GREEN BAY – It was a do-or-die game for the Baltimore Ravens. A loss would have eliminated them from the playoffs.
The Green Bay Packers played like they just watched their postseason ticket punched while eating a Christmas ham two days ago.
Maybe the Ravens’ physicality would have been too much for the Packers anyway, but having more fight in them left no doubt who was the better team. The Packers lost 41-24 behind a lifeless defense unable to support their ascending backup quarterback, leaving doubt as to what kind of playoff run this team is capable of making when the games become more important.
The Packers did lose something inside Lambeau Field. Their defeat ended any chance of winning the NFC North, handing the division title to the Chicago Bears for the first time since 2018. But the Packers clinched a playoff spot when the Detroit Lions lost at the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas. The Ravens were playing to keep alive their postseason hopes.
There might have been a shot at a comeback bid, but Malik Willis exited his breakout night with a shoulder injury while the Packers were driving midway through the fourth quarter. Clayton Tune, called up from the practice squad this week, threw an interception off a drop from receiver Bo Melton that ended the drive on his lone pass. After briefly running to the Packers’ locker room, Willis returned to the sideline, but the Packers were unable to get a stop.
Here are two primary thoughts from the loss:
Micah Parsons meant everything to Packers’ pass rush, but Devonte Wyatt’s absence hurt more against Ravens
From the start, it was clear the Packers had no answer to the Derrick Henry problem.
Henry had 48 yards on seven carries on the Ravens’ opening drive, which ended in his 3-yard touchdown. He never slowed down from there, finishing with 216 yards on 36 carries and four touchdowns.
The Packers’ defense undoubtedly would benefit from Micah Parsons’ presence in any game, even against a heavy rushing attack. Parsons began the afternoon he tore his ACL ripping the football away from Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey. But the Packers are also without top defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, and his absence might have been even more important against the Ravens.
Without starting quarterback Lamar Jackson, the Ravens simply hammered the Packers with Henry between the tackles. Nothing they did was a surprise. Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley opened with base defense and used it frequently, perhaps more than any other game this season.
The lesson on this night is that while Hafley is lauded throughout the NFL for his scheme and leadership, it’s a players’ league. No coordinator can compensate for the loss of star talent. Without Parsons and Wyatt, the Ravens leaned on the Packers’ defense and beat them physically.
Nothing the offense did was enough to counter. By the time Henry had 20 carries, the Packers had only eight plays and trailed 20-7 in the second quarter. Unable to stop the run, they played catch-up all night.
Malik Willis shows why he’s on track to be NFL starter next season
Enjoy him while he lasts, folks.
With Jordan Love inactive after spending the week in concussion protocol, Willis had a chance to showcase himself on a national stage entering free agency. After torching an admittedly pedestrian Ravens defense, it’s hard to believe the Packers backup quarterback won’t get a shot to be an NFL starter in 2026.
Willis finished 18-for-21 passing for 288 yards and a touchdown for a passer rating of 134.6. He added 60 yards rushing on nine carries and two touchdowns. The Ravens simply had no answer for his arm or legs.
The blitzkrieg started early when Willis connected on his first two passes for an abbreviated touchdown drive. His first was thrown into a tight window down the left sideline to Romeo Doubs for 40 yards. On the next snap, after a pair of Packers’ penalties pushed the offense into a first-and-20, Willis connected on a laser to wide-open Christian Watson for a 39-yard touchdown.
While the Ravens heavily barricaded their backup quarterback with the run game, Packers coach Matt LaFleur did not use Josh Jacobs to lessen Willis’ impact. Jacobs finished with just 3 yards on four carries. LaFleur instead kept the game in his backup quarterback’s hands. Never was it more apparent than on third-and-2 late in the third quarter. Instead of trying to get the 2 yards, LaFleur called a deep shot to Bo Melton. Willis delivered a perfect ball for 34 yards down the right sideline.
Willis scored on an 11-yard touchdown run on the next play.
It’s telling LaFleur called this game with the same aggressiveness he’d use with a starting quarterback behind center. That’s what Willis seems to have a good shot at being in this league next season.
This article originally appeared on Packers News: Derrick Henry ruins Malik Willis’ breakout game in Packers’ 41-24 loss
