coming' Jordan Love stars as Packers defeat Steelers

PITTSBURGH -- This was vintage Aaron Rodgers. Except it was Jordan Love.

Twenty straight completions.

Three hundred and sixty yards passing.

Three touchdowns.

No interceptions.

With Rodgers watching in the Steelers' black and gold, Love, the quarterback who replaced him with the Green Bay Packers, showed just how much he learned from his predecessor in a 35-25 victory on Sunday night in Rodgers' new home, Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium.

"He's showed he's the successor," Packers defensive end Micah Parsons said. "He's the up-and-coming. Like J-Love, talking about when I was coming here, I was like, 'I know they've got a quarterback, I know I've got a quarterback.' I'm just so proud of him, everything he's been through, how he's developed as a player, how he's developed as a person, and he's just playing some really good football right now."

It all started after a rocky first half in which the Packers trailed 16-7. Then, Love began to heat up. He nearly doubled his previous high for consecutive completions, which had been 11, and nearly matched the 22 straight Rodgers completed over two games in 2022, his final season in Green Bay.

"He's him," Packers defensive end Rashan Gary said. "He's him. Everybody in the league, if y'all not woke, please wake up. Get the crust out your eyes because he is him, and 10 is coming. Period."

Love finished 29-of-37 passing and put up the sixth instance of a Packers quarterback completing 75% of his passes with at least 350 yards and three touchdowns in a game, according to ESPN Research. Rodgers has half of those such games. Brett Favre and Don Majkowski each have one.

"Obviously, being behind A-Rod for three years, being able to see him and just the high-level play that he was capable of going out there and doing and being able to put the ball on the money at all times was very cool for me to be able to see," Love said.

Love handled the Steelers' pressure with precision. He completed 11-of-15 passes for 183 yards against the blitz. All three of his touchdowns came when the Steelers sent extra rushers.

"The legacy that [Rodgers] left, I would say Jordan's filling those shoes," Packers tight end Tucker Kraft said. "When you're talking about the Favre to Rodgers to Love, Jordan has stepped up and fulfilled his end of the bargain."

Kraft was on the receiving end of two of Love's touchdowns -- a 16-yard catch-and-run in the first quarter for the Packers only score before halftime and a bang-bang 24-yarder in the fourth quarter to put the Packers ahead by 10.

In between, Kraft hauled in a 59-yarder that Love heaved in semi-desperation with pressure in his face. In all, Kraft finished with seven catches for 143 yards -- 128 of those after the catch, the most YAC by a tight end in a game since George Kittle's 135 in 2018 -- and the two scores.

It also helped Love that he got deep-threat receiver Christian Watson back. Playing for the first time since he tore his ACL in last year's regular-season finale, Watson caught four passes for 85 yards.

"He really took command," Watson said of Love. "We knew that in the second half we had to go out there and execute a lot better. I think he took the helm and just led us and put us in position to make plays and that's exactly what we needed from him. He was definitely huge."

None of it came as a surprise to Packers coach Matt LaFleur, who watched Love wait for three years behind Rodgers before he took over as the starter in 2023.

"It's great for Jordan," LaFleur said. "Jordan's worked his ass off to get here. He was patient throughout the process, throughout the journey, and he took advantage of the opportunity, he really did. It's been cool."

After the game, Rodgers and Love shared a brief exchange near midfield.

"He played great, played fantastic," Rodgers said. "He's had a really nice season. He's been really efficient with the football. He's opportunistic though I felt like he was very patient tonight. He took the run solutions, he took the check downs, moved in the pocket, well thought he played really well."

Through seven games, the Packers sit at 5-1-1 -- the only team in the NFC with fewer than two losses. Love has 13 touchdowns and just two interceptions while completing nearly 71% of his passes.

"I'm glad I'm here to watch it," Parsons said. "I'm glad I'm on this side. So J-Love, keep going."

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