GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) 鈥� 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鈥� 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.
鈥淓very play is something to learn from and grow from,鈥� Love said Wednesday. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the mindset I鈥檝e 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.鈥�
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 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
Last season, Love threw three interceptions without a touchdown pass in a at Philadelphia while many of his top options got injured either before or during the game.
鈥淵ou look at the way the 49ers game ended, throwing a pick to end it, it鈥檚 a tough way to go out,鈥� Love said. 鈥淎nd I think in that situation, there鈥檚 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.
鈥淪o 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.鈥�
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 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 from Bears defensive end Austin Booker in the second quarter of the Packers鈥� 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 from concussion protocol, though the Packers chose to rest him for their to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e practicing throughout the week, you still stay fresh,鈥� Love said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e missing some time playing in the game, but we played a lot of games this season. You鈥檝e got banked reps.鈥�
Love has a history of playing well against the Bears.
He threw for 234 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in the Packers’ over the Bears in Green Bay. Love has nine touchdown passes with two interceptions in six games against Chicago.
鈥淲e talk about it whenever it鈥檚 Bears week, just understanding the history of the Packers and this and the Bears 鈥� the oldest rivalry in the NFL,鈥� Love said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something that I wasn鈥檛 even too familiar with before I got here, and then I think since I鈥檝e been here, it鈥檚 something you just learn about.鈥�
The recent history of this rivalry 鈥� the past four Packers-Bears matchups have all gone down to the wire 鈥� and the circumstances of Love鈥檚 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, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a hit. It is what it is.鈥�
Packers running back Josh Jacobs was more forthcoming on the topic.
鈥淗e鈥檚 never really rattled in those situations, but I know a lot of guys took that hit that he took a little personal,鈥� Jacobs said. 鈥淪o I鈥檓 not saying we鈥檙e going to go out there and play dirty or nothing like that, but we鈥檙e definitely going to defend our brother.鈥�
NOTES: WR/CB Bo Melton is going on injured reserve after hurting his knee in the Packers鈥� regular-season finale. Coach Matt LaFleur said it isn鈥檛 an ACL injury and shouldn’t impact Melton鈥檚 availability for next season. 鈥� Jacobs says he鈥檚 feeling 鈥渢he best I鈥檝e felt probably in the last six weeks鈥� after being slowed by a knee issue late in the regular season. 鈥� 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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