When Jordan Love fell on the field in Brazil, the feeling around the stands was pure disbelief. Was it Love? What type of injury would it be? It was the quarterback, and when other Green Bay Packers players kneel down in respect, the concern level was extremely high. A promising season for the team was immediately at risk.

It didn't feel better when head coach Matt LaFleur said in the post-game press conference that he didn't know any details. After all, it was some sort of a best-case scenario.

Colin Looney, orthopaedic surgeon at Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee, talked to A to Z Sports about Tennessee Titans' wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins MCL injury, and the explanation is useful for us to understand what happened and what will happen with Jordan Love over the next few weeks.

"An MCL is kind of a blessing in disguise," Looney said. "It's the season-ending injuries that are hard when you're sitting down and talking to an athlete. At least we're talking weeks and not a season."

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"I tell athletes that when they go down with a significant knee injury and they are then told that they have an isolated MCL injury, it can be some of the best news you can receive." Looney added. "MCL injury is definitely more favorable than most ligament injuries of the knee. That's because most MCLs heal on their own. It's a big, broad, flat ligament, it's got a lot of blood supply."

There are three types (or grades) of MCL injuries, but in most cases none of them requires surgery. Based on Love's reported recovery timeline, it's probably a grade two (mild opening, two to four weeks) or three (complete tear, six to eight weeks), and it is expected to heal on its own.

What comes next

Head coach Matt LaFleur said Jordan Love is doing 'everything he can' to be back on the field as soon as possible. According to Dr. Colin Looney, the recovery path starts right after the injury happens.

"As soon as an athlete hurts their MCL on the field, we take them off the field, they're not playing that night," he said. "But then we start immediate rehab on it. So quad sets, getting your quad stronger, straight leg raises, getting your abductors, the muscles around your hip and your core strong. That helps protect it."

The bracing and taping protocols are important to avoid re-injury — or even more significant injuries. If the MCL reopens after a new lateral blow, it restarts the recovery clock, and that's why the knee has to be stable for the player to be cleared.

"We also want to get the motion back and swelling down, because if you don't get that down and you put the athlete back on the field, they're going to get hurt again, and they may hurt something worse than their MCL. They may tear their ACL or other ligaments," Looney stressed. "Therapy is critical, and so we'll always have good work with a good sports therapist."

Matt LaFleur didn't rule Jordan Love out for the Indianapolis Colts game on Sunday, but it's highly unlikely that he will be ready to play. The expectation is that Love will miss at least two games, against the Colts and Tennessee Titans, with a realistic target to return in week 4, against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field.

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