Discover how Jordan Love masterfully executes his signature throws, turning pressure into pinpoint passes that redefine the Green Bay Packers' offensive game.
Quarterback Jordan Love can do a little bit of everything for the Green Bay Packers.
Some quarterbacks need a clean pocket and time to throw to be successful, and when they get that, they're great. In the NFC North, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff is a good example of that. When he gets pressure on him, he falls apart, and he's really the opposite of a mobile quarterback.
Other quarterbacks may not have the best throwing mechanics, but they're elite athletes who can get out of the pocket and move around, and they can chuck the football a mile down the field on a frozen rope when they're feeling it. Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is a great example of that type of player.
Then there's Love, who is elite when he can set his feet and has a few seconds to throw, but he's also gotten very good at throwing "off-platform".
He's not necessarily a sprint-out or roll-out quarterback who prefers to be on the move while throwing the football, but Love's ability to "fade away" in the face of pressure while still throwing dimes has become a trademark of sorts.
Here's an example:
And this:
Or how about his one?
The "fadaway" has become Love's thing, especially under pressure. It has allowed him to buy just an extra millisecond of time against the pass-rush, and he's deadly accurate with it.
One would think his method of throwing under pressure would make any coach with half a mind for the fundamentals of the game cringe, but his quarterbacks coach from this past season, Sean Mannion, doesn't see it that way.
"The thing is with Jordan, he plays with tremendous fundamentals, but he also has a great feel for the pocket," Mannion explained to Tyler Brooke of Acme Packing Company. "The reality of playing the quarterback position is...these defensive linemen are really good. Sometimes the guy gets the edge, maybe you're a little bit off balance."
Mannion explained that in practice, they practice throwing from a balanced base as much as possible. He understands that the reality of the game as it's going on doesn't always produce perfect throwing scenarios, though, and he acknowledged that Love has the talent to pull off the football equivalent of the fadeaway jumper.
There are also moments in a real game where it makes sense.
"We try to train great balance, but there's also absolutely a place in every game for some throws that are a little bit off platform," Mannion said.
Love threw for 3,381 yards and 23 touchdowns this season, compared to six interceptions. In the playoff loss to the Bears, he threw for 323 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.
Love's QBR of 72.8 was second-best in all of the NFL, behind only Drake Maye of the New England Patriots, an MVP candidate.
Fundamentals or not, Love has clearly figured out a unique edge for himself between the white lines.
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