The Green Bay Packers will be without starting quarterback Jordan Love when they take the field Saturday night against the Baltimore Ravens. Love has been ruled out with a concussion suffered during the team’s Week 16 loss to the Chicago Bears - a game in which he exited in the second quarter after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit on a sack.
With Love sidelined, Malik Willis is expected to get the start under center for Green Bay. Willis stepped in to finish last week’s game and now finds himself leading a Packers offense that, despite clinching a playoff berth just days ago, still has plenty to prove heading into the postseason.
The timing of the injury is far from ideal, but the Packers caught a break Thursday when the Detroit Lions fell to the Minnesota Vikings, officially punching Green Bay’s ticket to the playoffs. That gives head coach Matt LaFleur a bit more flexibility in how he manages his roster this weekend. Still, with reps at a premium and momentum key heading into January, expect the Packers to approach this game with purpose - even with their QB1 on the sideline.
On the other side, the Ravens are dealing with quarterback uncertainty of their own. Lamar Jackson is listed as doubtful with a back injury, setting the stage for Tyler Huntley to get the start.
Huntley has seen action in relief before and knows this offense well, but the stakes are high. Baltimore is in the thick of the playoff race and can’t afford to drop a winnable game, even on the road.
So what we’ve got at Lambeau is a rare late-season matchup between two playoff-caliber teams, both turning to their backup quarterbacks in a game that carries weight - particularly for Baltimore. It’s a test of depth, preparation, and poise under pressure. And for Malik Willis, it’s a golden opportunity to show he can keep the Packers’ offense on track, even with the postseason already locked in.
Saturday night might not feature the marquee quarterback duel fans were hoping for, but it’s shaping up to be a gritty, high-stakes battle - the kind of game where unsung players can step up and shift the narrative heading into the playoffs.