Green Bay's Skill Players Picked Malik Willis Up In Tennessee

Less than four weeks since the Tennessee Titans traded Malik Willis to the Green Bay Packers for a 2025 seventh-round draft pick, he beat them in Nashville.

Willis completed 13 of 19 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown in Green Bay’s 30-14 victory. He also led the Packers on the ground with 73 yards in six rushes and a rushing touchdown.

During last week’s 16-10 victory against the Indianapolis Colts, Willis showcased his running ability. However, he excelled on the ground on Sunday. The biggest thing that stood out in Willis’ latest performance was how much the receivers helped him and how much he trusted them on the field.

It all started with another sound game plan by Matt LaFleur. Last week, they ran the ball heavily against the Colts, exploiting Indianapolis’ weakness. The Titans likely prepared to defend much of the run between the tackles, which they did well.

So what does LaFleur do? He starts the opening drive by having Willis throw the ball on play action to Jayden Reed for 30 yards.

Later in that drive, Willis showed trust in his receivers when he threw a deep ball to Christian Watson in a “Go up and get it” scenario.

Watson came down with the ball for another gain of 30 yards.

That helped to set up a five-yard touchdown run for Willis.

The Packers didn’t beat Tennessee solely due to Willis and their receivers. The defense made a ton of big plays throughout the game. That included eight sacks, four turnovers (two interceptions, a fumble, and a turnover on downs), and a defensive score from Jaire Alexander.

Still, it was impressive to watch Willis become more comfortable and use his arm and legs to control the offense.

Willis picked up three first downs on the game's second drive by running the ball. The last run went for 28 yards and set up a first-and-goal at the Tennessee three-yard line. However, Green Bay had to settle for a field goal.

Throughout the game, Willis made solid throws for medium gains to his receivers during sustained drives. Another one that stood out was an 18-yard pass to Romeo Doubs on a third-and-14 to keep the drive alive with about four minutes to go in the first half.

Later in that drive, Willis threw deep to Watson on third-and-18. Watson made the grab and ran for 37 yards with less than two minutes to go in the first half. The Packers finished the drive with a field goal to end the first half and extend their lead to 20-7.

About halfway through the third quarter, after the Green Bay defense turned the Titans over on a fourth-down stop, Willis took advantage when he dumped off a screen pass to Emanuel Wilson on a second-and-15. Wilson took off for 30 yards and a touchdown. It was Willis’ lone TD pass for the game, extending Green Bay’s lead to 27-7.

In the fourth quarter, the defense continued to dominate, and the Packers opened up the run game further with Wilson and Jacobs. They kicked one more field goal to score 30-14. It was an impressive team performance, given that their starting quarterback and two of their four running backs were inactive.

If these receivers can make plays like these with Willis throwing them the ball, imagine how good the offense will look when Jordan Love returns. These guys on offense, including in the backfield and along the offensive line, have all stepped up in meaningful ways since the game in Brazil. Last week, Dontayvion Wicks gave Willis his first touchdown, and the running game dominated Indianapolis.

There was a lot of anxiety that Love's injury could spoil the season. However, Green Bay’s receivers and the backfield have helped out Malik Willis in these last two games. They have put themselves in a good position for Jordan Love to return against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 4.