GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love says he lost feeling in his throwing hand before leaving Sunday’s regular-season finale, but he added that his injury shouldn′t impact his availability for the playoffs.
Love said after Green Bay’s 24-22 loss to Chicago that he was told it shouldn′t be a lingering issue and that it should go away by the time the Packers open the postseason. As the No. 7 seed in the NFC, the Packers (11-6) will play a wild-card game next Sunday at Philadelphia (14-3).
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“It’s feeling better,” Love said.
Coach Matt LaFleur said Love could have returned to the Bears game if necessary. Love was taking warmup tosses on the sideline after backup quarterback Malik Willis hurt his hand late in the game.
Green Bay kept Willis in the rest of the way.
“Once Malik said he was good to go, we felt like that was the route we wanted to go,” LaFleur said.
The Packers weren′t as optimistic about wide receiver Christian Watson, who was carted into the locker room after hurting his right knee on a non-contact injury during the same second-quarter series in which Love got hurt.
“I’m not super confident about that right now,” LaFleur said.
The injuries for two top playmakers leave the Packers with major concerns as they enter the playoffs on a two-game skid, though it appears they may have dodged a major issue with Love.
LaFleur knew he faced a no-win situation in deciding whether to rest his starters or play them in the regular-season finale after they already had clinched a playoff appearance. Green Bay still entered Sunday with a chance to move up to the No. 6 seed if it had beaten Chicago and Washington had lost at Dallas.
He ended up likely losing Green Bay’s biggest deep threat for the postseason.
Watson missed the Packers’ 27-25 loss at Minnesota last weekend with an injured left knee. This injury appeared to involve his right knee.
He was running a pattern and went straight down as the pass was thrown to teammate Dontayvion Wicks. He clutched his right knee afterward.
After Packers officials went on the field to examine him, Watson walked to the sideline and went into the injury tent. Watson then held his left hand to his head as he was carted into the locker room.
“It’s really tough, especially (with) Christian trying to bounce back from what he's been dealing with and to be able to go out there and have that happen,” Love said. “It’s tough. I feel for Christian. But at the same time, it’s that same mindset we’ve talked about before. It’s next man up. So other guys are going to have to step up and play a huge role. Like I’ve said before, we have a deep receivers room.”
Watson has 29 catches for 620 yards and two touchdowns this season.
Later in that series, Love faced heavy pressure from Austin Booker and Gervon Dexter before flipping a pass to Josh Jacobs. Love was shaking his throwing hand after the play and later got his elbow examined on the sideline.
The Packers announced Love had an elbow injury.
“I landed on it, on the ground, I think, and just lost pretty much all feeling in my hand,” Love said. “It pretty much just went numb.”
Willis took over for Love during that drive, which ended with Jacobs' 9-yard touchdown run. Television cameras showed Love gripping a ball as he sat on the sideline.
Love said he tried again to throw after halftime.
“I came back, was trying to get some throws and same thing,” Love said. “Kind of outside of my hand and pinkie, couldn’t feel it, was pretty numb. We just made the decision to hold me back.”
But he doesn’t expect anything to hold him back in Philadelphia.
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