The Jordan Love Era Begins

[OldSchool101]

And after only 2 weeks consider the opponents. If we drew Buffalo and Dallas like the Jets did what are our numbers? And what is our record?

If Zach Wilson can catch Buffalo off guard then we can. Dallas has been mid season form we likely lose 24-14 or something like that. I’m very confident it wouldn’t be 10-30

Probably 1-1 just a lot closer score week 1

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Few scoring stats:

We are first in the league through two weeks in Touchdowns scored with 8.
Offensive Touchdowns our 7 is tied with Dolphins and Cowboys for the most.
Our 6 passing TDs is tied with Vikings for the lead.
Total Points for at 62 is the second most for the league (Cowboys at 70)
Our 45 points against ranks us at 14th in the league.

I've not located points per possession however BUT I got points per play:

We have scored 62 points and ran 156 plays - that represents .579 points per play which leads the entire NFL. Top 5 teams in this stat are:

GB - .579
DAL - .507
49ers - .500
MIA - .476
SEA - .442

The league average through two is .357

Yards per play Top 5:

MIA - 7.34
49ers & Vikings - 6.30
DET - 5.87
KAN - 5.67

League average - 5.1
GB is above average at 5.17

I would also point out that Love and the offense have done that on the road. As well as without their top WR for both games, their #1 RB, LT and RG for 1 game.

 

[mradtke66]

I would also point out that Love and the offense have done that on the road. As well as without their top WR for both games, their #1 RB, LT and RG for 1 game.

One of the games was against a team that was the worst in the league in 2022 and could easily be so again this year.

There are positive signs, but I am still concerned about the offense as a whole right now.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

One of the games was against a team that was the worst in the league in 2022 and could easily be so again this year.

There are positive signs, but I am still concerned about the offense as a whole right now.

I could be wrong, but the Falcons defense in 2022 was very respectable and the Bears problems were more on offense than defense. So while Love had 2 decent road games and neither were against top 5 defenses, they also weren't against bad defenses, IMO.

 

[Poppa San]

This next game will be a litmus (what is that?) test. Saints are reputed to have a good defense with all-pros at all three levels.

 

[mradtke66]

I could be wrong, but the Falcons defense in 2022 was very respectable and the Bears problems were more on offense than defense. So while Love had 2 decent road games and neither were against top 5 defenses, they also weren't against bad defenses, IMO.

It's the disparity. We looked like word beaters against the Bears, we looked average to slightly below against the Falcons. I don't know which is closer to the real us.

Love overall has been fine. Great on the TDs and (lack of) INTs, but both games he had low completion percentages. His receivers certainly had some drops, but I can't find official numbers. His YPA was bad against the Falcons. In short, good things and trending up, with things to clean up.

The offense as a whole has me worried after the 4th quarter against the Falcons. 3 drives and 0 first downs isn't inspiring confidence.

 

[rmontro]

A lot has to be Run After the Catch. Recall what Aaron Jones did in Week One.

Just goes to show yet again that football is a team game.

 

[Schultz]

I could be wrong, but the Falcons defense in 2022 was very respectable and the Bears problems were more on offense than defense. So while Love had 2 decent road games and neither were against top 5 defenses, they also weren't against bad defenses, IMO.

For what it's worth. I have not looked up any stats, but in Chicago I heard a radio talking head say that the Bears defense that he witnessed last year was the worst he has ever seen. They did spend money in the off-season to address it somewhat.

 

[milani]

For what it's worth. I have not looked up any stats, but in Chicago I heard a radio talking head say that the Bears defense that he witnessed last year was the worst he has ever seen. They did spend money in the off-season to address it somewhat.

And recall all that money for Mack and Hicks even they came.

 

[XPack]

Not a year removed but two games in...still early but how you feeling about him X?

I have hope now. He's done much better than I expected.

 

[AmishMafia]

2023 Week 3 NFL QB Power Rankings: Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa, Packers' Jordan Love setting bar for young QBs

Assessing every team's starting QB for 2023, including three rookies

www.cbssports.com

CBS has Love ranked as the #4 QB.

 

[rmontro]

I have not looked up any stats, but in Chicago I heard a radio talking head say that the Bears defense that he witnessed last year was the worst he has ever seen.

The Bears defense finished dead last in points scored last year, and fourth from the bottom in yards.

 

[Magooch]

The Bears defense finished dead last in points scored last year, and fourth from the bottom in yards.

I believe they were 32nd in defensive DVOA last year and something like 26th through two games this year, if I’m recalling it correctly

 

[OldSchool101]

2023 Week 3 NFL QB Power Rankings: Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa, Packers' Jordan Love setting bar for young QBs

Assessing every team's starting QB for 2023, including three rookies

www.cbssports.com

CBS has Love ranked as the #4 QB.

Interesting. It backs up what I’ve been saying about this next game as of now. Comparing strength of opponents.

*Ridder/Fields (our past opponents) are better than Tannenhill/Young (Saints past opponents). As much as we’re being doubted based on competition-The Saints have played well, but they have also played 2 pretty underachieving Offenses.

