National Football League

Packers' Jordan Love tosses TD pass in final preseason tuneup

Published Aug. 26, 2023 4:47 p.m. ET

Jordan Love threw a touchdown pass to Christian Watson in his third and final series of the day and the Green Bay Packers defeated the Seattle Seahawks 19-15 on Saturday in the last preseason game for both teams.

This game represented Love’s last tune-up before he begins his first full season as the Packers’ starting quarterback following the trade of four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets. Love, a 2020 first-round pick from Utah State, has made one career regular-season start.

Love went 9 of 15 for 63 yards and had three carries for 21 yards against a Seattle defense consisting mostly of reserves. He went 21 of 33 for 193 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in three preseason starts for the Packers (2-1).

His 6-yard touchdown pass to Watson capped a 15-play, 80-yard drive and came after he had overthrown an open Watson on a deep pass earlier in the series. The Packers made a field goal and went three-and-out in Love’s two other drives.

The Packers are hoping Love can make the same type of impact Seattle’s Geno Smith produced last season when he led the Seahawks to a surprise playoff berth after they traded nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. The Seahawks (2-1) rested Smith and most of their starters on both sides of the ball Saturday, giving backup quarterback Drew Lock the chance to lead Seattle's offense for virtually the entire game.

Lock went 16 of 25 for 150 yards with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Jake Bobo, a rookie undrafted free agent from UCLA whose impressive preseason could earn him a spot on Seattle’s 53-man roster. Lock also led a 10-play, 89-yard drive that culminated with a SaRodorick Thompson 1-yard touchdown run that gave the Seahawks their first lead with 6:38 left in the game.

Green Bay pulled ahead for good on Nate McCrary's 1-yard touchdown run with 1:56 remaining. McCrary's touchdown capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive that included a 52-yard completion from Alex McGough to Jadakis Bonds.

Benny Sapp sealed the victory by picking off Holton Ahlers' pass in the end zone with 13 seconds left.

McGough was the Packers' third quarterback of the game. Sean Clifford, a rookie fifth-round pick from Penn State, went 8 of 12 for 46 yards.

Packers rookie kicker Anders Carlson made two field goals — a 43-yarder in the first quarter and a 57-yarder in the final minute of the first half — and had an extra-point attempt blocked. The Packers drafted Carlson out of Auburn in the sixth round to take over for Mason Crosby, the franchise’s career scoring leader.

Green Bay played most of its projected starters for the majority of the first half. Exceptions included cornerback Jaire Alexander, offensive tackle David Bakhtiari, linebacker De’Vondre Campbell wide receiver Romeo Doubs, outside linebacker Rashan Gary and running back Aaron Jones. Campbell also didn’t play last week because of an ankle injury and Doubs is dealing with a hamstring issue.

INJURIES

Seahawks LB Devin Bush appeared to get shaken up while on punt coverage late in the third quarter. ... Packers guard Royce Newman was slow getting up after a play in the fourth quarter.

UP NEXT

Seahawks: Begin the regular season Sept. 10 by hosting the Los Angeles Rams.

Packers: Open the regular season Sept. 10 at Chicago.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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