- The 24-year-old got his first taste of defeat as Green Bay’s starting QB
- After the 24-22 defeat, Love said he ‘just messed up’ in the heat of the moment
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Jordan Love got his first taste of defeat as the Packers’ starting quarterback in the cruellest of ways when he mistimed a fourth-and-one sneak that opened the door for the Falcons’ go-ahead touchdown drive in the final minutes of the Sunday’s match.
The 24-year-old said he deserved to be blamed for the botched sneak because he didn’t correctly call the play from the Green Bay 34 with the Packers leading 24-22 in the fourth quarter.
Love tried to call for the sneak, but didn’t get the snap when she was expected and ran off without the ball.
Green Bay resulted in a false start penalty and had to punt, setting up Atlanta’s go-ahead goal, capped by Younghoe Koo’s 25-yard field goal with 57 seconds left.
“Yeah, I just messed up the operation with the cadence on that,” Love said after the 25-24 loss, Green Bay’s first of the season after beating the Bears in the opening week.
Packers QB Jordan Love hilariously forgot the quick count on a QB sneak in a loss to the Falcons
Love (R) took the blame for the miscommunication as it allowed Atlanta to score and win 25-24
“Not everyone got the call to get the sneak, so I immediately botched that operation.”
He later added: ‘I said the wrong thing. It’s hardly a play until I give the living word, and I gave the wrong living word.’
When asked if he had forgotten the living word, Love said he “just messed up.”
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters after the game that Love had the ability to change the play at the line “if he thought he could sneak it, then it’s up to him to control it.”
‘I think so. And no one heard him. I mean, it was loud and that’s just an unfortunate situation,” the 43-year-old added.
The 24-year-old Love is now 1-1 as the Packers’ starting QB following Aaron Rodgers’ departure to the Jets
It was a crucial part of the Packers’ frustrating fourth quarter. Green Bay led 24-12 before the Falcons rallied. The Packers gained 11 yards on three possessions in the fourth quarter.
Love went 0-for-6 in the decisive quarter.
“I think it just comes down to execution and being better in the fourth quarter and being able to play a complete game,” Love said. “I don’t think we performed well enough in the fourth quarter, we couldn’t move the ball to third base. That’s really what hurt us.”
Love’s overall stats were much more positive. He completed 14 of 25 passes for 151 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He also added two carries for 23 yards.
Love was sacked just once, by Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss in the first quarter.