Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love was interviewed before the start of the Week 1 game aginst the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil.
Going back to that night in Philly two years ago?
Yeah, blast to the past, one of those situations where you’re the backup, starter goes down and you’ve got to be ready to get up in there. We did some good things that game. It was my first time trying to lead a comeback drive right there, comeback win, and came up short but we did a couple good things. A lot of stuff for me personally to be able to build on and learn from, get some in-game experience.
How different are you now?
A lot more experienced. A lot more experienced.
Expectations for backup QB?
For them you’re saying? In a backup role, you do so many things during the week. You make DB reports, you fill out the depth chart, things like that, and at the same time, you’re trying to get yourself ready to play as well. Learn everything that’s going in this week, game plan wise, and then helping out, doing whatever you have to do, to get some tips on the defense, any tells you can find, things like that.
New kicker?
We see him kick when we kind of break from the team drills and get the kicks in. We’re all right there watching. There’s been some really good things. Obviously we had a scrimmage the other night at Lambeau, and he made some pretty impressive kicks. Definitely looking forward to seeing him gameday.
Week 1 guessing games, how hard is that? What’s the challenge?
It’s definitely a challenge. Week 1 always is, and you add on top of that, new defensive coordinator. So we’re watching a lot of film from where they came from and a lot of different stuff where you have to remember we’re not playing some of the DBs that we might be watching on film. So it’s definitely tough, and then you add that part where you just don’t know what they’re going to do this year, if they might be doing some new things defensively we haven’t seen in the past. A lot of unknowns, so you just have to trust the rules of the game plan and go out there, take that opening drive to get a feel. Like, we don’t even know who might be out there, DB wise, front seven. So just take that opening drive to get a feel for what their blitz flavors of the day might be and how they’re trying to play us.
Is that what you need, one drive to get a feel?
No, it’s definitely not just one drive. Opening drive is when you kind of feel w ho’s out there, what they might be trying to start with and do defensively, and then I think once you get through a quarter into halftime, you get a feel, OK, you’ve seen a couple blitzes, you’ve seen some of their coverages, some of the third down things they’re trying to do. It definitely takes well into the first half. But on the sideline we’re going over everything, trying to make those in-game adjustments and see what they’re trying to
do.
Week 1 this week compared to last year, how you feel, different?
Yeah, it does, I think a lot more confidence from the whole team. Offensively I feel like we’re at a really good point. We had a good training camp, and now we’re ready to start the season. So I’m very excited about it, but I think definitely having more confidence under your belt, having more reps, and just trusting yourself a lot more.
Openers are always big, but openers in Brazil where you’ve never been?
Yeah, it’s just a lot of unknowns. It’s one of those things, like you say, it’s out of our control. So just trying to focus on everything I can do to get myself prepared for the game, for the defense we’re going to see, for the game plan. Obviously once we get out there, hopefully we go to the stadium, kinda get a feel for the layout, the field and everything and then just play it by ear. But a lot of stuff that’s out of our control.
Thoughts on playing the first game in South America?
I’m excited. I definitely think it’s a very cool opportunity to be able to play in front of a fan base who a lot of those people might not have seen an NFL game, might be their first NFL game, so I’m excited for it. First one, so it will be very exciting.
Have you seen the mural of you?
I saw that, me and Jalen Hurts. That’s very cool.
Do you know Jalen?
I know Jalen. Same draft class, been around him a couple times, but I think he’s a phenomenal player, I love the way he carries himself and just you know obviously his college career going from Bama to Oklahoma, I love his demeanor about the game and just his competitive nature.
What do you admire most about his game?
Yeah, I mean he’s just a dog. I think he’s one of those quarterbacks who, you know, he’s going to scramble and he’s not going to slide. He’s going to take some hits. He’s a bigger guy. He just has that mindset. He’s a very competitive player, and I think just the way he is as a leader, been that way since he started his rookie year. I love just watching him play and get better every year.
What’s your pregame superstition?
No, I’m not very superstitious. I kinda follow the same routine schedule wise of what I like to do, but a lot of it just comes down to just trying to get my mind right, trying to focus. If we have a later game, I like to relax during the day, make sure I save all my energy, things like that. I love to meditate. Game day, I get a meditation session in, just kinda set my intentions, focus on the day, but I’m not very superstitious.
Given the run you guys went on late last year, what’s the sense about the start of this year?
I think everybody is very hungry, and I think the message this year is for us to just go out and start fast, not have any late season runs. Start out fast and kinda put people on notice for what we’re going to do this year and what we’re going to be about.
Does 9:15 p.m. local time kick feel different?
Nah, I mean it is a late kickoff for Brazil time, so yeah, it’s one of those things, I mean, just got to control what you can control. You can’t control what time the game starts, so just control trying to rest throughout the day, maybe take a nap or something like that and just obviously have your mind ready for when kickoff is.
Any goals for you? MVP? Touchdown passes?
No, um, obviously goals I think, stat-wise, just have better stats than last year. You know? You can’t control a lot of that. For me, at the end of the day, it just comes down to being consistent. Trusting my fundamentals, and going out there and being the best player I can be. I take it one game at a time. but definitely you can’t control MVP and stuff like that. it just comes down to going out there and being the best version of you every day.
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