Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur couldn’t provide a specific update on Jordan Love’s groin injury, but he did say there is an elevated concern level within the team after Love had to exit the game early in the second half during Sunday’s win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Love suffered a lower-body injury while extending a play to his right during the first series. He battled through the injury but ended up going down following a play and exiting the game during the Packers’ first drive of the second half.
“Obviously, high level of concern,” LaFleur said. “He did it early in the first drive. I think everybody could see him struggling to move around. It got to a point, he didn’t feel like he could protect himself, so we went with Malik.”
Love left the game after completing 14 of 22 passes for 196 yards and an interception. He was laboring through pain and stuck with limited mobility throughout the first half, and he eventually went down after getting bumped following a play in the third quarter.
Willis entered the game and led a pair of touchdown drives, including one to re-take the lead at 20-17 and another following a turnover to extend the lead to 27-17. After the Jaguars tied the game at 27, Willis hit Jayden Reed on a 51-yard completion to set up the game-winning field goal.
“Can’t say enough great things about Malik Willis,” LaFleur said. “The moment is never too big for him.”
The Packers improved to 6-2 with a fourth consecutive victory. The Jaguars fell to 2-6 — with four of the losses by five or fewer points, including Sunday’s.
“We knew this was going to be a battle,” LaFleur said.
With a win in the rear-view mirror, all eyes now turn to Love’s injury status.
The Packers host the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions next Sunday at Lambeau Field. An update on Love might not arrive until Monday, when LaFleur answers questions from the media in his day after press conference, or even Wednesday, when the Packers practice for the first time and release the first injury report of Week 9.