Jordan

Love

A week after going 1-for-5 in the red zone, the Packers started this one by failing to score a single point until 5:49 remaining the fourth quarter. Even so, they had a chance to tie the game as time expired but kicker Brandon McManus missed a would-be Lambeau record 64-yard field goal to send the Packers to their second consecutive home loss and a 5-3-1 record. Play calling seemed to doom the Packers in this one as they continued to batter running back Josh Jacobs into a brick wall on early downs throughout the first three quarters, routinely forcing Love to convert third-and-middle situations. Love also lost a fumble in the red zone at the end of the first half, a mistake that ultimately proved the difference in a tightly contested game. His once-promising fantasy utility took another hit in this one as now-lead receiver Romeo Doubs departed with a chest injury, forcing the veteran signal caller to play most of the second half with Dontayvion Wicks, Malik Heath, and Savion Williams as his top pass-catchers considering Tucker Kraft was lost for the season and rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden was unable to play with a shoulder injury. Love and the Packers now regroup ahead of a Week 11 matchup with a Giants team that just fired its head coach.

The Packers opted for a frustratingly run-heavy approach, keeping the ball on the ground for 15-of-26 first downs. Matt LaFleur eventually opened up his playbook late in the game, but it was too little too late for a Packers offense that managed just six points through 57 minutes of action. The Packers finally got their first touchdown of the game with less than three minutes left on the clock. The Panthers then marched down the field and knocked a game-winning field goal through the uprights. Green Bay also lost its biggest pass-catching weapon in this contest, Tucker Kraft, to a torn ACL. Even if the run-heavy approach didn’t work today, the loss of Kraft could convince Matt LaFleur to stick with his approach in Week 10 against the Eagles. Love will be stuck in the QB2 ranks for that game.

Love tied Brett Favre for the franchise record in consecutive completions with 20, going on a second half tear to overcome a nine-point deficit and send the Packers to a 5-1-1 record. The win maintains the team’s lead atop the NFC as the only remaining one-loss team in the conference, spoiling Aaron Rodgers’ quest to become the first quarterback in NFL history to beat all 32 teams in the process. He made numerous highlight reel throws in addition to riding the YAC beast, primarily through tight end Tucker Kraft. Love and the Packers look to continue the midseason surge when they host the Panthers in Week 9.

Love and the Packers offense had a relatively mediocre showing in the team’s win over the Cardinals. The first and only passing touchdown came in the fourth quarter, with Love connecting with Tucker Kraft for a seven-yard score. The Cardinals defense kept Love in check for the most part as most of his throws were in the shallow and intermediate ranges. He just missed Romeo Doubs for a long score on fourth down in the first quarter and did not have many other deep balls the rest of the game. The Packers’ defensive stops made life easier for the offense. Despite a non-exciting game, Love moved the ball enough with Doubs, Kraft, and Matthew Golden. He is a low-end QB1 for Week 8 against the Steelers.

Love was very busy early on, carving up the Bengals’ defense as a passer and rusher as the Packers established a 10-0 lead in the first half. Love impressively picked up a few first downs on the ground to keep the chains moving, and has now run for 54 yards over the last two weeks. Love’s first-drive interception is forgivable. His pass protection abruptly collapsed on third down, and Love suddenly found himself flushed out to the right, pursued by two Bengals pass rushers, one of whom Love faceplanted with a sprinting stiff arm. He then attempted to force a completion to Doubs, but a Bengals defensive back successfully got a hand on the ball, tipping it back to S Geno Stone, who hauled it in. On the plus side, rookie WR Matthew Golden’s post-bye emergence gives Love another reliable receiver and forces defenses to play honestly. Love will again find himself on the QB1/2 borderline against the Cardinals next week.

Love practiced in full all week, so his availability was never really in jeopardy. The Bengals’ fantasy-friendly defense should allow the Packers to dictate terms offensively, which could result in a run-heavy approach. The Bengals’ new quarterback, Joe Flacco, has a chance to push the Packers toward a pass-heavy game script, though. Love is a low-end QB1 this week.

The ankle injury is new for Love, though a full practice suggests it’s a non-story. He will be removed from the injury report on Friday, barring a true surprise. Facing a worn-down Bengals squad, Love will push for QB1 fantasy numbers as long as he doesn’t get out to an insurmountable lead too quickly.

Love lost a critical fumble late in the first half that contributed to a wild change in momentum after the Packers led 13-0, eventually going into the break down 16-13. Green Bay completely controlled the game through the first 20 minutes before Dallas blocked the point after try on the team’s second touchdown and returned it for two points, sparking an abrupt turnaround in the game environment which was exacerbated by Love’s fumble two possessions later. The game then went off the rails in the second half with the two teams trading touchdowns on six consecutive possessions before a Brandon McManus field goal tied the game at 37 as time expired. The new overtime rules came into play as each team was granted a possession, both of which ended in field goals to send the teams to the first tie of the 2025 season. The tie sends the Packers into their bye ranked second in the NFC North behind the Lions, before a home meeting with the Bengals in Week 6.

Love and the Green Bay offense got very conservative early in this one. It didn’t help that Myles Garrett and the ferocious Cleveland defense were relentless against the pass. Under near constant duress, Love was limited to check-downs and intermediate throws against an aggressive Browns coverage unit. His only touchdown went to little-used TE John FitzPatrick. Love was playing without Jayden Reed, who’s on injured reserve, and with a limited Tucker Kraft (knee), who had three catches for 29 yards on the day. Love will get a far more appealing matchup in Week 4 against the Cowboys. He’ll be a must-start option in 12-team leagues against Dallas.

Our best guess here is that the Packers are meeting with DTR due to the minor thumb injury Jordan Love is dealing with. Love was spotted at Monday’s practice with his left thumb taped, but there’s been little mention about the injury, leaving us to believe it’s a near non-issue. Thompson-Robinson has appeared in 15 games in his NFL career while making five starts, and has a career passing line of 880-1-10. He has also rushed 35 times for 187 scoreless yards. Thompson-Robinson is unlikely to be anything more than a practice squad QB for the Packers if he were to sign with the team.