It was a mixed bag for Jordan Love in the quarterback’s first game back after spraining his MCL Week 1.
After missing two games, the Green Bay Packers signal-caller returned as the team’s starter Week 4. The Pack fell into a 28-point hole early, and Love and company couldn’t quite dig their way out. The Packers wound up losing to the rival Minnesota Vikings, 31-29.
Love went 32-54 for 389 yards, 4 TDs and 3 INTs in the loss, but at one point, concerns emerged about the QB’s previously injured knee.
With under 3:00 remaining in the first half, Love came up limping after taking a hit during a scramble, but he remained in and did play the entire game. The day after the loss to Minnesota, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur gave an update on QB1.
“He’s sore, but he’s doing well,” LaFleur said on September 30.
Packers Coach Matt LaFleur Gives Further Update on Jordan Love
After sitting out more than two weeks, Love was bound to have a little rust to shake off.
Jordan Love appears to have a bit of a limp in his gait as he moves around pic.twitter.com/48KniFDl0e
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 29, 2024
“Sometimes, you just have to go out there and play,” LaFleur said about his QB. “I think he’ll work himself through it. I’m not worried about it. He’ll do everything in his power to get it corrected, and I have full confidence that he will be better.”
For his part, Love says he doesn’t believe his knee affected his play on the field at all.
“It feels fine coming out and as far as affecting me, no, I think I was able to play through it,” Love said after the loss to Minnesota. “I took a hit to it, which (I) had some pain on that, but was able to play the full game.”
Will he play Week 5, when the Packers visit the Los Angeles Rams? “I don’t know, we’ll see. We’ll go through the week and see,” Love said.
When asked if he feels his knee injury is an issue that could continue to linger on for the remainder of the 2024 season, the Packers quarterback gave a candid response.
“I hope not. I hope it’ll continue to heal and get better, but at this moment, yeah there’s definitely something that’s there and it’s one of those things,” Love admitted. “It’s football. We play a physical sport and there’s injuries and you’ve got to fight through some stuff.”
Encouraging Sign: Jordan Love’s 1st Game Back After Knee Injury Went Better as Time Progressed
For what it’s worth, Love played better as the game against the Vikings progressed, completing 13 of 17 passing attempts for 202 yards, 3 TDs and an interception. He made some great throws, but his picks were costly.
“Just wasn’t playing well enough,” Love said. “I think ball placement was a little all over the place today, kinda throughout the whole game. I think it picked up later, but yeah, I think early on, just missed a couple throws and was a little bit off. Made it hard on some of the receivers on some of those plays.”
Backup Malik Willis filled in for Love for two games and had success, leading the Packers to victories over the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans, respectively. It’s unlikely the Packers will start Willis Week 5, but if Love’s knee is still an issue, it’s definitely possible.