Jordan Love’s tense groin; status uncertain for game against Lions

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Jordan Love’s status is up in the air heading into the Green Bay Packers‘ showdown with the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions, a matchup between the NFC’s two most popular teams.

Love has left the Packers‘ 30-27 win in Jacksonville on Sunday in the third quarter with a groin problem. A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that the quarterback is nursing a groin injury.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Packers I didn’t provide any details about Love’s injury. NFL Network first reported the results of Love’s MRI.

‘If he can go, he will go’ Packers Coach Matt LaFleur said Monday. “So we’ll see where he is at the end of this week. But if we feel like he can’t protect himself then we certainly wouldn’t put him in that position.”

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LaFleur said Love was initially hurt on the first series of the game. Love continued to play until he fell to the ground near the sideline after completing a second-down pass to Josh Jacobs early in the third quarter.

“I just thought it was a tough, rough performance,” LaFleur said.

If Love can’t play on Sunday, the Packers still have reason to feel good about their chances with backup Malik Willis.

Willis has already started two games this season and led the Packers to victories over the Indianapolis foals and Tennessee Titans while Love recovered from a injured left medial collateral ligament.

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He delivered again on Sunday when Green Bay got the ball on its own 30 with 1:48 left in a tie game. Willis is in contact with Jayden Reed on a completion of 51 yards that the Packers in field goal range. Brandon McManus won the game by making a 24-yard field goal as time expired.

Willis’ track record did not suggest that he was capable of doing so when the Packers was given up a seventh-round pick get it from the Titans just before the season. The 2022 third round pick from Liberty had made three starts for Tennessee – all as a rookie – and had not thrown for as many as 100 yards in any of them. He went 35 of 66 with the Titans with three interceptions and no touchdown passes.

He has completed 74.4% of his passes with the Packers for 380 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He has also rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.

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“I’m so impressed with his ability to play in the middle of the game,” LaFleur said. “The moment isn’t that big for him. I don’t think that’s the case for everyone. It seems like his heart rate stays pretty consistent. There were obviously some big plays that he made in that game, and I also think that the belief the team has in him and his ability to lead us is quite evident when you watch us play.”