Packers’ hopes wobble as early injuries to star players against the Giants spark urgent alarm across the team.QQ
Quarterback Jordan Love and running back Josh Jacobs suffered mid-game injuries against the Giants at MetLife Stadium.
Jordan Love might be somewhat injured again. During the first quarter of the Green Bay Packers’ game against the New York Giants, the quarterback suffered a left shoulder injury after being hit on a four-yard run.
Initially, Love went to the blue medical tent on the sidelines. After a few minutes, he ran to the Packers’ locker room and was declared questionable to return. He returned to the field on the next drive, though, which is a major relief for Green Bay.
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Malik Willis entered the game for the Packers on that second drive, and the team doesn’t have a third emergency quarterback — Clayton Tune is on the practice squad, and the quarterback has to be on the 53-man roster to act as the emergency QB.
Another reason for concern
Right after Love went to the locker room, running back Josh Jacobs followed him. The star weapon has a knee injury and was also declared questionable to return — he had been sent to the blue tent before, returned to the game, and left it again. The Packers have Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks as the other active running backs.
After halftime, Jacobs was ruled out by the Packers.
Bad trend
Last year, Love had a season full of injuries. In Week 1, he suffered an MCL injury and missed the following two games. That injury, though, affected his entire season to some extent.
Love would end up having groin and elbow injuries at different points of the season, forcing Willis to play significant snaps in four games, starting two, and appearing in seven games total.
The Packers’ offense has handled its fair share of injuries this year as well. Tight end Tucker Kraft is out for the season with an ACL injury, and wide receiver Jayden Reed has been out since Week 2 with a broken collarbone.
Willis has been an effective and reasonable option for a backup quarterback. On his first drive against the Giants, he led the offense down the field and threw a touchdown pass to Christian Watson, tying the game.
But losing Love and Jacobs for any amount of time would obviously be the worst possible outcome for the Packers’ offense. Love is in his third season as the Packers’ full-time starting quarterback, his sixth season in the NFL. Meanwhile, Willis is in the final year of his rookie contract, being acquired by the Packers from the Tennessee Titans for a seventh-round pick right before the 2024 regular season.
