The Green Bay Packers may have to continue without quarterback Jordan Love for a while.
Love hurt his left groin during the first drive against Jacksonville and had to leave the game in the third quarter. He watched from the sidelines as backup Malik Willis helped the Packers secure a 30-27 win.
Coach Matt LaFleur expressed “high level of concern” about Love’s injury, especially since he had missed two games earlier in the season due to a sprained left knee.
With Love sidelined, Willis completed a key 51-yard pass to Jayden Reed, which set up Brandon McManus for his second game-winning kick in consecutive weeks. Willis finished the game completing 4 of 5 passes for 56 yards, including a touchdown.
“The moment’s never too big for him and he made a lot of big-time plays in this game, not only with his arm,” LaFleur said.
Willis found Reed wide open down the left sideline after safety Andre Cisco fell due to cramping.
“I already knew I was going to be open before the play was even called,” Reed said.
This play was crucial for the Packers (6-2), especially after Trevor Lawrence’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Evan Engram tied the game.
Engram caught the ball in a crowded area, giving the Jaguars (2-6) a surge of momentum. However, LaFleur called a clever play on the next down that made the difference.
Jacksonville attempted to let the Packers score, but Chris Brooks went down to help set up McManus’ 24-yard field goal.
Josh Jacobs rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns for Green Bay, including a 38-yard run where he skillfully dodged defenders Ventrell Miller and De’Antre Prince.
“He’s a stud isn’t he?” LaFleur said. “The physicality that he runs with. … He is a pro’s pro. I can’t say enough great things about him. We’re lucky to have a guy like that, the way he comes in and communicates and works and demands it of himself but demands it of others as well.”
Lawrence brought Jacksonville back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter and tied the game at 27 with his pass to Engram. However, the Jaguars might not have needed to come back if Lawrence and his teammates hadn’t made so many mistakes.
Lawrence fumbled at the 5-yard line and threw an interception. The Jaguars also kept two Green Bay drives going with penalties.
“We’ve got to play cleaner,” said Lawrence, who completed 21 of 32 passes for 308 yards.
