Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love did not take part in Wednesday’s practice, but coach Matt LaFleur reiterated that Love is still expected to play in Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts despite a knee injury.
“I would say she’s pretty open,” LaFleur said Wednesday. “She’s doing great. She’s spending a lot of time in the weight room.”
Is LaFleur simply goading the Colts into thinking Love could play? LaFleur spent most of his press conference saying backup Malik Willis would start, and his caveat about Love’s potential availability is that he still needs to be cleared by doctors to play.
“At the same time, he has to get cleaned up,” LaFleur said. “We have to feel like he can defend himself. He has to be confident enough to go out there and do it. Until that happens, we’re not even going to think about it.”
LaFleur said Love will not have to practice during the week to play against the Colts, so even missing practice on Thursday and Friday does not guarantee he will not be able to play on Sunday.
Love sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee during the Packers’ Week 1 loss. He was the only player on the team unable to participate in Wednesday’s practice, the team’s first of Week 2.
LaFleur said the Packers work challenging — both before and after practices — to keep Willis up to speed, comfortable with the game plan and know that Willis enjoys the game.
Both Willis and Sean Clifford took part in first-team replays during training on Wednesday.
The Packers host the Colts in their opener at Lambeau Field on Sunday, with kickoff scheduled for noon in Green Bay. It’s possible we won’t learn more about Love’s status until the final injury report is released Friday afternoon, or even the inactive list is released 90 minutes before kickoff on Sunday.
