Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love threw three interceptions without a touchdown pass during Monday night’s 17-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The first interception led to a Raiders field goal. The second and third came in the fourth quarter with the Packers driving for what could have been the go-ahead score.
Buy Packers TicketsOverall, the Packers lost the turnover battle 3-1. Love has thrown six interceptions in his last three games, including five during the two-week losing streak entering the bye.
“I have to be better,” Love said. “I have to take care of the ball. Not taking care of the ball hurts our team. I have to be better in that area.”
The Packers aren’t good enough to overcome giveaways and losing the turnover battle most weeks.
“It comes down to decision-making. Being smart, taking care of the ball” Love said.
Here’s a quick breakdown of Love’s three interceptions:
Interception No. 1: Awful decision
Spillane intercepts Love on the first play of the drive!
📺: #GBvsLV on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/ZjjXbjW0ad pic.twitter.com/2yzZN3FMPr— NFL (@NFL) October 10, 2023
Love said he didn’t see the linebacker. That’s the only explanation because he threw the football right to Robert Spillane, who was all over drift/strike, one of the Packers’ staple passing concepts. If Spillane didn’t intercept it, another linebacker at the second level was in position to make a play. Overall, the decision might have been Love’s worst of the 2023 season. The play design is to manipulate the linebackers at the second level with the run action, but defenses aren’t biting. Love has now thrown bad interceptions to linebackers on drift/strike during back-to-back weeks.
Love: “That one was a very bad read, obviously. The guy was sitting right there and I threw it right to him.”
LaFleur: “He has to see him and not make that decision.”
Interception No. 2: Forced, and bad luck?
Off the deflection… Robert Spillane's second interception! @Raiders
📺: #GBvsLV on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/ZjjXbjW0ad pic.twitter.com/x0h7FkQL1Y— NFL (@NFL) October 10, 2023
Matt LaFleur called the play a “get back on track situation” on 2nd-and-17. The Packers got what they wanted in terms of coverage, and Watson flashed open briefly, but veteran cornerback Marcus Peters — knowing he had safety help over the top — undercut the route and beat Watson at the catch point. It’s fair to wonder if the ball placement (more inside?) could have helped Watson. But Peters made an excellent play. It’s a tough one because Love was well protected and a better executed play by the quarterback and receiver could have created a key completion in a big spot.
Love: “The DB made a good play, broke on it. Still kind of forced that one in there. Got to progress on.”
LaFleur: “A bang-bang play on a deep curl cut, and the corner did a really nice job of squeezing the route. Ball pops up in the air, and sometimes that’s the price of doing business.”
Interception No. 3: Late and underthrown
Amik Robertson seals the @Raiders win with an end zone INT! #GBvsLV pic.twitter.com/btkOmDBwC8
— NFL (@NFL) October 10, 2023
On 3rd-and-10 from the 35, Love felt immediate pressure from his left side, escaped the pocket and saw Christian Watson flash down the field. Watson was one-on-one against a trailing cornerback in Cover-3. The problem? The ball was thrown late as a result of the pressure, and Love underthrew the attempt into the end zone. Watson had a height advantage of eight inches on Amik Robertson, but the underthrown ball gave him no real shot of winning a jump ball. And throwing late gave Love no chance of leading Watson down the field. The result? A 5-8 corner leaping to make the play and end the game. Love took a risk in an attempt to win the game, but he might have had room to run, and the Packers still had one timeout to use.
Love: “Once I stepped up in the pocket, I saw Christian, I felt like he had the DB beat by a little bit. Thought we could go make a play to go win it right there in the end zone. Just underthrew it, didn’t get enough on it, didn’t get it out there far enough. The DB made a good play on it.”
LaFleur: “He was giving his guy a 50-50 opp down the field, and their guy made the play.”
Watson: “Gotta find a way to track it a little quicker so I can adjust to it quicker.”
