Inside The Vikings

Report: 'Logical' return for Jordan Love is Week 4 against Vikings

Logical? Apparently. But will Green Bay rush the process if he's not fully healed?
Joe Nelson|
Dec 31, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) runs the offense against the Minnesota Vikings during their game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dan Powers-Imagn Images
Dec 31, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) runs the offense against the Minnesota Vikings during their game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dan Powers-Imagn Images | Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

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Minnesota Vikings

The greatest gift Wisconsin could give Minnesota would be letting Jordan Love recover from his MCL injury through Week 4 when the Packers host the Vikings at Lambeau Field. It might happen, but the latest report from ESPN's Adam Schefter dampens that Minnesota hope a bit.

Schefter said Monday that Love, who suffered a sprained MCL in Green Bay's 34-29 loss to the Eagles in Brazil last Friday, could be back just in time for the Week 4 border battle between the Packers and Vikings.

"I think it's going to be less (than the estimated timeline of 3-6 weeks). I think it's going to be closer to 3-4 weeks. It depends on how long it's going to take him here, they'll see how he recovers," Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show. "He's going to push to come back. If you look at the schedule, I think in three to four weeks they play the Vikings at home. Again, we'll see how he recovers here, but that would be, I think, a logical timeline and a logical spot for him to try and come back."

Love and the Packers split games against the Vikings last season. Minnesota won at Lambeau Field — it was the same game that Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles — before Love got hot in Week 17 in Minneapolis, completing 24-of-33 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns.

If Love isn't back for Week 4, the Packers would likely be battling Minnesota with either Malik Willis or Sean Clifford at quarterback. Either one would be a huge advantage for the Vikings, who gave the Giants and quarterback Daniel Jones hell in a 28-6 road victory on Sunday.

Minnesota has to get through the 49ers and Texans the next two weeks before worrying about Love and their Wisconsin neighbors.

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Joe Nelson
JOE NELSON

Joe Nelson has more than 20 years of experience in Minnesota sports journalism. Nelson began his career in sports radio, working at smaller stations in Marshall and St. Cloud before moving to the highly-rated KFAN-FM 100.3 in the Twin Cities. While there, he produced the popular mid-morning show hosted by Minnesota Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen. His time in radio laid the groundwork for his transition to sports writing in 2011. He covers the Vikings, Timberwolves, Gophers and Twins for On SI.

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