Jordan Love passed for 360 yards and three touchdowns and outplayed former teammate Aaron Rodgers while leading the Green Bay Packers to a 35-25 victory over the host Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night.
Love, the understudy to Rodgers for three seasons at Green Bay, matched Brett Favre’s 2007 franchise record of 20 straight completions. He was 29 of 37 overall in a near-flawless effort for the Packers (5-1-1).
Rodgers was 24-of-36 passing for 219 yards and two touchdowns while facing the Packers for the first time since his departure after the 2022 season.
Chris Boswell kicked four field goals, including three of 50 or more yards, for the Steelers (4-3). DK Metcalf and Roman Wilson had scoring receptions.
Tucker Kraft caught two scoring passes and established career bests of seven receptions and 143 yards for Green Bay. Josh Jacobs rushed for a touchdown and Savion Williams had a scoring reception for the Packers.
Rodgers fails to beat his old team
Rodgers, 41, played 18 seasons for the Packers, beginning as Favre’s backup in 2005, before departing under less-than-friendly circumstances. Yet, leading up to this game, Rodgers expressed his appreciation for his Green Bay tenure and made it clear this matchup was not a “revenge game”.
Steelers safety DeShon Elliott injured his left knee in the third quarter and was carted off to the locker room.
Green Bay scored 21 final-quarter points and moved ahead on the first play of the quarter when Jacobs scored on a 3-yard run around right end. Love followed with a two-point throw to Romeo Doubs to give the Packers a 22-19 lead.
Green Bay added on when Love completed a short throw to Kraft, who turned it into a 24-yard touchdown to make it 29-19 with 10:57 left in the contest.
Brandon McManus tacked on field goals of 28 and 25 yards to boost the Packers’ lead to 16 with 3:59 remaining.
Rodgers tossed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Wilson with 2:07 left, but the ensuing two-point conversion pass failed.
After Love took the final kneeldown, Rodgers jogged over to greet and hug him. Packers coach Matt LaFleur also exchanged a hug with Rodgers.
Green Bay trailed by nine at halftime but pulled within 16-14 on Love’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Williams. Love and Kraft teamed up on a 59-yard pass play during the drive, the play in which Elliott was injured and immediately grabbed for his knee.
Boswell booted a 56-yard field goal with 5:34 left in the third quarter to increase Pittsburgh’s lead to five.
Earlier, Boswell kicked field goals of 56, 50 and 48 yards to help the Steelers take a 16-7 lead.
The Packers led 7-3 after Love’s 16-yard scoring pass to Kraft with 5:05 left in the opening quarter.
Two second-quarter field goals by Boswell accounted for Pittsburgh’s 9-7 edge before Rodgers hit Metcalf on a 2-yard touchdown pass with 34 seconds remaining in the half.
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