From the Too Much Information Department comes Packers coach Matt LaFleur who met with the media after Sunday’s grinding 16-10 win over the Colts and explained why, exactly, quarterback Malik Willis wound up running on a broken third-and-7 play late in the first half. The play was designed to be a pass, and Willis probably could have made the throw.
Except that Josh Myers, the Packers’ center, vomited on the ball just before he snapped it. Yeesh.
“I asked Malik why he didn’t throw the ball on third down and he told me that Josh threw up on the ball,” LaFleur explained. “I was like, that’s the first time I’ve ever heard that. Matter of fact, the official came over to me and said, ‘I saw your center throwing up on the ball, if that happens again, do you want to take him out?’ I said, ‘Absolutely, please do that.’
“That situation, third down, I never had a situation where there was vomit on the football. The tight end appreciated that.”
Give some credit to Myers. Video shows that the offending action took place almost exactly as he was snapping to Willis in the shotgun. Myers still held his block. Willis, though, could only pick up three yards on the ground and the Packers punted from midfield.
Packers Hammered Colts With 53 Runs
It was a bit of a queasy affair all around for those interested in NFL offense, but that was expected from the Packers as they headed into the matchup against the Colts with quarterback Jordan Love sidelined because of a strained MCL in his knee. Even with the injury, the Packers held out hope that Love would play in Week 2, but the team erred on the side of caution and instead handed the job to Willis, who was acquired from the Titans just before the end of camp.
Willis has been with the team only three weeks and has been thrown into the fire quickly, but did a credible job against a defense that has shown itself to be among the worst in the league at stopping the run.
The Packers took advantage. They ran the ball an incredible 53 times on the day for 261 yards, paced by star back Josh Jacobs, who racked up 151 yards on 32 carries.
Malik Willis Handled Starting Role Well
Willis, making his first NFL start since a brief stint in Tennessee in 2022, himself ran six times for 44 yards and the Packers used handoffs to receivers Jayden Reed (two carries, 37 yards) and Bo Melton (two carries, eight yards) to get the ball to playmakers.
Willis completed 12 of the 14 passes he threw, though only for 122 yards passing. He had no interceptions and did throw a touchdown pass to Dontayvion Wicks. LaFleur said it was one of the best coaching victories of his career.
“Offensively, just our guys battling, 53 rushes, that is what we wanted to do coming into this game,” he said. “It is one thing to want to do that but to be able to go out there and execute that, I think that says a lot about really, just all 11 out there—starting with the offensive line, but the backs were running hard, our receivers were blocking the butts off like they always do.
“And I don’t think you guys can appreciate or even comprehend the task that Malik Willis—he got here three weeks ago. For him to be able to go out there and command our offense … I think that speaks volume to who he is as a person, and the work that he’s put in. Super proud of him.
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