Written by STEVE REED, Associated Press Sports Writer.

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

Jordan Love, the potential Green Bay Packers quarterback, is displaying early signs of composure and ability to make big plays in Charlotte, North Carolina.

On Sunday, the rookie quarterback put on a performance similar to that of legendary quarterbacks Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, aiding the Packers in their pursuit of a playoff spot in the NFC.

Aaron Rodgers threw two touchdown passes, rushed for one, and completed two key passes to help set up Anders Carlson’s 32-yard field goal with only 19 seconds remaining. The Packers held on to beat the Panthers 33-30, despite a strong comeback effort from Carolina in the final quarter.

Love completed a 21-yard pass to rookie Dontayvion Wicks and a 5-yard pass to Romeo Doubs, while also scoring a touchdown on a quarterback sneak. This helped the Packers end a two-game losing streak. In his last six games, Love has averaged 263 passing yards and has thrown 13 touchdown passes with only one interception.

Love stated that they will always celebrate any win they can achieve. The team was able to keep their chances of making it to the playoffs alive and they managed to do it tonight. They are now looking ahead to next week.

The Packers, with a record of 7-8, are currently one game behind the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams in the NFC wild-card standings.

Love stated, “We are fully aware of the task ahead of us and our own potential. Our focus is on completing this task successfully.”

In the game, Aaron Jones of the Packers was the first player this season to achieve over 100 yards in either rushing or receiving. He ran for 127 yards on 21 carries, helping the Packers gain a 23-10 lead at halftime with three impressive touchdown drives.

However, despite a career-best performance of 312 passing yards from Bryce Young, the Panthers (2-13) were able to come back from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter thanks to two touchdown passes from DJ Chark to tie the game at 30-30 with 4:05 left.

The Packers were able to secure a victory on the last drive thanks to love.

On third-and-4, he successfully threw a 36-yard pass to Doubs, who made a catch against man-to-man defense near the sideline at the Carolina 33. Fox Sports rules analyst Dean Blandino stated on television that the catch should have been overturned.

Doubs stated that if he made the play, the game would come to an end. He then confirmed that he did indeed make the play, resulting in the game being over.

Love completed 17 out of 28 passes for 219 yards. He then made a 20-yard pass to rookie tight end Tucker Kraft, reaching the Carolina 13-yard line. This set up Carlson’s game-winning kick.

“We executed a stop route with (Doubs), and he made an impressive catch along the sideline. It was a crucial play in that drive,” Love described. “Later on, the pass to Tucker was successfully squeezed between two defenders and he was able to break through them for extra yards. It was a significant catch by him and a fantastic way to end that drive. Both of those players made huge contributions.”

Two excellent throws, as well.

Carolina was given a final opportunity. Young successfully made a 22-yard pass to Chark on the side of the field to halt the clock, and then threw a pass to Adam Thielen for another 22 yards towards the Green Bay 31. However, with no remaining timeouts, the Panthers were unable to stop the clock before time ran out.

The interim coach of the Panthers, Chris Tabor, stated that he strongly believed the team successfully spiked the ball before time ran out. However, he did not receive an explanation from the officials after the game.

Tabor expressed his disappointment for the individuals in that room, acknowledging their efforts and determination. He noted that although they played with intensity, they ultimately ran out of time. However, he remains confident that the team is improving.

Matt LaFleur, coach of the Packers, expressed his satisfaction with their victory. Although the game was closer than desired, he acknowledges the effort and determination of the Carolina team. In the end, the Packers were able to make crucial plays that led them to the win.

Before Sunday, Young’s highest passing yards in a game was never more than 250.

He mentioned that the defeat was painful, but he found solace in the performance of Carolina’s offense.

Young commented, “I believe our performance as a team was strong. This was a positive step forward for us collectively. We all stepped up, but there are still areas we need to improve and tidy up. Although it was not sufficient, it is a solid foundation for us to continue building upon.”

INJURIES

The Packers’ player Wicks was forced to leave the game due to an injury to his chest.

Amare Barno, outside linebacker for the Panthers, was taken off the field on a cart during the first quarter due to a knee injury sustained while covering a punt. Running back Miles Sanders injured his toe and cornerback Troy Hill was placed in the concussion protocol towards the end of the fourth quarter, leaving the secondary short-handed.

UP NEXT

The Packers will be playing at Minnesota next Sunday.

The Panthers will be playing at Jacksonville next Sunday.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Source: wralsportsfan.com