Quarterback Malik Willis didn’t play like a backup in his first start for the Green Bay Packers this season.

Against the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night, Willis completed 18-of-21 passes for 288 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions and ran for 60 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries.

Willis became the first player in NFL history with at least 275 passing yards, 50 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, one passing touchdown and an 85 percent completion rate in the same game.

But the Packers lost to the Ravens 41-24 as Baltimore built a 20:32 time-of-possession advantage on the legs of Derrick Henry, who ran for 216 yards and four touchdowns on 36 carries.

“You walk out grateful yet disappointed,” Willis said. “Obviously, you want to go out and win every game, but it don’t work out like that sometime. And still grateful for the opportunity to glorify God, still grateful the opportunity to go out and play ball again and still grateful that I get to fight with those guys that are in that locker room because every man in there gives it their all.”

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Willis might have done more, but he left the game because of a shoulder injury with 7:53 to play. With the Packers’ No. 1 QB, Jordan Love, sidelined by a concussion, Willis played despite an injury to his throwing shoulder sustained when he came in for Love in last week’s game.

“I just felt a little tweak,” Willis said. “I think all the treatment had me feeling good, and I think a little soreness just built up into that point of the game. I slid and kind of hit it a little bit, and on that throw I kind of threw it all arm and I kind of felt it a little bit and just wanted to check it out and make sure everything was all right. …

“I should have just got it checked at halftime just in case to make sure everything was everything. and you just hate to leave in the middle of a drive, obviously, as well as it was going. We could have got three or seven. We could have made it one-possession game. You know, maybe defense gets a stop, but we don’t get into ifs and buts and ands. That’s just the way it went, and it’s unfortunate obviously.”

Willis ran to the locker room after throwing a pass, then returned to the sidelines. In between, Clayton Tune, called up from the practice squad on Saturday, was intercepted, leading to a Baltimore touchdown, and with the Packers trailing by 14 points with 1:56 to play, Willis did not return to the game.

“You guys knew going into this thing that he’s been battling through a throwing-shoulder injury,” Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said. “So I just think that speaks to the type of competitor that Malik Willis is. I mean, he’s as tough as anybody.”

Willis threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Christian Watson as Green Bay tied the game 7-7 with 5:44 left in the first quarter and ran 22 yards for a touchdown as the Packers cut Baltimore’s lead to 20-14 with 1:24 left in the first half and 11 yards for a touchdown as Green Bay reduced the margin to 27-24 with 2:02 left in the third quarter.

“He made play after play after play out there,” LaFleur said. “He was one of the few bright spots, I would say, on the night in regards to what he was able to do. I thought he just he made plays. He threw the ball accurately, and it was kind of a crazy week in regards to him not getting really any reps. You know, missed a day being sick, came back. He was dialed in, man, and I thought I thought he played outstanding.”

The Packers hoped to have Love back for Saturday night’s game, and he practiced on a limited basis over the week. Willis was a limited practice participant on Tuesday and Thursday, but missed Wednesday’s workout.

“It’s a hell of a question,” LaFleur said when asked how Willis had played so well with so little practice. “I just I don’t know. I think it’s just a credit to him and the amount of work that he’s put in and the type of player he is. He’s showing everybody who he is and what he can be. So again, I thought he did a lot of great things tonight. …

“He is unflapable. Like, he is as calm as they come and just is a resilient dude. I can’t say enough great things about Malik.”

In Willis’ previous two starts for Green Bay, the Packers ran the football 90 times and passed it 33. In his third start on Saturday night, Willis threw 21 passes while the Packers had 17 rushing attempts – nine by Willis.

Those starts came in Weeks 2 and 3 of the 2024 season, shortly after Willis had joined the Packers from the Tennessee Titans in a trade on Aug. 26, 2024.

“I think it’s just a testament to the coaching,” Willis said. “I mean, they want to put you in position to be successful. Obviously, after being here 10 days, I don’t know if I knew the whole passing game as well as I needed to to go in there and start Week 2 last year. But they definitely have been continuing to grow me and prepare me so that I feel just as comfortable as when Jordan goes in there and they can call the same offense and we can play ball.”

A backup at Auburn in 2017 and 2018, Willis entered the NFL as a third-round selection in the 2022 draft after two seasons with Liberty. In two seasons with Tennessee, Willis played in 11 games with three starts. At the end of this season, his rookie contract will end, and his play for the Packers is making him a more attractive free-agent target.

“I try not to look too far ahead,” Willis said. “I just got to stay where my feet are, and, obviously, right now I’m backing up Jordan and just doing what I can to stay ready and be ready to go if the team needs me.”

The Packers conclude their regular season against the Chicago Bears on Jan. 4, and despite losing their past three games, Green Bay will advance to the NFC playoffs as a wild-card qualifier.