GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has done a great job of avoiding interceptions throughout this season.
However, he hasn't been nearly as effective in that regard during his playoff career.
The Packers’ chances of extending their season beyond this weekend depend in part on how well Love can protect the ball against the Chicago Bears, who had an NFL-leading 23 interceptions and 33 total takeaways during the regular season.
Love was picked off on just six of his 439 passes this season, but he has thrown five interceptions in his past six postseason quarters. Love will try to change that recent playoff trajectory when the Packers (9-7-1) visit the NFC North champion Bears (11-6) in a Saturday night wild-card matchup.
“Every play is something to learn from and grow from,” Love said Wednesday. “That’s the mindset I’ve always taken. I think, like I mentioned going into the playoffs having to win and then having a couple tough losses, it all shapes you going into the offseason.”
Love's three previous playoff starts have run the gamut.
He made his playoff debut two years ago and went 16 of 21 for 272 yards with three touchdown passes and no interceptions in a 48-32 wild-card victory at Dallas. Love threw for two more touchdowns to give Green Bay a lead at San Francisco the following week before getting intercepted late in the third quarter and again in the closing minutes of a 24-21 loss.
Last season, Love threw three interceptions without a touchdown pass in a 22-10 wild-card loss at Philadelphia while many of his top options got injured either before or during the game.
“You look at the way the 49ers game ended, throwing a pick to end it, it’s a tough way to go out,” Love said. “And I think in that situation, there’s so much good stuff to learn from in a two-minute situation, understanding what the situation is, how much time is left, what the down and distance is, how much we need. And trying not to force the ball right there and make that play. And then, you look at the Eagles game, I had a (few) turnovers in that game.
“So I think it just always comes down to taking care of the ball, playing your best as a quarterback, and then putting the team in the best position.”
Love completed 66.3% of his passes this season for 3,381 yards with 23 touchdowns. He threw multiple interceptions just once, when he got picked off twice in a 34-26 loss at Denver that started Green Bay's four-game skid to close the regular season.
Saturday will mark the first time Love has played since absorbing a helmet-to-helmet hit from Bears defensive end Austin Booker in the second quarter of the Packers’ 22-16 overtime loss at Chicago on Dec. 20.
Although he missed Green Bay's final two regular-season games, Love doesn't expect rust to be an issue Saturday.
Love practiced fully throughout last week after getting cleared from concussion protocol, though the Packers chose to rest him for their 16-3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
“When you’re practicing throughout the week, you still stay fresh,” Love said. “You’re missing some time playing in the game, but we played a lot of games this season. You’ve got banked reps.”
Love has a history of playing well against the Bears.
He threw for 234 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in the Packers' 28-21 victory over the Bears in Green Bay. Love has nine touchdown passes with two interceptions in six games against Chicago.
“We talk about it whenever it’s Bears week, just understanding the history of the Packers and this and the Bears — the oldest rivalry in the NFL,” Love said. “It’s something that I wasn’t even too familiar with before I got here, and then I think since I’ve been here, it’s something you just learn about.”
The recent history of this rivalry — the past four Packers-Bears matchups have all gone down to the wire — and the circumstances of Love’s exit from the Dec. 20 game have increased the intensity even more.
Booker was penalized for roughing the passer on the hit that sent Love into concussion protocol. Asked whether he thought the hit was a clean play, Love simply replied, “It’s a hit. It is what it is.”
Packers running back Josh Jacobs was more forthcoming on the topic.
“He’s never really rattled in those situations, but I know a lot of guys took that hit that he took a little personal,” Jacobs said. “So I’m not saying we’re going to go out there and play dirty or nothing like that, but we’re definitely going to defend our brother.”
NOTES: WR/CB Bo Melton is going on injured reserve after hurting his knee in the Packers’ regular-season finale. Coach Matt LaFleur said it isn’t an ACL injury and shouldn't impact Melton’s availability for next season. … Jacobs says he’s feeling “the best I’ve felt probably in the last six weeks” after being slowed by a knee issue late in the regular season. … Jacobs, WR Christian Watson and S Evan Williams received the Tom Mulhern Stand-Up Guy Award given annually to the Packers who best helped reporters during the season.
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Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love watches on the field during pre-game warm ups before an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Green Bay Packers quarterbacks Jordan Love (10) and Malik Willis, left, sit on the bench during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
