Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur believes Tuesday was one of the best practices produced by quarterback Jordan Love since he joined the NFL as a first-round pick in 2020.
“Yeah, I was talking to him, that might have been one of his best practices we’ve seen in three years,” LaFleur said Wednesday. “I thought there was a lot of great things that he did, he made some big-time throws – with pressure in his face. Some of those are questionable whether or not he would have had an opportunity to get them off, but I thought he had a nice day.”
Reporters documented at least two of the most impressive throws: The first on a deep crosser to Sammy Watkins, and the second on a third-and-goal situation to Romeo Doubs for a touchdown. Pressure was involved in both plays.
LaFleur said the teaching point now is consistency. As the Packers coach hammered home earlier in camp, any player can be great for one day. It’s about doing it every day.
“The key is to continue that. It’s that consistency is what you want to see,” LaFleur said.
Love said that he’s more consistent now because he can trust he knows where receivers will be and also trust himself to hang in the pocket and make the play, even under pressure.
“I think it does show growth,” Love said.
The Packers have a closed practice on Wednesday but will be under the bright lights on Friday for the team’s annual “Family Night Scrimmage.” In nine days, Love and the Packers will go to San Francisco to open the preseason against the 49ers – providing another terrific opportunity for the young quarterback to develop in a live-game setting.
General manager Brian Gutekunst said Love has shown real growth in terms of “command in the huddle” and feel within the offense, and he made the most of opportunities when Rodgers was away from the team during the offseason.
The mental side – and anticipating what’s going to happen next – is starting to click. The result is a quarterback who can play fast and play under control in adverse situations.
“Now, I just think, of all the positions, the quarterback one is, obviously, mentally has the most on him,” Gutekunst said Wednesday. “I just think he’s in Year 3, he hasn’t played in as many games as we would have liked him to play, because of COVID and getting injured, but you’re seeing a more confident guy. I know what’s going to happen before it happens. I think that’s really important for a quarterback, all players, but especially quarterbacks.”