While an interception is a black mark on the stat line, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love turned in a nice day. With no run game to speak of (their running backs carried the ball 25 times for 48 yards, a whopping 1.9 yards per carry), Love was the engine that kept the offense moving, going 30/41 (73.2%) for 288 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT for a QB rating of 106.6 and an EPA per Dropback of +0.11.
Today, we’re going to break down his 3 touchdown passes.
Play 1: 3rd & 8, 5:12 remaining in the 1st quarter
The Packers are in 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE,
3 WR). They start in a 2×2 set, but Christian Watson [9] shifts to the left before the snap, leaving Tucker Kraft [85] as the lone receiver on the line on the right side (with Josh Jacobs [8] aligned in the backfield on the same side of the formation). Devin Lloyd [55] bumps over with the shift from Watson, but no one follows him, indicating that the Panthers are likely in zone coverage.
They’re showing two-high safeties before the snap, in what would be a Middle Field Open coverage (based on the position of the corners, they’re showing a Quarters look).
Jacobs does a little shuffle motion at the snap, slightly moving the defenders on the right side over. On the right side of the field, Jacobs is running an out route and Kraft is running up the seam.
Love is reading the safeties after the snap to see if they rotate or if the middle of the field stays open. After the ball is snapped the safeties stay in a two-high alignment. Kraft slightly bends his route to the outside to get the safety leaning to the outside, then bends back inside.
With the middle field open, Love just needs to make sure the linebacker can’t drop under. Bobby Okereke [58] is originally aligned as an edge rusher, but drops back into zone at the snap. Kraft is bending over the top, but Love can’t stare it down. He has his feet and shoulders pointed to the outside, then opens up and fires to the middle.
With Okereke drifting outside and Kraft bending back in, Love unleashes a bullet to split the safeties and take a 6-3 lead.
Here’s that throw in slow motion, just because.
Play 2: 3rd & 13, 1:51 remaining in the 2nd quarter
The Packers are in 11 personnel, in a 3×1 set (with Kraft the lone receiver on the line on the right side). This is the play directly after Matthew Golden [0] dropped a TD on a Huggo (they’re 1-for-3 on those this year).
On the next play, Love goes right back to him. They’re running a deep Smash variant, with Golden running the corner route from the #3 receiver spot. The Panthers have a lot of bodies at the line, leaving a lot of air in the coverage over Trip. They’ve got two defenders aligned deep over the outside receivers, and the deep safety over Golden (15 yards down the field).
Golden looks back at Love a few steps off the line, in case there’s a Hot throw coming. I like seeing that from Golden. With no throw, Golden pushes vertically and Zakee Wheatley [20] drifts to the middle to protect the post. That gives Golden some really nice inside leverage.
J. Michael Sturdivant [87] is running a Deep Out route from the #2 spot. When he cuts to the corner, he brings Tre’Von Moehrig [7] with him, opening a space over the top.
If Love leads Golden up the field, it would give Moehrig a chance to catch up and get his hands on the ball. With so much room on the inside, Love lays this ball up, allowing Golden to make the catch and get into the end zone without either safety being able to touch him.
Play 3: 3rd & 1, 7:34 remaining in the 3rd quarter
Facing 3rd & 1 inside the 5-yard line, the Packers come out in 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TE, 2 WR). They’re in empty, with Josh Jacobs [8] acting as the TE on the left side of the line, with Golden aligned outside. They’re showing a heavy look on the right, with both TEs on the line and J. Michael Sturdivant in a tight split.
The two defenders over Golden and Jacobs are in a stack. At the time, it’s tough to tell what coverage they’ll be playing. They’re going to be in Man coverage, but, down here, it’s quite possible that they’ll Banjo the coverage (switch coverage assignments if there is a switch release).
At the snap, Golden pushes vertically while Jacobs releases with an outside angle. The inside defender (Okereke) hops over Golden to pick up Jacobs, so they’re in straight man assignments. That’s perfect. By jumping over the push from Golden, he is now overcommitted to the outside. When Jacobs cuts back inside on an Angle route, there’s nothing really to be done about it.
Love puts it on Jacobs and Jacobs uses his body to shield the ball from Okereke.
Albums listened to: Michael Nau – Popfly; John Carpenter – Halloween [Soundtrack]; Alex G – Camp Miasma [Score]; Disasterpeace – It Follows [Soundtrack]
