Packers’ Jordan Love Returning to Play Against Vikings on Sunday

The Green Bay Packers are not elevating Sean Clifford from the practice squad, meaning Jordan Love will be back in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love is back. He will play against the Vikings on Sunday. / Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In the biggest non-transaction of the NFL season, the Green Bay Packers did not elevate quarterback Sean Clifford to the gameday roster on Saturday.

That means Jordan Love will be back in action for Sunday’s NFC North showdown against the Minnesota Vikings.

A source confirmed the news to Packers On SI with a GIF of Love being introduced at Lambeau Field.

Love missed the last two games with a sprained MCL in his left knee. He practiced all last week and said he was “pretty close” but was inactive against the Titans. He practiced all this week as limited participation, as well, and has been given the green light.

So, just like the season-opening game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil – the game in which Love was injured during the final seconds – the Packers will face the undefeated Vikings with Love and Malik Willis as the quarterbacks.

Presumably, Love will start but there could be a package of plays for Willis, who ranks second in yards per passing attempt and first in yards per rushing attempt.

From one perspective for the Packers, the victories that Willis led over the Colts and Titans has the team in good shape, regardless of the outcome of Sunday’s NFC North matchup. The goal isn’t just to get to the postseason but to be healthy and playing your best football headed into January.

Giving Love one more week to get as close to 100 percent healthy as possible – and avoiding the NFL’s top-ranked pass rush – would have been a nod to the big-picture reality.

On the other hand, the Packers could be two games behind Minnesota in the NFC North and in third place in the division if they lose. Even at 2-1 entering this game, Green Bay is in eighth place in the NFC standings. It’s early, obviously, but the Packers don’t want to be too far off the pace.

The Packers’ training staff is usually conservative in their return-to-play policy, so they must believe Love can play with minimal risk of aggravating the injury.

This game against Minnesota or next week against the Rams have been the target for Love’s return.

“I’m trying to push it and I’ve been trying to get back as fast as I can, no matter who the opponent was,” Love said this week. “But definitely, you look at this week and NFC North opponent, 3-0 team, really good team, so definitely it would mean a lot to get back and push myself to get back for this game.”

The key for Love will be focusing on the Vikings’ diverse and dynamic defense and not the knee that was injured three weeks ago.

“The mental aspect of having an injury and trying to overcome it and knowing that you’re not going to be 100 percent, that’s kind of the territory you’re in, and dealing with the injury is knowing you’re not going to be 100 percent,” Love said this week.

“Definitely not putting any weight on trying to protect yourself. Not thinking about reinjuring myself or the risk of that, just going out there and playing and, if it happens, it happens. Just control what I can control at the end of the day and try and protect myself as best I can and just hope those things don’t happen.”

With a brace on his left knee, Love’s mobility could be hindered against a Minnesota defense that has a league-leading 16 sacks, with at least five in victories against the Giants, 49ers and Texans to start the season.

“There’s a lot of things you got to take into consideration with that,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said. “It’s whether you can get the ball out of your hands faster. Continue to run the ball well; I think that’s going to be a big thing and kind of take the pressure off him.

“But there’s going to be situations where we’re going to have to throw the ball. We’re just evaluating the process of his injury and how he looks at practice and stuff to see can he do those things when he’s out there. That’s the biggest thing--can he run around? Can he make those plays? We don’t want to put him out there if he can’t. So that’s kind of what we’re looking at.”

Love and the Packers lost at home to Minnesota last year but routed the Vikings at Minnesota in Week 17.

“It would be special” to make his return at Lambeau, he said. “It would be my first home game here in Lambeau, playing. It would definitely mean a lot. It was tough to watch, obviously, the Colts game from the sideline but it’s part of it, part of the injury process and playing the game, so if I’m ready to go, I’m definitely going to be very excited, very ready.”

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It's #Packers vs. #Vikings on Sunday in a big game at Lambeau.

Here are three reasons why they'll win:https://t.co/aiJ0zx3j67

And three reasons why they'll lose:https://t.co/9b8iIJEalU

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 28, 2024

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