As Jordan Love prepares for his second year as the starting quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, he's poised and confident about the upcoming challenges. Despite the anticipation that defenses will have a better grasp of his play style with a full season of film to study, Love isn't overly concerned.
Facing Defensive Adjustments
The Philadelphia Eagles and other teams are expected to scrutinize Love's 19 starts from the previous season. Love understands that defenses will be more prepared to counter what made him successful last year. However, he is confident in his coaching staff’s ability to continuously put him in the best situations. "We know going into this year teams are going to have a better feel of what we do, what we did good," Love said. "That's their job -- to try to figure out how to stop that. That's the fun part about the NFL."
Coaching and Development
Key to Love's preparation is his work with Tom Clements and head coach Matt LaFleur. Clements, a seasoned quarterback coach, is well-equipped to help Love refine the skills necessary to combat evolving defensive strategies. Recognizing areas where Love struggled, such as when under pressure, Clements has focused on fundamentals. "What we're making a big emphasis on is [having] perfect feet," LaFleur emphasized. "Making sure the guys go through their progressions, having perfect feet. When they're not, they hear about it."
LaFleur also made a significant change to offseason practices, incorporating a 7-on-7 period despite his initial reluctance due to the lack of game-like conditions. This adjustment aims to better prepare Love for real-game scenarios. Clements and the Packers' offensive staff have invested considerable time in anticipating defensive tactics, ensuring Love is ready to respond effectively. "You might anticipate a defense maybe bringing a little more pressure," Clements explained. "Disguising a little bit more, making it more difficult to see where to go."
Performance Under Pressure
Love's performance under pressure last season ranked 27th and 26th among NFL quarterbacks, respectively. He often opted to throw deep away from coverage, a tactic that resulted in only one interception when pressured. This off-season, Love has been diligently working on his pocket awareness and movements. "The biggest thing for me is just staying poised in the pocket," Love noted. "Being able to stay balanced in the pocket. Sometimes I get out of whack with my feet, and I might start drifting in the pocket too much. Just pocket awareness, making smaller moves and understanding when I've got to get out of there."
Adapting to Change
One of the most promising aspects of Love's development is his ability to adapt and make plays on the run. Clements observed significant growth in this area late last season. "Early in the season, when Jordan scrambled, I'd say 95 percent of the time he ran the ball," Clements recalled. "Second half of the year, that maybe flipped -- maybe not 95 percent but a larger percentage he was moving around, looking to throw the ball downfield."
Love's shift from running to making off-schedule plays by throwing on the run has been a crucial development. "Also throwing on the run, being able to escape the pocket and make those off-schedule plays is something I worked a good amount on," Love stated. Clements added, "Rather than just taking off and running, he's looking and trying to make a play, and that's where good things can happen."
As Love enters his second year, his focus remains on refining his skills and preparing for the inevitable defensive adjustments. With a dedicated coaching staff and a commitment to continuous improvement, Love is set to build on his previous experiences and lead the Packers to new heights. "At the end of the day, we've got a very good coaching staff that's going to put us in the best position," Love asserted. "We'll also be able to adjust to what defenses might be doing and taking away from us, and we'll learn on the fly."
Jordan Love's journey is one of growth, adaptation, and relentless pursuit of excellence. As he embraces the challenges ahead, the Packers' quarterback is ready to showcase his development and lead his team with confidence.