Jordan Love looked sharp in his Green Bay Packers preseason debut. Matt LaFleur furthered the hype with his postgame comments.
The Green Bay Packers opened the preseason with a commanding 36-19 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The preseason is a hotbed for overreactions — the games don't count! — but there were plenty of promising developments for Matt LaFleur and the Packers, to the point where it's hard not to be a little more optimistic about the team's outlook.
Undrafted free agent Emanuel Wilson dominated the backfield, turning six carries into 111 yards and two touchdowns. That'll get you a roster spot. Five receivers achieved at least two catches with double-digit yards per reception. Second-string QB Sean Clifford rebounded from a slow start to accrue 208 yards and a touchdown.
The real headliner, of course, was new Packers captain Jordan Love. In his first start as the official QB1 in Green Bay, Love completed 7-of-10 passes for 46 yards and a touchdown. He missed a couple throws, but the 24-year-old operated with impressive composure and dropped a beautiful TD dime to second-year WR Romeo Doubs midway through the first quarter.
Love's snaps were limited as expected, but it was enough to get the hype train rolling at full speed in Green Bay. After the game, Matt LaFleur was effusive with his praise for his new QB via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.
"All in all, I thought it was a good first performance. It was very limited action. I'm sure he would love to have the throw to Musgrave back, but there's a lot to learn from. A lot of good came out of it. Just the poise he showed, the command he showed. I thought we were getting in and out of the huddle quickly, so I thought it was a really good first exposure for him for this season."
Matt LaFleur praises Jordan Love after Green Bay Packers preseason debut
It's hard to ask for a better review from the head coach after game one. Love missed a throw or two, but no QB is immune to miscues. The important words here are "poise" and "command." Love's raw talent has never been in doubt. What has been in doubt in his ability to channel that talent into productive quarterbacking, in all its complexities.
Love is a deep ball maestro, but coming out of Utah State he was known for slow decision-making in the pocket and unforced errors. The Packers have been extremely lucky to have Aaron Rodgers, perhaps the foremost football genius of his generation, under center for the last decade. It's an adjustment for all returners — LaFleur included — to have a young, relatively inexperienced QB who doesn't necessarily share Rodgers' prodigious ability to think on the fly.
Love's progression at the NFL level will depend on his ability to speed up decisions and not crumble under pressure. He's not accustomed to a professional pass rush. He's not used to the speed and complexity of NFL football. Watching Rodgers execute to perfection from a distance is one thing. Translating lessons from his veteran mentor to actual on-field reps is another.
LaFleur expects to play Love again before the preseason is out, so the Packers faithful will get at least one more look at their new franchise pillar for the regular season kicks off on Sept. 10 in Chicago.