*Love is playing better than Carr

*

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

It's the disparity. We looked like word beaters against the Bears, we looked average to slightly below against the Falcons. I don't know which is closer to the real us.

Love overall has been fine. Great on the TDs and (lack of) INTs, but both games he had low completion percentages. His receivers certainly had some drops, but I can't find official numbers. His YPA was bad against the Falcons. In short, good things and trending up, with things to clean up.

The offense as a whole has me worried after the 4th quarter against the Falcons. 3 drives and 0 first downs isn't inspiring confidence.

Not to burst anyone's bubbles, but post 2010, Rodgers and the Packers never really looked like world beaters when the playoffs rolled around. There is something to be said about playing up or down to the level of your opponent. We shall see what the 2023 Packers look like, after another 4 or 5 games.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

For what it's worth. I have not looked up any stats, but in Chicago I heard a radio talking head say that the Bears defense that he witnessed last year was the worst he has ever seen. They did spend money in the off-season to address it somewhat.

The Bears defense finished dead last in points scored last year, and fourth from the bottom in yards.

Yeah, I should have looked it up before going with my gut. I stand corrected, the Bears defense wasn't that good in 2022.

 

[tynimiller]

The Packers....whoa..

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[tynimiller]

Still very early and there are some outliers...but to be in a quadrant with Bengals / Ravens / Dolphins / Jags / Patriots / Vikings / Titans / Chargers and essentially Cowboys and Saints too is never a bad thing.

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[OldSchool101]

Good stuff Tyni.

This isn’t to deter from anything we’ve done, just an observation.
You know there’s really 2 teams each season. There’s the first Half of the season teams and the Second half
That’s why we hear the label
“mid-season form”.

We’re going to play a little disjointed until at least week 6-9 area or so. In the meantime it’s just doing everything we can do to stack Wins over losses. The real “well-coached” contenders will come to form seemingly out of nowhere. They might be 2-3 to start and suddenly they are the 6-4 or 7-5 team getting hot. That said, it sure helps to stay around .500 or better in the meantime, no matter how ugly the Wins or Losses

 

[rmontro]

I stand corrected, the Bears defense wasn't that good in 2022.

That's why I really tried to keep my excitement tamped down after hanging 38 points on them in game one. Didn't want to read too much into it.

 

[OldSchool101]

That's why I really tried to keep my excitement tamped down after hanging 38 points on them in game one. Didn't want to read too much into it.

Absolutely. I'd only add that our Jordan led Offense really scored 31 points. We also had exceptional field position for most of the day. Our scoring drives started at:
Chicago 40 TD
GB 44 FG
GB 25 TD
Chicago 42 TD
GB 39 TD

I'm just saying it was a good performance as we did what we should have done, plus some. That said we should be cautious to not overreact as if we played a top 10 Defense and just ran up and down the field on them. This is a bottom 10 Bears level Defense until proven otherwise and we clearly won Field position regularly and that's just as much a credit to our Defense and ST. It was a great team W

 

[Schultz]

Yeah, I should have looked it up before going with my gut. I stand corrected, the Bears defense wasn't that good in 2022.

Easy mistake to make. Historically the Bears have been very good on that side of the ball.

 

[mradtke66]

Not to burst anyone's bubbles, but post 2010, Rodgers and the Packers never really looked like world beaters when the playoffs rolled around.

That's over simplified. In some of our playoff wins we did, in some we didn't. 2010s NFC championship game was a knife fight that neither team looked like a world beater. Same with the loss in 2021 against the 49ers.

There is something to be said about playing up or down to the level of your opponent.

Playing up to the level of your opponent is a good thing, it implies you're not as good on paper but you rose to the occasion. Playing down to your opponent is something you need to not do.

Trouncing the Bears was a good thing. What happened against the Falcons is not, though I don't think there was playing down or up there. They played 3 quarters of good enough, complementary football on both sides of the ball. 12 point lead with 15 minutes to go is winning football, (mostly) irrespective of the other stats. And both phases failed to help out the other for the entire 4th.

Yes, the defense could have gotten another stop, but the offense could have also put together a good drive and taken away one of Atlanta's score by not giving them the ball.

 

[rmontro]

That said we should be cautious to not overreact as if we played a top 10 Defense and just ran up and down the field on them.

That was an issue with Rodgers in the playoffs, I always thought. Well, most QBs, I suppose. We'd face those superior defenses in the playoffs, and we'd just get shut down. Except when we didn't. But it happened enough to keep Rodgers from a second Super Bowl. Even though arguably the (lack of) defense was more to blame.

 

[milani]

That was an issue with Rodgers in the playoffs, I always thought. Well, most QBs, I suppose. We'd face those superior defenses in the playoffs, and we'd just get shut down. Except when we didn't. But it happened enough to keep Rodgers from a second Super Bowl. Even though arguably the (lack of) defense was more to blame.

And the year we did win the SB the only bona-fide strong defense we faced in the post season was the Bears. And with the Cutler injury our defense won the game for us.