A sputtering first half featuring misplaced throws, turnovers and drops helped put the Green Bay Packers in a 28-0 hole, but the passing game eventually settled in and eventually erupted with production in Jordan Love’s return to the field on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.
Love’s stat line highlighted the mix bag: 32 completions, but on 54 attempts — for a final completion percentage of 59.2. Four touchdown passes, but three interceptions — including two leading directly to Vikings touchdowns.
The late production wasn’t enough for the Packers to overcome the early deficit in a 31-29 loss at Lambeau Field.
Love struggled with accuracy early but eventually settled in and made big plays throughout the second half. He admitted he wasn’t good enough early on.
“Ball placement was a little all over the place today,” Love said. “It picked up later, but early on, I just missed a couple throws and was a little bit off. I made it hard on some of the receivers on some of those plays.”
Love and Dontayvion Wicks missed on a handful of attempts early, including on a third down in the red zone. Love’s accuracy was a little off and Wicks couldn’t make a couple of tough catches.
However, Love ended up with 389 passing yards, and he hit five different pass-catchers for receptions of 20 or more yards. He threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Reed, a 6-yard touchdown pass to Wicks, a 13-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft and a 17-yard touchdown pass to Wicks, plus a two-point conversion to Kraft.
Love said the Packers left “a lot of plays” out on the field, particularly in the first half.
It appears the Packers passing game is just marginally off to start 2024 and still has the chance to explode as Love settles in post-injury and better execution is sought moving forward. Ball placement and finishing catches just needs to be fractionally better.
“I definitely like where we’re at as a team,” Love said. “The playmakers we have, and the team we have, I definitely like where we’re at.”
Love said his left knee “felt fine” coming out of Sunday’s game despite taking a painful hit on the knee early on. He also said he “felt fine” moving around the pocket, although his mobility in terms of taking off and scrambling was limited.
In terms of practice participation, Love said was limited early in the week but eventually took more and more of the team’s reps. He wasn’t sure if he would be dealing with the knee injury throughout the season and expressed hope that it would eventually heal.
Love and the Packers face the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday.