Comparing Jordan Love to Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre through 25 starts

GREEN BAY, Wis. – On Sunday, Jordan Love will return to where it all began.

The house built by Aaron Rodgers.

When the Green Bay Packers face the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday, it will be Love’s 25th regular-season start as the team’s full-time starting quarterback.

His first start, of course, came at Soldier Field in last year’s home opener. Love threw three touchdown passes in a 38-20 victory over the Bears to continue Green Bay’s incredible dominance in the series.

“Obviously there were a lot of emotions and reflections last year, just being my first season as a full-time starter,” Love said Wednesday. “Obviously playing there in Chicago is a tough place to play, but I had to go there and start the season.

“It’s a little different this year, but we’re excited to go out there and do our best for this game.”

Looking back, Love had almost impossible shoes to fill in replacing the four-time MVP.

History, however, has proven that the Packers made the right decision in trading Rodgers to the Jets and turning the offense over to Love.

Partly due to injuries, Love’s sophomore season was a disappointment compared to how he finished last season. At least the Packers are 6-3. The Jets are 3-7 because Rodgers hasn’t been a conquering hero in New York.

Entering Week 11, Love ranks 20th in passer rating (88.2), 31st in completion percentage (61.3) and 11th in yards per attempt (7.58). He threw 15 touchdowns against 10 interceptions in seven starts. Rodgers is 23rd in scoring (86.8), 29th in completion percentage (62.4) and 26th in yards per attempt (6.43). He threw 15 touchdowns against seven interceptions in 10 starts.

Including Love’s only start in Kansas City in 2021, Love has started 25 games in his career. Here’s a statistical comparison of three quarterbacks over 25 starts (with Love’s 24 games as a full-time starter in parentheses).

Completion percentage

Love: 63.1 percent (63.4). Rodgers: 63.7 percent. Favre: 63.5.

Transition course

Love: 6,169 (5,979). Rodgers: 6,482. Favre: 5,386.

Passing touchdowns

Love: 48 (47). Rodgers: 45. Favre: 31.

Interceptions

Love: 22 (21). Rodgers: 18. Favre: 30.

Yards per attempt

Love: 7.2 (7.3). Rodgers: 7.8. Favre: 6.6.

Passing mark

Love: 92.8 (93.8). Rodgers: 96.6. Favre: 79.7.

Save

Love: 13-12 (13-11). Rodgers: 11-14. Favre: 15-9.

Jordan Love vs. Bears

Love has thrown 59 passes against the Bears in his career. Among all quarterbacks in NFL history who have thrown at least 50 passes against Chicago, Love is No. 1 in passer rating:

Jordan Love: 129.3.

Carson Palmer: 122.8.

Patrick Mahomes: 119.7.

Ryan Tannehill: 116.5.

Bob Berry: 111.3

Aaron Rodgers: 109.0.

Love, Mahomes, Phil Simms and Carson Wentz have the most touchdown passes against Chicago (five) with no interceptions.

Love is fourth in completion percentage (71.2) and third in yards per attempt (9.5). His 8.5 touchdown percentage is sixth; Legendary coach Steve Spurrier is No. 1 (11.3%).

This will be Love’s third start in the rivalry. He led the Packers to victories in the first and final games last season. He picked up where the legends left off.

Rodgers went 24-5 against Chicago with 64 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. In Green Bay, Favre went 22-10 against Chicago with 53 touchdowns and 38 interceptions.

Thanks to Favre and Rodgers, the Packers are leading a series in which they have been crushed by their longtime rivals.

On November 9, 1958, the Bears defeated the Packers 24-10. With Chicago’s 21st victory in 26 meetings, Chicago held a 48-25-6 lead in the series. The lead ballooned to 81-58-6 when the Bears beat the Favre-led Packers 24-10 on October 25, 1992, at Lambeau Field.

Now, with 10 straight wins, Green Bay leads 106-94-6.

“We know the history of the game and it’s really special to be a part of it,” Love said this week. “It’s the oldest rivalry in football, so it’s very special and I think we’re really proud of it.”

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