What Grade Would You Give Jordan Love's 2023 Season?
Love drastically improved as the season progressed.
By rex.sheild
It is a challenging task to follow a future Hall of Famer. Aaron Rodgers did it in 2008 when he assumed the QB1 position after the Green Bay Packers traded Brett Favre to the New York Jets, and Jordan Love did it in 2023 after the franchise traded Rodgers to the Jets ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft. While it is way too early to declare Love as the next Hall of Fame QB to don the green and gold, the label for Love after his first full year as a starter is the same that it was for Rodgers after his first full season as a starter: franchise quarterback. But the results were not pretty to start.
After tossing seven touchdowns and only one interception during the first three games, including registering a passer rating of at least 113.5 in the first two, Love came crashing back down to earth in Weeks 4 through 8. His best passer rating was 90.8, which came against the Denver Broncos, a game that included a head-scratching interception to end the game. His worst passer rating was 32.2, a figure that was one of the worst in a single game among qualifying quarterbacks. In that game, on Monday Night Football against the Las Vegas Raiders, Love threw three interceptions, including one in the end zone that was severely underthrown and clinched the win for the Raiders.
In terms of Completion Percentage Over Expected (CPOE), a metric that takes into account a host of factors (field position, down, yards to go, air yards, etc.; read more here), Love was the fourth-worst quarterback among those with at least 100 snaps from Week 1 through Week 8. He was 17th in Adjusted Expected Points Added (EPA) per play and 27th in EPA plus CPOE composite. He also had one of the worst completion percentages in the NFL. As a result, several wondered whether Love had the traits to be a starting-level quarterback in the league, let alone a successful one. He was not receiving much help from the run game or his young wide receivers during that stretch, but he also was not helping his cause either. His accuracy was all over the map. He struggled throwing down the field. And it appeared he had zero command of the offense. It is tough to argue against the fact he was in the bottom third of starting quarterbacks. And then the flip switched.
From Week 9 until Week 18, a 10-game stretch, he cooked, as the kids like to say. He had eight games with a passer rating of over 100 and seven games with multiple touchdowns and zero interceptions. He completed 237 of 345 passes (68.7%) for 2,667 passing yards – an average of roughly 267 passing yards per game – and 21 passing touchdowns. He only threw three interceptions over that stretch, compared to eight interceptions in the first seven games. He was first in CPOE (among QBs with at least 300 snaps), second in adjusted EPA per play, and second in EPA plus CPOE composite. It is tough to argue against the fact he was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL to end the season. He looked nothing like he did to start the season. He made off-platform throws with ease. He did a much better job surveying the field while looking off defenders. He showcased his athleticism by escaping the pocket and making accurate throws on the run. He looked like he belonged.
And in his first career playoff start, he delivered the goods. He was 16 of 21 for 272 yards and three touchdowns against the Dallas Cowboys on the road and finished with a 157.2 passer rating, just shy of the perfect 158.3. His 99.3 QBR was the best in postseason history. However, in the Divisional Round against the San Francisco 49ers, he returned somewhat to his early-season form. Yes, he still had some “wow” throws, but the game-ending interception, where he threw across his body to the middle of the field, was reminiscent of the interceptions he threw during the first half of the season. So despite an overall performance that was a step down from what Packer fans grew accustomed to in the prior two months, Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young still came away impressed.
Steve Young said on the @RichEisenShow that Jordan Love looks like one of those guys that will join the group of Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, & Joe Burrow.
