Packers Film Room: Jordan Love continues upward trend

Quarterback Jordan Love had another impressive outing in the Green Bay Packers’ second preseason game versus the New England Patriots on Saturday. Love played the entire first quarter this week and did his work versus most of the Patriots' starting defense. The Patriots/ secondary, three of the four projected starters, played the majority of the game on defense while their starting linebacker core played most of the first half.

That context is important because Patriots’ defenses are known for feasting on young quarterbacks and making life miserable for the signal caller whether it’s preseason or the regular season. Love was only five-for-eight for 84 yards, but also tossed one touchdown and hit at least three difficult throws on his pass attempts against this defense. He also had a couple of throws that I felt he could have hit but he wasn’t as sharp with his decision-making.

First throw

The Packers have left no doubt that they want Love to throw deep if the opportunity is there. Love has been mostly on target with his deep throws over the last year, dating back to Week 12 last season versus the Philadelphia Eagles. He also took a chance on the sideline to receiver Christian Watson in preseason Week 1 last week.

The Patriots are sending a six-man pressure with man coverage behind it and the safeties playing quarters technique. The Packers are running their middle read-dagger concept with the dagger-read concept to the left and the go route to the right. Dagger is a good quarters-beater concept. Either way, Love probably knows that the alert route on the right side to Romeo Doubs will be worth taking a shot at.

Love drops back and confirms that the dagger concept is not open as the safeties cap the slot deep crosser and sit in the dagger window. Linebacker Jahlani Tavai comes on a blitz over the right guard but the offensive line doesn’t give any ground here, allowing Love to launch a pass to receiver Romeo Doubs in one-on-one coverage with corner Isaiah Bolden. The pass is just in front of the defender and Doubs makes a nice adjustment to haul it on and somehow land in bounds. The play was reversed to complete in replay review.

Second throw

This is another favorite concept of head coach Matt LaFleur’s to call for Love: The basic-arrow route combination. It’s a good route combination versus man coverage, though, it can be kind of risky to throw to the side of the nickel defender.

The route combination is a good zone coverage beater because it can stress the hook defender with a high-low read, forcing the defender to declare zone dropping to the dig route or the short arrow route underneath.

However, the Patriots are in man coverage and send another five-man pressure with Tavai the middle linebacker zone dropping to the low underneath hole into the throwing lane. Love's eyes make him slide over, making the throwing a little tighter than it should be in that window versus man coverage.

Typically, the middle linebacker would cheat to the running back, but Tavai doesn’t do that here and compresses the window. Love rifles the pass into the window just over Tavai’s hand and out in front of Doubs, away from the defender, who snags it as he’s brought down.

Third throw

This was the subject of the article breakdown on the Packers duo play action concept.

Areas to improve

While Love made some impressive throws, he was a little less decisive in this game compared to week one against the Bengals.

On play action this week, Love passed up some first and second reads due to hesitation and not anticipating certain defenders to be in his face when he wanted to throw. If the edge player comes off unblocked, that generally means the flat route, the first read, is open enough to get a throw out to him. On a couple of others, the second-level crossers were there as well. This is the time to challenge throws and see if you can make them.

On a play-action throw that took a little longer to develop due to the routes, but the offensive line still gave him plenty of time to hitch up and throw, Love climbed the pocket as the deep crossing routes were developing. He passed up a huge window to receiver Samori Toure. Toure, on the crosser coming from right to left as the middle hook zone dropper turned to “ROBOT” the crosser from Watson, who was wide open on his route.

These misses are a result of inexperience and not getting the reps to see certain coverage looks from the defense as a result of very little in-game experience.

The last one I think he’d like to have back is this double-go concept that the Packers love to run. With the Patriots playing a basic Cover-2 zone drop, Love had an opportunity to recognize the Cover-2 hole shot throw to Watson down the right sideline between the corner and the safety. It requires a throw on a line but as soon as Watson clears the corner, that ball should be gone if he recognizes it and trusts it. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him rip that later this season.

Outlook

Overall, Love was much better with his accuracy in this one than in Week 1 but his decision-making wasn’t as crisp as it could’ve been. It’s really nothing to be worried about though because this should come with more reps and experience as LaFleur crafts their concepts that he’s capable of running with confidence. It was still a very encouraging outing for the young quarterback.