CINCINNATI — Jordan Love and Sean Clifford showed they can both move the Green Bay Packers’ offense, at least in an early test against a leaky Cincinnati Bengals defense with few starters on the field.
Love, the replacement for Aaron Rodgers, played only part of the first quarter but was in command as the Packers went on to beat the Bengals 38-19 in the teams’ preseason opener on Friday night. He completed 7 of 10 passes for 46 yards and a lofted a perfect throw to Romeo Doubs for a 9-yard touchdown.
“I think the passing game was in stride,” Love said.
For the Bengals, Joe Burrow sat out with a calf strain — he likely wouldn’t have played anyway — as Jake Browning and Trevor Siemian split the reps at quarterback.
Love — also impressive in a joint practice with the Bengals on Wednesday — spent three seasons as the backup to the four-time MVP Rodgers, who was traded to the New York Jets.
“There’s a lot to learn from it,” Packers coach Matt LeFleur said. “A lot of good came out of it, just the poise he showed, the command he showed. I thought we were getting in and out of the huddle quickly. I thought it was really good first exposure for him for the season.”
Clifford, a rookie out of Penn State, got most of the playing time for Green Bay after Love took a seat. He directed three touchdown drives but was also intercepted twice by Bengals safety Tycen Anderson, who brought the first one back 43 yards for the Bengals’ only TD of the game.
Clifford finished 20 for 26 for 208 yards and a touchdown pass to tight end Tyler Davis.
Burrow suffered the calf strain early in camp. He threw some passes before the game, then watched from the sidelines. Coach Zac Taylor said the franchise player is “progressing as he should.”
Browning, who Cincinnati’s practice squad QB last year, played the first half, going 10 for 17 for 95 yards and an interception. Siemian, a 31-year-old veteran signed in May, went 15 for 28 for 121 yards and an interception in the second half.
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NFL PRESEASON
WEEK 1
Friday’s Results
Atlanta 19, Miami 3
Detroit 21, N.Y. Giants 16
Green Bay 36, Cincinnati 19
Pittsburgh 27, Tampa Bay 17
Washington 17, Cleveland 15
Arizona 18, Denver 17
Today’s Games (HST)
Indianapolis at Buffalo, 7 a.m. (KHII)
Tennessee at Chicago, 7 a.m. (NFLN/KFVE)
N.Y. Jets at Carolina, 10 a.m. (NFLN)
Jacksonville at Dallas, 11 a.m.
Philadelphia at Baltimore, 1 p.m. (NFLN/KHII)
L.A. Chargers at L.A. Rams, 3 p.m. (CBS/CW/NFLN)
Sunday’s Games (HST)
Kansas City at New Orleans, 7 a.m. (NFLN/KFVE)
San Francisco at Las Vegas, 10 a.m. (FOX/NFLN)
Note: TV subject to change
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