The Green Bay Packers announced on Saturday that they’ve downgraded quarterback Jordan Love to doubtful ahead of their Week 2 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts. Love was originally questionable for Sunday’s game with an MCL sprain.
Love hadn’t practiced at all during the week but Packers head coach Matt LaFleur did continue to keep the door open in regards to Love’s availability against the Colts.
With Love out, the Packers will now start Malik Willis at quarterback. The Colts not fully knowing all week whether it was going to be Love or Willis under center did force them to game plan for both–something Shane Steichen discussed on Friday.
Willis has made just three starts and appeared in 12 games in his two-plus years in the NFL, completing only 52 percent of his 67 pass attempts at just over 5.0 yards per throw with three interceptions.
Willis just arrived in Green Bay a little over two weeks ago. That, coupled with his limited NFL experience, does create some added challenges when it comes to game-planning because there is very little to go off of when trying to decipher how the Packers might utilize him.
Whether or not Willis can capitalize on the opportunities remains to be seen, but he will have plenty of playmaking help around him in the passing game with the Packers deep group of receivers, who will have a major matchup advantage over the Colts’ secondary.
Regardless of how Gus Bradley decides to defend Willis, what the Colts have to do is find a way to limit Josh Jacobs and the Green Bay run game. Success on the ground can take a lot off of Willis’ shoulders. The goal for the Colts should be to put the ball in his hands and not have it end up in Jacobs, who averaged 5.3 yards per carry in Week 1.
For more on how the Colts could go about defending Willis, click here.