GREEN BAY, Wis. – On August 26, the Green Bay Packers signed quarterback Malik Willis. By September 15, just 20 days later, Willis could potentially be starting for the Packers against the Indianapolis Colts at Lambeau Field.
Jordan Love sustained a knee injury in the closing moments of the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, which might leave Willis to try to salvage the season.
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An 0-1 start isn’t catastrophic; the Packers once lost 38-3 to the New Orleans Saints in Week 1 of 2021 and still secured home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs. However, an 0-2 start presents a much tougher challenge. Since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, only 40 out of 416 teams that began the season 0-2 made the playoffs, which is a mere 9.6 percent. Last year, only the Houston Texans out of nine teams starting 0-2 reached the postseason.
Despite the diluted playoff format allowing seven teams from each conference to advance, the Packers could find themselves in a difficult position if Love’s absence extends to four games, which include matchups against the Colts, Titans, Vikings, and Rams.
General Manager Brian Gutekunst traded a seventh-round pick to the Titans for Willis for a reason. From a talent standpoint, Willis has the ability to lead the Packers to victories.
Gutekunst noted on August 28 that Willis has shown significant progress under the new coaching staff in Tennessee, particularly in playing from the pocket and making plays. However, the “take a little bit of time” aspect is a concern given the Packers’ tight schedule.
Reports indicate Love won’t require surgery and could be back in as little as three weeks, though a four-game absence is more likely. The Packers will rely on Willis to achieve at least a few wins to avoid falling into a deep hole.
Willis, who was a third-round draft pick in 2022, had a mixed rookie season with just three starts and a low passer rating. However, he completed 74.1 percent of his passes this preseason, showing potential.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur, who was the Titans’ offensive coordinator in 2018, noted some offensive system similarities that could help Willis transition smoothly.
The only other quarterback available is Colts Sean Clifford, who was Love’s backup last season and is currently on the practice squad.
In previous years, the Packers have seen both challenges and successes with quarterback injuries, as exemplified by Aaron Rodgers’ broken collarbones in 2013 and 2017, leading to varying degrees of struggle and resilience from backups.
