Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love has practiced on a limited basis this week, and his return to the lineup would be one of the top storylines of the third week of the NFL’s 2024 season. It also would ruin another good storyline – the Malik Willis revenge game.

Except Willis already ruined it.

Willis started Green Bay’s 16-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2 after Love sustained a knee injury in the Packers’ 34-29 season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

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On Sunday, Green Bay plays the Tennessee Titans, the team that traded Willis to the Packers at the end of the preseason.

A third-round draft choice in 2022 NFL Draft, Willis started three games as a rookie for the Titans when Ryan Tannehill was injured. But during the 2023 season, Tannehill and Willis were overtaken by second-round rookie Will Levis. This year, Tennessee signed Mason Rudolph as a free agent, and he’s serving as Levis’ backup after the Titans traded Willis.

The Auburn alumnus said he “couldn’t care less” about settling any score with Tennessee.

“I think I got paid the whole time I was there, bro,” Willis said. “I’m more than blessed for the opportunity they’ve given me. And they brought me into this league, you know, whether those guys are there or not. That organization, they took a shot on me, (team owner) Miss Amy (Adams Strunk). They did a great job by me.”

On Thursday, Packers coach Matt LaFleur would describe Love’s practice work only as “limited” and said Green Bay would take the decision on Love’s status for the game down to the last minute.

Willis said the uncertainty does not affect how he prepares.

“If Jordan does start, you don’t know when you’re going to go in, when you have to go,” Willis said. “You just got to prepare as the starter regardless. And I think that’s the mindset you have, whether you’re starting or not starting. You just prepare to go out there and execute each play that could be called, would be called and may be called, so I think that’s more the mentality to have than: Am I starting this week? I’m not going to prepare any differently.”

Initial reports indicated Love would miss three to six weeks after getting hurt with six seconds to play in the season-opening game.

“He’s been around the clock doing treatment and taking care of his body,” Willis said on Wednesday. “And you can see that he feels more comfortable just the way he moves around the building and the way he’s out there today, so I wouldn’t be surprised (if Love plays on Sunday), and I just have to stay ready and focus on what I can control. And the rest we’ll leave up to him and coach LaFleur.”

Willis completed 12-of-14 passes for 122 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions and ran for 41 yards on six carries on Sunday. The Packers used a run-heavy offense – 261 yards on 53 carries – to grind out the victory over the Colts. But Green Bay’s only touchdown came through the air – Willis’ first TD pass in the NFL.

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“I think the O-line did a great job and coach put a great plan together,” Willis said. “And I think that I just have to continue to try to absorb and learn this offense as best as I can and be able to execute on those things that we missed out on this weekend and learn from the film and continue to just grow. And that’s if given the opportunity. Jordan is feeling a lot better, so we can’t say that he won’t go this weekend. It’s going to be on how he feels and how comfortable he is.”

Willis had his first practice with the Packers on Aug. 28 and undertook a whirlwind of preparation to be the backup in the opening game and the starter in the second. But he did not agree when asked if he had proved himself or if his performance had served as validation.

“I’m not sure that I look at it that way,” Willis said. “I don’t need any validation. I mean, I’ve been in the league, you know, this is going on my third year, so I’m doing something right regardless if I get the opportunity to show it or not. And I just continue to try to work hard and take advantage of any opportunity I can get. And if not, you learn from those mistakes, and the next opportunity you get, you keep working until then. I think that’s the mentality that I have.”

The Packers and Titans square off at noon CDT Sunday at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.