A week after escaping with a victory in what could have been a blowout win over the Indianapolis Colts in Malik Willis’ starting debut, the Green Bay Packers actually blew out an AFC South foe, using a pair of touchdowns from Willis and a smothering effort defensively to vanquish the Tennessee Titans 30-14 on Sunday in Nashville.
The Packers are now 2-1 and heading home for a huge matchup against the Minnesota Vikings and possibly the return of Jordan Love to the lineup next Sunday.
Here’s what went right, what went wrong and what it means for the Packers moving forward:
What went right
— The Packers started fast offensively, scoring points on back-to-back drives to open the game and three of the first four in the first half. Malik Willis created big plays with his arm and legs, especially on third down. Green Bay led 7-0 after the first possession, 17-7 after the first quarter and 20-7 at half. Matt LaFleur said the explosive play to Jayden Reed on the first play from scrimmage really set the tone for the day.
— The defense was smothering and swarming, producing eight sacks and three takeaways, including two more interceptions. Jaire Alexander’s pick-six put the Packers up by 10 in the first quarter.
— The Packers’ pass-rush had seven different players record at least a half sack, and the Packers recorded 12 hits on Will Levis. Unshackled after facing Jalen Hurts and Anthony Richardson during the first two weeks, the defensive front showed off its true potential as a disruptive force.
— Willis completed nearly 70 percent of his passes, averaged almost 11 yards per passing attempt, rushed for 73 yards, produced two touchdowns and didn’t have a turnover. Twice, he hit Christian Watson for big plays on third down to extend scoring drives. Relative to other backup quarterback performances, Willis has been nearly perfect.
— The Packers limited the Titans to just 33 rushing yards, including only 14 from starter Tony Pollard. Without a run game and trailing on the scoreboard, the Titans turned one-dimensional. And the Packers proceeded to tee off on Will Levis and a shaky offensive line.
— Emanuel Wilson turned 14 touches into a career-high 85 yards and his first NFL touchdown. He broke the game open with a 35-yard catch-and-run touchdown in the third quarter. More and more, he looks like a legitimate weapon behind Josh Jacobs.
— Four different players had a run over 10 yards, and four different players had a catch of 20 or more yards. The Packers are deep and dynamic and capable of producing an explosive play on any snap, regardless of who is playing quarterback.
— The Packers won the turnover battle 3-0. Xavier McKinney had an interception in his third straight game to start his Packers career.
— While Brayden Narveson had a missed field goal negated by a penalty, he finished 3-for-3 on field goals, including a 47-yarder in the fourth quarter, and 3-for-3 on extra points.
What went wrong
— The Packers were penalized 10 more times on Sunday. The offense was sloppy at times up front, and officials called the game tight along the line of scrimmage. Rasheed Walker had two more penalties.
— The Packers struggled at times to get movement in the inside running game. Josh Jacobs turned 14 carries into 43 yards, much of it hard earned between the tackles.
— The Titans were held scoreless on nine of 11 possessions but did have two rather stress-free touchdown drives. Of the Titans’ 237 total yards, 138 came on the two touchdown drives. Tennessee made it to the red zone twice and scored both times.
— Daniel Whelan had two touchbacks and a poor net punting average across five punts. He did salvage the performance late with a 63-yarder. The punt coverage team had allowed two returns and had a penalty.
— The offense finished 1-for-3 scoring touchdowns in the red zone. It can be tough sledding inside the 20-yard line, especially with a backup quarterback.
— Tucker Kraft had a drop on what would have been a first-down completion in the fourth quarter. Dontayvion Wicks was targeted twice but didn’t have a catch.
— The Titans did find five passing plays over 20 yards, and Will Levis completed 26 of 34 passes.
What it means
The Packers are 2-1 and growing in confidence after winning back-to-back games with a backup quarterback under center. If the Packers make the postseason later this year, this two-game stretch will likely be vital in the process. After losing in Week 1 and not having Jordan Love for back-to-back games, the Packers could have rolled into Week 4 as a winless team. Instead, they are on the right side of .500 and increasingly more confident in their ability to win in different ways. The Packers rushed for 188 yards and were dominant defensively, especially rushing the passer. Add Jordan Love to the mix and the Packers might have championship ingredients.
Highlights
What’s next
A huge showdown in the NFC North. Who would have saw this coming? The Packers, who were without Jordan Love for two games, are 2-1 and rolling, while the Minnesota Vikings, in Year 1 post-Kirk Cousins, are 3-0 and coming off a hugely impressive win over the Houston Texans. The winner next Sunday at Lambeau Field will take a big step in the early stages of the NFC North race. The game represents Aaron Jones’ homecoming to Lambeau Field.
