Things have fallen into place for the Green Bay Packers over the last week. The Pack got some help when the Arizona Cardinals beat the Dallas Cowboys Sunday afternoon and then clinched the top seed in the NFC playoffs by crushing the Vikings 37-10 on Sunday night. That made the outcome of Green Bay’s Week 18 contest in Detroit meaningless as far as the Packers playoff situation is concerned.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t important things that can take place Sunday at Ford Field. Head coach Matt LaFleur has already indicated he will play his starters including quarterback Aaron Rodgers although we aren’t sure how long. We are also unsure which, if any, of the Packers injured players will be back in the lineup for the regular-season finale.
While Rodgers will start the game against Detroit, he is unlikely to play all of it. Whether he will play a few series, a quarter or a half remains to be seen, but with nothing at stake and Rodgers nursing an injured toe, the Packers will look to play Rodgers enough to keep the reigning MVP sharp without exposing him to unnecessary harm.
That means that Jordan Love should see extensive action on Sunday. The key for the Packers is to make sure Love can maximize this opportunity. That means creating a game plan designed specifically for the second-year quarterback out of Utah State.
Love has seen significant action in three games this season. Two of them were in garbage time: the season opener against the Saints and the Week 17 clash against the Vikings. Love also made one start in Kansas City when Rodgers missed the game because he tested positive for Covid-19. But the coaching staff didn’t know Rodgers would miss the game until mid-week and for the most part, Love ran the offense designed for Rodgers. That shouldn’t happen again on Sunday in Detroit.
There are obvious differences between Rodgers and Love at this point in their respective careers. The Packers starting quarterback is a three-time NFL MVP and the favorite to win a fourth this season. He has played 17 years in the league and has been a starter for 14 of those seasons. Rodgers has earned Pro Bowl honors 10 times and has started 205 regular-season games and led the Packers to a win in Super Bowl XLV.
Rodgers is an expert at reading defenses. There is nothing he has not seen in an NFL game. In addition, A-Rod has played a role in installing the offense the Packers run. It has been a collaborative effort between LaFleur and Rodgers mixing in aspects of the offense Rodgers ran under Mike McCarthy and the offense LaFleur wants to run.
When he gets to the line of scrimmage, Rodgers can instantly see how the defense is lined up and can audible out of the original play to a call that is better suited to defeat that defense. Even if he guesses wrong, his experience, skill and chemistry with his receivers allows him to make adjustments mid-play that can often turn a tough situation into a substantial gain.
Love is in his second season and has started only one NFL game thus far. He has thrown just 45 passes in his NFL career. His ability to adjust mid-play is very much a work in progress. Reading defenses was one of the areas scouts felt Love needed time to develop before he could reach his potential and become a quality starter in the NFL.
Hopefully, this Sunday, LaFleur can devise a specific game plan designed for what Love does best. This will mean more snaps under center and fewer from the shotgun, different kinds of run-pass options (RPOs) and plays that limit the number of reads Love has to make against the Detroit defense. This will give Love a chance to show what he can do under favorable conditions.
There is a lot a stake here. The Packers quarterback situation next season is up in the air. Will Rodgers return to the Packers for 2022? If he does, the Packers could keep Love on the roster as the backup and heir apparent or they could look to trade him. This year’s draft is not deep at the quarterback position and there are plenty of teams who might be interested in Love especially if he shows potential against the Lions.
If Rodgers leaves, Love will certainly be competing for the vacant job with the Packers. A strong showing on Sunday would increase the confidence level the Packers coaching staff and players have in the young signal caller and give Love more self confidence as well. If Love bombs, perhaps the Packers look to sign a veteran free agent or trade for a quarterback instead of sticking with Love.
Hopefully, the Packers have a suitable game plan to bring out the best in Love when he takes the field on Sunday regardless of whether he plays one quarter, a half or more. The results would benefit the Packers and Love and have some impact on his future with the franchise and in the NFL.
You can follow Gil Martin on Twitter @GilPackers