Jordan Love injury twist gives Lions big upper hand for Week 1 showdown

The Detroit Lions keep getting injury news that threatens to derail what has so far been a successful training camp for their defense. News of rookie Ahmed Hassanein suffering a leg injury was just another addition to a report that includes him, Morice Norris (concussion), Terrion Arnold (hamstring), Ennis Rakestraw (shoulder)...the list goes on and on.

However, they haven't been the only NFC North team blemished by injury woes. The Green Bay Packers have entered the chat with injuries to Nate Hobbs (knee) and now, a hand injury to starting quarterback Jordan Love. According to the Packers, Love will undergo a surgery to help repair a damaged ligament in his hand, which will keep him out for what the team expects to just be one week.

That means he should be back by Week 1 to face off with the Lions at Lambeau Field. But, it should make Lions fans wonder about whether he'll be prepared to face off with such a seemingly elite 2025 Lions defense after going through the recovery process for this procedure.

Love to undergo small procedure on left hand

Love, who participated in Green Bay's first preseason game of the year, looked a bit uncomfortable while up against an Aaron Glenn-coached New York Jets defense. He went 1-5 and threw for just seven yards on the night.

It's unclear if his non-throwing hand is why he didn't look great in his 2025 debut, but there were reports that he had his thumb wrapped up in practice on Monday. This injury news, while not ideal for the Packers as they get closer and closer to opening their year up with an NFC North banger, is best case scenario for them and their offense.

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Love is likely to be back by Week 1, and even within the next week or so. That gives the Packers some cushion of time to prepare Love to play against Detroit's secondary, which currently has a fully healthy set of first stringers ready to go. They'll also need to prepare for Aidan Hutchinson, who sounds ready to be a real game wrecker this season.

The Packers are seen as the best threat to the Lions' latest dominance in the NFC North, so Love's health is of the utmost importance for Green Bay to fully realize that potential. Luckily for them, this has nothing to do with his throwing hand.

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