The best plays from Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Malik Willis through two starts in place of Jordan Love have come on third down, the money down in the NFL.
After a terrific opening performance against the Indianapolis Colts, which featured a third-down touchdown pass to Dontayvion Wicks and five other conversion on third down, Willis was once again productive on third down in his return to Tennessee on Sunday.
The Packers built a 20-7 lead in the first half of the 30-14 win over the Titans. Willis’ heroics on third down were a big reason why.
On the opening drive, Willis checked into a pass and hit Christian Watson on a slot fade for 30 yards to convert 3rd-and-6, setting up his own 5-yard touchdown run a few plays later.
A drive later, Willis got it done with his legs. He converted 3rd-and-2 with a 20-yard scramble and 3rd-and-7 with an 8-yard run, setting up a field goal.
Late in the first half, coach Matt LaFleur trusted Willis in a couple of big spots and it paid off handsomely. On 3rd-and-14 from his own 21-yard line, Willis hung in the pocket and delivered a strike to Romeo Doubs for 18 yards. On 3rd-and-18 from midfield following a penalty, Willis once again stood tall in the pocket and hit Watson downfield and between defenders for a 37-yard completion.
LaFleur could have been content going into half time with a 17-7 advantage. Instead, he kept his foot on the gas, trusted his young quarterback and got three more points out of a drive that required two long third down conversions. On back-to-back third-down plays, Willis showed he could play from pocket and deliver a strike on two staple concepts in LaFleur’s passing game.
The Packers admittedly got more conservative in the second half, especially after Willis’ swing pass to Emanuel Wilson produced a 27-7 lead midway through the third quarter. Content to “take the air out of the ball” and manage the clock, LaFleur and the Packers leaned on the run and ended up punting on three straight possessions.
The final stat line for Willis still looked excellent. He completed 13 of 19 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown, and he rushed for a team-high 73 yards and another score. In terms of backup performances at the NFL level, Willis has been close to perfect in two games.
The Packers traded a seventh-round pick in the 2025 draft to the Titans to get Willis, who lost out on the backup job behind Will Levis — who turned the ball over three times on Sunday — during training camp. There will be no buyers remorse from Packers quarterback Brian Gutekunst. Willis has back-to-back games with a passer rating over 120.0 and the Packers are 2-0 since Love’s injury, salvaging what could have been an ugly start to the season considering the disappointing Week 1 result and Love’s recovery timeline.
Getting it done on third down is one of the hardest parts of playing quarterback in the NFL. Using both his legs and his arm, Willis has helped the Packers move the sticks and score enough points to beat a pair of AFC South foes, including the team that gave up on him last month.
Willis said this week he didn’t care about revenge. He showed revenge is best served without intent, and on third down.
