(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 16: Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers in action against the New York Giants during their game at MetLife Stadium on November 16, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
For the Packers, the end result of a 27-20 win over the Giants–no matter how unsightly the quality of play–is especially gratifying because of how close the season was to falling apart completely. That’s because, with 3:20 to play in the first quarter of the game, star quarterback Jordan Love took a particularly hard hit on a short run-scramble.
The hit came from Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles after a four-year jaunt, a play on which Love made no attempt to slide. It was a legal whack from Flannigan-Fowles but it was clear from the moment Love went down that he was injured. He scurried to the medical tent on the sideline, replaced by backup Malik Willis.
For coach Matt LaFleur, the good news is that Love is coping well now that the team is back in Green Bay. “He’s doing good. Obviously, he’s definitely sore,” LaFleur said.
Seeing Love take that kind of hit in service of a four-yard pickup, though, warranted a stern rebuke from LaFleur.
Packers’ Matt LaFleur to Jordan Love: ‘You Can’t Put Yourself in Those Situations’
Here’s how the coach saw the play, which was essentially the equivalent of the Packers’ 2025 flashing before his eyes.
“I mean, that was a pretty big hit, one of those that you just say, ‘C’mon, man. You can’t put yourself in those situations,’” LaFleur said with a laugh.
Love, despite the injury, came back and led the Packers to a gritty victory. “I thought he played his (expletive) off yesterday, I really did,” LaFleur said. “I thought he was throwing accurately. He showed a ton of toughness in the pocket. I mean, there were multiple times he was getting hit pretty good in the pocket and he was making throws.
“I was really proud of his ability to come back in the game and just show that, not only physical toughness but the mental toughness to keep fighting.”
Jordan Love Overestimated His Elusiveness
The question for LaFleur and other Packers coaches, though, was what the team should–and even could–do to rein in Love in those situations. It was clear that Love thought he had some room to break open a longer run on the play.
“It’s one of those deals where, things happen pretty quickly out there. I think he, as he was scrambling, he did a little pump fake and actually got the guy to leave his feet a little bit,” LaFleur said.
“I don’t know if he thought he is a little more elusive than what he really is, and thought he could get around him or not. Obviously, it didn’t work out. I do think it is a fine line in how you coach a guy in those situations because there is a lot more feel to it, because things happen so quickly.”
Packers Got Impressive Play From Malik Willis
In Love’s place, of course, backup quarterback Malik Willis finished the Packers drive with a touchdown. Willis had not played since Week 3 of the 2024 season, but looked like he had gathered no moss.
Said LaFleur: “I can’t say enough great things about Malik. We don’t win that game without Malik. He’s a great competitor and he is so calm, I mean, just, he was in there on some critical situations. We had third downs, we called a zone read and he uses his legs, which was kind of—when your starting quarterback is out and you have your backup in there, and you call the zone read, you’re a little concerned about that because you can’t have anything happen to him.
“But he made a lot of plays in the game.
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney
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