Did Jordan Love throw another head-scratcher of an interception on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals?
Yes.
Was he also brilliant on third down yet again?
Yes.
And when you delve deeper into that third-down trend, the numbers are truly eye-opening. After Sunday, here’s how Love stacks up to other quarterbacks in some critical third-down areas.
Love has 14 completions of at least 15 yards on third down. It’s no secret that Love enjoys letting it rip, even on third-down looks, where a more conservative approach could be beneficial. Love often lets it fly anyway, which is why he leads the NFL in this category.
Given the previous statistic, perhaps it’s no surprise that Love is averaging 9.4 yards per attempt on third down this year, good for second in the league. Keep in mind that’s without his field-stretching speedster Christian Watson, who is set to return any week now after suffering a torn ACL in Week 18 last year against the Chicago Bears.
Defenses have to be prepared for a lot, even in third-down passing situations where you might expect a quarterback to take a more conservative approach. Love will go over the top without flinching.
Love and the Green Bay Packers have converted third downs at a 52.3% rate. The Indianapolis Colts are second in that same category at 46.9%.
Of course, the running game gets some of the credit for that number. But, by and large, the passing game has thrived on must-have plays.
While it’s always worth noting that PFF isn’t gospel, their numbers do help paint a picture. On third downs this season, Love has a PFF passing grade of 89.5, good for second in the league.
If you want to add a cherry on top of the sundae, we’ve seen Love use his legs far more frequently this year compared to last. Of course, the injuries — including an MCL sprain right out of the gates in Week 1 — played a major factor in that a year ago.
After seven more rushes for 26 yards against the Bengals, it’s worth pointing out one more stat: Love has used his legs to move the sticks on third down five times this year. That exceeds his overall total in that department for the entire year.
Head coach Matt LaFleur loved what he saw in his quarterback, especially on third down.
I thought he played his (expletive) off. I know that was one of the better games that he’s played for us in terms of just being able to use his legs to convert critical third downs. His ability to maneuver through and find a way to pick up a first down, the third down conversion late in the game when they had just sacked us and they got all the momentum, that was a big time play to hit (Matthew Golden) right there.
The play to Golden was a pivotal one.
Green Bay led 24-18 with less than three minutes to go and facing a third-and-eight. Love felt pressure from his right immediately after the snap. He rolled left and delivered a dart to the rookie Golden, who had cut off his initial route and found a way to get open. Love took a shot as he passed the ball, but connected with Golden, and Green Bay moved the sticks on yet another big-time third down to essentially put a bow on the win.
On the game, the Packers were five for 11 on third down, including two major pick-ups late on the pass to Golden and once when Love used his legs to convert on a drive that would later result in a touchdown.
The Packers have plenty to clean up moving forward, but third-down conversions are proving to be one of their strengths. In those big moments where you’ve got to make a play, Love has put on the cape.
At the rate the Packers get them, those conversions become debilitating for a defense. It can take the wind out of the opponents’ sails quickly. They’ll need it to continue to evolve into the best version of themselves.