GREEN BAY, Wisconsin – Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love did not practice Wednesday. However, he remained hopeful about playing Sunday after a groin strain prevented him from finishing a 30-27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“I’ve made progress,” Love said. “I definitely feel better. “I think each day there will be some improvements, but it definitely feels better than Sunday.”

Love was one of several notable Packers who missed Wednesday’s practice while recovering from injuries. Love was asked how realistic it was to believe he could play when the Packers (6-2) host the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions (6-1) on Sunday.

“I think it’s realistic,” Love responded.

Love was initially injured on the first series of the game. He said it happened while he was turning to his right on a third-down play. Love remained in the game until he fell to the ground near the sideline after completing a second pass to Josh Jacobs early in the third quarter.

“It was definitely something that bothered me throughout the game,” Love said. “I tried to keep playing and obviously I got to a point where I couldn’t go on anymore.”

This isn’t the first time this season that the Packers enter a game with uncertainty about their quarterback situation. The difference is that this time they feel better about how they would fare if Love is unavailable, thanks to the way backup quarterback Malik Willis has performed.

Love injured his left MCL in the season-opening 34-29 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and missed the Packers’ next two games. That forced the Packers to turn to Malik Willis, who had just joined the team in an Aug. 27 trade with the Tennessee Titans.

He has responded with a great season as a reserve. After completing 53% of his passes (35 of 66) with three interceptions and no touchdown passes in two seasons with the Titans, Willis has completed 74.4% of his attempts (29 of 39) with three touchdown passes and no interceptions this season.

Willis led the Packers to victories over the Indianapolis Colts and Titans while Love was out. Willis bounced back again in Jacksonville, throwing a 51-yard completion to Jayden Reed that set up Brandon McManus’ 24-yard tiebreaking field goal on the final play of the game.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged Wednesday that he would be “a lot more confident” about what the Packers can accomplish if Love is unavailable after seeing what Willis has done.

After Sunday’s game, LaFleur praised how Willis keeps a steady heartbeat when the game is on the line and doesn’t let those moments get too much for him.

Willis credits his faith for giving him that calm demeanor. But when asked if winning those two previous starts this season gave him more confidence, Willis took the conversation down a different path.

“I don’t think it matters,” Willis said. “It’s easy to win, it’s easy to lose in this league. That’s how it is. You just have to be able to be prepared when the time comes and work hard every day to improve. I feel like that’s more important than having confidence from a couple of wins. These are different teams. “Every team is different and every game is its own game.”

The Packers will need good quarterback production to beat the Lions because they could be missing some other key contributors.

Jacobs (ankle), cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee), guard Elgton Jenkins (gluteus), center Josh Myers (wrist), left tackle Rasheed Walker (knee) and safety Evan Williams (hamstring) did not practice on Wednesday. Linebacker Quay Walker practiced hard after missing the Jaguars game while in concussion protocol.

Jacobs expressed confidence after practice that he would be available Sunday.

“I just manage my body, man,” Jacobs said. “I’ll be fine when game time comes.”