Whenever something new comes out, it will inevitably be compared to something old. It will be compared for the better, and it will be compared for the worse. Some people will prefer the original, and some people will prefer the newest iteration.
Folks in Green Bay, Wisconsin are on their third generation of quarterback. Brett Favre, the gunslinger, was a fan favorite for years and years. When it was time for him to move on, Aaron Rodgers came in to much scrutiny but eventually won the hearts of the cheese heads. QB 3.0 is Jordan Love, the team's 2020 first-round pick.
When comparing the three players, it would be easy to compare them just based on how much you personally like or dislike them. The question we will be asking today, and the answer we will provide, is how the three quarterbacks compare statistically through their first 11 starts. Whether you want to draw a conclusion about all three careers based on this information or prognosticate how Jordan Love's career will wind up, that is entirely up to you.
Different beginnings for Packers QBs
Not all stories begin with once upon a time, and not all football careers start the exact same way. Favre was 23 when he started his first game for the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers and Love were both 25.
Favre was a second-round pick, traded to the Packers from the Atlanta Falcons. Rodgers was talked about as the potential No. 1 overall pick in the draft, but when Alex Smith went first, he plummeted to the bottom of the first round. Love set a record for most interceptions in a season by a quarterback, and was taken at the end of the first round by the Packers.
They all came with different expectations, and they each had to wait before making their debut. Unlike Rodgers and Love, Favre did not start Week 1. He sat behind Dan Majkowsi before starting in Week 3.
Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love by the numbers
Favre had the best record of the three, going 7-4, while Love and Rodgers both went 5-6 through their first 11 games. Favre also had the most yards, with 2,624. Love and Rodgers had the exact same total: 2,599 yards.
Love has thrown the most touchdowns, but also the most interceptions (19:10). Rodgers is second in both (17:9), and Favre is last but has the best ratio (15:7). Favre and Rodgers were both sacked 23 times, and Love is just behind with 22.
Favre was the most consistent. He did not have a 300-yard game, nor did he have a game under 200 yards through his first 11. Love had a single 300-yard game to three games under 200 yards. Rodgers had three games over 300 yards, but also four games under 200 yards.
Love has had the most games with 40 attempts (4), Favre is second (3), and Rodgers had the fewest games with 40 attempts (2). Love and Favre both have eight games with 20+ completions, while Rodgers has nine such games.
As far as completion percentage, Brett Favre leads the pack at 64.5 percent, followed by Rodgers at 63.5 percent, and then Love at 60.5 percent.
I won't pick a winner, as quarterbacks have been asked to do more and more as the years have gone on. With more pressure on your shoulders, and more attempts, will come more mistakes. If you are a Packers fan or just a fan of numbers in general, there they are. Let me know who you think is the best of the three.