Cheese Curds, 1/11: Hoping for a better end to Love’s playoff debut than Rodgers’

Rodgers’ first playoff game was one of the most exciting games of the last few decades, but it ended in disappointment. His successor is planning on winning his postseason debut instead.

Jordan Love will make his postseason debut on Sunday when the Green Bay Packers take on the Dallas Cowboys. So far, the first-year starting quarterback seems to be treating this game as just another one, an extension of the regular season — at least in the way he is preparing for it.

An interesting item from Love’s recent press conference is that he never really talked with his predecessor, Aaron Rodgers, about the latter’s own postseason debut. That game came after the 2009 season, with Rodgers leading a trio of touchdown drives in the fourth quarter to force overtime after being down by 14 heading into the final frame.

In that game, Rodgers and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner combined for 9 touchdown passes and more than 800 passing yards, but the indelible memory of that game for Packers fans was in overtime when Rodgers while getting facemasked, fumbled the football and the Cardinals returned it for a game-winning touchdown.

Love and Dak Prescott could put up some fireworks of their own on Sunday when the Packers and Cowboys get together. But Love surely would like to avoid a similar fate to Rodgers in that debut, and perhaps the end of that game is why Rodgers apparently never felt like bringing it up over the three years the two quarterbacks spent together.

How Packers’ Jordan Love is staying ‘level’ for playoff debut – ESPN
Love won’t be changing anything about his preparation habits or his approach to Sunday’s game, which is something he learned from Rodgers. But he now knows a bit more about Rodgers’ debut than Rodgers himself ever told him.

Aaron Jones has helped elevate Packers’ offense at perfect time | Packers.com
One way Love can put the Packers in a good position to win is by handing the ball off to Jones, who has over 350 rushing yards in the past three weeks and will be facing a Cowboys defense that is not great at defending the run.

Why each NFC playoff team will win the Super Bowl, and why they won’t – The Athletic ($)
Why the Packers could win the Super Bowl? Love and the offense. Why they won’t? Surprise, surprise — it’s the defense.

Packers WR Bo Melton showing he has staying power | Packers Wire
Melton showed in week 18 that his 100-yard game against the Vikings wasn’t just a flash in the pan. He’s a player that the Packers can and should look at as a long-term contributor in the receiver room.

Single mother’s future in jeopardy after thief steals driveway – WFTV
Next, the scammer plans to go take her entire detached garage.