GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love was playing at less than full strength and missing his usual starting center. That combination proved costly in the Packers’ 24-14 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
One week after a groin strain caused him to leave in the third quarter of a 30-27 victory at Jacksonville, Love worked his way back in time to face the NFC North-leading Lions. But he wasn’t as effective as usual and threw a pick-6 in the final minute of the second quarter that helped Detroit (7-1) take control. Love said on multiple occasions after the game that the injury didn’t impact his play.
“No, I felt fine,” Love said. Love went 23 of 39 for 273 yards without a touchdown pass. His receivers dropped several passes on a rainy afternoon.
The biggest mistake by Love came just before halftime. The Packers (6-3) trailed 10-3 and faced second-and-2 from their own 38 when Love rolled to his right while under pressure. He threw a short pass intended for Josh Jacobs, but Lions safety Kerby Joseph picked it off and ran 27 yards into the end zone with 32 seconds left before halftime.
Love said he didn’t see Joseph when he made the throw. “I saw (Jacobs) trying to get out and was trying to dump it down,” Love said. “It was a check-down to him, and the ball did not go where I wanted it to.
They made a good play on it.” Love has thrown 10 interceptions on 240 pass attempts this season. As a first-year starter last season, Love was p.