Love Keeps It Above 100 in Win Over Chiefs

 By Eric Goska

(photos by Eric Goska)

The ratings are in. Jordan Love is putting up numbers that suggest he is ready to become the next franchise quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.

Love’s pinpoint passing and command of the offense played a major role in Green Bay’s 27-19 win over the Chiefs Sunday night at Lambeau Field. For a third straight game, Love fired multiple touchdown passes while steering clear of interceptions.

This season has been an audition of sorts for Love. Play at a high level and the quarterback could get rewarded with a long-term commitment from the Packers.

So, how to measure his play of late? There are myriad ways, but we’ll turn to the fail-safe 100 passer rating.

We introduced the FS100 five years ago in this column. To earn one, a passer’s rating must never fall below 100 at any point in a game.

Love has dared to go there in consecutive games. In doubling up (Lions and Chiefs), he joins Aaron Rodgers as the only Packers to have posted an FS100 in back-to-back games.

Securing a rating that stays at or above 100 for an entire game is rare. Only 29 have been recorded in Packers history: Aaron Rodgers (17), Brett Favre (4), Bart Starr (3), Cecil Isbell (2), Love (2) and Lynn Dickey (1).

Securing a rating that stays at or above 100 for an entire game means getting off to a fast start. In the first half at Detroit, Love was 15-of-20 for 189 yards. Against the Chiefs, he was 13-of-16 for 121 yards.  

Staying above 100 means throwing touchdown passes, preferably early. On Thanksgiving, Love connected with Jayden Reed and Tucker Kraft for scores before he attempted his 10th pass. Sunday night, he found Ben Sims and Christian Watson in the end zone before making his 12th throw.

Staying above 100 means avoiding interceptions. Love has not thrown any in his last 108 pass attempts, a streak that started against the Chargers.

And finally, compiling an FS100 means consistently hitting the bullseye. Love was good on 68.75 percent of his throws in Detroit (22-32) and 69.44 percent Sunday night (25-36).

Love’s passer rating against the Lions wound up being 125.5. It never dipped below 118.8 during that outing.

His rating against the Chiefs clocked in at 118.6. It never sank below 103.3 during the evening.

Though hard to come by, FS100s usually ensure victory. The Packers are 25-4 in games where their passer ascends to that lofty level.

Love is 2-0 and counting.

High Altitude
Six passers have recorded a fail-safe 100 passer rating for the Packers. Listed is the start by each player during which their first FS100 occurred.

   Start      Player                   Date                          Opponent          Result

       7           Bart Starr                Nov. 10, 1957             Bears                     GB lost, 14-21
      12          Jordan Love           Nov. 23, 2023             Lions                     GB won, 29-22
      39         Brett Favre             Nov. 13, 1994              Jets                        GB won, 17-10
      43         Aaron Rodgers      Nov. 28, 2010             Falcons                 GB lost, 17-20
      85         Lynn Dickey           Oct. 28, 1984              Lions                     GB won, 41-9

Cecil Isbell, a halfback, was playing in his 39th game for Green Bay when he got his. He did not start against the Lions (Oct. 26, 1941) that day.