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Rob Demovsky, ESPN workforce essayist
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The next two consecutive days of limited practice, Jordan Love was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions due to the groin shock that kept him out of the last win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Love, who missed Weeks 2 and 3 of this season due to a sprained left knee, ended up limping in the early closing phase of Sunday’s game. He played the rest of the first half and started the second half before he was on the bench and didn’t drop back, leaving Malik Willis to finish the game.
The Packers (6-2) held Love out of shape Wednesday, but Love said at the time that he believed it was “realistic” that he could play games against the first-place Lions (6-1).
“I think we’ll do it like we always do; give him some playing time and see how he feels,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Friday.
The Packers listed three alternate players as questionable: cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee), cornerback Corey Ballentine (ankle) and running back Josh Jacobs (ankle). Alexander did not submit any applications in the past, but Jacobs returned the next Wednesday without Wednesday’s application. Ballentine practiced all the past.
Halfback Josh Myers (wrist) was listed as doubtful and defenseman Evan Williams was ruled out.
Love was usually listed as doubtful before the Life 2 game he neglected and as a questionable leader in Life 3 (he didn’t play) and Life 4 (when he returned).
Willis took all of the initial reps on Wednesday, but it’s unclear how the practice assignments on Thursday and Friday were divided.
In Willis’ first start in Life 2 against the Colts, LaFleur put together a simplified game plan that leaned heavily toward the run. In the two starts under Willis, and not including his sleep period against the Jaguars, the Packers have made designed runs on 68% of their snaps compared to 41% with Love as the starter.
On the other hand, now that Willis has been here for about two months, the Packers believe he can run an offense that looks closer to what it would be with Love.
“Comparison is the thief of joy; I try not to compare it to what we do,” Willis mentioned this past. “It’s whatever Coach Matt says, and we try to go out and execute the best we can. I do what I can to make sure that if it’s not executed correctly, I do what I can to minimize the risk and take care.” of the ball. That’s all.”
