Packer Central

Malik Willis, Not Jordan Love, Expected to Start for Packers vs. Titans

According to NFL Network, Malik Willis will start on Sunday when the Green Bay Packers face the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.

Bill Huber

Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis (2) throws a 39-yard pass to wide receiver Romeo Doubs during the fourth quarter vs. the Colts. Willis is expected to start against the Titans.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis (2) throws a 39-yard pass to wide receiver Romeo Doubs during the fourth quarter vs. the Colts. Willis is expected to start against the Titans. / Mark Hoffman/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
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GREEN BAY, Wis. – Jordan Love is not expected to start for the Green Bay Packers in Sunday’s game at the Tennessee Titans.

According to NFL Network, Love set to miss a second consecutive game due to a knee injury, Malik Willis will start against the team that drafted him in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Love was limited participation at practice all week and was questionable on Friday’s injury report. Like last week, the Packers elevated quarterback Sean Clifford from the practice squad on Saturday. Unlike last week, Love wasn’t downgraded to doubtful.

That would signal that Love is close to ready to play – the Packers will host the Minnesota Vikings next week – but he’s not quite healthy enough to risk the franchise quarterback in a game against an AFC team.

Love wore a brace and a sleeve at practice to offer additional protection for the knee injured on Sept. 6 against the Eagles. A key throughout the week was Love’s ability to move in the pocket to keep himself out of harm’s way.

“That just comes down to the workouts and the things I do on the side when I’m not in there practicing, with the trainers, and trying to push myself, whether it’s reacting to pressure in a game or just being in the pocket, being able to take hits, to make sure I’m confident when I do get in the game,” Love said this week.

“The trainers are seeing everything I’m doing, and they’re not going to put me out there unless they feel confident that I can protect myself. That’s why it’s good to get some practice reps in and get that feel of what it’s like again. But, at the same time, there’s just nothing like when it’s live bullets, you’re in the game and that rush is real, so there’s a lot of things I might not experience before I get back in the game.”

During the portions of practice open to reporters this week, Love looked good while on the move. Movement is a big part of Love’s game, even though he didn’t have any rushing attempts before suffering the injury at the end of the Week 1 game in Brazil.

“(Mobility is) a huge part of my game, and that’s one of those things that it’s kind of in the back of your head,” Love said. “You just kind of react when you’re out there, too. There’s not a lot of thought that once I get back out on the field that I’ll just be thinking to protect myself. I’ll just be thinking and reacting and playing it out.”

So, rather than this being The Jordan Love Return Game, it will be The Malik Willis Revenge Game. Willis started three games for the Titans as a rookie, but they drafted Will Levis in last year’s draft, signed Mason Rudolph in free agency this offseason and traded Willis to the Packers last month.

Revenge wasn’t on Willis’ mind, though, as he got ready to potentially face the No. 1-ranked pass defense in the NFL.

“I could care less, man,” he said. “I think I got paid the whole time I was there. I’m more than blessed for the opportunities given me. They brought me into this league, whether those guys are there or not.”

Willis was 12-of-14 passing last week in helping the Packers beat the Colts. While the Josh Jacobs-led rushing game carried the load, Willis did his part by completing 7-of-8 passes on third down with one touchdown and five first downs.

“I’m proud of him,” Love said. “It’s a tough situation. I’ve literally been there (but) didn’t come in two weeks ago like he did where he’s just trying to learn the system and everything. There’s so many moving parts for him, but I’ve been there and it’s tough. I told him everything that I wanted to hear when I was going in, ‘Be confident in yourself, trust everything you see out there, and just go out there and make plays, have fun.’

“It’s an opportunity he’s waited for his whole life. We dream of this opportunity, being an NFL player, so just go out there and have fun, don’t be afraid to make mistakes and things like that. It’s an imperfect game, but I’m proud of the way he went out there and played and made some really big-time throws. That touchdown that he had was a dimer. So, he went out there, protected the ball. I think that was the biggest thing he did, so really proud of him.”

More Green Bay Packers News

Elevated: Sean Clifford | Elevated: Robert Rochell | Josh Jacobs’ fumbling history | Jayden Reed and bait | Jordan Love questionable after practicing again | Does Vegas know something about Love? | NFC North power rankings | Eric Wilson, Edgerrin Cooper need more snaps | Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are “annoying” | Titans’ secondary will challenge Packers | High-priced QBs worth the money? | An intriguing newcomer | “Very scary” - Jordan Love discusses injury

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.