Jordan Love is walking around with a serious chip on his shoulder, and the entire Green Bay Packers squad is feeling it. The team is officially using their Wild Card playoff loss to Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears as straight-up rocket fuel heading into the 2026 season, and honestly, you can’t blame them one bit. That kind of collapse leaves a mark, and Love isn’t shy about saying it’s still burning.
The Sour Taste of a Crushing Finish
You remember how the 2025 season ended, right? The Packers kicked things off looking strong, sitting pretty with a 9-3-1 record. But then, it all went sideways. They stumbled hard, ending the regular season on a four-game losing streak. That’s a brutal way to limp into the playoffs, but the real gut punch came against their NFC North rivals, Chicago. Green Bay was up 21-3 at halftime in that playoff game. A massive lead, practically a done deal, or so it seemed. They ended up losing 31-27. Can you believe it? Losing that kind of lead in a playoff game? Love put it perfectly, saying that playoff loss and the way they finished “leaves a sour taste in your mouth.” He stressed that the mindset for OTAs and training camp is all about one thing: finish. Every single day, they’ve got to find ways to be at their best, to improve, and to lock in with that finishing mentality, especially when the days get longer.
Love’s Numbers Are There, But Can He Lead a Deeper Run?
It’s not like Love had a bad year individually, though. In his third season as a full-time starter, he played in 15 games, completing a solid 66.3 percent of his throws. He racked up 3,381 yards and tossed 23 touchdowns against only six interceptions. His 72.7 QBR was actually No. 3 among 28 qualified quarterbacks, according to ESPN. Those are legit numbers, no doubt. But here’s the kicker: the team’s disappointing end to the year happened without star pass-rusher Micah Parsons, who tore his ACL in Week 15. Talk about bad timing. Now, Love is stepping into his fourth season under center, and the mission is clear: he has to lead Green Bay on a much deeper playoff run. The individual stats are great, but the team’s ability to close out games, especially without key players, is what’s truly under the microscope.
The first test for this “finish” mindset comes quick. The Packers open their 2026 season against the Minnesota Vikings on September 13. Every snap from that game forward is going to be about proving they learned from that epic collapse, proving they can finally close out the tough ones. It’s time to see if that sour taste has truly turned into fuel.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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