James Jones predicts Packers upset: 'Jordan Love is a better QB than Brock Purdy'

Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers / Cooper Neill/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit

Who saw this coming? The Green Bay Packers were supposed to be rebuilding. Aaron Rodgers and several veteran starters departed in the offseason. The Packers have the youngest roster in the NFL.

Yet here they are, in the exact position they were in two years ago during the "Last Dance" season, preparing for a divisional-round matchup with the San Francisco 49ers. This time, the roles have reversed. It's the Niners hosting the game as the No. 1 seed, with the red-hot Packers battling to this spot via a wild-card berth.

The 49ers stunned the Packers at Lambeau Field in that game. It's now Green Bay's turn to enter the contest as underdogs.

Nobody is giving them a shot against the 49ers. Well, except for one former Packers receiver.

James Jones puts 49ers on upset alert against Packers in divisional round

James Jones looked ahead to Saturday's divisional-round showdown on FOX's Speak. While he understands the challenge awaiting the Packers, he put the 49ers on upset alert.

"They should be on upset alert," said Jones. "Ya'll got an offensive guru over there in Kyle Shanahan. We got one, too, in Coach LaFleur. Jordan Love is going to be ready."

It's hard to argue with that. Matt LaFleur's offense is rolling. Receivers were running wide open against the Cowboys' top-five defense last week. That requires great execution from the players, but LaFleur was the mastermind calling the plays.

Jones went a step further when comparing the quarterback matchup between Jordan Love and Brock Purdy.

"I'll say it on national TV: We've got the better quarterback. Jordan Love is a better quarterback than Brock Purdy, and he's going to play better than Brock Purdy."

It's a fascinating question: Which quarterback is having the better season?

Statistically, it's close. Purdy has the edge on passing yards (4,280 to 4,159). Love wins on touchdown passes (32 to 31), and they each have 11 picks. Purdy's passer rating of 113.0 is better than Love's 96.1.

But Purdy has the league's best supporting cast with Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Brandon Aiyuk. Love needed time to build chemistry with his young receiving corps. And his incredible numbers in the second half of the season are as good as any.

Jones believes Love is the better quarterback, and it's hard to disagree. Both play in excellent systems, but Love's ability to make throws from all angles, off his back foot, and on the move gives him the edge.

And if Love can match his performance in the wild-card round, Jones may be right to put the 49ers on upset alert.

More Packers news and analysis

manual