In turning the page from 12 to 10, Brian Gutekunst and the Green Bay Packers brass have pulled off a masterstroke. After an ugly 2-5 start to the season, Green Bay has found their groove. With three straight wins as ATS underdogs, the Packers are starting to flex their green and gold muscles. In the wake of trading their Hall-of-Fame quarterback the Packers are competing for the playoffs, and the impeccable play of Jordan Love is the main reason why. Jordan Love has officially established himself as the future of the Green Bay Packers.
Packers Revival
In the last five weeks, the NFL's youngest squad has averaged 23.6 points and 389.2 yards of offense per game. Sunday night's game against the Chiefs was also the fifth straight game in which the Packers had more than 375 offensive yards, the first time they've accomplished that feat since 2013.
Love hasn't just proven himself as the Packers certified quarterback of the future, he's in the midst of a stretch that rivals the games' elites. In fact, Love has completed 66% of his passes for 1,374 yards, 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions in that same span. Green Bay has gone 4-1 in that period, looking every bit the part of a playoff team. He's also making plays like this.
The balls to make this throw on 4th down...
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) December 6, 2023
Jordan Love releases the ball when Doubs is at the 35-yard line and he catches it at the 15.
Right in a bucket. pic.twitter.com/RRIqhbkasu
The young pass catchers are growing and excelling, as Christian Watson has been fully restored as Green Bay's top option, while Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Dontayvion Wicks have all made significant contributions to the Packers winning run. Joe Barry's defense has stepped up, allowing just 17 points per game and forcing seven turnovers in the last five weeks. As an added bonus, the team is no longer saddled with Aaron Rodgers gargantuan contract, with his $40 million dead cap hit coming off the books after this season.
Love's Ascension
Never mind all the stats. Jordan Love have improved his timing and understanding of Matt Lafleur's offense exponentially. He's looked much more poised navigating the pocket, and has been extremely confident in delivering the football. His accuracy and timing have also been big proponents to the Packers turnaround.
Love is delivering the football on time, in rhythm and on the money. On top of that, Love is a certifiable trickshot artist, with a physical tool set seen only among the games' greats. His ability to adjust his arm angle and make downfield throws on the move is eerily reminiscent of Aaron Rodgers.
Watching some #Packers film and a few plays that Jordan Love made Sunday night against the Chiefs made me think of some Aaron Rodgers moments and throws.
— Kyle Malzhan (@KyleMalzhan) December 6, 2023
Not carbon copy, but my mind went exactly to these two plays for some reason when I saw them. Fun to put these together. pic.twitter.com/oglcDdRz8Z
Over the last three games, Love has posted a 89.3 Pro Football Focus grade while tossing for 857 yards, eight touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also sits third in the NFL in offensive pass EPA per dropback, behind only Brock Purdy and Dak Prescott in that span. The first-year starter leads the NFL in third-quarter passer rating at 130.1 and now has four games with 3 or more touchdown passes and no interceptions. No one in the NFL has more. Jordan Love is playing the game of football at a ridiculously high-level and has the Packers poised to make some noise in a weak NFC conference down the stretch.
Betting Green Bay Packers Futures
Green Bay's Super Bowl odds have fluctuated wildly through the Packers up and down season. From +6600 in Week 1 to a staggering +20000 in Week 10, these odds mirror the team's struggles. Although, back-to-back wins over the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs has seen the Packers odds drop dramatically. While they may not be true Super Bowl contenders this season, there's still plenty of ways to profit off of Green Bay's NFL futures.
Green Bay Packers Super Bowl Odds By Week
| Week | Odds |
|---|---|
| 1 | +6600 |
| 2 | +4000 |
| 3 | +4000 |
| 4 | +4000 |
| 5 | +6600 |
| 6 | +6600 |
| 7 | +8000 |
| 8 | +10000 |
| 9 | +15000 |
| 10 | +20000 |
| 11 | +20000 |
| 12 | +15000 |
| 13 | +10000 |
Green Bay looks ready to smash through their season win total of 7.5 and are well on their way to their current total of 9.5, which can still be found at +164 odds.
With the NFL's easiest strength of schedule over the next five weeks (the Packers don't play a game against a team with a winning record), Green Bay could still end up as NFC North champions. Remember, the Packers are 16-0 in the month of December under head coach Matt Lafleur. Plus, Detroit's shaky defense has been exploited down the stretch, allowing a staggering 27.7 points over their past three games.
After opening the year at +350 to win the division, the Packers now sit at +1400 to take home the North. If you believe in Love like the great Huey Lewis, Green Bay is worth a flyer at those odds.
The Love Phenomenon
The narrative of the Packers' downfall has been greatly exaggerated, largely due to Love's marvelous arm. The Utah State product's ascension isn't just about filling the shoes of his legendary predecessor, but about carving his own path in the storied quarterbacking legacy of the Green Bay Packers. Jordan Love's football journey has many chapters left to be written, but if his first twelve games in charge at 1265 Lombardi Avenue are any indication, he's well on his way to becoming the next great gunslinger in Titletown.
These Packers aren't going away anytime soon. Armed with five top-90 draft picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, you can bet Brian Gutekunst and co. will pull another rabbit out of their hat next April. With Jordan Love under center, the Green Bay Packers look set to contend for the Lombardi trophy for years to come. In the immortal words of Drake, Packers fans around the globe asked "where the Love at?" And Jordan has finally arrived.
