The Green Bay Packers will hit the road to face the arch-rival Chicago Bears in Week 1. It's hard to imagine a better — or, depending on how you slice it, worse — stage for Jordan Love to make his debut as the full-time starter. If he captains a Packers victory on enemy soil, Green Bay might as well build a statue. If he falters... well, it won't be pretty.
Love's hype train has been rolling full steam ahead during the preseason. In three games, Love completed 21-of-33 passes for 193 yards and three touchdowns, with zero interceptions. It was a small sample size, but he made quick decisions in the pocket and showcased the deep-ball talent that made him a first-round pick back in 2020.
With all the controversy in the rearview mirror, odds are Love benefited extensively from two years behind Aaron Rodgers. The big knock on Love out of Utah State was his laggy processing speed with the ball. Well, Rodgers is the QB equivalent of a computer, constantly analyzing the defense with inhuman precision. Rodgers is the king of adjustments on the fly. He was the best possible mentor for Love. On the field, at least.
That said, there's still natural hesitance to crown a 24-year-old quarterback with 83 NFL snaps to his name. Love is following in the footsteps of two Hall of Famers in Green Bay. Those shoes will be borderline impossible to fill. That shouldn't deter Love, or take away from what he does ultimately accomplish, but it's an extra layer of pressure he will never be able to 100 percent escape.
And, to make matters worse, the Packers received some rough news ahead of Sunday's opener.
Green Bay Packers could be without Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs in Week 1 vs. Bears
Per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, Christian Watson is listed as out for Sunday's season opener due to a hamstring injury. Romeo Doubs is also listed as questionable with his own hamstring issue.
That's rotten luck for Love and the Packers.
Hamstring injuries are notoriously fickle and, since it's Week 1, the Packers are wise to proceed cautiously. There's hope Doubs can still suit up, but it's not something the Green Bay faithful should count on.
Love could begin his starting career without his top two WR targets. Both receivers are coming off mixed-but-successful rookie campaigns. Watson accumulated 41 receptions, 611 yards, and seven touchdowns in 14 games last season. Doubs went for 425 yards and three touchdowns on 42 receptions in 13 games.
With elevated roles and a big-play QB at the helm, Watson and Doubs are in line for better numbers in year two — health provided.
If both are out for Sunday's opener, Love will have a severely depleted receiving corp at his disposal. Expect more targets for Jayden Reed, Malik Heath, and Samori Toure. Tight end Luke Musgrave probably deserves extra attention, too.
As Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs learned on Thursday, it's hard for even the best QBs to thrive with a subpar group of receivers. Love has undeniable talent and upside, but it's probably best to temper expectations for his season debut if he won't have a full complement of talent around him.
If the Packers win, however... then, that Love hype train will probably pick up enough speed to become a hype plane.