced the game. The Chiefs killed the clock after that play.

The Packers had issues other than Love on Sunday. Had the special teams been better, Green Bay might have won. But Love didn't exactly make anyone forget about Rodgers on Sunday.