Source Confirms: Packers QB Jordan Love ‘Expected’ to Play vs. Lions

Not surprisingly, Green Bay Packers quarterback is expected to play through a groin injury on Sunday against the Detroit Lions.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) moves out of the pocket to throw a two-point pass vs. the Lions last year. / Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Jordan Love is “expected” to be in the lineup for the Green Bay Packers for Sunday’s NFC North showdown despite a groin injury, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.

The news, confirmed by a source, came on Love’s 26th birthday.

The news isn’t a surprise. Love practiced in the rain on Thursday and practiced again on Friday. There would be no point in taking valuable practice reps away from Malik Willis if Love wasn’t going to play, especially with the bye next week.

“I think it’s realistic” to play, Love said after not practicing on Wednesday.

Asked on Friday if it was realistic for Love to play, coach Matt LaFleur said only: “He’ll be limited on the report and be questionable for the game.”

The Packers enter Sunday’s game on a four-game winning streak, though it was Willis who helped win the game in relief. Love suffered a groin injury on the opening series at Jacksonville and was knocked out of the game on the first series of the second half.

LaFleur said this week the determination on Love would be based on his quarterback’s ability to protect himself.

“I think just being able to play, move around in the pocket and not trying to hurt myself further by playing. I think that’s what he means by that,” Love said. “But for me, just being able to move around a little bit and just be myself out there playing and not just trying to be stuck in the pocket not being able to move if I need to move, things like that.”

The Packers could have opted to rest Love this week and take advantage of next week’s bye so he’d be closer to full healthy for the Nov. 17 game at the Chicago Bears.

But this is a big game – if the Packers win, they’ll be in first place; if the Packers lose, they’ll be 1 1/2 games behind the Lions – dripping with playoff implications.

Love said the importance of the game “does” play a factor.

“I think it all depends on what the injury is, how you feel going into the week before the game,” Love said. “We’ll monitor it but, obviously, a big division opponent coming up so going to do all I can to try to get back.”

The uncertainty at quarterback forced the Lions to prepare for both quarterbacks.

“It’s a little different but they’re going to lean on what they do well,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said this week when asked about preparing for Love and Willis. “They’re not going to go away from that. That’s kind of your bread and butter, that’s your identity and I think that we’re going to get. There will be some wrinkles to it, but I think we have a pretty good idea of what we’re going to get, no matter who’s in there.”

Of 34 qualifying quarterbacks, Love is No. 1 in touchdown percentage but No. 32 in interception percentage.

Love and the Packers went 1-1 against the Lions last year. In Week 4 at Lambeau, Love threw one touchdown and two interceptions in a two-touchdown loss that really wasn’t even that close. Two months later at Ford Field, Love was 22-of-32 passing for 268 yards with three touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 125.5 rating as the Packers rolled to a big win.

“He does a great job of eyes downfield, giving his receivers a chance to make a play on the ball,” Campbell said. “He’s just really grown and elevated since last year. I know there’s been a few picks in there, but there’s these other parts of his game playing the quarterback position that have really elevated. So, he’s a top-notch dude.”

The Lions and Packers are tied for second in the NFL with 10 interceptions. Safeties Kerby Joseph (five) and Brian Branch (four) have combined for nine.

“They’re definitely ballhawk players,” Love said.

Despite Love’s interceptions and sporadic red-zone play, the Packers are sixth in the NFL in scoring.

“There are so many things” to improve on,” Love said. “You could break down every play of the game and find one little thing that we can improve on. The consistency is definitely the most frustrating part. It’s part of the game, though. There’s highs. There’s lows.

“It’s definitely not ever going to be perfect, but I think when we know there’s mistakes and mental errors that we’re having on our own end. It’s stuff that we can clean up – that’s the frustrating part – so just keep finding that consistency, keep trying to get better, improve on it. But I don’t think we’ve played our best performance yet, so we’re definitely still trying to hunt for that.”

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