The Green Bay Packers could be back to full strength under center by this weekend.
That’s the hope of recently injured quarterback Jordan Love who returned to practice on Wednesday, September 18, just 12 days after he sprained his MCL against the Philadelphia Eagles‘ late in the Packers’ Week 1 loss.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported via “NFL Live” on Wednesday that Love is “hopeful” to play in the team’s Week 3 road matchup against the Tennessee Titans.
Love spoke to reporters following the practice session, during which he praised the job the offense did against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, shouting out backup QB Malik Willis in particular.
“I think Malik did a great job,” Love said. “What we did last week gives everybody more confidence going forward if I’m not there this week.”
Schefter added that Love now appears on track to return against either the Minnesota Vikings in Week 4 or the Los Angeles Rams in Week 5 if he is unable to get back onto the field by this Sunday.
“I’m hopeful that I can get to that point where I can get in there, but we’re just going to take it day by day,” Love added.
Packers Ran Football at Near Historic Pace Against Colts
Willis had a good afternoon against the Colts in what was clearly a limited role by design of the Packers coaching staff. The QB finished the game 12-of-15 for 122 yards and 1 TD, while also rushing the football 6 times for 41 yards.
Green Bay focused on its rushing attack in a nearly historic fashion, amassing a total of 53 attempts (including unplanned QB scrambles) for 261 yards as a team.
“The Colts sat there in four-down fronts and let the Packers run every run game design under the sun: read options, reverses, single-wing foolishness,” Benjamin Solak of ESPN wrote. “The Packers totaled 164 rushing yards in the first quarter and 237 in the first half before the Colts circled the wagons. By then, the damage was done.”
Solak added that the 49 called rushes by Green Bay’s offense were just 1 attempt short of the all-time record, which the Chicago Bears set against the Baltimore Ravens in a 2017 matchup.
Packers Will Likely Need to Pass More in Week 3 if Jordan Love Can’t Return
It is unlikely that the Titans, or any future opponent the Packers might play without Love, is going to allow Green Bay the freedom to run the way it did against Indianapolis.
As such, Willis is likely to have his number called more frequently if he is on the field instead of Love this Sunday. That will, at the very least, create more opportunities for mistakes.
The Packers eked past the Colts by 6 points at home in Week 2, but next Sunday in Tennessee has the makings of a considerably different matchup and potentially different outcome.
Another layer of intrigue to the game is that the Titans traded Willis, a third-round pick of theirs in 2022, to the Packers in late August for a 2025 seventh-round selection.
