Green Bay Packers: Love Performance Shows Packers Made Mistake with Rodgers' Thumb Injury

 

At this point, it is no secret Green Bay Packers' quarterback, Aaron Rodgers has been playing with an injured thumb for the past several weeks. He even admitted the thumb was broken a few days ago.

While some (especially me) have questioned the decision to keep him in as the starter despite the injury, the Packers chose to let him play instead of giving backup quarterback Jordan Love the nod and let Rodgers heal. Last night's game against the Philadelphia Eagles proved that was a mistake.

For those who didn't see it, Love entered the game in the second half after Rodgers went to the locker room with a rib injury. The Packers still came up short because of defensive woes that haunted them all night, but Love led the team to two scores (a touchdown and field goal) before the Eagles ran out the clock.

Love wasn't perfect and made a couple mistakes, including trying to get the ball to Christian Watson instead of a wide-open Allen Lazard. However, there was also no significant difference between his time under center (6-for-9, 113 yards, 1 TD) and Rodgers' (11-for-16, 140 yards, 2 TDs, 2 Int.). 

It's still too early to judge what Love will be as the Packers' full-time starter if/when Rodgers retires or is traded. However, his solid performance in this game does make it easier to question the decision to start an injured Rodgers when Love was an option. Love's passing numbers were against a top defense when the game was still on the line, and he didn't take any first-time practice snaps during the week. There is every reason to believe he could have won one or two of the games against lesser defenses prior to this game as a result.

Ironically, Rodgers' performance in this game also confirms this. After receiving just five extra days off, his throws were crisper and more accurate than they had been in the previous games. He also seemed to take a lot more snaps from under center, something that had been limited because of his injury. If the Packers would have given him a week or two off following the injury, the team could have been in a position where they were still contending rather than being 4-8 and their playoff hopes all but gone.

I think Green Bay fans have every right to question why Love was kept on the bench, especially if he gets an opportunity to start one or more of the final games and builds on last night's performance.