Aidan Hutchinson: “I would love to win one of these holiday games.”
Aidan Hutchinson: “I would love to win one of these holiday games.”
Green Bay, Wis. – Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis says his throwing shoulder is feeling better and that he expects to be available for Saturday’s game against Baltimore if starter Jordan Love remains in the concussion protocol.
“I try to take it one day at a time, but I would assume that I’m going to be ready,” Willis said Tuesday.
The Packers held a walk-through on Tuesday, and Love and Willis were both limited participants.
Willis took over for the injured Love in the second quarter of a 22-16 overtime loss at Chicago last weekend. He landed on his right shoulder while getting sacked on the final play of the fourth quarter. Willis stayed in the game and connected with Jayden Reed for a 31-yard completion in overtime, though the Packers eventually turned the ball over on downs.
“The adrenaline’s pumping and, you know, we got to get in,” Willis said of playing through the injury. “We don’t have anybody else, so we’ve got to keep going. It was fun.”
The Packers may need Willis again on Saturday as they try to secure a playoff spot.
The Packers (9-5-1) would lock up an NFC playoff berth if they win one of their final two games or the Detroit Lions lose one of their last two. The Lions visit Minnesota on Thursday.
Baltimore has its own uncertain quarterback situation after a back bruise knocked two-time MVP Lamar Jackson out of the Ravens’ 28-24 loss to New England on Sunday night. The Ravens would be eliminated from the playoffs with a loss.
This matchup could mean plenty for Willis, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season. The 2022 third-round pick out of Liberty has made the most of his limited opportunities with Green Bay.
Willis played well against the Bears, going 9 of 11 for 121 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 44 yards on 10 carries.
The 26-year-old has completed 76.5% of his passes with five touchdowns and no interceptions since the Packers acquired him from Tennessee before the 2024 season. Willis completed 53% of his passes with three interceptions and no touchdowns in two seasons with the Titans.
Green Bay won both of Willis’ two starts last season, including a 30-14 victory at Tennessee.
“I think he’s done a hell of a job, man,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “I think it’s all about his approach, how he came in here, how open he was to being coached. We were pretty hard on him and his footwork, and he’s done an outstanding job. I feel like the more he plays, the better he’s gotten. It’s great to have a guy like him you have so much confidence in.”
Willis says there’s a “night and day” difference in his comfort level with Green Bay’s offense compared with last season.
“You’re just trying to learn the game plan each week and make sure you know what to do with the ball and how to get us lined up,” Willis said. “Now you can more focus on – you know why we’re calling these plays. Now you can focus more on the defense and how you want to attack them and just doing all the little things that help you be successful day in and day out.”
Bears QB Williams aims higher
Lake Forest, Ill. – The partnership between Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams was questioned frequently at the start of training camp, if not earlier.
Coach and quarterback alike are now heralding their relationship as a tremendous success after the team clinched a playoff berth, even though the Bears have struggled at times in the passing game.
“Every single day, we’re spending one-on-one time, quality time together, to where we can be very transparent with each other,” Johnson said. “And I think what I’ve grown to love about him – and I hope he would echo the same thing – I think we’re mentally very similar.
“We share a lot of the same competitive drive and we think very much the same way in a lot of regards.”
Williams has completed only 57.8% of his passes (285 of 493) for 3,400 yards with a passer rating of 89.5, just 1.7 higher than his rookie year. Yet he’s made huge plays late in games, and the Bears (11-4) have won 11 of 13 since their blowout loss at Detroit in Week 2.
Williams acknowledged his relationship with Johnson didn’t start the way it turned out, and recalled a point early on when things didn’t go smoothly. It typified how both QB and coach could work past their issues for the common good.
“Something happened, I ended up like, I got (ticked) off, too, and I ended up waving him off,” Williams said.
Waving off the coach at practice probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do.
“And then he lit a fuse into the (helmet) mic,” Williams said. “I think it was in training camp.”
Johnson’s attention to detail with his offense frequently resulted in blowups at camp. It even happened in OTAs. He let his anger flow freely after mistakes.
Williams was often described coming out of college as lacking discipline, but he and other players learned to respond to Johnson’s demands and appreciated what the new coach brought to the team.
“He likes things the way he likes things to be done and we understand that and everybody wants to go out there and win and play for him, and I think we’ve shown that so far,” Williams said.
Williams and the Bears go into their game at San Francisco on Sunday night with a chance to become the NFC’s top seed one year after finishing 5-12.
They need wins over the 49ers and Lions and a loss by Seattle to finish atop the conference. To win the NFC North after finishing last in 2024, they need one more win or a loss by Green Bay.
Williams, meanwhile, is enjoying how he has proved the doubters wrong regarding the Bears and his own career.
“I’ve said it in a couple speeches that I had before, that I wasn’t the biggest, I wasn’t the strongest, I wasn’t the tallest, fastest, whatever the case may be,” Williams said. “I get drafted here, told that I’m not a special player, told then I’m not a good fit here, told that coach and I won’t work, told that I won’t win here.
“And so, I know that it’s going to keep going on but I do take a little satisfaction in things like that and being able to help this team and help this organization be a part of it, to get to the playoffs.”
And he believes reaching the postseason is only a start.
“My goal isn’t just to get to the playoffs,” Williams said. “My goal is to win, and to win big.”
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