Jordan Love served as play caller as Packers closed strong to beat Cardinals 42-38 in preseason

Green Bay built its late preseason momentum the way many teams hope to in late August, with consecutive touchdown drives to close out the game. The Packers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 42-38, and the story underneath the final points was the way quarterback Jordan Love, who did not play in the matchup, directed the offense after halftime.

According to CBS Sports, Love served as the Packers’ play caller throughout the second half, which framed the win as more than just what happened on the stat sheet. Instead, it pointed to a functional quarterback-led offensive rhythm that carried through the final stretch of the game, culminating in two straight drives that ended in touchdowns to bring the Packers home.

The scoring sequence mattered because preseason finishes can reveal whether an offense can sustain drives when starters are gone or limited. In this case, Green Bay’s final stretch produced points on back-to-back possessions, and it gave the team a clean narrative: when the game narrowed late, the offense did not stall and then disappear.

Arizona also managed to score heavily, making the final margin feel earned but not comfortable. The 42-38 score suggests a trade of possessions rather than a one-sided outcome, and that context makes Green Bay’s ability to respond after one touchdown and then punch in another on the next drive the most tangible takeaway from the closing minutes.

Love’s presence in the coaching and command role adds another layer. Even when quarterbacks are not taking snaps, teams often look to how well The report-caller can structure tempo, diagnose coverages, and communicate adjustments. CBS Sports’ account that Love called the plays in the second half suggests the Packers were leaning on that skillset to guide the offense when the game mattered to their evaluation process.

For Packers fans and staff, the practical question becomes how this kind of quarterback leadership translates into the regular-season roles that follow preseason. As training camp and preseason games progress, the organization will continue to evaluate both play execution and decision-making under game speed, even in quarters where the starting quarterback is not on the field.

What to watch next is whether Green Bay can replicate the same late-drive efficiency and structured offensive flow in upcoming preseason action, particularly around third-down conversions and red-zone execution. Also, monitor whether the Packers’ quarterback-led play calling shows up in other forms, such as scripted openings and two-minute execution, where preseason teams often separate fundamentals from improvisation.