Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has some challenging decisions to make ahead of this week’s regular season finale against the Minnesota Vikings. One of those choices involves his quarterbacks. With both Jordan Love and Malik Willis struggling with injuries and the game having no impact on the Packers playoff position and opponent, it may be tempting to sit Love or Willis or even both. Here is how Packers coach Matt LaFleur should handle Jordan Love and the quarterback situation this week.
How Packers Coach Matt LaFleur Should Handle Jordan Love: How We Got Here
Love suffered a concussion after a helmet-to-helmet hit by the Bears Austin Booker in Week 16. While the starting quarterback practiced last week, he did not clear concussion protocol in time for the game against the Ravens. In fact, as of Monday evening, the Packers have yet to announce that Love is out of concussion protocol. Until he is cleared by doctors, he will not be able to play. Obviously, if the doctors don’t clear Love, there will be no decision to make.
But if Love is cleared, LaFleur has to decide whether to play him and if so, for how long. There are other factors that need to be taken into consideration. Willis remains the team’s second quarterback. But Willis injured his right shoulder against the Bears and aggravated that injury against Baltimore. Obviously, the Packers need to make sure one of these two quarterbacks are ready to start their playoff game in less than two weeks.
The third quarterback is Clayton Tune who saw his first action with the team after being elevated from the practice squad for the Ravens game. Tune has made just one start in his brief NFL career. He is not considered ready to be a quality NFL starter at this stage of his career.
The Considerations
Obviously, ensuring Love and Willis are both healthy for the playoff game remains the top consideration. But there are other factors involved here. The Packers have now lost three straight games and the team’s confidence is flagging. Losing a fourth straight game would hardly be the ideal way to enter the playoffs regardless of who their opponent is.
If Love doesn’t play, he will have been out of the lineup for three weeks and will have missed 2 ½ games before the playoff contest. Would that make him a bit rusty before the game? Keeping him out of the lineup against the Vikings may reduce his effectiveness a week later in the playoffs.
Of course, if Love plays and gets hurt again, you will have jeopardized your starting quarterback in a meaningless game. Packers fans recall only too well what happened last season to wide receiver Christian Watson. Watson played in Week 18 and tore his ACL. Not only did the team’s top wideout miss the playoff game against the Eagles, but he also required surgery and remained out until late October of this season.
How Packers Coach Matt LaFleur Should Handle Jordan Love: The Best Option
The best option for LaFleur would be to play Love if he is cleared, but to limit the number of plays he’s on the field. Treating this like a preseason game for Love would be the ideal solution. His very presence on the field would give the rest of the team an emotional boost. Let him play a series or two and then take him out of the game. This would be especially effective if Love leads the team on a scoring drive. It would allow him to get back up to game speed while still reducing the risk of injury.
If Willis isn’t ready, let Tune finish the game and rest as many injured players as possible. The outcome of the game is meaningless and if the team knows they are resting key players, a loss will not be as discouraging for them.
This middle ground approach helps Love get back into the flow, gives the team confidence and minimizes risk. LaFleur would be wise to go this route if Love is cleared to play.
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