The Green Bay Packers didn’t have as hot of a start to the 2024 NFL season as they would have hoped. While it’s true that they were unable to stop Saquon Barkley from running through and around their defense, the team also failed to score and keep up with what the Philadelphia Eagles were putting up.
It also didn’t help that they may miss Jordan Love for a couple of weeks due to injury. While the signal caller and the team are doing everything in their power to get the Utah State product back on the field, it’s safer to assume that the 25-year-old gunslinger would be unavailable to play.
Love’s absence puts the pressure of bouncing back squarely on Matt LaFleur and Malik Willis‘ shoulders. Things aren’t going to get easier as LaFleur knows how dangerous the Indianapolis offense can become. It also doesn’t help that Willis doesn’t inspire plenty of confidence among fans.
One analyst highlights how the two working together would become crucial in the team’s Week 2 victory against the Colts.
Analyst looks into Matt LaFleur, Malik Willis’ adaptability as keys to Green Bay Packers’ Week 2 game
Forbes’ Rob Reischel wrote a detailed piece that looked into Matt LaFleur’s ability to lead Malik Willis to a win and increase his stock as an NFL quarterback.
He revealed that LaFleur will be entering unfamiliar territory:
In Week 9, 2021, Green Bay traveled to Kansas City to face the mighty Chiefs. The Packers were without reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers, who was sidelined with COVID and wasn’t allowed around his team.
To this day, that remains the only time in LaFleur’s 91 games as Green Bay’s head coach where he hasn’t had his preferred starting quarterback.
Now, LaFleur hopes his second chance with a backup quarterback goes better than the first.
During that Week 9 game, Love was still a project QB who was not supposed to take on the Kansas City Chiefs. However, it was clear to everyone that Love would eventually take over Rodgers as the team’s starting QB.
Meanwhile, no such standards are set for Willis. His disappointing run with the Tennessee Titans has fans hoping he would at least put up a decent fight against a Colts team still trying to piece their team together.
This is the perfect chance for LaFleur and Willis to prove the doubters wrong, and a convincing win here would immediately turn any negative narratives around them.
