The Green Bay Packers dropped their season opener to the Philadelphia Eagles in São Paulo. They also received a gut punch when Jordan Love went down with a scary injury on the last drive of the game. Following an MRI and additional testing, it appears the Packers dodged the worst-case scenario of a season-ending injury for Love. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Love has between a Grade 1 and Grade 2 MCL sprain and will likely miss a few weeks.
Additionally, the Packers aren’t expected to pursue veteran quarterbacks to fill in for Love. That leaves newly acquired Malik Willis as the only quarterback on the active roster and Sean Clifford on the practice squad. According to Matt LaFleur, the Packers will start Willis, and Clifford will serve as the backup if Jordan Love is not cleared to play. That’s the most likely scenario for the near future.
Over the next three weeks, the Packers will face the Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, and Minnesota Vikings. All three opponents ranked in the bottom half of the league in DVOA last year. While each team has made changes, they represent a potentially “softer” section of Green Bay’s schedule.
If the Packers can secure one win during this stretch and get Love back healthy by their Week 5 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, they’d be in an okay situation. Being 1-3 to start the year would mean going 9-4 over the back half of the year and being in comfortable playoff contention at 10-7. It’s a bit silly to think about it this way, but the season is in no way taking on water.
Can Willis lead the Packers to victory?
I think so, but it’ll look slightly different than typical Packer football.
The Packers will likely lean even heavier into their running offense and rely on Willis’ dynamic movement. You could see Green Bay deploy more Option, Duo, and RPO looks and focus on longer, more methodical drives with occasional play-action passes built in. They would also likely lean on their defense to provide a turnover or big play, something they showed the capability of against the Eagles.
The threat of Willis and Josh Jacobs in Green Bay’s backfield as runners would likely provide some positive looks.
Here are a few good examples of Willis running Duo plays and as a runner:
Malik Willis also does have the arm talent to deliver some stellar throws, provided he has a clean pocket to pass in.
Here’s a great look at a well-placed ball in tight coverage:
Willis has the talent to make some throws down the field; he just can’t do it consistently. I’d imagine that, while the Packers will lean on Josh Jacobs rushing, they could add some play action to have Willis also rip a few throws.
There will additionally be a lot of expectations on the offensive line. Teams have pressured Willis often throughout his limited playing time. According to Next Gen Stats, Willis had a QB pressure rate of over 50% throughout his time with the Tennessee Titans (the NFL average is 34.2%). While Willis is undoubtedly responsible for giving up some sacks, he also has not had the best offensive line in front of him in Tennessee. Whereas in 2023, the Packers ranked 10th in overall pass blocking with a Pro Football Focus grade of 70.1.
Malik Willis doesn’t have the same quarterback ability as Jordan Love. However, with Green Bay’s talented roster, a top-notch game planner in Matt LaFleur, and the best pass-blocking unit that he’s played behind in his career, we could see an improved version of Willis. Suppose the Packers focus on a run-heavy game script, the defense provides a big play or two, and they control the time of possession. Then, Willis could help give Green Bay a win over the next few weeks.
