It’s a windy Saturday night in Chicago, ideal conditions for the meeting of two of the NFL’s most historic franchises on a rare weekend in which the meeting of the two century-old rivals actually means something. The Packers are playing the Bears with first place in the NFC North on the line and, in a worst-case scenario situation for Green Bay, quarterback Jordan Love was knocked out of a very tense game with just over eight minutes to play in the second quarter.
The play was called for unsportsmanlike conduct on the Bears defender who hit Love, Austin Booker. But it drew outrage from Bears fans who noted that it was Love who dropped his head into Booker, who did not appear to be targeting Love. Either way, the penalty stood.
Love, according to the team, was evaluated for a concussion and ruled out. He was replaced in the game by backup Malik Willis, who started two games for the Packers in 2024 while Love was out with a knee injury, and won both of those starts.
Willis, primarily an option/running quarterback, led the Packers on a field-goal drive after Love was injured and helped the team take a 6-0 halftime lead.
Packers’ Matt LaFleur Has Confidence in Jordan Love Backup
Packers coach Matt LaFleur has consistently projected confidence in Willis, though he is not much of a thrower and keeps the team’s offense mostly limited to the ground.
On the Fox Sports broadcast, sideline reporter Erin Andrews said that LaFleur did not find much of a challenge in going to Willis, because of the level of familiarity the team has with him.
“I spoke with Matt LaFleur and he said he is comfortable with the majority of what we have,” Andrews said. “The guy has been here for almost two years, he has got a good grasp on our playbook, you saw that drive right there–he did a good job. The biggest thing for us, much last week against Denver, we need to finish in the red zone.”
Indeed, the Packers had three trips in the red zone in the first half and came away with two field goals and a turnover on downs.
GettyHead coach Matt Lafleur of the Green Bay Packers
Malik Willis Was ‘Impressive’ in 2024
Willis was 40-for-54 passing last season, a 74.1% completion rate, in seven total appearances. He threw for 550 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Willis ran for 138 yards on 20 attempts with another touchdown last season.
One of his better efforts in 2024 came in leading a game-winning late drive in a 30-27 win against Jacksonville after Love suffered a groin injury and had to be removed from the game in the third quarter. Willis hit Jayden Reed with a 51-yard catch-and-run that set up the winning field goal with just over a minute to play.
LaFleur said of Willis’ work then: “It’s been pretty damn impressive, Impressive is the word.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Packers Announce Jordan Love Injury News After Controversial Bears Hit appeared first on Heavy Sports.