With Jordan Love Out, Malik Willis Poised for Spotlight Start vs. Ravens
The Packers will be without starting quarterback Jordan Love on Saturday night when they host the Baltimore Ravens, and all signs point to Malik Willis stepping into the starting role for the first time this season. Love is sidelined with a concussion suffered in last week’s overtime loss to the Bears, and while Willis is also banged up, Green Bay’s actions this week suggest he’ll be under center when the ball kicks off at Lambeau.
Willis didn’t come out of that Chicago game unscathed. On the final play of regulation, he took a hard hit that left him with a sore throwing shoulder.
Add in an illness that kept him off the field Wednesday, and the Packers have listed him as questionable. But here’s the telling part: Green Bay didn’t sign another quarterback.
That’s a pretty clear indication they expect Willis to go. The only other QB on the roster is Clayton Tune, who hasn’t seen game action this season but could be elevated from the practice squad as a backup.
This will be another big moment for Willis, who’s quietly been one of the more intriguing stories on Green Bay’s roster this season. Acquired in late August from the Titans for a 2025 seventh-round pick, Willis was thrust into action early when Love missed Weeks 2 and 3.
He helped the Packers win both games. Since then, he’s settled into a backup role, but every time he’s been called on, he’s delivered something solid.
“Every time we’ve needed him, he’s come through and done a nice job and given us a chance to win every game that he’s been in,” offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said this week.
Last Saturday, when Love went down midway through the second quarter, Willis stepped in and played with poise. He completed 9 of 11 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown, added 44 yards on the ground, and didn’t turn the ball over-until a costly fumble on a fourth-down snap in overtime. It was a tough way to end a strong performance, especially with Chicago capitalizing four plays later on a 46-yard touchdown strike from Caleb Williams to DJ Moore.
Still, it was another sign of progress for the 2022 third-round pick, who’s showing growth in the areas that matter most. His decision-making has improved, and the game seems to be slowing down for him.
“This position is about decision-making,” Willis said this week. “All the cool stuff is, you know, you see guys with really strong arms, guys athletic, the main thing is just being a great decision-maker and making sure that when it’s not the perfect play that you don’t make it a disastrous play. And I think that’s what I’ve grown most with as being a young quarterback in this league and to this point now.”
Head coach Matt LaFleur echoed that sentiment, praising Willis for his maturity and growth since arriving in Green Bay.
“I think he’s done a hell of a job, man,” LaFleur said. “Just I think it’s all about his approach, how he came in here, how open he was to being coached.
And, you know, we were pretty hard on him and his footwork, and he’s done an outstanding job, and it’s just I feel like the more he plays, the better he’s gotten. And so it’s definitely great to have a guy like him that you have so much confidence in.”
Confidence will be key Saturday night. The Packers are still alive in the NFC North race, but the margin for error is gone.
Last week’s loss to Chicago was a gut punch-not just because of how it ended, but because it cost Green Bay a shot to control its own destiny. Now, to win the division and secure a first-round home playoff game, the Packers need to win out and hope the Bears drop their final two.
The good news? Thanks to Detroit’s loss to Minnesota on Thursday, Green Bay has already clinched a playoff berth. So while the division is still in play, the pressure of just making it in is off.
Willis, who’s set to hit free agency this offseason, has a chance to make a statement-not just for the Packers, but for any team watching. Saturday night could serve as a showcase. And if recent performances are any indication, he’s ready for the moment.
“Whether it’s preseason, whether it’s in the middle of the season, whether it’s the playoffs, I don’t think it matters,” Willis said. “All you try to do is go out there and go one and O each game. And if you can do that enough times, you’ll be happy.”
Willis’ journey has been anything but linear. After backing up Jarrett Stidham at Auburn, he transferred to Liberty and put up eye-popping numbers-over 5,000 passing yards, nearly 2,000 rushing yards, and 74 total touchdowns in two seasons.
His NFL career started slowly in Tennessee, where he made three starts over two years and struggled to find rhythm. But in Green Bay, he’s looked more confident, more composed, and more capable.
His passer rating with the Titans sat at 49.4. In Green Bay? A sharp 132.2.
The Ravens come in with one of the league’s toughest defenses, so this won’t be an easy test. But for Willis, it’s another chance to prove he belongs-not just as a backup, but maybe as a starter down the line.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CST Saturday night at Lambeau Field. The game will be televised on Peacock.