Packers make quarterback decision with Jordan Love and Aaron Rodgers against Saints

by:Austin Brezina09/12/21

AustinBrezina59

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Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images

The Green Bay Packers put quarterback Jordan Love in the game early in the fourth quarter following a disappointing start from Aaron Rodgers. With the game out of reach, the Packers looked to give their future quarterback playing time against the Saints.

Jordan Love in for the Packers, Rodgers out

Following a season-opening performance that Rodgers and the Packers would like to forget, the Packers put Love in the game to give him additional experience with the game out of reach and Rodgers struggling.

Independent NFL reporter Dov Kleiman explained the decision by citing that Rodgers’ passer rating would be higher if he had simply thrown the ball away on every pass attempt.

“The Packers have benched Aaron Rodgers,” explained Kleiman. “Jordan Love is in the game. Rodgers finished with 0 TDs, 2 INTs, 36.8 QB Rating. Throwing the ball to the dirt every play gives you rating of 39.6.”

The Green Bay offense struggled all game long, only managing 229 yards of total offense with three turnovers in a 38-3 loss. The Packers failed to maintain any meaningful drives after only gaining 14 first downs.

On the other side of the ball, quarterback Jameis Winston had a fantastic game with five touchdowns and a passer rating of 130.8 without a turnover.

Rodgers and Love

Rodgers revealed during the offseason that he had been keeping Love in the loop during the trade speculation and arguing between Rodgers and the Packers’ front office. 

“And then I just reached out; I reached out a number of times [to] check on him [and] see how he’s doing,” Rodgers said, per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “I didn’t hold things from him. I let him know where I was at mentally and what I was thinking about. And hopefully he appreciated that.”

Rodgers’ relationship with Love has been a hot topic of conversation since the Packers drafted him in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. When the Packers chose Rodgers in the 2005 NFL Draft, Brett Favre infamously said it was not his job to mentor young Rodgers. Rodgers appears to be taking a different approach with Love. 

The veteran Rodgers becomes a free agent after the 2022 season, as his contract will now void seven days prior to the 2023 league year. He cannot be franchise tagged. The contract was previously set to go through the end of the 2023 season.

On3’s Ashton Pollard contributed to this article.