Packers Quarterback Malik Willis - Photo by AP Photo/Morry Gash
GREEN BAY, WI (WSAU) – The Green Bay Packers set a new record on Sunday following their 16-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts behind quarterback Malik Willis’ strong outing.
According to the Packers Wire, the Packers are the first team in NFL history to win 800 games, with the Chicago Bears (793) and New York Giants (721) being the only other teams with 700 or more wins. The current record for the Packers is 800-599-38, and the only team with a higher all-time win percentage is the Dallas Cowboys.
The 800th win wouldn’t have been possible without the solid performance of the recently acquired quarterback Malik Willis, who completed 12 of his 14 passing attempts and not having a turnover. Head coach Matt LaFleur spoke about Willis’ strong Packers debut, saying, “I don’t think you guys can appreciate or even comprehend the task that Malk Willis… this guy got here three weeks ago. For him to go out there and command our offense, we still had a lot of long calls; we had shifts, motions, and a ton of different run schemes. There was a lot put on his plate. And for him to go out there and do what he did today, I think that speaks volumes of who he is as a person and the work he put in. I’m just super proud of him.”
LaFleur also spoke about Willis’ decision to run the ball on a critical 3rd and 10 from their 47-yard line, saying, “I asked Malik why he didn’t throw the ball on third down, and he told me that Josh (Myers) threw up on the ball. I was like, ‘That’s the first time I’ve ever heard that.’ Matter of fact, the official came over to me. Shawn [Hochuli] came over to me and said, ‘We saw your center throwing up on the ball; do you want us to take him out next time?’ I said, ‘Absolutely, please do that.’ Because you’re talking about a critical situation, and it’s third down, and I’ve never had a throw with vomit on a football. I think Malik probably didn’t appreciate that.”
Many Packers fans wanted the team to sign a veteran quarterback like Ryan Tannehill while Love continues to rehab his sprained MCL, but with Willis’ performance on Sunday, the Packers will likely stick with him for the long haul until Love can be cleared to return.
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