Advertisement

Jordan Love’s unforgettable first playoff start leads Utah ties in Sunday’s NFL action

brandon judd
·3 min read
8
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) reacts after throwing a touchdown pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, in Arlington, Texas.

Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers won’t soon forget the quarterback’s first career playoff start.

Love, the former Utah State standout, starred Sunday as the Packers went on the road and beat the Dallas Cowboys 48-32 in the NFL wild-card round.

Love completed 16 of 21 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns, outperforming the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott, who completed 41 of 60 passes for 403 yards and three touchdowns but also threw two interceptions, including a 60-yard pick-six just before halftime.

“He’s a dude,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur told reporters Sunday after Love’s latest strong effort. “He’s a real dude.”

Related

With Love at the helm, Green Bay scored touchdowns on six of its first seven possession to knock off Dallas.

Love’s first career playoff touchdown pass — a 20-yard dart to rookie Dontayvion Wicks — gave the Packers a 20-0 lead in the second quarter.

“It was an all-out look … for him to hang in there and get that throw … those are things you can’t necessarily — you can try to coach it, but what a moment for him,” LaFleur said.

Love added two passing touchdowns in the second half. He threw a 38-yarder to Luke Musgrave late in the third quarter, then a 3-yarder to Romeo Doubs just minutes later to give the Packers a 48-16 lead early in the fourth.

“It just shows what we’re about as a team,” Love told reporters. “We’ve been counted out so many times.”

That sets Green Bay up with a matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs’ divisional round.

With Sunday’s results, there are 21 players with Utah ties remaining in the playoffs.

Here’s how other Utah ties on active rosters fared during Sunday’s wild-card action:

Packers 48, Cowboys 32

Green Bay Packers

  • Zayne Anderson, S, BYU and Stansbury High: Had 2 solo tackles, including 1 on special teams.

  • Jordan Love, QB, Utah State: Started his first career playoff game and completed 16 of 21 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns.

Dallas Cowboys

  • No players with Utah ties.

Lions 24, Rams 23

Detroit Lions

  • Penei Sewell, OT, Desert Hills High: Started at right tackle.

Los Angeles Rams

  • Puka Nacua, WR, BYU and Orem High: Started at wide receiver and caught nine passes for an NFL rookie playoff record 181 yards and a touchdown. See story.

  • Jonah Williams, DE, Weber State: Started at defensive end and had three tackles, including two solo, and a tackle for loss.