Green Bay Packers QB Jordan Love Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Watch: Jordan Love’s fourth-down blunder likely cost Packers a win

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 9/17/23

Though it wasn’t the deciding play in the Green Bay Packers’ 25-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, a fourth-down penalty on quarterback Jordan Love likely cost Green Bay a win.

On a fourth-and-1 from the Green Bay 34, Love lined up under center and looked to be prepping for a quarterback sneak. The problem, however, is that Love tried to run the play without the ball, prompting a false start penalty that moved the Packers back to a fourth-and-5 and led to a punt.

What is Jordan Love doing? Packers lose to Falcons 25-24... ouch#Packers #ButtFumble

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— Out Fox Sports (@MarkHolder27) September 17, 2023

To pour salt in the wound, the play likely would have picked up the first down had the ball been snapped to Love – who took sole blame for the botched play – before he stumbled between center Josh Myers and right guard Jon Runyan.

“Yeah, just messed up the operation with the cadence on that one,” Love told reporters after the game. “Not everybody got the call to get the sneak, so I messed that operation up right there. … I said the wrong thing. It’s pretty much not a play until I give the live word, pretty much, and I gave the wrong live word on that one.”

While there was a little more than six minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Packers defense could have stopped Atlanta from driving 66 yards and eating up 5:10 before scoring a go-ahead field goal on the ensuing possession, Love’s gaffe opened the door for the Falcons to pull off the one-point win.

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