Willis thrives with help from the Packers' defense and running game in a 16-10 victory over Colts

 

[September 16, 2024]  By STEVE MEGARGEE

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Malik Willis acknowledges he wasn’t ready the last time he had to start an NFL game. The Green Bay Packers quarterback knew he’d be more prepared the next time an opportunity arose.

With plenty of help from his new teammates, Willis went out and proved it Sunday by helping the Packers beat the Indianapolis Colts 16-10 on Sunday.

Acquired by Green Bay on Aug. 27 in trade from Tennessee, Willis threw his first career touchdown pass to help the Packers withstand the absence of the injured Jordan Love.

“I don’t think you guys can appreciate or even comprehend the task that Malik Willis (faced)," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “This guy got here three weeks ago.”

Love didn’t play after injuring his left medial collateral ligament during the final series of a 34-29 season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 6 in Brazil. It was the first game Love missed since taking over as Green Bay’s starting quarterback last year.

The Packers (1-1) relied on an all-around effort to win without Love. Josh Jacobs ran for 151 yards on 32 carries to lead Green Bay's 261-yard rushing attack. The defense hounded Anthony Richardson into three interceptions.

But the Packers might not have won without Willis' steadiness.

Willis had made three previous career starts – all in 2022 – and hadn’t thrown for as many as 100 yards in any of them. Tennessee dealt Willis for a seventh-round pick after he couldn't beat out Mason Rudolph for the right to back up Titans starter Will Levis.

“I’m just grateful for God giving me another opportunity somewhere different, a clean slate, just giving me the opportunity to be around guys who’ve helped me get going in this past three weeks as far as just learning as much as I can,” Willis said.

Willis played efficiently and went 12 of 14 for 122 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown pass to Dontayvion Wicks. Brayden Narveson went 3 of 4 on field-goal attempts to account for Green Bay’s other points.

Indianapolis' Jonathan Taylor rushed for 103 yards on 12 carries, but didn't touch the ball in the fourth quarter. Richardson was 17 of 34 for 204 yards with one touchdown to go along with his three interceptions. Richardson also ran for 37 yards on four carries.

“We started out slow as a group, especially as an offense,” Richardson said. "We definitely can't do that. We know we’re better than that.”

The Packers didn’t need Willis to throw the ball much early because they were running wild against the Colts’ porous defense, enabling them to take a 10-0 advantage in the first quarter. That lead would reach 13-0 early in the third.

Green Bay ended up running the ball on 53 of its 67 snaps. It was the Packers' most running plays since they had 54 in a 10-10 tie with Minnesota in 1978.

The Packers gained 164 yards rushing in the first quarter alone, the highest first-quarter total for any NFL team since the Denver Broncos had 167 in the opening period of a 41-23 loss to the New England Patriots on Dec. 18, 2011. By halftime, the Packers had 237 yards rushing on 34 carries.

Green Bay Packers linebacker Eric Wilson (45) reacts after intercepting a pass as Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) looks on during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

“We knew we had to come in and run the ball today,” Jacobs said. “We knew we had to set that tone.”

The Packers continued to run the ball on a hot day that challenged their own offensive linemen. The temperature at kickoff was 85 degrees, tied for the second-warmest home game in franchise history (since 1959) behind only an 89-degree game vs. Cincinnati on Sept. 24, 2017.

That heat bothered Packers center Josh Myers enough that it led to one unusual moment.

“I asked Malik why he didn't throw the ball on that third down," LaFleur said, “and he told me that Josh threw up on the ball.”

Indianapolis (0-2) was coming off a 29-27 loss to the Houston Texans in which they had allowed 213 yards rushing, the highest total any team had given up in the season’s opening week.

“We’ve got to get it fixed,” Colts coach Shane Steichen said. "It starts with myself, I’m the head coach, and we’ve got to get in that meeting room on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and get it fixed. And, that’s the bottom line.”

Green Bay blew a chance to break the game open early in the second quarter when Jacobs fumbled on first-and-goal from the 4. Zaire Franklin forced the fumble that Laiatu Latu recovered in the end zone.

The Colts' run defense stiffened in the second half, but they couldn’t come all the way back because their offense failed to capitalize on opportunities. The Colts failed to score on three separate trips into Packers territory.

Indianapolis cut the Packers' lead to 16-10 on Richardson's 4-yard touchdown pass to Alec Pierce with 1:47 left, but Green Bay's Evan Williams recovered the ensuing onside kick.

The Colts got the ball back at their own 5-yard line with 43 seconds left, but Williams intercepted a Hail Mary attempt from the Indianapolis 41 to end the game.

INJURIES

Colts: DT DeForest Buckner was helped off the field in the third quarter. ... Latu left with a hip injury in the second half. ... The Colts were playing without S Julian Blackmon (shoulder) and WR Josh Downs (ankle).

Packers: G Jordan Morgan didn't play the second half due to a shoulder injury. ... RB MarShawn Lloyd hurt his ankle.

UP NEXT

Colts: Host the Chicago Bears next Sunday.

Packers: Visit the Tennessee Titans next Sunday.

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