Packers win with Malik Willis: ‘You could feel his juice out there’

With quarterback Jordan Love sidelined by a knee injury sustained with six seconds remaining in last week’s game and a new quarterback with fewer than three weeks of practice, the Green Bay Packers still were able to grind out a 16-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

Acquired from the Tennessee Titans in a trade the day after the preseason ended, quarterback Malik Willis had practiced for the first time with the Packers on Aug. 28.

“I don’t think you guys can appreciate or even comprehend the task that Malik Willis – I mean, this guy got here three weeks ago,” Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said. “And for him to be able to go out there and command our offense … there was a lot put on his plate, and for him to be able to go out there and do what he did today, I think that speaks volumes on who he is as a person and the work that he’s put in. Just super-proud of him. …

“There’s a little bit of an unknown going into a game, because it’s one thing to do it in practice when the pressure isn’t quite as high. It’s another thing to go out there in front of 80,000 fans and be able to articulate the play calls. I think there was one time we had to burn a timeout because of a play call. I think that’s pretty remarkable, especially considering all the movement we were doing throughout the course of the game.”

In the fourth start of his NFL career, the Auburn alumnus completed 12-of-14 passes for 122 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.

“I’d say that’s a pretty efficient game,” LaFleur said.

Willis also ran six times for 41 yards as Green Bay gained 261 yards on 53 rushing attempts. The Packers hadn’t run that many times in a non-overtime game since Sept. 3, 1978, when Green Bay had 181 yards on 55 carries in a 13-7 victory over the Detroit Lions.

Former Alabama standout Josh Jacobs ran for 151 yards on 32 carries. Only four Green Bay players have had more than 32 rushing attempts in a game, and Jacobs was the first Packers ball-carrier to reach 32 since Oct. 12, 2008, when Ryan Grant had 90 yards on 33 carries.

Green Bay had possession more than twice as long as Indianapolis, with an advantage of 40:11 to 19:49.

“That’s what we wanted to do coming into this game,” LaFleur said. “It’s one thing to want to do that, but to be able to go out there and execute that, I think that says a lot about, really, all 11 out there, starting with the offensive line.”

Willis added to the rushing total with his scrambling ability.

“There were some critical third downs where he was able to pull it and move the chains with his legs,” LaFleur said. “That’s one thing that obviously, again, he’s an athletic guy. He’s got great speed, and you could feel his juice out there.”

Willis became the fourth Green Bay player to complete at least 85 percent of his passes while throwing at least 14 times. He was preceded by Bart Starr, Lynn Dickey and Aaron Rodgers.

Willis threw the first touchdown pass of his NFL career with 3:18 left in the first quarter when he connected with wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks from 14 yards out as the Packers took a 10-0 lead.

Willis played in 11 games during two seasons with Tennessee, which drafted the QB in the third round in 2022 from Liberty, where he played two seasons after transferring from Auburn. Willis started three games as a rookie when Ryan Tannehill was injured, but he lost the backup job to free-agent signee Mason Rudolph this year.

“I’m just grateful for God to give me another opportunity somewhere different,” Willis said, “a clean slate and just giving me the opportunity to be around guys who helped me get going in these past three weeks as far as just learning as much as I can and guys in that locker room who are behind you, whoever’s starting and just continuing to have that confidence in you. It builds and it just helps you go out and be yourself.”

The Packers’ next opponent is Tennessee. Green Bay faces the Titans at noon CDT Sunday at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.