High praise from the HOFer! #10VE🫶 pic.twitter.com/sWAwl67SY7
— Hogg (@HoggNFL) January 24, 2024
All in all, Love finished the 2023 regular season second in passing touchdowns (32), seventh in yards (4,159), ninth in success rate (47.6%), Adjusted Net Yards gained per pass attempt (6.67) and QBR (62.1), 10th in Adjusted Yards gained per pass attempt (7.4), and 11th in passer rating (96.1). The two blemishes were total interceptions – tied for the 11th most – and completion percentage (64.2%), which ranked 21st. So taking those stats in the aggregate, you can make the case Love was a top-10 quarterback. And the more he improved as the season progressed, the more head coach Matt LaFleur seemed to open up the playbook. Not to mention, the reemergence of running back Aaron Jones late in the season coupled with the strong play of several wide receivers kept the defense honest at all levels. It all came together at the right time for the offense, and because of that, the expectations for 2024 are sky high. Those should be welcomed, not shied away from.
Grade: A-
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Rex is a lifelong Packers fan but was sick of the cold, so he moved to the heart of Cowboys country. Follow him on Twitter (@Sheild92) and Instagram (@rex.sheild).
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Comments (43)
Vachio
January 29, 2024 at 01:07 pm
A- sounds about right to me. My expectation/hope for this season was that Love would be as good as 2022 Rodgers. He exceeded that substantially, so you'll hear no complaints out of me. Definitely looking forward to what the future holds for #10.
Ahgreen30
January 31, 2024 at 01:42 pm
B-/C+ Horrid first 8 games and when it counted, SF game, just average at best. Jury is still OUT on Love. I'm a huge Packer fan and if he can replicate his play from games 10-17 for the ENTIRE season next year. It's confirmed, he's going to be good
Leatherhead
January 29, 2024 at 01:19 pm
A.
Can he stay healthy an entire season? Can he throw accurately? Can he put points on the board? Can we win with him?
Yes, yes, yes, and yes.
LambeauPlain
January 29, 2024 at 03:48 pm
^^Yes^^
Guam
January 29, 2024 at 04:11 pm
Yup. He went from a question mark to a franchise quarterback in one season. Good solid "A" grade from me.
PackEyedOptimist
January 29, 2024 at 01:27 pm
I believe an overall grade for a QB should reflect “how he did given the circumstances .”
First year starting in the NFL
Badly injured offensive line for half the season
Inexperienced WRs (who dropped good throws and ran wrong routes)
Missing supporting stars: All-Pro LOT, Pro Bowl RB, #1 WR, injured Pro Bowl LOG, etc.
I’d give him an “A”
4thand10
January 29, 2024 at 01:40 pm
A. Jones missed 6 games, Dillon missed 3. Highly suspect RG and C. No true #1 WR almost all season. Yeah… I’d give him an A. Next year when the NFL has more tape on tendencies…we’ll see. I’m hoping for the best.
Packers0808
January 29, 2024 at 01:40 pm
B Mainly do the start of his playing days and then regressed in Play Off with rookie mistake, middle of field off balance across the body throw. Led to interception and bounced from playoff where really never thought they would be. Over all great up and down exciting season for all players, coaches and especially us fans!
WestCoastPackerBacker
January 29, 2024 at 04:10 pm
I wouldn't characterize one mistake as a regression; overall he didn't really regress. He just tried to do too much and made a cardinal mistake. But I'm thinking having that throw to end the season will sear that into his memory as a mistake to avoid repeating.
Great first season; plenty of hope for seasons to come. He seems really smart and even when DCs have more tape to prep for him, with all these weapons he will be tough to defend. If he keeps spreading the ball around like he did, it looks like the early days of #12 when there was quality all around at the skill positions and the offense was really cooking.
PhantomII
January 29, 2024 at 01:55 pm
Patched together OL underperforming half the season. RB1 hurt most of the season. WR's youth making mistakes or hurt most of the season....JL came on strong once the OL/WR's jelled to the point they were operating as an effective unit. Defense was passive a lot of the season also. Kicking game was terrible. We were fortunate ML and Co. got all this band-aid together to be what we witnessed toward the end of the season. All arrows pointing straight up. Really looking forward to what a different/ more aggressive DC can do with this bunch also. Gute hit it out of the park on our WR group and TE's also. OL needs an edge either a great offseason in the weight room or some fresh blood that is ready day 1 to play meaningful football. Another piece at DL/ILB and multiple in the Secondary. Sky is the limit...We all witnessed how a couple bad throws and missed Picks can end a great story. Our team should be laser focussed in 2024. We got a taste of how good this team can be. I think they will be hungry...GPG.
croatpackfan
January 29, 2024 at 02:02 pm
Nice overview Rex. Nothing to add - evaluation mark correct!
