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Jordan Love (and an ex-Packers teammate) given NFL Player of the Week honors

jr radcliffe, milwaukee journal sentinel
·5 min read

Jordan Love was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career after his sterling performance against the Vikings, completing 24 of 33 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns (plus a rushing score) in the Green Bay Packers' 33-10 win.

Love has 30 passing touchdowns, third in the league behind Dak Prescott of Dallas and Brock Purdy of San Francisco.

Jordan Love and Aaron Jones of the Green Bay Packers celebrate after a 33-10 victory against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Dec. 31, 2023, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Jordan Love and Aaron Jones of the Green Bay Packers celebrate after a 33-10 victory against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Dec. 31, 2023, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The last Packers player to win a Player of the Week Award was Keisean Nixon in Week 17 of the 2022 season, earning the Special Teams Player of the Week after returning a kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown in another blowout win over the Vikings.

Chicago Bears rookie linebacker Tyrique Stevenson, who had two interceptions in a win over the Falcons, was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

Buffalo Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas (31) scores on this interception against New England. It was Douglas’ second interception of the game. The Bills beat the Patriots 27-21.
Buffalo Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas (31) scores on this interception against New England. It was Douglas’ second interception of the game. The Bills beat the Patriots 27-21.

Former Packers cornerback Rasul Douglas also honored in Week 17

Rasul Douglas, the standout cornerback traded by the Packers to Buffalo on Oct. 31, was honored as the AFC Defensive Player of the Week with the Bills.

Douglas had two interceptions in a 27-21 win over New England, returning one 40 yards for a touchdown that proved to be the deciding points of the game. He also defended three passes and made two tackles.

Douglas has a pair of multi-interception games since joining the Bills, along with two fumble recoveries and a sack.

At the time that Green Bay parted ways, trading Douglas made perfect sense; the Packers were 2-5 and coming off a loss to the Vikings. But Green Bay rebounded to win four of its next five, and find itself on the cusp of a playoff berth. Coincidentally, the team's defensive struggles — perhaps struggles that would have been mitigated by retaining a leader like Douglas — have been an issue the second half of the season.

Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby kicks the game-winning field goal at Lambeau Field, leading the Packers to a 33-30 win over the San Francisco 49ers Oct. 15, 2018.
Green Bay Packers kicker Mason Crosby kicks the game-winning field goal at Lambeau Field, leading the Packers to a 33-30 win over the San Francisco 49ers Oct. 15, 2018.

Previous Packers to win Player of the Week honors

Nixon wasn't the only Packers player recognized last season, and the other was also on special teams. In the past five years:

  • Pat O'Donnell (Week 3, 2022) drilled seven punts for an average of 44.7 net yards per punt, with five inside the 20-yard line as the Packers survived Tom Brady and Tampa Bay in Week 3, 14-12.

  • Aaron Rodgers (Week 15, 2021). Rodgers finished 23-of-31 for 268 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-30 win over Baltimore. His third touchdown moved him into a tie with Brett Favre for the Packers career touchdown record. His 19 NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors are a franchise record.

  • Rasul Douglas (Week 11, 2021). Douglas returned an interception for a touchdown and broke up three other passes in a 36-28 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

  • Mason Crosby (Week 3, 2021). Crosby made all three field-goal attempts, and his 51-yarder as time expired gave the Packers a thrilling win over San Francisco.

  • Rodgers (Week 13, 2020). In a 30-16 win over the Eagles, Rodgers finished 25-of-34 for 295 yards and three touchdowns, and in the process became the seventh quarterback in NFL history to reach 400 touchdown passes — and the fastest to do so.

  • Za'Darius Smith (Week 4, 2020). Smith racked up three sacks in a 30-16 win over Atlanta on "Monday Night Football," part of seven total pressures and four tackles for loss.

  • Aaron Jones (Week 8, 2019). One week after Rodgers won the award, Jones won his second of the year in a 31-24 win over Kansas City. He only rushed 13 times but racked up 67 yards, and he caught seven passes for 159 yards and two scores.

  • Rodgers (Week 7, 2019). Facing the Raiders, Rodgers posted a perfect passer rating for the first time in his career (158.3), completing 25 of 31 passes for 429 yards and five touchdowns, with a rushing touchdown, to boot. Green Bay won, 42-24.

  • Jones (Week 5, 2019). Jones ran for four touchdowns, tying a franchise single-game record, in Green Bay's 34-24 win over the Dallas Cowboys. He ran 19 times for 107 yards and also caught seven passes for 75 yards, including a 67-yard catch and run that provided the winning points in the fourth quarter.

  • Preston Smith (Week 3, 2019). Smith tallied three sacks and a forced fumble. A fourth-down sack essentially ended the game for Denver in Green Bay's 27-16 win over the Broncos.

  • Crosby (Week 6, 2018). Crosby, just two weeks removed from am infamously poor performance against Detroit, hit all four of his field goals and three PATs in a 33-30 comeback victory over San Francsico, capped with a 28-yard field goal as time expired for the victory.

Others dating to 2010 Super Bowl season include:

  • Dean Lowry — Week 13, 2017

  • Rodgers — Week 5, 2017; Week 14 and 16, 2016; Week 3, 2015; Week 4, 7, 10 and 17, 2014; Week 2, 2013; Week 4 and 6, 2012; Week 1, 4 and 9, 2011; Week 13 and 16, 2010

  • Ha Ha Clinton-Dix — Week 15, 2016

  • Davante Adams — Week 7, 2016

  • Crosby — Week 11, 2015; Week 5, 2013; Week 5 and 7, 2011; Week 1, 2010

  • Clay Matthews — Week 16, 2014; Week 2 and 9, 2010

  • Julius Peppers — Week 5, 2014

  • Eddie Lacy — Week 15, 2013

  • Tim Masthay — Week 2, 2012; Week 13, 2011, Week 8, 2010

  • Matt Flynn — Week 17, 2011

  • Erik Walden — Week 17, 2010

  • Greg Jennings — Week 11, 2010

  • Charles Woodson — Week 4, 2010

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Packers' Jordan Love given first NFC Player of the Week honor