Jordan Love may return from his Week 1 MCL damage earlier than anticipated.
In reality, the Inexperienced Bay Packers quarterback has a “50-50” likelihood of taking part in in opposition to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday (1 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports activities app), ESPN reported Thursday. Love practiced on Wednesday, marking the primary time since he suffered an MCL sprain within the Packers’ Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He was formally listed as a restricted participant.
Following Wednesday’s apply, Love told reporters that he is “feeling rather a lot higher.” Nevertheless, he mentioned he is taking his knee damage “day-to-day” and did not reveal what his standing for Sunday’s recreation can be.
“The trainers are seeing all the things I am doing, and so they’re not gonna put me on the market until they really feel assured that I can shield myself,” Love mentioned. “However on the similar time, that is why it is good to get some apply reps in and get that really feel of what it is like once more.”
Whether or not Love performs on Sunday, his quick progress is a little bit of a shock. When he went down with the MCL sprain, it was initially reported that he would miss at the least three weeks and might be out for as many as six weeks.
Love admitted Wednesday that the thought that his season might be over crossed his thoughts when he suffered the damage, describing it as “very painful.”
“When it occurred, it was a type of issues that was very scary,” Love mentioned. “Not understanding what occurred. I had a torn meniscus in school, however I’ve by no means had an ACL [injury] or something like that. I did not know what that felt like. I did not know what it is perhaps. So, plenty of ideas.”
Love was seen carrying a protecting brace throughout Wednesday’s apply, an indication that he nonetheless is not 100%. Packers coach Matt LaFleur did not say if Love was engaged on a rep rely, both. However Love is aware of that apply alone may not totally put together him to play in a recreation each time he returns.
“There’s simply nothing like when it is dwell bullets, you are within the recreation and that rush is actual, so there’s plenty of issues I may not expertise earlier than I get again within the recreation,” Love mentioned.
On the very least, it does look like Love has likelihood of taking part in in Week 4 in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings. That matchup has grow to be an vital early-season conflict, with Minnesota leaping out to a stunning 2-0 begin within the post-Kirk Cousins period. Inexperienced Bay additionally has video games in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams, Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans within the following three weeks. Ideally, the Packers would wish to have the quarterback they made one of many highest-paid gamers within the NFL this offseason in a position to begin every of these video games.
Malik Willis, Packers maintain off Colts with out Jordan Love
First, the Packers need to get by means of the Titans. Whereas Tennessee is 0-2 and Inexperienced Bay was in a position to beat the Indianapolis Colts with out Love final week, the Titans are aware of the quarterback who would begin instead of Love if he cannot go on Sunday. Malik Willis was drafted by the Titans within the third spherical of the 2022 NFL Draft, however was traded to the Packers for a seventh-round choose in August.
Willis is not viewing Sunday’s matchup as a potential revenge recreation, although.
“I might care much less, man,” Willis mentioned. “I believe I bought paid the entire time I used to be there. I am greater than blessed for the alternatives given me. They introduced me into this league, whether or not these guys are there or not. That group, they took a shot on me. … They did a terrific job by me.”
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