NFLfan
January 29, 2024 at 02:07 pm
A-
Coldworld
January 29, 2024 at 02:08 pm
He exceeded the expectations of almost every pundit, professional and amateur. He exceeded my hopes for this season. That’s not solely a statistical measure either, but his temperament, ability to adjust and leadership on the field and as a clear center of loyalty.
If that’s not an A, I don’t know what is.
Next year we still need to see growth, but he’s well ahead of any reasonable curve at this point.
GregC
January 29, 2024 at 02:08 pm
I'd give him a B+ on the season as a whole, but he got an A during the second half of the season, which is what really matters. Considering that it was his first year as a starter, and he had to deal with a lot of injuries and inconsistencies on the offense as a whole, I wouldn't argue with anyone who gives him an A for the whole thing. It depends how you look at it. I felt pretty good about him even when the team was struggling. I was expecting him to improve during the second half of the season, but not so dramatically.
SicSemperTyrannis
January 29, 2024 at 09:23 pm
What the article doesn't mention is the O line. I'm not saying JL didn't improve, he certainly did; but not in ways that accomplished what improved O line play did. Almost every one of those guys was hurt, and was still played through it. We're just fortunate none of them went down for the season.
We need depth on the interior ...
splitpea1
January 29, 2024 at 02:12 pm
The good news is that some of these QBs really explode out in their second season as a starter. Love looks like he could be one of those guys. In his second season, Mahomes threw for over 5000 yards with 50 TDs. Of course we'll need to see continued development from our TEs and WRs for this to be even remotely possible, but it could be close as long as Love stays healthy and our O-line continues to block well for him.
SicSemperTyrannis
January 29, 2024 at 09:24 pm
O line needs to block much better. Most often pressure arrives a split second after he gets the ball away.
Alberta_Packer
January 29, 2024 at 02:24 pm
A+
He went from "is he an NFL QB?" in game 1 - to a top 10 QB at season's end. He went above and beyond the ceiling of expectations.
LeotisHarris
January 29, 2024 at 03:20 pm
Per the Dope Sheet, Jordan took the season Pass/Fail. Given that he stuck it out and didn't drop before mid-season, I'd say he passed *and* I'd pony-up two coupons for BOGO Blizzards at Dairy Queen.
Bitternotsour
January 29, 2024 at 04:02 pm
unlike imapayne who audited via zoom and still failed...
mnbadger
January 29, 2024 at 09:45 pm
Pass/Fail analysis is perfect.
Students do that when there's nothing to gain or lose.
Next year he'll have to improve accuracy and consistency as our schedule will be much tougher.
I hate listening to the talk of him being the next $50,000,000 per year guy.
If he gets an extension like that anytime soon, we'll be right back in the same hell we just left.
There's too many good young players on this team that will need to be paid plus a few FA's to fill glaring holes.
GPG!
HarryHodag
January 29, 2024 at 04:11 pm
B+
Early season shakiness gave way to killer precision and leadership. If you look at the Packers schedule next year he's going to need to get even better.
LambeauPlain
January 29, 2024 at 04:50 pm
It is not how you start, it is how you finish. Solid A for Jordan Love.
And even in many of the games the Packers lost, Love "finished" many of those games strong and gave the D a lead late that they would lose.
The Offense carried the team into the Playoffs and Love carried the Offense.
