Packers quarterback Jordan Love has cleared concussion protocol, but head coach Matt LaFleur will rest his starter in Week 18. With the 9-6-1 Packers locked into the seventh seed in the NFC, they will start third-stringer Clayton Tune against the Vikings on Sunday (via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic).
Love suffered his head injury in a 22-16 loss to the Bears in Week 16. Backup Malik Willis impressed in relief that night and played well again filling in for Love in Week 17, but the Packers fell 41-24 to the Ravens to extend their losing streak to three.
Willis is now dealing with a hamstring injury, making it unclear who will serve as the Packers’ No. 2 QB in their regular-season finale (via Rob Demovsky of ESPN). Desmond Ridder, who joined Green Bay’s practice squad on Wednesday, may back up Tune.
Although the Packers are skidding as they head toward the postseason, it’s a relief for them that Love is healthy again as the wild-card round approaches. Assuming he doesn’t play this week, the fifth-year man will end his regular season with a 66.3% completion rate, 7.7 yards per attempt, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions in 15 games. Love ranks second in QBR (73.4), trailing only Patriots MVP candidate Drake Maye, and seventh in traditional passer rating (101.2).
Tune, 26, is in line for his second NFL start. The Houston product entered the league as a fifth-round pick of the Cardinals in 2023. His lone start came as a rookie against the Browns in Week 9. It didn’t go well for Tune, who completed 11 of 20 passes for a meager 58 yards and two interceptions in a 27-0 loss. He has only attempted six passes in the regular season since then, including four after Willis aggravated a shoulder injury last week. He completed one pass and tossed another pick against the Ravens.
Tune, whom Green Bay signed from its practice squad to its active roster Wednesday, joined the organization after Arizona released him in late August. Four months later, he’ll have an opportunity to start a game for a playoff-bound team.
7th seed and no 1st round picks for the next 2 years.
Yeah, unless they have a lot of unexpected post-season success, this year will have to go down as a disappointment.
Makes sense … these QBs will be ready next week. Will the defense find a way?
Love is gonna come out slinging or be overly conservative. No in between.