Jordan Love has not thrown many interceptions this season. Sunday, the Denver defense picked off the Packers quarterback twice in one game for the first time all year. It was Love’s first multi-pick regular-season game since October 2024 against Houston. Dig deeper into the archives and it turns out that Love’s game against the Broncos (1 TD, 2 INTs) constitutes a piece of statistical trivia that goes back even further.
Day in Denver one to forget for Love and Packers
As Packers fans will well remember, last January in the Wild Card Round the Eagles intercepted Love three times while allowing zero passing touchdowns in Philadelphia’s 22-10 victory. In the regular season, however, his last multi-pick game with fewer TDs than INTs came October 9, 2023, versus the Raiders, in his first season as a starter (0 TDs, 3 INTs).
He wasn’t actually all that bad against a Denver defense recognized as one of the best in the league. He finished the day 24-40 for 276 yards. He also scrambled three times for 29 yards and posted a QBR of 77.0.
The interceptions, both of which occurred in the second half, weren’t all his fault, either. The deep shot to Christian Watson, where Watson injured himself grabbing back at the ball, was not a perfect throw but it was also a great play by Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain to haul it in.
Love’s second interception, past the halfway mark in the fourth quarter on a pass intended for Dontayvion Wicks, came off a deflection. The throw was a bit behind Wicks, resulting in the deflection when he turned to attempt a one-handed grab back across his body, but it wasn’t some terrible prayer into tight coverage or an instance of TQB (temporary quarterback blindness). It was just a subpar throw that Wicks couldn’t reel in, and Denver’s Riley Moss was there waiting to cradle the deflection.
The pressure from the Broncos’ pass rush clearly affected the play. In addition to sacking Love three times (the Packers haven’t allowed more since Week 3 in Cleveland), Denver pass rushers forced him to release the ball early, off his back foot. That’s not an excuse for the interception, but the pressure contributed to the result.
It was the same force that puts the clamps on Love and the Packers in their final two possessions. The Green Bay offense mustered -4 yards on 11 plays. Love’s fourth and 15 throw on their last gasp series inside of a minute to go didn’t stand a chance of reaching anyone.
It wasn’t Love’s best game, or the Packers’. By his standards, it was one of his worst statistical outings this season. Now, however, the only thing to do is go into Chicago, minus Micah Parsons and possibly Christian Watson, and take back the division lead. If anything, ball security will only be a greater focus. The Bears lead the league with 30 total takeaways and a turnover differential of +20.
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