Had Love's 5 game rough patch happened during the last 5 games of the Season vs weeks 4 through 8, I expect many here would have graded Love a C or even worse...and offseason handwringing about Love would have dominated the conversations. But not Jordan...he kept climbing to his ceiling that looks even higher now.
I have been pulling for Jordan since his draft day and reading about his resume and backstory. Now the D and STs need to up their games.
SicSemperTyrannis
January 29, 2024 at 09:28 pm
I don't believe we've caught even a whiff of JL's ceiling.
Which is downright scary to think about!
Yes, there are some improvements I'd like to see him make but these are mainly refinements at this point.
This is the main reason the O line should be the priority in this draft.
Since'61
January 29, 2024 at 04:58 pm
I give him a B+ for the entire season. Balance a d for the first 7 games and an A for the last 10 games. Love's performance in 2023 should lead to an A performance in 2024. Love's second season will be critical. If he improves he and the Packers are on their way for the long term. If he regresses all of the questions from the first half of 2023 will re-emerge.
I've said from the beginning that once Love becomes the Packer starting QB we need to give him 2 seasons to fairly evaluate him. I still believe that's correct. I also believe that his ceiling arrow is pointing upward. We'll know how high his ceiling might go between the middle and end of the 2024 season. Thanks, Since '61
stockholder
January 29, 2024 at 05:18 pm
B- .... - He couldn't finish what he started.
Purdy is everything he should be.
jannesbjornson
January 29, 2024 at 05:34 pm
Not last season. He was rocked out of the playoffs when he faced the big boys from Philly. Selective memory doesn't count. Where was the Defense for Love after he secured the lead in Santa Clara, or the clutch place kicker? The deal is, he should have been running the show in 2022...If he doesn't advance this team to the NFCCH '24, put the onus on LaFleur.
Oppy
January 29, 2024 at 08:18 pm
How old were you when you first knew you wanted to grow up to become a hater?
Turophile
January 29, 2024 at 05:54 pm
In terms of grading using the mk1 eyeball, there is no single grade you can give out because the difference in his play (and his grasp of the finer points like reading the defenses pre-snap, hard counts, looking off defenders) is so marked.
Early on he might have been a 4 or 4.5, late season he was more like an 8 at his best. I'm not a very forgiving marker, so none of Rodgers, Payton Manning or Brady rate a 10 as none are perfect. About the max anyone can realistically achieve, is 9.5.
CanPackFan
January 29, 2024 at 06:29 pm
B plus- A minus. First half of the season was shaky. Second half great. The final playoff game/interception was very rookie-like. But, he carried a room full of green receivers and made them look great. Second in TD passes. The sky's the limit if he stays healthy and humble. GPG
4thand1
January 29, 2024 at 07:37 pm
A+, given the pressure and no running game for most of the season, he learned on the fly and learned quickly. He doesn't seem to get rattled ,cool under pressure. Given the fact he surpassed 2 HOFers in stats in his 1st full year, how can he not be measured at A+. Threw to rookies and 2nd year guys, something AR wouldn't do, hell he wouldn't come to camp early and work with the young guys. Guess WHO did JORDAN LOVE. GOPACKGO!!!!!!!!!
Tundraboy
January 29, 2024 at 08:42 pm
Absolutely agree. And before everybody gets all worked up over whether he's going to be next great thing, HOF quarterback or if this is real there's no point. Nobody knows, or could possibly predict anything,but it sure as hell is going to be fun watching him and this team grow. I wouldn't swap places with anyone especially in light of where we were this time only 12 mos ago.
Go Pack Go
TheVOR
January 29, 2024 at 08:02 pm
I give him a B, which actually and objectively takes the season in it's entirety in consideration.
He actually did way better than I expected, after the first half of the season. His 2nd half was really good.
I need to see the year #2 jump. Consider these things, in a Huge playoff finale, when it mattered most, he disappeared for the final 2 drives. He'll need to learn to handle that Huge game pressure a little better. Also, the whole off balance and bad arm angle throws can be a windfall, or a bane. That final throw of his season just said everything! He still has to grow and improve his feet, balance, throwing motion, etc. That was a bad ill advised throw at the most critical time.
