The Green Bay Packers got a scare last Friday when starting quarterback Jordan Love suffered a leg injury with six seconds remaining in the São Paulo NFL matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Love was in a ton of pain and while everyone initially feared that his season might be over, doctors confirmed that Love’s knee stayed intact and the Packers’ QB1 suffered an MCL sprain. Will Love play in Week 2, and if not, how long will he be out?
Will Jordan Love Play in Week 2?
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur turned heads this week when he left the door open for Love to potentially play in Week 2.
“I’d say it’s pretty open…” LaFleur said. “But at the same time, he’s gotta be cleared.”
Love was initially listed as questionable for Sunday’s contest against the Indianapolis Colts, but he has since been downgraded to doubtful.
It’s possible this is just gamesmanship and the Packers were just trying to make things tougher for the Colts from a preparation standpoint. However, if it’s true that Love had a shot at playing this week, that would be a great sign.
While avoiding a tear anywhere in the knee is incredible news, Love is still expected to miss a few weeks as he heals from the MCL sprain.
The typical timeframe for this type of injury is 3-6 weeks. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Love is aiming for a Week 5 return, but there’s some optimism that he could return even sooner.
Who Will Step Up In Love’s Absence?
If Love is out, what does that mean for the Packers’ offense?
Backup quarterback Malik Willis entered the game for the final six seconds against the Eagles. Willis will start in Love’s absence even though he’s brand new to the team. Green Bay sent the Tennessee Titans a 2025 seventh-round pick for Willis at the end of the 2024 preseason.
Willis has made just three career starts (all in 2022 for the Tennessee Titans). In those games, he posted a 39.0 Passer Rating while averaging just 4.8 yards per attempt (0 touchdowns and 3 interceptions). For reference, Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young was the lowest-graded quarterback in 2023, with a 73.7 Passer Rating and 5.5 yards per attempt.
Should Willis struggle or not be ready to take over for an entire game since he’s only been with the organization for just over two weeks, Sean Clifford is currently on the roster and ready to fill in at a moment’s notice. Clifford was drafted by Green Bay in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
While the familiarity of the playbook can be an advantage, Willis showed his dual-threat ability in the preseason. That could end up being an advantage in a short-term starting stint.