GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers are expected to be without their franchise quarterback for the next several weeks.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Jordan Love sprained the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his left knee during Friday night's international bout with the Philadelphia Eagles. While it isn't going to require surgery and more tests will be taken to confirm the initial diagnosis, Love is expected to be shelved anywhere between three to six weeks. There's some optimism that he could return sooner than that, but in the meantime, the Packers are going to evaluate their options.
Matters went from bad to worse Friday night following Love's injury. The Packers trailed by five points with 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter when Love found Jayden Reed for a 33-yard gain, wiping away a chunk of yardage that would position the offense for a Hail Mary attempt. On the very next play, Love was sandwiched by a pair of Eagles defenders—Jalen Carter and Josh Sweat— as he flipped the ball behind him to Josh Jacobs, who managed to scamper for a four-yard gain.
Love remained on the disheveled grass in São Paulo, writhing in pain until the team's medical staff quickly tended to him. Malik Willis, who was acquired via trade from the Tennessee Titans 11 days prior, played the final two snaps, misfiring on a pass to the flat and then getting sacked to end the game.
Head coach Matt LaFleur was asked twice about Love's status following the game and both times, he said, "I don't know."
The Packers already squandered a myriad of opportunities to effortlessly dispose of the Eagles. They were 1-for-4 in the red zone and turned three Jalen Hurts turnovers—two interceptions courtesy of Xavier McKinney and Jaire Alexander and a fumble recovered by Devonte Wyatt—into nine points, or three field goals. That isn't to mention the 10 penalties they committed, repeatedly digging themselves into negative situations that they were unable to climb out of.
"I think week one is always—you don't know what you're going to get," LaFleur said. "It's kind of a slopfest and tonight was certainly that."
NFL.com's Ian Rapoport indicated that Love's MCL injury is between a Grade 1 and Grade 2 sprain. Everything considered, the outcome could've been so much more severe. There's no fracture and his anterior cruciate ligament is intact. Instead of what could've been, the Packers will have an opportunity to see Love return at some point within the next month and rally from there, much like they did a season ago when they lost five of their first seven games. Whether they're winless or have one or two victories under their belt by the time he's back in the lineup, however, remains to be seen.
The Packers host the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 15, travel to Tennessee to face the Titans on Sept. 22, fly back home for a divisional date with the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 29 and then travel to Los Angeles on Oct. 6 for a game against a familiar foe in the Rams. It's a favorable slate and it's certainly ideal that Love's injury occurred so early in the season. 2024 is still salvageable for a team that many declared would be a Super Bowl contender.
If their practice squad elevations on Friday—or lack thereof—tell us anything, it's that the Packers are content with Willis being the team's No. 2 quarterback. Sean Clifford, who is now in his second year in the system after being drafted in the fifth round last year by the Packers, remained on the practice squad. Barring a veteran acquisition which, by all accounts, appears to be unlikely given the short timetable for Love's recovery, Willis will serve as the starting quarterback.
