Malik Willis: A One-man Show at Lambeau

 By Eric Goska

Malik Willis in 2024
(photo by Eric Goska)

Malik Willis stands just a shade over six feet tall. But in one regard, he towers over every passer in Packers history.

Willis opened at quarterback for Green Bay against Baltimore Saturday. The 26-year-old right hander—filling in for Jordan Love (concussion)—lit up the night sky at Lambeau Field in a game in which the Ravens overran the Packers 41-24.

That the Packers dropped their third in a row should not take away from Willis’ performance. From his first pass, a 40-yard sideline shot to Romeo Doubs, to his last, a 7-yarder to Christian Watson for a first down, Willis was dialed in.

In making his first start of the season, Willis produced the first fail-safe 100 game of his career (minimum 20 attempts); that is, his passer rating never fell below 100. From his first throw to his last, his rating remained in triple digits.

Willis in action against the Ravens Saturday night.
(photo by Colin Schmenk)

Here is a snapshot of Willis’ evening as a passer:

• Willis started hot. He completed his first 11 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown. Only four other Packers—Aaron Rodgers (12 on Sept. 26, 2021; 13 on Oct. 23, 2011), Brett Favre (14 on Sept. 10, 2000; 13 on Oct. 23, 2005; 11 on Nov. 15, 1992), Don Majkowski (14 on Nov. 26, 1989) and Lynn Dickey (18 on Sept. 4, 1983)—have equaled or exceeded such a dead-on start. Willis’ streak ended when Chris Brooks dropped a short throw early in the third quarter.
• Willis went deep. He fired five passes of 30-plus yards to four different receivers: Watson (39; 31), Doubs (40), Jayden Reed (30) and Bo Melton (34). In doing so, the four-year veteran joined Rodgers (Nov. 30, 2014), Matt Flynn (Jan. 1, 2012), Favre  (Dec. 22, 2003), Dickey (Oct. 17, 1983), Babe Parilli (Oct. 19, 1958) and Cecil Isbell (Nov. 1, 1942) as the only players in team history to complete five passes of 30 or more yards in a game.
• Willis was accurate. His completion percentage (85.7) was the fourth highest in team annals. Only Dickey (90.5; 87.1) and Rodgers (86.4) had higher marks (minimum 20 pass attempts).

Clearly, Willis was effective through the air. But No. 2 used his legs as well.

(photo by Eric Goska)

Willis led the team with 60 yards (nine carries) on the ground. He gained 55 on four runs that accounted for all four of the Green and Gold’s rushing first downs.

The native of Georgia scored twice on runs of 22 and 11 yards. In doing so, Willis joined the aforementioned Isbell (Sept. 29, 1940) as the only players in club history to have thrown a touchdown pass, run for two scores while leading the team in rushing.

Willis kept humming into the fourth quarter. His team down 10, the mobile mover and shaker pushed the Packers to the Baltimore 35 on a 7-yard connection with Watson. Unfortunately, the throw aggravated the shoulder injury he had suffered a week earlier in Chicago, and Green Bay’s most dynamic player on offense was done for the evening.

Clayton Tune took over at quarterback for the Packers’ final eight plays.  

Willis’ performance was no aberration. He’s been nothing short of excellent since coming to Green Bay, having completed 70 of 89 passes for 972 yards and six touchdowns. His passer rating of 134.6 is far superior to that of any other Packer passer at the same point in their career.

He has not been intercepted during his time in Green Bay.

Unfortunately, Willis’ stay in the NFL’s smallest city is likely at an end. He’s played too well not to be signed by some other team in the offseason.

Losing Malik will hurt. Almost as much as the 307 rushing yards Green Bay surrendered to the Ravens, a total so abominable as to almost overshadow Willis’ last hurrah on the Frozen Tundra.

Top Guns at 90
The 10 passers who compiled a passer rating greater than 70 on their first 90 pass attempts as a Packer. Thirty-five players have thrown at least 90 passes for Green Bay. Willis will become the 36th to do so should he attempt at least one pass in the season-finale in Minnesota.

Name                          A-C-Yds-TD-HI          Rate
Malik Willis                  89-70-972-6-0              134.62
Brett Favre                    90-57-657-4-2              90.83
Anthony Dilweg           90-52-625-5-2              88.43
Aaron Rodgers             90-60-565-2-1              86.57
Jordan Love                  90-54-637-4-3              82.50
Irv Comp*                     92-46-662-7-4              80.98
Blair Kiel                       90-53-547-4-2             74.63
Mike Tomczak             90-53-685-5-6              73.61
Babe Parilli                   90-40-680-7-5             73.38
Lamar McHan              90-43-702-8-7             71.62

*Unable to determine Comp’s rating after 90 passes.