rear Green Bay Packers' Quarterback Jordan Love was lost in the season opener. Philadelphia EaglesA lot of people (myself included) had given up on the Packers as Malik Willis assumed the starting role in a situation where Willis had never been successful before, but we all forgot to add one key component:
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is a play-calling wizard.
Two weeks later, the Packers are 2-1, giving Love plenty of time to get back to 100 percent healthy. With another win against a tough, physical defense, LaFleur has done it all without his franchise quarterback, proving he is one of the league's best offensive coaches and best play-callers.
The Packers have rushed for over 150 yards in each of their last two games against two physical defenses, Indianapolis and Tennessee, but they accomplished it in very different ways in each game. RB Josh Jacobs was the fulcrum of the rushing attack against the Colts, using misdirection to completely fool the Colts' secondary defenders. Willis was the star this week, leading the team with 73 yards rushing and 202 yards passing (190 including sack yards). LaFleur empowered Willis to just run if he couldn't find an opening, giving him ample read-option opportunities and actually utilizing his mobility as a functional part of the offense.
What stands out most about Willis and the Packers is how much this offensive system has contributed to his strength as a pass thrower. The read is incredibly simple, but it attacks downfield and relies on Willis' arm strength. 3rd-and-18 is no problem for Willis, and he puts this ball in a precise spot for WR Christian Watson to move the chains. This may be one of the best passes I've ever seen Willis throw at the NFL level, and there are plenty of passes like it in his play.
Come see Malik Willis' long third-down pass, come see Christian Watson unleash the most pointless hurdle possible and get dropped out of the sky. pic.twitter.com/4V4RSJUoZz
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) September 22, 2024
With Willis under his belt, play-callers around the league have no excuses, and LaFleur is getting this team to play at an incredibly high level despite having both a backup quarterback and the youngest roster in the NFL.According to the bookmakerAn injury to a franchise quarterback would normally hinder a team, but LaFleur's performance has kept the team moving forward while unlocking even more potential in this offense.
Using motion to work on run design, using wide receiver Jayden Reed in the backfield, then building on that over the course of a week or so. These are things that top play-callers and coaches do, finding ways to push the boundaries and innovate on an offense even without the top player on offense. After what LaFleur did with Willis et al., NFL play-callers have no excuse to send out mediocre offenses. What we're starting to see with Willis and the Packers, Darnold and the Vikings, and even Purdy, is 49ers The environment around the QB matters. Protecting the signal caller with play calling, play making and protection is much more important than just throwing in a top tier player and expecting him to win games blah blah blah.
LaFleur and the Packers are giving Malik Willis a system in which he can thrive, which will help Green Bay in the long run. They know they have a backup who can thrive if Love misses longer than expected or gets injured again, and they've proven they can win with him. Not only that, but they could break new ground on offense.
LaFleur and the Packers have put on a coaching master class and are serving as a warning to other play-callers in the NFL.
