Jordan Love grew raised in Bakersfield, about two hours north of Los Angeles. He left California for college in 2016, the same year that the Rams returned to Los Angeles after 21 years away. Love will have what feels like an NFL homecoming game on Sunday when his Green Bay Packers (2-2) face the Rams (1-3), whose faltering defense has allowed every opposing quarterback to feel at ease this season.
“It’ll be fun,” Love added. “I’m thrilled about it. This is my first time playing at SoFi, and it’s conveniently located near Bakersfield. I have a large family living there, and I’m looking forward to playing in front of them.” Packers supporters will finally fill the stands at Rams owner Stan Kroenke’s magnificent stadium this weekend, marking the Packers’ first visit since SoFi opened. The Packers last played in Southern California a year ago, before the stadium opened.
On the field, the Packers hope to rebound from last week’s loss to Minnesota, when they fell down 28-0 before mounting a late recovery that proved insufficient. Love returned from a two-game knee injury and passed for a career-high 389 yards and four touchdowns, but he also had three interceptions during the comeback. Love and the Packers’ third-ranked offense might pose a challenge to the Rams, who have the NFL’s second-worst defense after four games, allowing 385.3 yards per game.
This dip in performance was predicted given Aaron Donald’s retirement and the departure of coordinator Raheem Morris, but Los Angeles is failing to compete while allowing 28.8 points per game, which is also the second-worst in the league. “(Donald) is one of one,” said Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur, who was the Rams’ offensive coordinator in 2017. “There aren’t many players who can destroy a game like him.
But I’ve been impressed with (the Rams’) group. They’re much younger up front. I think they do an excellent job with many of their choice games. Obviously, the effort stands out throughout.”
