Jordan Love — Week 1: Four Fourth-Quarter Drives, No Points
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 14
Love completed twenty-one of forty-two throws for three hundred eighty-seven yards, two touchdowns to Christian Watson and one interception, and was sacked four times, all after halftime. Green Bay led 22–17 entering the fourth quarter and its four possessions from there ended on downs, a lost fumble, an interception and downs, in a 39–22 loss to the Vikings.
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Green Bay three, Minnesota nothing, seven 54 left in the first quarter, second and 10 at the Green Bay 19. Jordan Love threw deep middle to Christian Watson for 81 yards and a touchdown, worth +7.1 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — and 14 points of win probability, the chance of winning the game after the play against before it, the largest gain any Packers play produced all afternoon. Two plays moved the win-probability number further, both the other way, both his. The bigger: five oh one left in the fourth, third and 17 at the Green Bay 23, down 25 to 22, sacked at the 11, the ball loose, Andrew Van Ginkel recovering at the eight and carrying it to the one. −5.8 expected points, −15.3 in win probability, and Jordan Mason scored on the next snap.
The line: 21 completions on 42 throws, 387 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, four sacks for 34 yards, and −2.7 expected points on 46 pass plays. The second touchdown was two yards short right to Watson on second and two with 18 seconds left in the half, up 12 to 10. The first half was nine of 19 for a hundred 99 yards; the second was 12 of 23 for a hundred 88, and every sack came after halftime. His one carry was the other play that turned the day: fourth and one at the Minnesota 17, 13 17 left in the fourth, up 22 to 17, right guard, no gain, −4.4 expected points and −14.4 in win probability. The interception came at four 21, second and three at the Green Bay 32, down 32 to 22, short middle for Watson, picked off by James Pierre and returned to the 14, −6.6.
The ball went 12 times to Matthew Golden, eight to Watson, seven to Jayden Reed, six to Tucker Kraft, three to Jonnu Smith, one each to Bo Melton, Chris Brooks, MarShawn Lloyd and Skyy Moore, and two throws carry no receiver. 19 pass plays before halftime and 27 after, against eight designed runs and 13; the 21 carries gained 66 yards. On third down Love threw 10 times, completed five, three for first downs, and took one sack; Green Bay converted three of 12.
Back in June the preview made no call on Love: an eighteenth-quarterback price at pick one 17, priced for continuation after two flat seasons, with the environment as the whole case for more and his September completion rate as the number to watch. Sunday the environment showed up — six targets to Kraft, 12 to Golden, two Watson touchdowns — and the completion rate was 50 percent, 21 of 42. One afternoon that ended with four empty drives is not two flat seasons, and it is not the ceiling year either. Green Bay is at the Jets on Sunday the twentieth.
_Data via nflverse._
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