It’s amazing what two good legs can do for a point guard who is great at extending plays and creating under pressure.
Since dealing with knee and groin injuries last week, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has become a much different quarterback under pressure over the last five games.
Consider these numbers.
Since Week 11, Love ranks third among quarterbacks in completion percentage (63.0), second in yards per attempt (9.6), fourth in sack pressure percentage (7.7) and second in sack rate passes (116.3) when under pressure. Love’s team has come under pressure with a 41.3% loss rate over their last five games, sixth-most.
Despite all this pressure, Love hasn’t had any pressure interceptions since his bye. He can play the ball safely and is devastatingly effective, even though he had to deal with the most complex moment for a quarterback – pressure – with almost 40% turnovers.
There is no doubt that knee and groin injuries hampered Love’s ability to play in the first nine games. Over the first nine games, Love played in six games. He ranked 31st in completion percentage (40.7), fourth in yards per attempt (8.1), first in sack pressure percentage (10.0) and 26th in passer rating (57, 3). He threw four interceptions while only being pressured on 31.0 percent of his turnovers.
Overcoming pressure separates a good quarterback from a great one. Playing from neat pockets is extremely significant – and Love ranks first in yards per attempt without facing pressure since the bye – but the best quarterbacks can avoid negative plays and even create positive plays when a blocking offense breaks down.
There will be great defensive fronts for Love in the NFC playoffs. Surviving this rivalry will almost certainly require the quarterback to play well in several complex moments. After suffering knee and groin injuries in the past, Love proved once again that he can play under pressure like one of the NFL’s best players.
