For evidence of how close Jordan Love and C.J. Stroud are as quarterbacks, check the weekend’s NFL box scores.
On Sunday, Love propelled the Green Bay Packers to the first-ever playoff victory for a No. 7 seed when they throttled the Dallas Cowboys, 48-32. On Saturday, Stroud carried the Houston Texans to an equally impressive 45-14 rout of Cleveland Browns.
But go to the “passing” section for each game’s box score and look at the numbers for each quarterback:
- Jordan Love: 16-of-21 passing, 272 yards, 3 TD passes, 0 interceptions, 99.3 QBR, 157.2 QB rating
- C.J. Stroud: 16-of-21 passing, 274 yards, 3 TD passes, 0 interceptions, 98.4 QBR, 157.2 QB rating
On their own, the stat lines are indicative of how impressive Love and Stroud are individually. At the same time, they speak to how the two are near equals as quarterbacks.
So, if given the choice between the two first-year starting quarterbacks, which one would you choose — Jordan Love or C.J. Stroud? It’s a fun debate because both players are great options and look to have long NFL careers ahead of them.
Related: NFL offense rankings
The case for Jordan Love
Jordan Love had the luxury of sitting behind Aaron Rodgers for three seasons, watching and absorbing what he saw from one of the greatest quarterbacks of the 21st century. Now that Rodgers is gone and Love is getting his turn, he’s showing why the Packers drafted him with the 25th pick in 2020.
Love didn’t come in and immediately set the NFL afire with his performances. He scuffled at the beginning. As Green Bay started 2-5 and then 3-6, Love struggled primarily with accuracy. His completion rate fell below 60 percent in four of his first five games and six of his first nine.
But the turning point came in Week 11 against the Los Angeles Chargers, when Love threw two TD passes in a Green Bay win. Since that game, Love arguably has been the best quarterback in the NFL,.
Including Sunday’s wild-card game, he’s led the Packers to a 7-2 record and has thrown 21 touchdown passes and only one interception over those nine games. In his playoff debut, Love carved up the Cowboys’ defense with absolute precision.
The biggest compliment one could give Love is that he’s been better than Rodgers was with Green Bay last season and in his first season as a starter in 2008. And Rodgers went on to win four NFL MVP awards and a Super Bowl. With that in mind, there’s no telling how much Jordan Love might accomplish.
Fiorst playser since 1950 with 150-plus QB rating in a road playoff game
Related: Green Bay Packers to engage with Jordan Love in contract extension talks this offseason
The case for C.J. Stroud
On Saturday, C.J. Stroud became the youngest quarterback (22 years, 102 days) to win a playoff game, surpassing Michael Vick. Based on how he’s started his career, Stroud might keep on winning playoff games.
From the moment Stroud stepped onto an NFL gridiron as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, he’s turned it into his personal playground.
Every week during his rookie season, Stroud has been a record waiting to happen. First, it was the consecutive passes to begin an NFL career without an interception. Then, he set the record for most passing yards by a rookie in a single game.
He was on the verge other records (most 300-yard games in a season and most passing yards in a season), but concussion curtailed his efforts for two weeks. Yet he’s come back looking stronger than ever in the playoffs.
Stroud dismantled a Browns defense ranked No. 1 in the NFL, with their specialty being pass defense. If that’s what Stroud can do against the best, imagine what he could do against every other defense trying to slow him down, including the Baltimore Ravens, who might be next.
Stroud has already asserted himself as not only one of the greatest rookie quarterbacks ever, but also one of the game’s best quarterbacks right now.
Related: C.J. Stroud’s stellar rookie season impresses Hall of Fame QB with an infamous record
Why C.J. Stroud is the choice
This is about as close as the two passing yards that separated their stat lines over the weekend. But C.J. Stroud is the choice over Jordan Love.
While their skills are comparable and both have bright futures with perhaps multiple Pro Bowl invitations waiting then, here’s the difference: Stroud is three years younger than Love, giving him a longer shelf life. Plus, Stroud didn’t need to sit for three years before he started lighting up the league. He did it immediately, while it took longer for Love to settle in.
If Stroud was able to assimilate that quickly to the NFL in his first season, then he could be on a path to someday join the all-time greats. Love could reach that level as well, but the odds for now favor C.J. Stroud.