As you know, Jordan Love’s playing status is under wraps until 10:30 central Sunday morning, barring a setback, when the Green Bay Packers announce their inactive players for the game in Nashville.
Everyone has an opinion about what the Pack will do or what they should do. Whether Love plays this week or not, it’s inarguably a great sign that he is practicing this week, even at Thursday’s padded practice, where he was equipped with a heavier, stronger brace for his knee than the one he wore on Wednesday.
It seems almost certain that he’ll start next week’s big divisional matchup with the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau. The idea of Malik Willis dealing with Brian Flores’ deceptive, attacking, blitzing defense should keep most of us up all night.
Put me in the camp that doesn’t think Love will play this week. Everything we know about this organization’s medical decisions in the past points to a more conservative approach. There’s so much of the schedule in front of them, and a road loss to an AFC team would not be a season killer. It’s not that I don’t believe the Pack can’t beat the Tennessee Titans without Love; I just don’t think they will.
Lots of reasons why. Let’s start with the 0-2 Tennessee Titans, who know that an 0-3 start is basically a postseason deal breaker. New coach Brian Callahan got in his young quarterback’s business following a second-straight brain fart last Sunday that might be all that separates this team from a 2-0 record.
Will Levis seems to melt down at the worst possible moments. He served up a pick-six late in Chicago on a misguided shovel pass. Last weekend, he fumbled a pitch to his running back in the red zone, saving the New York Jets from falling to 0-2.
The team has done all it can to help Levis out, signing offensive weapons Calvin Ridley, Tony Pollard, and Tyler Boyd in free agency. They spent their first-round pick on left tackle J.C. Latham to begin addressing the roster’s greatest weakness, the offensive line. Still, the Packers should have the advantage in this matchup, especially Rashan Gary, who will line up against matador right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere. He had a historically bad day last week, surrendering 13 pressures in 35 snaps.
When Levis is under pressure, he serves up gifts to the defense. He’s no statue, but after facing Jalen Hurts and Anthony Richardson the first two weeks, Gary, Preston Smith, and the other pass rushers must be happy to see Levis, Sam Darnold, and Matthew Stafford up next. The team’s tepid pass rush through two weeks (just three sacks) is a function of the scheme to make sure the QBs didn’t run wild.
Green Bay’s defense may not be piling up the sacks, but it is piling up the takeaways, with a league-leading six so far. That’s a far cry from last year’s defense, which picked off seven passes all season; they already have five so far. Tennessee will look to attack the Pack on the ground, but they like to rotate Pollard and Tyjae Spears. Spears is banged up, missing some practice time this week with an ankle injury.
The question of the day is, what can Green Bay’s offense do against the top-ranked Titans defense if Willis is under center? You can bet they won’t come close to 53 rush attempts again (maybe ever).
Tennessee is tough up the middle, with rookie nose tackle T’Vondre Sweat turning heads and linebacker Ernest Jones, acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams right before the season. Their entire linebacking group is strong, and they traded for former Kansas City Chiefs stud corner L’Jarius Sneed in the offseason to beef up their back end. New DC Dennard Wilson, formerly with the Baltimore Ravens, was on my short list that I handed to Matt LaFleur. He’s off to a very good start.
It’s another stiff test for LaFleur and Co., and I think the timing works against the Pack. They’ll face an angry, motivated defense that knows it’s held up its end of the bargain. It’s been a fluky pair of games for the Titans, both 24-17 losses. They’re the first team in 22 years to have a punt blocked, a pass intercepted, and a fumble lost in back-to-back games.
The Pack will feed Josh Jacobs again and will likely use a long list of other ball carriers, the same as last week. I’m curious to see what new roster addition Chris Brooks looks like out of the backfield as he takes the perennially injured MarShawn Lloyd’s spot for the next month. LaFleur couldn’t say enough good things about him.
They will have to throw the ball more than 14 times, that’s for sure. Willis isn’t looking at this as a revenge game – that’s something the fans like to do — and he made it clear that he holds no ill will toward the organization. He’s too nice a guy to roll that way. Still, you have to believe a small part of him hopes he can show what he has in his bag of tricks to the team that gave him away for a cup of coffee.
It’s going to be another brutally hot afternoon. Last week’s game had most of the linemen vomiting, which caused most to take it very easy in practice this week. The Pack had 12 guys on the injured list for most of the week, with Jordan Morgan and Carrington Valentine the most likely to miss a little time. The team’s inability to practice like they’d like also factors into my pessimism this week.
If Love plays, I give the Pack a chance to sneak out of Nashville with a close win. But I believe it will be Willis, and I think the Titans’ D will make things a little too tough for him and the offense.
Titans 20
Packers 16
