NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Malik Willis showcased his talent with a touchdown pass and a rushing score, guiding the Green Bay Packers to a decisive 30-14 victory against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
Filling in for Jordan Love, Willis secured his second consecutive start and took revenge against the team that traded him to Green Bay in August. He was instrumental in the first quarter, contributing 134 of the Packers’ 137 yards, and ended the game with 202 passing yards and 73 rushing yards.
The Packers surged ahead with a touchdown from cornerback Jaire Alexander, who scored on his first career pick-6 late in the first quarter, giving Green Bay a 17-7 lead. By halftime, the Packers were up 20-7 and extended their advantage to 27-7 with 20 unanswered points in the third quarter, igniting chants of “Go, Pack, Go!” from the crowd.
Defensively, Green Bay excelled with eight sacks, the most since 2005, and forced three turnovers. First-year Titans coach Brian Callahan is grappling with a disappointing 0-3 start, marking the franchise’s worst beginning since losing the first six games in 2009. The Titans traded Willis for a seventh-round pick after previously selecting him in the 2022 draft.
Willis’s performance highlighted Tennessee’s decision to stick with Will Levis as their starter, who threw two touchdown passes to Nick Vannett and DeAndre Hopkins but struggled overall with eight turnovers in three games.
After the Titans managed to cut the deficit to 27-14, Levis was unable to convert a crucial fourth-and-2 early in the third quarter, leading to a fumble recovered by Packers linebacker Lukas Van Ness. This play sent many Titans fans heading for the exits on a hot afternoon.
Green Bay entered the game leading the NFL in interceptions and takeaways, and they now have seven picks through three games, matching their total from the entire 2023 season.
In injury news, Packers tight end Tucker Kraft aggravated a shoulder injury, while Titans cornerback Chidobe Awuzie suffered a groin injury early in the game and did not return. Safety Amani Hooker also left the field with an injury at the two-minute warning.
Next week, the Packers will host Minnesota, while the Titans will visit Miami for a prime-time matchup against another backup quarterback on September 30.
Related topics: