In the year 2024, the word Toyotathon is a double entendre.
For those who don't keep up with the National Football League, Toyotathon is Toyota's year end sales event where from the middle of November until early January they have a sale on all their cars, For those who are fans, it's when Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has been the NFL's best quarterback across the second half of each of the last two seasons -- 2023 and 2024 (his only two years as Green Bay's starting QB). That's led some to jokingly declare the car brand's major sales event as a correlation for Love's second-half success.
It may surprise some to learn he leads the entire NFL in touchdown to interception ratio (26-2), passer rating (114.8) and expected points added (EPA)/play (0.27) in Weeks 11-18 the last two seasons while ranking second in yards per pass attempt (8.3) and fourth in completion percentage (70%) in that span. An overarching trend for Love's second-half boom in production has to do with the 2020 first-round pick seeing the field a lot better and what opposing defenses are trying to do in the second half of each of his first two seasons as Green Bay's starter. Another is the Packers' run game making a leap. Last season, running back Aaron Jones ran for at least 100 yards in five consecutive games from Week 15 through the NFC divisional round. This year, the Packers are averaging 144.4 rushing yards per game, tied for the fourth-most in the league, which is a figure that would be their best in a season since 2003. That's thanks to the free agency acquisition of two-time Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs, whose 1,147 rushing yards rank as the third-most in the entire league.
"I would say he's [Love] being a little more selective," Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said on "The Matt LaFleur Podcast" on Wednesday. "When those opportunities present themselves to push the ball down the field, he's taking advantage of them. So, he's doing a great job. I do think our ability to run the football naturally draws the defense a little bit tighter to the line of scrimmage, maybe gets him out of some of the two safety looks, which enable you to push the ball down the field. Ultimately, it's his decision-making. I think he's doing a great job. I see it in practice, just embracing the fundamentals of the position, playing with his feet in the ground. Having a great, great balance in the pocket, and he's delivering the football."
| Jordan Love Last 2 Seasons | Weeks 1-10 | Weeks 11-18 |
|---|---|---|
W-L | 7-9 | 10-3 |
Comp Pct | 60% | 70%* |
Pass Yards/Attempt | 7.1 | 8.3* |
Pass YPG | 239.3 | 252.5 |
TD-INT | 29-20 | 26-2* |
Passer Rating | 83.9 | 114.8* |
EPA/Play | -0.02 | 0.27* |
* Top five in NFL among 29 QBs with at least 200 pass attempts in Weeks 11-18 since 2023
Another factor for Love's second half ascent for the 2024 Packers, who are 10-4 and one win away from clinching a spot in the playoffs, is his health improvement. He suffered an MCL sprain in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles while playing in Sao Paulo, Brazil as well as a groin strain in Week 8 at the Jacksonville Jaguars. Since the Packers returned to action in Week 11 following their Week 10 bye, Love has been masterful with seven total touchdowns and no turnovers. Green Bay has scored at least 30 points in four consecutive games, which is the team's longest streak since the 2021 season -- Love's predecessor Aaron Rodgers' second consecutive NFL MVP season under LaFleur's tutelage. The Packers head coach feels Love is playing the best football of his career now that he's fully healthy and in his second go around as Green Bay's starting quarterback.
"I think this is the best I've seen him just consistently doing what we need to do to move the football," LaFleur said. "He's given his guys opportunities down the field, but I think it's all the little things that kind of get overshadowed. Just whether it's moving in the pocket when the pocket isn't clean, finding his checkdowns when the coverage dictates that, or if he has to make drastic movements in the pocket to get the ball out and getting the ball out, just keeping us ahead of the chains. He's one of the best I've ever been around at avoiding sacks and negative plays."
| Jordan Love This Season | First 8 Games | Last 4 Games |
|---|---|---|
W-L | 5-3 | 3-1 |
Total TD | 17 | 7 |
Turnovers | 11 | 0 |
Passer Rating | 90.6 | 119.1 |
Love's experience plus regained health has allowed him to be even more efficient when it comes to sack avoidance, a hallmark of elite quarterback play. Love was sacked on 4.9% of his pass attempts in 2023, the fifth-lowest rate in the league a season ago. Now, that rate is down to 3%, the third-lowest of the 2024 season. His first campaign leading the Packers' offense and catching fire down the stretch resulted in Green Bay almost achieving an NFC championship game appearance. This year the NFL's youngest team can shock the league by achieving greater heights with Love driving the Packers deeper in the postseason than they have traveled since LaFleur became their head coach in 2019.
"I believe so," LaFleur said when asked to clarify if he thinks Love is playing the best football of his career right now in 2024. "He played pretty damn well a year ago, so."
So what could happen with Love, playing at the best level of is career, leading the Packers' first team with a top 10 scoring offense (27.1 points per game, seventh-best in the NFL) and a top 10 scoring defense (20.5 points per game allowed, eighth-best in the NFL) in the same season since their 2010 team? Green Bay could reach heights not achieved since that 2010 squad and win the Super Bowl.