NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Malik Willis ran for a touchdown and threw for a score in his best performance in the NFL, leading the Green Bay Packers to a 30-14 rout of the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
Willis not only won his second straight start subbing for Jordan Love, he got a sweet measure of revenge against the team that traded him to Green Bay (2-1) in August. Willis accounted for 134 of the Packers’ 137 yards in the first quarter. He finished with 202 yards passing and 73 rushing.
Cornerback Jaire Alexander scored a touchdown on his first career pick-6 late in the first quarter, helping Green Bay jump out to a 17-7 lead after 15 minutes. The Packers led 20-7 at halftime and ultimately scored 20 straight points for a 27-7 advantage midway through the third, prompting a loud chant of “Go, Pack, Go!”
The Packers had eight sacks, their most since getting eight at Chicago on Jan. 2, 2005. They also forced three turnovers.
First-year coach Brian Callahan has the the Titans (0-3) off to their worst start since losing the first six in 2009. Tennessee, which got a seventh-round pick for Willis after trading the 2022 third-rounder out of Liberty, has lost 21 of 27 overall.
Green Bay scratched Love before the game, giving him another week to heal his sprained left knee. Willis, with coach Matt LaFleur’s play-calling, made sure the Packers had no issues. The quarterback showed the Titans what they gave up when they stuck with Will Levis as their starter and Mason Rudolph as his backup.
Levis threw two TD passes, one to Nick Vannett and the other to DeAndre Hopkins.
The 33rd pick overall in 2023 out of Kentucky has eight turnovers in three games, including two interceptions returned for TDs. When Callahan took a timeout and sent the offense back in for the punt team, Levis was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-2 to start the third quarter.
Tennessee’s defense forced its first three-and-out after Hopkins’ TD pulled the Titans within 27-14. Levis drove the Titans to the Green Bay 31 but was sacked two plays later by Kingsley Enagbare. Lukas Van Ness recovered the fumble near midfield.
That sent Titans’ fans streaming for the exits on a steamy afternoon.
Picky Packers
Green Bay came in leading the NFL with five interceptions and six takeaways. Now they have seven picks through three games, matching their total from all of 2023.
Injuries
Packers: TE Tucker Kraft aggravated the shoulder injury that had him limited in practice.
Titans: CB Chidobe Awuzie hurt a groin muscle early and didn’t return. S Amani Hooker came off the field holding something to his right temple at the 2-minute warning and did not return.
Up next
Packers: Host Minnesota next Sunday.
Titans: Visit Miami and another backup quarterback in prime time on Monday, Sept. 30.
