GREEN BAY, Wis. — Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman believes the criticism directed at Jordan Love following the Green Bay Packers’ devastating playoff collapse is misplaced, arguing it says far more about roster construction and expectations than it does about the quarterback himself.

Speaking during his postgame analysis, Aikman drew a direct comparison between Love’s current situation and Matthew Stafford’s early career in Detroit — a period defined by elite individual performance overshadowed by flawed team support.

“Jordan Love is an elite quarterback,” Aikman said. “But like Stafford in Detroit, he’s being asked to carry a roster that simply isn’t built to sustain championship football — especially on defense.”

Love’s playoff performance offered little justification for doubt. He threw for 323 yards and four touchdowns without an interception, building a commanding 21–3 first-half lead and giving Green Bay every opportunity to advance. Instead, the Packers’ defense unraveled, surrendering 28 unanswered points in what became the largest blown playoff lead in franchise history.

Despite that collapse, questions quickly surfaced about Love’s long-term ceiling — a narrative Aikman strongly rejected.

“Quarterbacks don’t win alone,” Aikman said. “You need the right structure, the right coaching, and a defense that doesn’t force perfection on every drive. Four touchdown passes should be enough to win a playoff game.”

The Stafford Comparison

Aikman pointed to Matthew Stafford as the clearest example of how quarterback perception can shift dramatically when circumstances change.

“For years people said Stafford couldn’t win the big one,” Aikman noted. “He put up numbers, dragged flawed rosters to respectability, and still took the blame every January. That didn’t change because he suddenly became better — it changed because he finally had a complete team around him.”

When Stafford joined the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, he entered a defined offensive system supported by a championship-caliber defense. The result was a Super Bowl title and an immediate reevaluation of his legacy.

Aikman believes Love is capable of a similar transformation.

“Jordan has the arm talent, toughness, and leadership you want,” he said. “What he doesn’t have is a defense that can protect an 18-point playoff lead. That’s not on the quarterback.”

The Numbers Tell the Story

The statistical contrast from Saturday night was stark:

Jordan Love

• 323 passing yards

• 4 touchdowns, 0 interceptions

• Built a dominant first-half lead

• Delivered consistently under pressure

Packers Defense

• Allowed 28 consecutive points

• Failed to generate a critical stop

• Struggled against a rookie quarterback late

• Recorded the worst playoff collapse in team history

“You can’t blame a quarterback who throws four touchdowns,” Aikman said. “At some point, the defense has to make a play — and they didn’t.”

Organizational Responsibility

While Aikman stopped short of suggesting any drastic moves, he made clear where accountability now lies.

“If you believe in Jordan — and you should — then you have to build properly around him,” he said. “You can’t ask a quarterback to overcome defensive failures year after year and then judge him solely by postseason outcomes.”

The debate has already divided fans and analysts, with some questioning whether Love represents the Packers’ ceiling, while others argue he is being evaluated without proper context.

Aikman’s stance was unequivocal: patience and roster balance matter more than reactionary judgments.

“The NFL has misjudged elite quarterbacks before,” he said. “Stafford was one of them. The moment the environment changed, the narrative flipped.”

Whether Jordan Love reaches his own “Rams moment” will depend less on his arm and more on Green Bay’s willingness to address its defensive shortcomings. According to Aikman, the quarterback has already proven he belongs.

Now, the ball is in the organization’s court.