Forget what the MVP odds say, because Jordan Love is absolutely making his case right now, hovering around ninth or tenth depending on the sportsbook. I’m calling it early, folks. While his numbers might not scream MVP *yet*, his slow start was clearly thanks to some seriously shoddy pass protection, and he’s figured out how to mitigate it over the last few weeks.
Love Is Thriving Under the Worst Conditions Imaginable
We saw it Sunday night in the win against the Cowboys: Love put on a clinic for a national audience, showing everyone how a great quarterback can absolutely thrive when the pocket is collapsing around him. The dude is just standing there, running through his reads while chaos erupts. Or he’s sidestepping the rush, creating a throwing window out of thin air, even looking off a linebacker on audacious throws. He’s throwing fadeaways that hit receivers in stride for max YAC, and hitting anticipatory throws before an unblocked rusher even gets there. He even shifts protection to pick up the blitz, knowing he might still need to get it out early if a tight end whiffs. Seriously, it’s rare to see a quarterback playing his best when the conditions around him are at their absolute worst. But that’s exactly what we’re witnessing from Love. His quick pressure rate is a league-worst 24.5%, and his average time to pressure is a brutal 2.35 seconds. Think about that. Yet, all that pressure hasn’t pushed him into a conservative shell; he’s still as ambitious as ever, bombing ludicrous passes downfield against Dallas, just like he did against Chicago the week before.
A Minor Miracle: Love Carries a Struggling Offense
His stat line on Sunday night would’ve been even more eye-popping if his receivers hadn’t forgotten how to catch. You could put together a highlight reel just of the deep passes they dropped! Love, with some help from an overachieving defense, is single-handedly keeping the Packers in the NFC North race, and he’s getting next to no help. Beyond the dropped passes, the team has the league’s worst pass protection. And the run game? Dead last in the NFL by a mile, averaging a pathetic 59.8 yards per game. The next-worst rushing team, Dallas, averages 76 yards. So the fact that this team is sitting at 4-2, holding onto the fifth seed in the conference, is nothing short of a minor miracle. Take Love out and replace him with anyone not named Patrick, Josh, or Lamar, and this team is absolutely headed for a top-10 draft pick.
Stroud’s Big Payday Looms, Eagles Get a New Signal-Caller
Speaking of quarterbacks making waves, whether Houston will give C.J. Stroud the big-money extension he’s seeking is no longer even a question. It’s just a matter of how much the Texans will have to fork over. What a season he’s having. And over in Philly, the Eagles have a new starting quarterback, which is a storyline to watch as the season unfolds.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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