5 Packers who must improve to keep Matt LaFleur from making a Jordan Love mistake

Malik Willis successfully led the Packers to a Week 2 victory over the Colts last Sunday but there's no guarantee he'll get a second start. Jordan Love's appearance in practice for Green Bay on Wednesday gives him a real chance to play in the team's Week 3 contest against the Titans.

Just because Love might be healthy enough to practice doesn't mean the Packers should rush him back into live action. Putting him back onto the field at anything less than 100 percent fitness would be an unwise gamble by Green Bay's front office. The smart, conservative play is to permit Willis an opportunity to show his wares against his former team on Sunday.

If the Packers are going to give Love another week on the bench they will need several of his teammates to step up in his absence. Packers fans should keep a particularly close eye on the following five players to stand out in Love's absence in Nashville.

5. Romeo Doubs

The Packers don't necessarily have a true No. 1 wide receiver but if they were forced to name one, Romeo Doubs would get the nod. He only has seven catches for 112 yards on the young season but he showed some real rapport with Malik Willis last week.

The Packers don't need Doubs to play like a superstar. Instead, they need him to be a steady, reliable weapon for whoever plays quarterback for the team this week. His intermediate route-running is particularly important to Green Bay's offense on third down.

The Titans will focus a lot of their attention on Doubs but he'll get plenty of opportunities to work against single-coverage. If he can catch five balls for 75+ yards on the afternoon it will give his offense a major boost. Other receivers on Green Bay's roster might make more highlight catches but Doubs has the steady qualities his coaching staff covet at the wide receiver position.

4. Lukas Van Ness

Titans' quarterback Will Levis has undeniable arm talent. There are also very valid questions about his decision-making. The erratic nature of his game really comes out when he's faced with pressure.

That's why Lukas Van Ness and the rest of the defense's pass rushers will be key to Green Bay's plans of victory. The young edge defender is still looking for his first sack of the campaign but he showed signs of life against the Colts last week. That, coupled with the relative ineffectiveness of Rashan Gary put Van Ness in line for more snaps this week.

The former Iowa star still relies more on motor than technique but that will give him chances to chase Levis when he tries to extend plays with his legs. Forcing one or two errant throws could put Green Bay's defense in a position to win the turnover battle due to their pass rush.

3. Malik Willis

Putting Willis on this list may be too obvious for some but it would be ridiculous to leave him off it entirely. His efficiency in relief of Love was a big reason why the Packers were able to even their record last week.

Matt LaFleur and his staff might give Willis a little more leeway this week but it should still be a conservative game plan in the end. He will be expected to complete short and intermediate throws when his team has the advantage. Doing that and avoiding turnovers will be enough to qualify his efforts against the Titans as as rousing success.

The one X-factor about Willis' game this week is to see whether or not he feels comfortable trying to make more plays with his legs. He got loose a couple of times against Indianapolis and was able to keep the chains moving. There might be a few more designed runs in his play sheet this week.

2. Josh Jacobs

The run game is always an important part of Green Bay's game plan. The team's dependence on Josh Jacobs only increases with Love on the sideline. That's why the former Raiders star got 32 carries last week in the Packers' narrow victory.

Green Bay should try to avoid putting quite that much stress on Jacobs this week if at all possible. They signed him to be a difference-maker in the playoffs. That can't happen if they burn him out during the regular season. The sweet spot for Jacobs' workload this week should top out at 25 carries or so.

That type of volume will still make him the most important player on the Packers offense. He showed quality burst last week that means he can turn short runs into big gains against the Tennessee defense. The theme this week for Jacobs is to try to improve his quality while decreasing his quantity as a runner.

1. Xavier McKinney

It may seem strange to identify a safety as the player with the most responsibility to perform in a quarterback's absence. The reality that Xavier McKinney is the quarterback of the Packers' defense helps explain why he occupies the No. 1 spot on this list.

Like Van Ness, McKinney is another defender who will be salivating at the prospect of playing against Levis. The former Alabama safety loves to have the freedom to sit deep in the secondary and try to read where the quarterback wants to go with the football. Levis relies on his arm talent and still lacks the ability to read complex coverages down the field. That should be music to McKinney's ears.

The talented defensive back does not necessarily need to notch an interception to heavily contribute to a Packers' victory but picking off Levis could tip the scales in Green Bay's favor. McKinney's playmaking ability at the back of the secondary should be a major concern for the Titans in their Week 3 matchup.