Locals in the NFL Playoffs: Jordan Love nearly perfect for Packers in postseason debut

AROUND THE SHIELD — Perfection had a name in Sunday afternoon's NFL wild card game in Dallas, and Packers fans were loving it.

Jordan Love nearly fielded a perfect passer rating when the former Utah State starter completed 16-of-21 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns to lead the seventh-seeded Packers to a 48-32 road win over the Dallas Cowboys.

The 6-foot-4 signal caller finished with a 157.2 QB rating, just shy of the 158.3 perfect rating that would have made Love one of three NFL quarterbacks with a perfect passer rating in a playoff game — and the first in his postseason debut. The other two are Peyton Manning (2003) and Terry Bradshaw (1976), according to CBS Sports.

Love got plenty of help on offense, including via Aaron Jones' 118 yards and three rushing touchdowns. The Packers totaled 416 yards on 53 plays, 7.8 yards per play, and converted 6-of-10 third downs with just three punts in becoming the first No. 7 seed to win a playoff game in NFL history.

"They've got a good defense, but I think we've got a really good offense, as well," Love told FOX Sports' Erin Andrews on the field after the game. "Aaron Jones played a great game, the O-line did a great job. All around, it was a great effort."

But there was something to love about the Packers' starting quarterback.

"Jordan Love, wow. That's about all I can say, is wow," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. "What he did and the poise he shows, the command he shows. … Those are things that you just can't necessarily coach. What a moment for him. It shows the growth that he's had from his first start versus KC until now. I'm so proud and happy for him. He's a dude, he's a real dude."

Love's first touchdown of the afternoon, a 20-yard strike to rookie receiver Dontayvion Wicks with 3:23 left in the half, gave the Packers a 20-0 advantage. The touchdown capped a 10-play, 93-yard drive over 5:44 that looked like the capstone of Green Bay's first half — until Darnell Savage viciously picked off Dak Prescott moments later, returning an interception 64 yards for a touchdown en route to the Packers' 27-7 halftime lead.

Love completed 13-of-16 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown before the break, a 135.7 quarterback rating that was accompanied by 30 rushing yards and two short touchdowns by Jones.

Even with Prescott's first of three touchdown passes to Jake Ferguson that took every second of the first half game clock for the Cowboys, the Packers' offense was humming under the third-year quarterback from Bakersfield, California, by way of Logan.

Was the youngest team in the NFL postseason having fun?

"It was fun," Love said in the postgame media room. "It's been a long season. We've been counted out for a lot of the season. But the way everyone keeps dialing in and putting on great performances like tonight, it's a great feeling."

Love wasn't done, though.

The heir to the Packers' offense following Aaron Rodgers found Luke Musgrave with a wide-open 38-yard score to close the third quarter. He then turned around and opened the fourth with a 3-yard strike to Romeo Doubs through traffic that gave Green Bay a 48-16 lead with 10:23 remaining.

Love had a perfect rating through the middle of the fourth quarter, completing 16-of-20 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns. He exited the game for backup Sean Clifford in the fourth quarter, but re-entered the game and missed a third-down attempt to Tucker Kraft with 2:37 left to finish just shy of a perfect game.

Instead, Love finished his fifth straight game with a 100+ passer rating.

"All three phases were stepping up," Love said. "When we're playing complementary ball like that, I think we're going to be tough to beat."

Here are highlights from other former Utah high school and college football standouts from the NFL's wild-card weekend:

• Former Orem High and BYU receiver Puka Nacua totaled the most receiving yards by a rookie in NFL playoff history with nine catches for 181 yards in the Los Angeles Rams' 24-23 loss to the Detroit Lions. That included a 50-yard touchdown from Matthew Stafford in the quarterback's return to Detroit.
• Former Bingham High tight end Dalton Schultz caught his only pass for a 37-yard touchdown in Houston's 45-14 win over Cleveland.
• Former Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid caught three passes for a team-high 59 yards for the Buffalo Bills, including a 29-yard score from Josh Allen in the first quarter of a 31-17 romp over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

NFL Playoffs: Wild Card weekend

Saturday

AFC: No. 4 Houston 45, No. 5 Cleveland 14

Texans (11-7)

• Dalton Schultz, TE, Bingham (via Stanford): Reserve tight end caught a 37-yard touchdown on two targets in 36 offensive snaps.

Browns (11-7)

• Sione Takitaki, LB, BYU: Starting linebacker made three tackles in 45 defensive snaps and eight on special teams.
• Mohamoud Diabate, LB, Utah: Reserve linebacker played 19 snaps on special teams.
• Siaki Ika, DT, East (via Baylor): Reserve defensive tackle played four snaps on defense.

AFC: No. 3 Kansas City 26, No. 6 Miami 7

Chiefs (12-6)

• No locals on the active roster.

Dolphins (11-7)

• Chris Brooks, RB, BYU: Reserve running back made one tackle in 13 snaps on special teams.

Sunday

NFC: No. 7 Green Bay 48, No. 2 Dallas 32

Packers (10-8)

• Jordan Love, QB, Utah State: Starting quarterback completed 16-of-21 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns.
• Zayne Anderson, S, BYU/Stansbury: Reserve safety made one tackle on defense and another on special teams.

Cowboys (12-6)

• No locals on the active roster.

NFC: Detroit 24, Los Angeles 23

Lions (13-5)

• Penei Sewell, OT, Desert Hills (via Oregon): Started at right tackle.

Rams (10-8)

• Puka Nacua, WR, BYU/Orem: Starting receive caught nine passes for an NFL rookie record of 181 yards and a touchdown.
• Jonah Williams, DE, Weber State: Starting defensive end thad three tackles and a tackle for loss.

Monday

AFC: No. 2 Buffalo 31, No. 7 Pittsburgh 17

Bills (12-6)

• Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah: Starting tight end caught three passes for a team-high 59 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown from Josh Allen in the first quarter.
• Taron Johnson, CB, Weber State: Starting nickel had two tackles and forced a fumble on defense.

Steelers (10-8)

• Jaylen Warren, RB, Utah State/Snow/East (via Oklahoma State): Reserve running back totaled 38 yards on eight carries, caught two passes for 16 yards, and returned a kickoff for 21 yards.
• Miles Killebrew, S, Southern Utah: Reserve safety mostly played on special teams.
• Eric Rowe, S, Utah: Starting defensive back tallied eight tackles and a pass defended.

NFC: No. 7 Tampa Bay 32, No. 5 Philadelphia 9

Buccaneers (10-8)

• Deven Thompkins, WR/RS, Utah State: Reserve receiver caught one pass for 4 yards, ran for a 10-yard gain, returned two punts for 24 yards with a fair catch, and returned a kickoff for 27 yards.

Eagles (11-7)

• Sua Opeta, OG, Weber State/Stansbury: Rotated at offensive guard.
• Britain Covey, WR/RS, Utah/Timpview: Reserve receiver field one punt for no gain with two fair catches and a fumble (which he recovered).

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