My biggest concern about his future in GB and to the organization, is his next contract. You can't give this guy 50M+/year and all this guaranteed money based on 1/2 of a season of what was truly decent football. I'd like to see him extended in the middle of next season after we see the guy next year, and recognize he's the same if not better than 2023. My 2....
SicSemperTyrannis
January 29, 2024 at 09:42 pm
He learned happy feet playing behind a leaky O line, he didn't have that in TC. If he has all his cleats in the ground when he throws and only uses the off-platform stuff when needed he'll throw much more consistently..
I'd also like to see him know when to tuck and run as the best option. He could have done that on his last play instead of a panic throw on first down with 52 seconds left. Somebody else was more open too, but throwing it away to return to the line of scrimmage or running past it were his better options in that moment. I won't change his grade for the whole season based on one split second decision.
13TimeChamps
January 29, 2024 at 08:13 pm
Where are the Love=Kizer 2.0 and bench Love for Clifford folks?
*crickets*
SicSemperTyrannis
January 29, 2024 at 09:43 pm
I remember that noise too
BAMABADGER
January 29, 2024 at 08:32 pm
Stockholder must be on vacation????????
Early season, with rookie receivers, an injured AJ, injured 2nd year receivers, injured and rotating O-linemen; Love should be graded at a strong C+.
Remainder of the season is a strong A. Packer fans, we have our third consecutive decade+ QB star.
stockholder
January 30, 2024 at 06:17 am
No - Because the Los Vegas game was terrible .
3 ints. Those first 9 games were brutal.
The first 1/2 no offense was on him.
A New Era
January 29, 2024 at 11:30 pm
A- is the correct grade because he struggled early in the season. Otherwise I'd give him a solid A.
Relative to my expectations however, I'd give him an A+.
sschwenn52
January 30, 2024 at 10:15 am
Was trying to find a reason to give him less than an A... but I can't. Slow start to the season, but the chips were stacked extremely high against him. GB can win with him, GB can win because of him, and he's proven to be our guy going forward. Not to mention that it's a huge breath of fresh air to have a QB that is levelheaded, not needing of attention in the media and is a leader on the field without being visibly frustrated all the time. I've become a huge JLove fan!
NitschkeFan
January 30, 2024 at 01:35 pm
B+ if we are rating the entire season. Happy that he went from a big question mark with loads of doubt by week 9, but he was able to show significant improvement and consistency.
His season long rankings in the NFL:
9th by QBR
11th by passer rating
12th by PFF rating
So it is nice for the Packer fans on this web site to give him an "A" or some gave "A+". But I wouldn't grade the NFL's 10th best QB as an "A". Just my humble opinion.
Next year we hope the team stays healthy and he and the WR/TE group continues to evolve. By then he may crack the top 6 or 7. Then I would be happy to give him his "A".
Oppy
January 30, 2024 at 08:11 pm
What makes this difficult to lump into just looking at the whole year is he struggled greatly early, then the light came on and he was fantastic.
Not just good, not just plus play.. he was playing at an elite level for his final 10-11 games. Arguably the best QB play in the league for the final 9 weeks of the regular season and into the playoffs.
So, while it's nice that you maintain an air of less-easily-impressed than many of us, but I wouldn't grade the QB play of Love in 2023 based on flat average across the entire season.. I'd approach it as look at how high a level he played at for a sustained duration once this offense 'figured it out.' We're not looking at a player who ambled about, up and down around the outside of top 10 the entire season.. This is a young man who struggled for 6-7 weeks and then lit the league on fire the rest of the way.
BobWellhoefer
January 30, 2024 at 02:08 pm
B+ Because of the inconsistency, especially in the 4th quarter against SanFran.