Jordan Love is such a cool QB.
The Packers’ sign caller performs the sport with such a brazen aggression that it makes watching him the good expertise within the sport. He’s fourth within the NFL in Common Depth of Goal at 10.1 per Sumer Sports activities, and it’s not simply that he’s throwing these passes downfield so much, he’s attacking these coverages which have confused QBs the fitting means.
We spent a big majority of the season speaking about find out how to beat 2-high defenses, and the reply remains to be that you could gash them downfield. In case you wad up the safety and have a QB with as a lot aggression as Love does, you possibly can nonetheless assault these defenses. Amongst all QBs with a minimum of 30 makes an attempt towards what Sports activities Data Resolution calls two-high shells, Love is second within the NFL in Common Throw Depth towards these defenses. His perception in his arm, mixed with the aggressive nature of the passing offense, permits for them to stay explosive towards these constructions.
Let’s have a look at what he did towards Arizona, peppering in some actually excessive degree throws that showcase his perception in his arm. The Packers are operating Dagger out of a journeys formation, with the surface receiver having to come back all the best way over on the dig. The Cardinals are in a two-high shell, however Love is about on getting this dig throw off. He holds this ball, ready for the dig to clear utterly by all of the throwing home windows earlier than getting this ball off. Most QBs would’ve went for the checkdown or gone into scramble mode. Love is a pocket passer within the phrases of when the ball is in his fingers, he’s going to gash you downfield, it doesn’t matter what.
These subsequent couple of throws simply showcase the idea Love has in his arm, making these tight window throws that elevate your entire offense behind him. It’s fourth and 9, the Packers go away their offense on the sphere. Gotta have it for the primary down, and so they run an over adopted by a bottom dig. The Cardinals spin into Cowl 3, and there’s nothing open. The intermediate a part of the sphere is flooded and the surface path to the highest is being swamped.
Love merely lofts a cross with the right quantity of contact and velocity to place it over the linebacker’s outstretched arms and into the fingers of Christian Watson. I imply, that is an unimaginable throw, top-of-the-line I’ve seen a QB make this season given the down and distance. Watch how cool Love is within the pocket. He seems to be to his left, doesn’t prefer it, comes all the best way again to his proper earlier than the stress will get dwelling and throws a strike. These tight window throws are what make him such a enjoyable QB to look at from all the way down to down.
This throw is perhaps one other one for the “greatest passes of the season class” and it exhibits how proficient Love is, and the way he additionally manages stress conditions. Love isn’t a scramble as a result of stress man—this season he’s solely scrambled 3 times as a result of stress, per SIS—however what Love does is belief in his arm to gash groups downfield towards the blitz. Now, generally he’ll get burned for it, as his interception numbers are excessive this season, however that perception and concept of regularly being in assault mode is what makes watching him so cool, and separates himself from a few of the different prime QBs within the league. This landing to Romeo Doubs is only a sick throw, with the Cardinals bringing the home towards him. It’s a Cowl 0 blitz, that means they’re simply making an attempt to ship virtually everybody and drive this throw to be fast or inaccurate. What Love does below stress is fascinating. He’ll generally drift, however due to how proficient his arm is, he can place the ball precisely the place it must be. Most sign callers aren’t even escaping this stress, not to mention protecting the ball inbounds. But, Love is simply the right quantity of loopy to make this throw and it repay with a landing. What a participant, man.
I do know individuals will have a look at Love’s interception numbers and balk on the concept of Love being good for attacking 2 Excessive shells. His interceptions have been unhealthy to start out the yr, and a few of them have simply been unfortunate. Nonetheless, he’s making an attempt to gash groups downfield along with his arm, as an alternative of throwing a bunch of RPOs and enjoying it secure. I believe that’s the largest distinction between some QBs right now versus the previous. Sure, completion proportion numbers have been down, however many of the QBs again then have been taking these sorts of photographs towards these coverages, remaining aggressive towards them. Love has an enormous problem forward with an equally aggressive Houston Texans protection, however I’m excited to see how he retains his trickshot king crown on prime of his head.
