Latest report about Packers QB Jordan Love bodes well for his chances of playing against the Titans

The Green Bay Packers got away with a win even without Jordan Love on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, beating them 16-10 with Malik Willis at quarterback . How sustainable that type of run-heavy offense will be is a different conversation, but maybe the Packers won’t have to worry much about that.

Love was initially listed as questionable to play, on Friday, when the Packers released the injury designations for the game. On Saturday, he was downgraded to doubtful, and Malik Willis revealed after the game that it was then he found out he would really start.

According to Rob Demovsky, the Packers beat writer for ESPN, it was not Green Bay trying to misguide the Colts.

“I was told Jordan Love was really close to playing and that was not some charade,” Demovsky said on ESPN Milwaukee .

Ultimately, Jordan Love wasn’t cleared in time to play against the Colts because of his MCL injury . However, the report increases the Packers’ hope that Love will be available to play next Sunday, when Green Bay faces the Tennessee Titans in Nashville.

Other side

Even though Rob Demovsky’s report is positive, there isn’t absolute clarity about Jordan Love’s recovery timeline. NFL Network’s insider Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday, before the game, that the quarterback was eyeing a week 5 return, against the Los Angeles Rams.

If that’s the case, Love would miss two more games, versus the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings.

Jordan Love sprained his MCL in the final minute of the Packers' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Brazil. MCL is some sort of a "blessing in disguise" compared to other knee ligament injuries, but the exact time that Love will miss depends on how serious the sprain was — something the Packers have not publicly released.

The Packers don't expect a big missing time for Jordan Love, that's why the team did not place him on the injured reserve. At the same time, Green Bay opted not to sign another quarterback. The only move was elevating Sean Clifford from the practice squad for gameday, something the Packers can still do twice more throughout the season.

Related: 'Blessing in disguise': What is an MCL injury and how Jordan Love will recover from it