Packers’ Jordan Love Playing Himself Into the NFL MVP Conversation

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is a tough dude.

How can he not be, with the way he's been bouncing back from hit-after hit this season behind an offensive line that has struggled to protect him?

The Packers have actually only allowed 13 sacks this season. That's actually pretty good compared to the 24 given up by the Cleveland Browns so far. Anyone who has watched the Packers play this season knows that it's not just about the sacks, though.

Love has done a good job of avoiding sacks, but he's still taking plenty of hits. 

The Packers have let Love get hit 30 times, which is third worst in the league behind the Las Vegas Raiders (32) and Los Angeles Rams (31). Love has been pressured 58 times, which is tied for seventh-worst in the league with the Browns, and his average time in the pocket is 2.1 seconds, which is tied for the worst in the league.

The advanced metrics aren't great. Even in Green Bay's dominant 23-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, Love was sacked three times and hit nine times.

And that was a good game for the Packers.

He also spent time on the injury report earlier this week with a back injury and according to head coach Matt LaFleur, the quarterback had to see the team chiropractor after the game.

“He was pretty beat up. He took some shots. I saw him in there with the chiropractor postgame so I knew something was up," LaFleur told the media on Thursday.

And yet, Love is fourth in the NFL in passing yards (1,684), tied for eighth in passing touchdowns (11) and fifth in the NFL in yards thrown per game (280.7).

There's a strong case to be made that Love is the reason the Packers are 4-2 right now, especailly after the disastrous 1-2 start to the season.

He's overcome everything thrown at him. 

Pressure? Clearly he's overcome it.

Injuries to top offensive teammates like Zach Bako-Bewele and Jayden Reed? He's handled it.

Drops from Matthew Golden and Christian Watson? To be fair to both of them, they've largely been incredible this season, but the drops were a problem in the win over Dallas.

And even then, Love overcame them.

Love has been everything the Packers could want in a starting quarterback and more, and he's undoubtedly this team's MVP through six games.

Could he be the league MVP as well?

There's stiff competition, but it's worth noting that Love is on the list. Per DraftKings, Love is in the MVP race alongside players like Josh Allen, Brock Purdy, Patrick Mahomes, Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow, Drake Maye and Lamar Jackson.

That's good company.