Jordan Love waited a long time to become the Packers’ starting quarterback, but he proved this season that it was worth the wait.
Love led the Packers to a 17-9 win over the Bears and a playoff berth today, with a big game that made the strongest statement yet that the Packers have their franchise quarterback.
Playing against a Bears defense that had been one of the best in the NFL in recent weeks, Love was calm, efficient and effective, and the Packers took the NFC’s final playoff spot. They’ll be road underdogs next week, but Love has the franchise in good shape.
For the Bears, it’s a disappointing ending to a season that did show some promise but also showed there’s plenty more work to be done in the rebuilding effort. The biggest question facing the Bears is what to do with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Taking USC quarterback Caleb Williams would seem to be the smart call, but there’s plenty of sentiment in Chicago for trading down and building around Justin Fields.
Today Fields did not play well and struggled with the pass rush, as he so often has. Fields is talented, but he hasn’t done enough to prove that he’s a franchise quarterback.
Love has done plenty. He’s made the playoffs, and given Green Bay reason to believe.