Is This a Make-or-Break Season for Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love?

Is this a make-or-break season for Jordan Love?

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero said no, and TJ said pump the brakes on the entire premise.

The conversation started simply enough. Tom asked the question. Pelissero waved it off, citing Love's history.

"He's in year seven, I believe, in the NFL," Pelissero said. "He's played a lot of good football. He's had injuries that set him back. That's made things more complicated when you get banged up early in the season and you're never fully healthy."

The Packers offense was rolling last year, Pelissero argued, until Tucker Kraft tore his ACL. That is when the rough two-game offensive stretch hit. Josh Jacobs was beat up in the second half. The offensive line was on a rotation because of injuries. Pelissero said the context matters before you hang a make-or-break label.

"I would not say make-or-break for Jordan Love," Pelissero said. "Certainly important season for him though."

TJ took the conversation in a different direction. The phrase "make-or-break" depends on how you think about the quarterback in the first place.

"I think we talk about Jordan Love like he is one of the top 10 quarterbacks in the league," TJ said.

Pelissero pushed back hard on that. He said Love is borderline top 10, with the caveat that the true top tier is well-defined and small.

TJ ran the numbers on Love. Eighty-three touchdowns. Thirty-one picks. Four missed games over the last three years. Twenty-seven wins across those three years. One playoff win.

"All I'm saying is Jordan Love has one playoff win," TJ said. "Let's go, man. Let's go."

The pivot Pelissero brought was Jalen Hurts. He said Hurts is closer to a breaking-point label than Love is, but for entirely different reasons.

"He's coming into a new offense that doesn't necessarily seem like it's geared toward his skill set," Pelissero said.

The Eagles are pivoting with Sean Manion coming in to run a McVay/Shanahan/O'Connell style offense. Pelissero said it does not match what Hurts has shown he does best.

"I won't say make-or-break for him," Pelissero said. "Jalen Hurts has shown what he can do. But coming into this offense, if it doesn't click, they clearly are pivoting an entirely different direction."

TJ argued that public perception was rating Love above Hurts, even though Hurts has been the best player on the field in two Super Bowls and Love has one playoff win. Pelissero would not buy it on a head-to-head against any of the established names.

"If you polled 10 fans on Justin Herbert versus Jordan Love, you'd probably get nine Justin Herbert responses," Pelissero said.

TJ moved the goalposts to Herbert.

"He skates on a lot of this," TJ said. "Rich hates it."

Pelissero defended Herbert too, but it came with caveats. The offensive line was decimated. Herbert played hurt. Has played through a severe high ankle sprain.

"He's got to be able to stay healthy," Pelissero said. "He's got to deliver down the stretch."