Battle of NFL’s Best Quarterbacks: Jared Goff vs. ... Malik Willis?

Statistically, Lions quarterback Jared Goff is enjoying an unprecedented streak of dominance. However, in limited opportunities, nobody has been better than the Packers’ Malik Willis.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis might start on Sunday against the Detroit Lions. / Melina Myers-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers acquired Malik Willis from the Tennessee Titans for a block of cheese.

And not even the good stuff, like the 15-year-old cheddar.

Who could have possibly thought the Packers would have saved their season for the low, low price of some colby?

When the Packers host the Detroit Lions in the biggest game of the season on Sunday, the quarterback matchup could be Willis against Jared Goff. No, it’s not Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning, but the numbers are the numbers.

Goff is arguably the best quarterback in the NFL this season. A throw-in from the blockbuster trade that sent Matthew Stafford from the Lions to the Rams, Goff is having an MVP-type season.

Of qualifying quarterbacks, Goff is second in passer rating (115.3; just behind Lamar Jackson’s 115.4) and first in completion percentage (74.1) and yards per attempt (8.97).

With two wins in starts vs. the Titans and Jaguars and one in relief last week against the Jaguars after Jordan Love was knocked out by a groin injury, Willis has thrown only 39 passes, so doesn’t have nearly enough attempts to rank among the league leaders.

However, of 42 quarterbacks with at least 39 passing attempts, Willis is first in rating (130.3), first in completion percentage (74.4), first in touchdown percentage (7.7), first in interception percentage (0.0), first in yards per attempt (9.7) and fifth in yards per completion (13.1).

“Big time,” Love said of Willis’ performances. “Big-time plays he’s made. Obviously, early on in the season, it was a lot tougher for him. He just got here and was still learning the system and things like that.

“Obviously, I’ve been there as a backup. We always say you’re one play away and you never know when that play is going to come. He’s done a great job staying ready, staying dialed in through the week and the game plan. It’s hard when you don’t get as many reps throughout the week in practice. To go out there and make some big-time plays like he did, is impressive. Definitely has helped us out a lot.”

Willis is enjoying the ride.

“I think it’s cool. It’s fun. I like football,” Willis said to laughs.

Last week, with the Packers having blown a 10-point lead, it was up to Willis to save them from what would have been an embarrassing and momentum-killing loss to the Jaguars.

Willis played with the calm of a wise veteran, not a 25-year-old who entered the day with 100 career passing attempts.

“I just try not to lean on me. I lean on my faith,” he said. “God’s with me at all times, so I just try to lean on the fact, knowing I can’t do it by myself any other time. Why am I going to try to do it (by myself) in one of the biggest moments you get, you know? That’s it.”

Willis is one of the stories of the NFL season. A third-round pick by the Titans in 2022, he started three games as a rookie. He completed 50.8 percent of his passes with zero touchdowns, three interceptions and a 42.8 rating.

In 61 passing attempts in 2022, he threw for 276 yards. In 39 attempts in 2024, he’s thrown for 380 yards and the first three touchdowns of his career.

He will lean on all those experiences – the bad as well as the good – if he starts against the mighty Lions.

“I feel like those past times were more important than any times I’m going to have in the future,” he said. “More than anything, those times build your faith, literally. When it’s easy and all going good, you’re not as locked into those things, you’re not even thinking about it. But when times are hard and you don’t have anybody picking you up, it’s like what can you lean on?

“I found what I can lean on, and I can trust in that, regardless – good, bad or indifferent. So, I don’t look at it as results-based as sometimes the media may take this. ‘Oh, you lose. You’re the worst in the world.’ Or you win and you’re the best in the world. I just erase both of those and go out there and have fun and enjoy this opportunity and this platform that God’s given me and try to give him all the credit.”

Goff, meanwhile, is having a season for the ages. Detroit is 6-1, the best record in the NFC, in large part because of his efficient and explosive play.

In what might be the most preposterous stat imaginable, the Lions over the past five games have scored 24 touchdowns on offense and thrown only 20 incomplete passes.

Goff is the ringleader.

“They’re one of the most explosive offenses in the league,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “I think [Lions offensive coordinator] Ben Johnson does an unbelievable job of putting his guys in position. They’ve got one of the best offensive lines in all of football. I think Jared Goff is playing as good as anybody. And they’ve got weapons all around him, whether it’s Amon-Ra (St. Brown) or (Sam) LaPorta. They’ve got two great backs.

“They’ve just got a lot of playmakers on their offense. Good scheme plus players usually equals some pretty good results.”

Last week, Goff became the first quarterback in NFL history to complete at least 72 percent of his passes with multiple touchdown passes and a 110-plus passer rating in five consecutive games.

During that span, he has the highest completion percentage (83.0) and passer rating (146.5) in NFL history.

“You just keep working and trying to maintain what we’re doing,” Goff said on the Let’s Go! podcast. “Of course, you hope it’s smooth sailing until whenever it’s over, but we’ll hit some adversity and have to overcome it. That’s the challenge is trying to come back to work and practice well, put on another good week and get ready for Green Bay.”

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It doesn't get much better - or bigger - than #Packers-Lions for first place in the NFC North.@hibbard_casey has the game preview. ⬇️https://t.co/RsTZ0mQFpc

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) October 31, 2024

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