The Green Bay Packers just continue to find ways to win games, even when they look like they are about to blow any lead they hold late in games.
On Thursday night, the Packers hosted a reeling Carolina Panthers team and defeated them 27-19. It was far from a perfect performance, but there were two standouts. One of them was the Packers' pass rush, which sacked Panthers quarterback Bryce Young six times. The other was the play of quarterback Jordan Love.
Love was nearly flawless, as he completed 30 of 41 pass attempts for 288 yards and three touchdowns, while putting up a passer rating of 106.6. He did throw one interception late in the game, which did hurt his case for having even better numbers.
While the Packers are 5-3, the team would not be in this position without Love. In that case, doesn't that make him an ideal candidate to be this season's NFL MVP?
Jordan Love is playing at an MVP level despite problems all around him
The Packers and head coach Matt LaFleur are lucky that they have Love on the roster, as they wouldn't be nearly as successful as they are this season. Sure, they did get off to a rough start with a 1-2 record, but Love was not at fault. This is a team hampered by multiple injuries across the offensive line and an ineffective rushing attack.
Things were rough in the second game of the season after Zach Bako-Bewele suffered a torn patellar tendon, which knocked him out for the rest of the campaign. But the interior offensive line was decimated by injuries.
Center Sean Rhyan is out for the next three weeks, minimum, due to a high-ankle sprain. Guard Travis Glover was sidelined this week due to a knee injury. The Packers were without guard Aaron Banks for four games due to knee and toe injuries, but recently got him back for Week 8.
Even so, all of those injuries would normally make games miserable for quarterbacks who have to stand behind them. Yet, Love is still playing at a high level, especially when he faces pressure from the opposing team's pass rush. In the game against the Panthers, Love completed 13-of-14 pass attempts for 119 yards and two touchdowns when blitzed.
But the injuries to the offensive line have played a role in the running game being as brutal as it is. On Thursday night, the Packers picked up just 66 yards on 26 carries against a Panthers defense that has surrendered over 200 rushing yards in a game twice this season.
To make matters that much worse, the Packers haven't put up 500 rushing yards through their first eight games of the season. That would sink any team. Even Josh Jacobs is virtually ineffective behind that offensive line.
Does Jordan Love have a strong case to win NFL MVP?
The Packers lead the NFL in drops. They rank 32nd in rushing offense. They've missed a league-high eight kicks.
Yet, despite that, through the first eight games of the season, before the other 30 teams have played, Love leads the NFL with 2,246 passing yards and 16 passing touchdowns. With the Packers sitting at 5-3 on the season, does he have a feasible case to be a favorite for the NFL MVP award?
The thing with the NFL MVP is that it usually goes to the best player on the best team. Usually, that's the quarterback. It happened last year, when Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams won the award. Before that, it was Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills in a bit of a controversial vote over Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens.
When looking at the competition this year, Allen is still considered the favorite, considering the Bills are legitimately one of the better teams in the league, and he's making some unreal plays during games. While he has thrown for just 1,504 yards, nine touchdowns, and four interceptions, he does have 240 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns to his credit.
Then there's Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers, who has 1,748 passing yards and 15 passing touchdowns. If he keeps it up and the 5-1 49ers continue to win games down the stretch, he has a shot. Especially when you consider all of the injuries the 49ers are dealing with on offense.
Besides those two favorites, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs are names to keep an eye on as well. Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba can't be counted out either, as he has 867 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns on 58 catches seven games into the season.
The MVP field is going to change throughout this season. If the Packers continue to trend in the right direction, stack some wins, and possibly take first place in the division, Love might get some more attention for MVP. He's definitely deserving of it, when you consider the circumstances he's dealing with.
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