The Green Bay Packers rebounded nicely from their Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, defeating the Indianapolis Colts this past Sunday to get into the win column despite being without starting quarterback Jordan Love. Love, who suffered an MCL sprain late in the Packers opener, is not expected to miss an extended period with Green Bay electing to keep him off the injured reserve.
In Love’s absence, Malik Willis took command of the reigns for Week 2, completing 12 of his 14 pass attempts for 122 yards and one touchdown in the team’s 16-10 victory over the Colts. Willis’ performance should serve as an indicator that he can help the Packers stay afloat while Love recovers.
The wait may not be as long as initially believed, however, with reports emerging that Love has returned to practice in a limited capacity with a chance to play in Week 3. Though the Pack may be eager to get its starting quarterback on the field, it is likely in the team’s best interest to rest Love until he is fully healthy. Giving him more time to return to full form would not only helps the Packers protect the future of their franchise signal-caller, it would add an interesting twist to the team’s Week 3 matchup.
Should Green Bay opt to sit Love out this Sunday, Willis would have the opportunity to lead the Packers against his former Tennessee Titans team in a revenge game.
The Titans took Willis in the third round of the 2022 draft. He started three games in his rookie season before being relegated to a reserve role the following year. After selecting Kentucky QB Will Levis in the 2023 draft, the Titans decided to move on from Willis, trading him to Green Bay for a 2025 seventh-round pick.
If Love doesn’t suit up, Willis would be in a prime position to pull off an ironic feat. The Titans are currently win-less on the year and a defeat at the hands of Willis would certainly sting for an organization that is still figuring out if Levis is their quarterback of the future. Willis has downplayed the idea of proving the Titans wrong stating, “I could care less,” in an interview posted on X by Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.
