Packers may need to rely on Jordan
Love more than usual because of unsettled rushing attack
[September 10, 2026]
By STEVE MEGARGEE
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay’s Jordan Love already has
established himself as one of the game’s elite quarterbacks as far
as Packers coach Matt LaFleur is concerned.
Love will certainly get a chance to prove that this season.
The unsettled nature of Green Bay’s rushing attack without
three-time Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs means the Packers may
have to depend on their passing game more than usual. The Packers
open the season Sunday at Minnesota.
“No matter who’s out there, I want to be the best,” Love said. “I
want to go out there and execute my job at a high level on every
play. So, I think for everybody — the receivers, you don’t have to
go out there and do anything fancy or try and do anything more. It’s
just go out there and do your job and make plays.”
Love hasn’t yet received a Pro Bowl invitation despite leading the
Packers to playoff berths in each of his three seasons as a starting
quarterback. When he was asked about the next step Love must take to
be considered among the league’s best quarterbacks, LaFleur
contended that the 27-year-old already has entered that class.
“I get so confused by that question every time, because I think he’s
an elite player,” LaFleur said Wednesday. “So I don’t know. I’ll let
you guys figure that out, what the next step is.”
LaFleur believes Love might get more recognition if the Packers made
a longer postseason run.
Green Bay hasn’t advanced beyond the divisional round of the
playoffs in Love’s three seasons as a starter and has lost in the
wild-card round each of the past two years.
“I think a lot of times it’s due to team success,” LaFleur said.
“And the more success we have, the more people will view him in that
light.”
Love wasn’t to blame for the Packers’ five-game skid that ended
their 2025 season.
A helmet-to-helmet hit from Chicago’s Austin Booker knocked Love out
of an overtime loss to the Bears on Dec. 20 and prevented him from
playing in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens the next week. Green Bay
rested Love and its other starters for its regular-season finale at
Minnesota.
Love returned for the playoffs and threw for 323 yards and four
touchdowns without an interception, but the Packers fell 31-27 at
Chicago after allowing 25 points in the fourth quarter.
Another issue that could impact the perception of Love is that the
Packers generally don’t pass the ball as often as many other teams.
According to Sportradar, only four teams ran the ball a higher
percentage of time than the Packers did last season. The Packers had
the third-highest rushing percentage in 2024.
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Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love talks to Arizona Cardinals' Gardner
Minshew II after a preseason NFL football game Friday, Aug. 28,
2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
Love tied for 14th in the league in touchdown
passes (23) and ranked 13th in passing yards (3,381) and 19th in
pass attempts (439) last season. He was intercepted only six times.
The Packers may need to lean on Love more this
season, particularly as long as Jacobs is unable to play or practice
because of his placement on the commissioner’s exempt list. Jacobs
has a court appearance scheduled for Thursday as he faces
misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property
stemming from a May altercation with his girlfriend.
Love’s teammates believe he can handle that extra responsibility.
“Since I’ve been playing with him, he’s never flinched,” wide
receiver Jayden Reed said. “That’s the biggest thing for him that I
see. He’s the same guy out there every play, through adversity,
through great plays. He just does a great job leading the offense,
and he’s going to continue to do that.”
Love should benefit from the fact that three of his top playmakers
finally are all healthy at the same time.
The Packers didn’t have the entire trio of Reed, Christian Watson
and tight end Tucker Kraft all available for a single game last
season. Watson made his season debut Oct. 26 after recovering from a
torn anterior cruciate ligament. Kraft’s season ended when he tore
his ACL on Nov. 2. Reed went on injured reserve Sept. 20 with
shoulder and foot injuries, and he didn’t come back until Dec. 7.
They’re all good to go for the start of this season.
“I think you guys see what we can do all together,” Reed said.
“That’s huge, to have all of us together, plus MG (Matthew Golden)
plus all the other playmakers we have. I think we can be the best in
the league, me personally. We’ve just got to put that all on display
on Sunday.”
NOTES: DT Warren Brinson (calf) and LB Ty’Ron Hopper (Achilles)
didn’t practice Tuesday. … RB Damon Bankston and S Kahlef Hailassie
joined the practice squad. S Murvin Kenion III was released from the
practice squad.
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