Packer Central

Stock Report: Malik Willis Skyrockets, Packers Rock Titans 30-14

The Green Bay Packers ruined Will Levis' day, sacking him eight times and intercepting him twice. Meanwhile, Malik Willis got some measure of revenge over his former team as the Packers routed the Titans 30-14.

Jacob Westendorf

Green Bay Packers defensive end Lukas Van Ness (90) celebrates sacking Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis with cornerback Keisean Nixon (25) during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024.
Green Bay Packers defensive end Lukas Van Ness (90) celebrates sacking Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis with cornerback Keisean Nixon (25) during the second quarter at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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No Jordan Love, no problem?

Ok, that’s probably a step or two too far, but the Green Bay Packers are 2-0 in the Malik Willis era following a 30-14 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. It was their first win in four trips to Nissan Stadium.

Willis was asked to do more than he was a week ago. He delivered much more, as well.

Willis never went over 100 passing yards in his three starts for the Tennessee Titans. He had more than 200 yards on Sunday. He contributed a touchdown run to start the scoring and a touchdown pass.

While it wasn’t the same dominant rushing performance it was a week ago, the Packers got enough on offense to get them enough points to win.

The pass rush, which was under fire after a subpar first two weeks of the season, showed up in a big way, putting Will Levis under siege for most of the day.

If you had told the Packers that Willis would split the two games he would have played, they might have taken it. They have to be elated with being 2-0 in Willis’ two starts.

Here are our risers and fallers from Green Bay’s 30-14 win over the Tennessee Titans.

Stock Up

QB Malik Willis

Willis wouldn’t call it a revenge game, but if it was, he certainly got some measure of it.

The Packers battered his replacement, Levis for eight sacks and three turnovers. Meanwhile, Willis was clean for the second consecutive week.

A tone was set early in the game. Instead of running the ball on the first play of the game, coach Matt LaFleur dialed up a fake toss that freed Jayden Reed up over the middle of the field for a gain of 30.

Willis was asked to make more plays this week than he was last week. The Packers knew he was going to have to do that, and Willis delivered.

Willis piled up just under 300 total yards and fell just short of setting a record for most rushing yards by a Packers quarterback.

If the Packers were happy with Willis’ performance last week, they have to be over the moon with what he was able to accomplish this week.

The numbers may not be gaudy, but the only umber that’s going to matter to the team is two, as in two wins.

CB Jaire Alexander

Jaire Alexander has accomplished a lot in his short career.

He’s been named to two All-Pro teams. He was the highest-paid cornerback in all of football at one point, as well.

Against the Titans, Alexander accomplished something he had not done yet in his NFL career.

With the Packers leading 10-7 late in the first quarter, Alexander saw Levis’ eyes move toward him, and his eyes lit up.

Alexander jumped the route, and was in the end zone seconds later.

That gave the Packers a 17-7 lead, and their lead would never fall below double-digits.

S Xavier McKinney

Three games as a Packer, three interceptions for Xavier McKinney.

This interception was a bit of an arm punt in desperation mode from Levis, but McKinney is not going to complain.

He’s been all the Packers could have asked for and more in his short Packers career. His three interceptions from this season would already lead the 2023 team.

Moreover, the seven interceptions that Green Bay’s defense has this year equaled last year’s total in just three games.

Pass Rush

The pass rush, which had been the talk of training camp, had been silent through two games.

The insistence from LaFleur, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and the players was it was by design because they were facing athletic quarterbacks.

This game certainly backed up that line of thinking.

With Levis not nearly as mobile as Jalen Hurts and Anthony Richardson, the Packers devoured the Titans’ passing attack.

Isaiah McDuffie, Quay Walker, Kingsley Enagbare, Devonte Wyatt, Preston Smith, Edgerrin Cooper and Lukas Van Ness all at least shared a sack. Wyatt led the way with two.

The final total for the day, was eight. The franchise record for most sacks in a game is nine; the Packers had only three in the first two games.

Next week, they’ll face a similar quarterback in the Vikings' Sam Darnold, though he is backed by a much better offensive line. This group will need to be ready again.

Stock Down

LT Rasheed Walker

Rasheed Walker entered Sunday's game as the most penalized player on the Packers and the second-most penalized offensive tackle in the NFL.

Walker was victimized for two more penalties vs. the Titans, both in the second quarter.

After a superb stretch run last year, Walker was one of the stars of training camp, but that has not translated to the regular season. It appears we’re on the downswing of the Walker roller coaster to start the season.

With some vicious pass rush units set to visit Green Bay, they need their blindside protector to be better. That starts next week against the 3-0 Vikings.

Penalties

This is a team stat. So many plays were eliminated today due to penalties that should be easily correctable. That has been a trend through the first three weeks of the season.

Last week, Josh Jacobs had a touchdown wiped out by a penalty. This week, Rashan Gary had a sack nullified by an offsides penalty.

The final tally today was 10 penalties.

It didn’t cost them on Sunday, but it could down the road against better opponents.

More Packers-Titans News

Malik Willis earns redemption | Game story: Packers 30, Titans 14 | Packers-Titans live updates | Jordan Love inactive | Malik Willis Revenge Game | This week’s big matchup | Malik Willis will start | Packers-Titans: Three reasons to worry | Packers-Titans: Three reasons for optimism | Elevated: Sean Clifford | Elevated: Robert Rochell | Josh Jacobs’ fumbling history | Jayden Reed and bait | Does Vegas know something about Love? | NFC North power rankings | Eric Wilson, Edgerrin Cooper need more snaps | Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are “annoying” | High-priced QBs worth the money?

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Jacob Westendorf
JACOB WESTENDORF