Packers HC Matt LaFleur might consider unique QB strategy while Jordan Love isn't 100%
The Green Bay Packers might have Jordan Love or Malik Willis on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. Or they might have both. Head coach Matt LaFleur was pretty clear about this, and using packages of plays for two quarterbacks is a realistic consideration while Love isn't 100% recovered from the MCL sprain he suffered two […]
The Green Bay Packers might have Jordan Love or Malik Willis on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. Or they might have both.
Head coach Matt LaFleur was pretty clear about this, and using packages of plays for two quarterbacks is a realistic consideration while Love isn't 100% recovered from the MCL sprain he suffered two weeks ago in Brazil.
"Yeah, potentially," LaFleur said when asked if he could have packages of plays for two quarterbacks in the same game. "Everything is up in the air."
By LaFleur's tone, it was just coach speak.
L-I-M-I-T-E-D
Matt LaFleur said Jordan Love was limited at practice multiple times throughout the week. Quarterbacks coach Tom Clements and even running back Josh Jacobs followed the trend, showing that there's intentionality behind that word.
An MCL sprain, in fact, limits Love's lateral mobility. If the Packers want to maximize his ability to protect himself on the field, it's fair to expect that Love will play more in the shotgun. By doing this, the quarterback wouldn't have to dropback as much, he wouldn't turn his back to the defense as frequently, and the moves would be safer for the most part.
But Matt LaFleur's scheme is under the center-heavy, because that helps the run concepts, forcing the defense to prepare for runs on both sides.
So it's possible that Jordan Love will be on the field in shotgun or pistol in passing or neutral situations. For clear run situations or specific neutral situations, Malik Willis can get in to play under center or to run some kind of read option/RPO concept.
Throughout his career, Matt LaFleur has never had a situation like this to build a gameplan around two quarterbacks. But considering Jordan Love's particular circumstances and how stylistically different Love and Willis are as players, it makes sense to structure a gameplan around that scenario.
Asked how challenging it was to share snaps between the quarterbacks throughout the week, Matt LaFleur didn't express concern beyond what there usually is for coaching staffs around the league.
"It's always a challenge," LaFleur mentioned. "There's never enough reps for anybody."
If Jordan Love is limited, as the Packers have stressed, using Malik Willis' strengths can be a smart way to circumvent those difficulties against the Tennessee Titans and while the starter isn't fully healthy.
Examples from the tree
While LaFleur himself has never experienced a situation like this, we have seen a clear example of how it can work. In 2021, right after selecting Trey Lance with the third overall pick, head coach Kyle Shanahan used the athletic quarterback as a run threat — he even scored a touchdown against the Packers that year, while Jimmy Garoppolo was the starting quarterback.
The blueprint is there, and Green Bay can have different elements on the table to make things harder for Tennessee.
Packers keep the door open to have Jordan Love against the Titans
Quarterback got injured during the game in Brazil in week 1
