Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has always been effusive in his praise of future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. That was no different throughout the week leading up to Sunday Night’s matinee at Acrisure Stadium, and the sagacious elder and exuberant protege embraced each other after a resounding Green Bay victory last night.
Unlike when Rodgers sat behind Brett Favre for three seasons, during which time the two franchise stalwarts shared mutual animosity, Jordan Love and Aaron Rodgers respect each other. Not wanting history to repeat itself, Rodgers provided impeccable tutelage to the former 26th overall pick for three years before he was traded to the New York Jets.
It’s easy to see the propensities that Rodgers passed on to Love. Using hard counts to get free plays, extending broken plays by scrambling, throwing on the run, throwing off the back foot, ands so forth.
Rodgers downplayed notions of a revenge game in the days leading up to Sunday night’s clash, but it’s apparent that this game was personal for him. The parallels for Packers quarterbacks will always exist for obvious reasons – and though Jordan Love is certainly his own man, the career arcs leading into the game were startling.
It’s only fitting that, in his first game against his mentor, Green Bay’s signal caller tied a franchise record. In a bit of a surprise, it was one of the few records not held by Rodgers; rather, Brett Favre had owned it for 18 years.
Love completed 20 consecutive passes, which Favre also accomplished on Thanksgiving Day in 2007 against the Detroit Lions. From 4:17 left in the second quarter until 5:39 left in the fourth quarter, Love did not throw a single incomplete pass.
These weren’t just check downs and screens, either. Love averaged 12.6 yards per attempt and connected with eight different players during the streak. His previous career high for consecutive completions was 11. The NFL record is 25 straight in a single game.
That’s not the only notable stat for the NFL’s second-highest-paid passer. The Utah State product’s 360 yards are the second-highest he’s thrown for in a game. His 134.2 passer rating is the highest such mark for him in a full game, too. Love has registered a passer rating of 100 or better in five of seven games in 2025.
Here’s how Love stacks up to the NFL’s other quarterbacks in 2025 so far:
It’s time to include “J-Lo” in the MVP conversation.
Drafted 78th overall out of South Dakota State in 2023, Tucker Kraft was originally supposed to be the Packers’ second option at tight end when the Love era began. Luke Musgrave, who was drafted 36 spots ahead of Kraft, was viewed as the team’s top tight end for the foreseeable future.
Musgrave has battled injuries, and has been targeted just 17 times since 2024. Kraft has emerged as one of the best at his position since last year, and last night was a career night for the Timber Lake, South Dakota native.
Yesterday was National Tight Ends Day, but it may as well have been National Tucker Kraft Day, because Kraft led all players in receiving in Week Eight, not just his position. His most important grab came at a pivotal moment early in the third quarter, when the Packers were trailing 16-7. Jordan Love got blasted as he dropped back on 3rd & 5; the pocket collapsed and Love threw a duck, but Kraft outmaneuvered Steelers safety DeShon Elliott and caught a jump ball.
The 269-pound, six-foot, five-inch juggernaut gained 36 yards over expected on the play, per NFL Next Gen Stats. His 143 yards are just four shy of the franchise record in a single game for a tight end. The former third-rounder’s 469 yards this season is the most by any Green Bay tight end through seven games.
Of his 143 yards, 131 were after the catch – an ability that Kraft performs better than almost any player in football. Not convinced? Kraft’s 336 yards after catch (YAC, for short) and +108 YAC over expected this season leads all tight ends. In addition to that, those 336 YAC ranks fourth among all NFL players in 2025, per Pro Football Reference. When Jordan Love has targeted Kraft, they’ve produced a 150.3 passer rating, which trails only Dalton Kincaid and Josh Allen.
It’s not just what Kraft does with the football, either. He’s become one of the most vociferous voices in the locker room, something he said he would accentuate on back during training camp. Look no further than his postgame speech last night, when head coach Matt LaFleur handed him a well-deserved game ball.
“No block, no rock”, as many football coaches often quip. It simply means that not blocking means fewer targets, or even zero. Kraft’s blocking has received rave reviews from teammates, and he’s set lofty goals for himself this year. The ascent to superstardom for football’s most storied franchise is poetry in motion.
Christian Watson is a tantalizing case of a player with elite speed and size who just sometimes can’t make the contested catch or stay on the field. Availability is the best ability, and the former 34th overall pick – who the Packers traded up to select in 2022 – has had ample durability issues.
Having suffered a torn ACL in Week 18 last year, Watson was the odd man out on a team with more receiver depth than the rest of the league. Fans who watched the game last night wouldn’t have been able to tell otherwise, because the towering prodigy logged four catches for 85 yards. The totals from Sunday night were the most yards Watson had in a game since Week 14 last year against the Detroit Lions.
Watson’s mere presence alone is a game-changer for his team. Rookie Matthew Golden hasn’t yet materialized a home run threat, but Christian Watson can teach him a thing or two about beating secondaries deep.
The parallels between Micah Parsons and the late, great Reggie White will never cease – nor should they. White’s presence alone reignited the career of his teammate Sean Jones, who recorded 24.5 sacks in three seasons lining up together with The Minister of Defense.
The same is true for Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary. Since inking a four-year, $96 million extension two years ago, Gary had been putting together underwhelming numbers and was famished for production. That’s all changed since Micah Parsons came to Titletown.
Gary’s 7.5 sacks and 14 pressures rank fifth and 16th, respectively – per Pro Football Reference. Pro Football Focus has credited the resurgent Michigan man with 26 pressures. For his own part, Parsons has registered 6.5 sacks and 19 pressures, per Pro Football Reference. Pro Football Focus credits Parsons with 42; both sources have their own calculations.
Jordan Love easily outplayed Aaron Rodgers on Sunday night, especially in the second half. The Packers played their best football of the season for the final 30 minutes. In the process, they achieved a historic feat.
Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love weren’t close to being alive yet when Green Bay last won in Pittsburgh. Brett Favre was one year old.
Carolina is next on the schedule, and the Cheeseheads will hope to avoid another trap game.
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