GREEN BAY, Wis. — Jordan Love, the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, reported that he experienced a loss of feeling in his throwing hand just before exiting the game during Sunday’s season finale against the Chicago Bears. However, he reassured fans that he does not anticipate this injury affecting his participation in the upcoming playoffs.

After the Packers’ narrow 24-22 defeat to the Bears, Love expressed optimism, stating he was informed that the injury is not expected to linger and should resolve itself in time for the postseason. The Packers, clinching the No. 7 seed in the NFC with an 11-6 record, are set to face the Philadelphia Eagles, who finished the regular season with a remarkable 14-3 record, in a wild-card matchup next Sunday.

“It’s feeling better,” Love mentioned, conveying a sense of relief.

Head coach Matt LaFleur indicated that Love could have returned to the field had it been necessary during the Bears game. Love was seen throwing warmup passes on the sidelines after backup quarterback Malik Willis sustained a hand injury late in the matchup. Ultimately, Willis remained in the game until its conclusion.

LaFleur commented on the decision, saying, “Once Malik said he was good to go, we felt like that was the route we wanted to go.” However, the team’s outlook was less optimistic regarding wide receiver Christian Watson. He was carted off to the locker room following a non-contact injury to his right knee, occurring in the same series as Love’s injury.

“I’m not super confident about that right now,” LaFleur admitted, highlighting concerns about Watson’s condition.

With both of these key players’ injuries, the Packers head into the playoffs with significant concerns, especially with the added pressure of currently being on a two-game losing streak. Fortunately for the team, it seems that they have avoided a serious setback with Love.

LaFleur faced a complex decision about whether to rest starters or play them during the regular-season finale, especially after securing a playoff berth. Even though Green Bay had a shot at moving up to the No. 6 seed with a win against Chicago and a loss by Washington to Dallas, the outcomes have ultimately left them questioning their available options.

Watson had previously missed the Packers’ previous game against Minnesota due to a left knee injury, and this recent incident appeared to affect his right knee. In a troubling moment, he collapsed while running a route as a pass was directed to teammate Dontayvion Wicks, immediately clutching his knee. After being assessed by team officials on the field, Watson managed to walk to the sideline before heading into the injury tent, though it was a visibly difficult moment for him, as seen when he held his head in his hands while being carted away.

“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 expressed. “I feel for Christian. But at the same time, it’s that same mindset we’ve talked about before. It’s next man up. 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.”

So far this season, Watson has recorded 29 receptions for 620 yards and two touchdowns, proving to be a valuable asset to the team.

Later in the series during which he was injured, Love faced significant pressure from defenders Austin Booker and Gervon Dexter before managing to make a pass to Josh Jacobs. Following the play, Love was seen shaking his throwing hand and later being assessed for an elbow injury on the sideline.

Love described the moment: “I landed on it, on the ground, I think, and just lost pretty much all feeling in my hand. It pretty much just went numb.” As Willis stepped in to take over, the drive concluded with Jacobs scoring a 9-yard touchdown.

Television footage captured Love sitting on the sidelines, gripping a football as he attempted to throw again after halftime. “I came back, was trying to get some throws and same thing,” he 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.” Despite the situation, Love is confident that nothing will prevent him from playing in Philadelphia.