Jordan Love mania is off and running. Whether he’s getting advice from Peyton Manning or handing off a simple draw play, Love can’t make a move without the entire football world noticing and commenting. That is, unfortunately, the price of replacing a disgruntled legend. Constant eyeballs, pressure, and expectations will follow the new Packers’ starter throughout the year.
But amidst the sea of hot takes and ridiculous proclamations is a voice of reason, Louis Riddick. On ESPN’s NFL Live, Riddick responded to a Jordan Love question by very clearly pushing back on the insanity.
“We haven’t even played a preseason game yet and we’re already debating what is Jordan Love going to be like in Like if he struggles in the 2 minute drill in the first 2 weeks of Camp we’re going to be like “oh no, you know what they need to go out and find a successor.” Riddick said. “Managing expectations is really going to be job number one for the Green Bay Packers, and I know this football team is the Packers and they’re used to winning and they’re used to competing for division titles and they have a former four-time MVP that just left I get that! But do we understand that Jordan Lovd hasn’t made his second start of his career. Do we understand of his six primary pass catchers, the top six, four of them, FOUR OF THEM are rookies! Both tight ends and then Jayden Reed and Dontavion Wicks. That’s six guys who are in their first two years of football. So there’s going to be some growing pains. I’m telling you once you get into the regular season you’re going to need to be patient there too. We know that patience doesn’t come by the bucketful in the NFL, it doesn’t even come by the glassful but you better exercise some because there are going to be growing pains.”
Riddick isn’t saying the idea of expectations is altogether ludicrous, he’s just saying give it a minute. In fact, if things come together the way he thinks they will Riddick has pretty high hopes for the 2023 Packers. “Now I do think once the first quarter to third of the season is over, I do expect this football team to be making some strides and then kicking into gear. And if it kicks into gear in the way you think on paper it should, Green Bay could be set up for a long long time with a lot of play making ability in their quarterback. But in the meantime every single drill where Jordan Love doesn’t beat the defense which is a very highly paid, highly talented defense we can’t be picking him apart. We have to give him some space and let him grow.”
There’s no way to escape the circus that will follow the Packers this season, but the more people that approach it like Louis Riddick the better. Jordan Love’s play will answer all the questions. It’s our job as fans and media to give him enough time to provide us a large enough sample to judge.
