Photo by Evan Siegle - packers.com
Jayden Reed reception Packers-Saints Sept. 24, 2023
Jayden Reed makes a reception vs. the Saints' Alontae Taylor, Sept. 24, 2023
Jordan Love has been brilliant so far in his first season as the starter for the Packers, but it’s been a bit of a roller coaster ride. The Packers experienced the complete gamut of the Love experience on Sunday as the offense got off to a rocky start without their full complement of weapons, but rallied late to complete the second largest fourth quarter comeback in franchise history.
The Saints, have one of the NFL’s best defenses, and still hold an 11-game streak of holding offenses under 20 points. Without Aaron Jones, Christian Watson, David Bakhtiari, and Elgton Jenkins, the Packers struggled to move the ball early. Their issues were compounded by constant holding and procedure penalties, and the young Packers now lead the NFL with 33 penalties against. AJ Dillon was never able to get going, and for three quarters, Love just couldn’t connect with any of his receivers.
The Saints managed to hit an early 8-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr to former Packer Jimmy Graham, and tacked on a 76-yard punt return from Rashid Shaheed to build a 14-point lead. Then, just before half time, the Saints marched into Packer territory for a last second field goal to go up three scores, and with the Packers showing no signs of life, a win for New Orleans seemed well in hand.
Early in the third quarter, Rashan Gary started to turn things around when he knocked Derek Carr from the game with sack on 3rd and 9. Gary, and defensive lineman Kenny Clark had their way with a subpar New Orleans offensive line, and their efforts kept the Saints off the board after halftime, as New Orleans ground to a halt under backup quarterback Jameis Winston.
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Eight Minutes to Go
The Saints still held a 14-point lead with eight minutes to go in the game when Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love decided to make two key changes to their strategy. An injury to the Saints’ normal starting cornerback, Paulson Adebo, forced former Packer special teamer Isaac Yiadom into the starting lineup. The Packers know Yiadom well, and while he actually provided tight coverage, he has two major flaws: he can get overly physical, and he struggles at the catch point in one-on-one matchups. Starting with their first touchdown drive, Love would target Yiadom, and nickel corner Alontae Taylor almost exclusively. On that drive, they picked up 67 yards worth of pass interference penalties on the two corners, culminating in a Love touchdown run on fourth and one.
The Packers then went to their analytics handbook, taking a calculated risk in going for two instead of kicking the extra point. While this is still a controversial move, the idea in doing so is that instead of needing seven points to tie, and then force overtime, and then win in overtime, you put yourself in a position where another touchdown wins you the game without the fifty-fifty calculus of playing overtime, while also opening up a remote possibility of two field goals giving you a tie. Love hit Samori Touré right between the numbers, and the risk paid off.
On the following Saints’ drive, the defense held once again, and on when the Packers tooks over, Love didn’t require any long penalties as he hit several short throws to Dontayvion Wicks, and dropped a dime to Jayden Reed for 30-yards to move into the red zone. From there, it was just a matter of Romeo Doubs beating Yiadom for the go-ahead score, and the comeback was complete. The Saints would march into field goal range with one minute remaining, but kicker Blake Grupe pulled his 46-yard attempt wide, and Jordan Love finished things off in the victory formation.
Love continues to struggle with accuracy on a play-to-play basis, but his playmaking, and command of the offense continue to pay off. The most impressive moment for me came on his first rushing touchdown. Love said before the game that he would perform his first Lambeau Leap on his first rushing touchdown at home, but this touchdown came at the start of a furious comeback where every second counted. Had Love taken the leap, there’s a strong chance the team would not have been able to line up in time to go for two. Love was all business, understood the situation, and got everyone right back under center for the successful attempt. That level of leadership, and situational awareness is rare. It’s also what makes 17-point comebacks happen.
The Packers next face the Lions on Thursday night. Both teams have key injuries along the offensive line, and it will be interesting to see if Aaron Jones and Christian Watson, who seemed close to playing against New Orleans, are ready against Detroit.
