The Packers left Jacksonville with major injury question marks but got great news once they returned to Green Bay.
Green Bay Packers fans had every right to feel conflicted after their team’s narrow Week 8 win at Jacksonville. Dispatching the pesky Jaguars by a final last second field goal from Brandon McManus was cause for celebration. The injury that knocked quarterback Jordan Love out of the game for good in the third quarter could have been cause for panic in Green Bay.
Love wasn’t the only big-name Packer who exited the game due to injury though. Starting cornerback Jaire Alexander also limped off the field with a leg injury on the team’s last defensive snap of the game. Predictably, medical updates are dominating the Packers’ new cycle this week.
Packers news No. 1: Jordan Love dodges a bullet
Love has already missed two games due to injury this season and when he exited the Jaguars contest it looked like he might be headed for an even longer period on the sidelines. Fortunately for everyone associated with the franchise, it looks like Love could be back as soon as this Sunday’s game against the Lions.
It’s possible that the higher-ups in Green Bay will exercise more caution with Love given his importance to the team’s hopes of making a deep playoff run. They will give him a chance to show he’s ready to go for the big divisional rivalry but any signs of a lingering groin issue this will should see him limited to holding a clipboard against the Lions’ physical front seven.
Any rationale Packers fan would have gladly accepted losing Love for just one game after watching him struggle to move around against Jacksonville. Coming away with just a strained groin is nearly the best case scenario for Love and his teammates. Green Bay can take a big sigh of relief after receiving such good injury news about their most important player.
Packers news No. 2: Jaire Alexander gets good injury news too
Alexander isn’t as important to the Packers as Love is at this stage of their respective careers but his injury was still a major concern for defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and his staff. He is not the dominant cover corner he was earlier in his career but he’s still Green Bay’s top option at cornerback on the outside.
Similar to the case with Love, Alexander also got great news about his injured knee after testing this week. He also has a chance to play against Detroit if his injury responds well to treatment during the week. At the very least, he’s avoided any sort of long-term injury after no significant problems were visible during imaging.
The Packers need to avoid the temptation to rush Alexander back into action on Sunday. Eric Stokes is not an inspiring option behind him on the depth chart but he can hold the secondary together for a week or two. Alexander needs to make sure his knee is 100 percent before he gets back onto the field.
Packers news No. 3: Malik Willis raises his stock again
Willis successfully led the Packers to two starts when Love missed time earlier this year but he hadn’t taken a single snap since Week 3. That heaped pressure onto him when he came on in relief of Love in the third quarter.
Plenty of quarterbacks in his place would have stuck to his coach’s calls without risking audibling into the wrong play. Willis showed real moxie when he decided to make a big change at the line of scrimmage during his team’s final drive. LaFleur called Willis’ decision to audible into a big throw as a play he will “never forget.”
The decision to change the play at the line of scrimmage was arguably more impressive than the throw to Jayden Reed that won Green Bay the game. The completion was aided by Andre Cisco going down with a cramp to open up a major throwing lane. It’s Willis’ mental choice that should define the team’s comeback win over the Jaguars.
Packers news No. 4: LaFleur has a ton of respect for the Lions
Green Bay received good news on the injury front this week but that isn’t helping LaFleur relax. He understands the nature of the challenge facing his team this week. He believes Detroit is “arguably” the best team in the NFL heading into their Sunday afternoon tilt.
That’s a major compliment for a team that will be without star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson. Jared Goff’s efficient quarterback play combined with the brutal physicality the Lions play with on both sides of the ball make them a dangerous opponent capable of playing different styles. Green Bay will enter the game as home underdogs against Detroit which is a rarity for a team that’s defended Lambeau Field at such a high level in recent years.
If the Packers are going to engineer an update they will need to control the ball and prevent Detroit from dominating the game with their rushing attack. Green Bay cannot afford to let Jahmyr Gibbs run wild if they want to keep up with Detroit’s offense. The philosophy the Packers utilize to combat the Lions will hinge greatly on who they are able to deploy at the quarterback position.
Packers fans shouldn’t be surprised if LaFleur pulls some trick plays deep out of the playbook to try to score the big win. His respect for Detroit is warranted but Green Bay cannot afford to play scared if they want to win the marquee matchup.