KYP; I agree with much of what you've written. The stats are what they are, a big change from the first half to the second half for Love. However: (here comes the "BUT...)
Four or five games into the season, not have watched the games in any great detail, I started to become concerned about Love. After the euphoria of his excellent season opener against the Bears, I began to question if he would be "the guy" or just a very talented athlete who never quite harnessed his ability in a way to maximize his success. So, I watched the games again, and looked for commentary and film review from people I thought were being honest and objective. I dismissed those appearing to be dramatic or too biased to hold much weight. I even kept some notes, because I had received messages from several 'Rats asking what my opinion was about Love.
I even started what was to be a lengthy summary of my conclusions, that he was playing much better than his stats, and that he was a victim of his inexperienced receivers. The gist was to be, "Now we can all see why Rodgers basically ignored receivers who had not yet earned his trust." Love didn't have that option. About the time I started to compile my notes, the season started to turn around so I never completed the post. A few of the plays I recall (comments from the experts, not me):
- Musgrave coming out of his break at a very wrong angle based on the coverage, and Love having thrown exactly where Musgrave should have been but wasn't.
- Musgrave taking an extra step before his break and surprisingly not falling but throwing of the timing and his position on the field.
- Musgrave misreading coverage and running the wrong route.
- Watson's horrible effort on a contested ball that was intercepted. LeFleur sounded absolutely disappointed saying it wasn't a bad throw and a ball like that should never be intercepted.
- Three receivers ending up within a few yards of each other on a relatively deep throw, two obviously running wrong routes.
- Love making a correct read when the safety goes to one receiver and Love throwing deep to the opposite side. Only problem was the first receiver ran a wrong route and actually brought the safety over to the area Love threw to and the safety making a real good play for the interception. Comment was that Love had to shocked to see the safety and first receiver there after he threw the ball. They should have been no where close to the second receiver who had beaten his coverage.
- and on and on.
I think Love started out fine, but after a number of games began to hesitate. He clearly was not as decisive as he had seemed the first couple games. Being inexperienced himself he probably began questioning himself, probably hesitating to see for sure what was happening with his receivers, which never turns out well. A lot of throws were just a bit late, which often makes them look like worse decisions than they were. Good decision, but late execution. I think the midseason change was not so much a change as it was more restoring Loves confidence in his own decision making, and the receivers all maturing quite rapidly to be there with him.
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Originally Posted by Patler
