Jordan Love Unfazed by Defensive Adjustments Heading into Year Two
Jordan Love isn't overly concerned about how NFL teams will defend him this season, even with a full year of game film for opponents to study. As he prepares for his second season as the Packers' starting quarterback, Love remains confident in his ability to adapt and evolve.
Rather than focusing on the potential challenges posed by defenses, Love and the Packers' coaching staff are honing in on strategies to elevate his game. With 19 starts under his belt, Love recognizes that defenses will have a better understanding of his strengths and weaknesses.
"We know going into this year teams are going to have a better feel of what we do, what we did good,” Love said. "But that's their job -- to try to figure out how to stop that. That's the fun part about the NFL."
Facing Defensive Adjustments
Defensive coordinators, like those from the Philadelphia Eagles and other teams, are expected to scrutinize Love's previous performances. Love acknowledges this reality but puts his faith in his coaching staff to keep him and the team one step ahead.
"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 stated. "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."
Coaching and Development
Key to Love's ongoing development is the guidance of quarterbacks coach Tom Clements and head coach Matt LaFleur. Both have been instrumental in refining Love’s skills, particularly in anticipating and countering defensive strategies. LaFleur even added a previously disfavored 7-on-7 period to offseason practices to simulate game-like conditions better.
"Footwork and how he moves in the pocket – we're working on the drills, working on throwing a lot of routes on air," Clements commented. "What we're making a big emphasis on is [having] perfect feet," LaFleur added. "Making sure the guys go through their progressions, having perfect feet. When they're not, they hear about it."
Performance Under Pressure
One area where Love faced difficulties last season was dealing with pressure. His numbers in these situations ranked 27th and 26th among NFL quarterbacks, metrics he and his coaches are aiming to improve.
"The biggest thing for me is just staying poised in the pocket," Love said. "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
Another aspect of Love’s growth has been his improved ability to make plays on the run rather than resorting to scrambling. Clements observed significant progress in this area towards the end of 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. That's what you want to do because you can get a lot of big plays in the scramble phase of the game."
This shift in mentality has given Love a new set of tools to exploit defenses more effectively. "Rather than just taking off and running, he's looking and trying to make a play, and that's where good things can happen," Clements explained.
As Jordan Love enters his second year commanding the Packers' offense, he remains focused on refining his skills to meet the defensive adjustments that are sure to come. With a supportive and experienced coaching staff behind him, and a commitment to continuous improvement, Love looks poised to build on his experiences and lead the Packers to success.