The Packers win with backup Malik Willis following Jordan Love's injury

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jordan Love was injured again and Malik Willis did the unimaginable again.

Thanks in part to Willis, who went 2-0 as the backup starter after Love's knee injury in Week 1, the Green Bay Packers pulled off a last-second 30-27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

While the Packers left EverBank Stadium 6-2, impressed that their backup quarterback, who wasn't even with the team until the start of the regular season, pulled off a game-winning walk-off drive, they were limping Starting quarterback suffered a groin injury that makes his status for next Sunday's NFC North showdown against the Lions (6-1) uncertain.

Love, who suffered a groin injury on the game's first drive, finished the first half and limped to the sideline after the first snap of the third quarter and did not return.

The Packers never ruled him out, but he spent the rest of the game on the sidelines. Love, who threw his ninth interception of the second season after showing early signs of a groin injury, did not speak to reporters after the game.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he had “no idea” of the severity of the injury to Love, who missed Weeks 2 and 3 after spraining the MCL in his left knee on the final series of the season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Love is expected to be tested Monday in Green Bay.

“Obviously any time a man is (not) in there there is a lot of concern,” LaFleur said. “And he did it right at the start of that first ride, and I think everyone could see how he was having trouble getting around. And it got to a point where we didn't feel like it anymore, and he didn't feel like he could protect himself.

“So, I chose Malik and you can't say enough great things about Malik Willis, the work he can do to get there.”

The highlight of the play for Willis was a deep ball to Jayden Reed for a 51-yard completion, setting up the game-winning 24-yard field goal by Brandon McManus, who has two last-second scores in two weeks with the Packers has winners.

While Willis threw just five times on four completions for a total of 56 yards (including a 3-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft that gave the Packers a 27-17 lead less than a minute into the fourth quarter) and one throw of 20 yards After setting up a touchdown for Josh Jacobs in the third quarter, everyone raved about his command of the offense on the play against Reed after the game.

“We made a play earlier that countered that a little bit, and we just saw the opening,” Reed said. “So we played it. I knew I would be open before the play was even called. Just great play calls from the coach and great execution from us.”

The Packers used the same offensive alignment on the first two plays of the final drive. The first time, Reed stayed in to block from the right slot and Willis handed the ball off to Jacobs (25 carries for 127 yards and two touchdowns), giving him a 6-yard gain.

Just before the snap on the second play, Willis made a pre-snap adjustment — what the Packers call a “can” — and it worked like a charm. This time, Reed delayed his free kick, perhaps to make the defense think he would stay in to block again, and then turned his cross up the field.

“Not only was it a 'could' play, it was a play that we didn't have in the game plan,” LaFleur said. “We talked about it on Tuesday. We thought there might be something there, decided against it, and then we sent the goalie in earlier and (passing game coordinator Jason) Vrable suggested it. He was like, 'Hey, that looks good.' as if the piece were there.'

“And so we used it on the sidelines. So no repetitions in training. I think that's a huge credit to our guys that they're able to go out there and execute. Jayden Reed, Tucker, the O-line,” the backs, everyone sells it. And then Malik made a pretty cool throw that I'll probably never forget.

Not only was it a play the Packers never ran in practice last week, Willis never took a single snap with the starters in practice.

“The starter needs all the reps,” Willis said. “You get your reps in scouting (team), you get your reps in (individual drills) and you just do what you can to use those mental reps and do everything you can to be ready when You will be asked to do so.”

All three of Willis' extended appearances came against teams from the AFC South. He won a start against the Titans, the team that traded him to Green Bay for a seventh-round pick on August 26, a start against the Colts and now a relief appearance against the Jaguars.

“It was pretty damn impressive,” LaFleur said. “Impressive is the word.”