GREEN BAY – The Packers went with a run-heavy game plan Sunday without QB Jordan Love, and backup QB Malik Willis executed it well in a 16-10 triumph in the home opener at Lambeau Field.
As a team, the Packers rushed for 261 yards and dominated time of possession by roughly 20 minutes, but the game still came down to a Hail Mary try on the last play for the Colts, which rookie S Evan Williams intercepted.
That was the Packers' third interception on the day, with S Xavier McKinney and LB Eric Wilson also getting one each. Green Bay's defense kept the Colts out of the end zone until the final two minutes of the game, then Indy got the ball back one last time from their own 5-yard line. After driving up just across their own 40, the Colts tried the final heave.
Both teams left key points on the field, as the Packers fumbled at the goal line when going in for an early touchdown. Both kickers also missed one field goal each.
For the Packers, Willis was 12-of-14 for 122 yards with a TD and 126.8 passer rating. RB Josh Jacobs rushed 32 times for 151 yards, with Willis adding 41 yards on six attempts. WR Romeo Doubs had three catches for 62 yards, and WR Dontayvion Wicks had three catches for 26 yards and a score.
For the Colts, QB Anthony Richardson was 17-of-34 for 204 yards with one TD, three INT and a 41.8 rating. RB Jonathan Taylor had 12 carries for 103 yards, and WR Alec Pierce had five catches for 56 yards and a score.
Here's a recap of all the action:
Packers lead Colts 10-0 after first quarter
The Colts won the opening coin toss and deferred. Josh Jacobs did much of the heavy lifting on the Packers' first series, rushing for 49 yards on three carries. His 34-yard run came on first-and-20 and moved Green Bay into Indianapolis territory.
Malik Willis, starting in place of Jordan Love, completed a pass to the flat to Jayden Reed but it went for no gain on third-and-7. The Packers settled for a Brayden Narveson 46-yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead with 10 minutes, 30 seconds remaining.
Green Bay earned a three-and-out on its first defensive stand, with Isaiah McDuffie causing an incompletion on a third-and-7 checkdown to Jonathan Taylor in the flat.
The Packers started the game with Reed lining up in the backfield with Jacobs, leading to a 22-yard carry to open the next drive. Three straight Jacobs runs gained 12 yards and moved the offense to the Colts' 48-yard line.
Emanuel Wilson powered forward for four yards on third-and-2 before receiver Bo Melton broke a 16-yard run off a reverse to Indianapolis 20.
Jacobs nearly scored a 20-yard touchdown on the next play, but it was called back due to a holding penalty on left tackle Rasheed Walker. Willis picked up 12 yards on a designed scramble to set up third-and-4 from the Colts' 14.
Willis threw his first career touchdown pass on the next play, hitting Dontayvion Wicks in the flat with the second-year receiver extending it to the end zone for the score.
Narveson's extra point was partially blocked but still passed through the uprights to put the Packers up 10-0 with 3:18 left in the first quarter. The 11-play, 82-yard scoring drive lasted 6:21.
Indianapolis went hurry-up, picking up 30 quick yards on two plays, but Richardson airmailed a deep ball to Alec Pierce, which Packers safety Xavier McKinney intercepted and returned 18 yards to the Green Bay 31.
Green Bay moved to 150 rushing yards in the first quarter on a 15-yard run by Reed. Jacobs then moved the chains again with two carries for 13 yards to the Indianapolis 41.
According to Elias, the Packers' 164 rushing yards in the first quarter were the most by a Green Bay team, in any quarter, since rushing for 166 yards in the third quarter of a game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sept. 29, 1985.
Packers lead Colts 10-0 at halftime
The Packers converted their fifth third down when Willis scrambled 19 yards to the Colts' 4. Indianapolis linebacker Zaire Franklin forced a takeaway, though, when he forced a fumble of Jacobs that Laiatu Latu recovered in the end zone for a touchback.
Green Bay's defense conceded just 12 yards, though, to get the ball back. A Richardson third-down completion to Alec Pierce was wiped out by a holding penalty on Quenton Nelson. The Packers stopped Trey Sermon for a seven-yard gain on third-and-15 to force the punt.
Jacobs surpassed 100 yards rushing with his 16-yard gain on second-and-5. He then converted Green Bay's sixth third down with a 1-yard carry to the Packers' 48.
The Packers were forced to punt for the first time after Willis picked up four yards on a third-and-10 scramble. Indianapolis was forced to start at its own 7 after Daniel Whelan's 42-yard punt bounced out of bounds.
Taylor got the Colts going with an 18-yard gain to their 28 before converting on second-and-11 off a 14-yard pass from Richardson.
The defense forced another stop, with Jaire Alexander breaking up a second-and-8 pass for Michael Pittman Jr. Mitchell dropped the ball on the next play and the Colts punted, with Green Bay retaking possession at its 20 with 1:42 remaining in the half.
The Packers ran out the clock at halftime. Jacobs finished with 126 rushing yards in the first half, the most by a Green Bay player in an opening half since Ahman Green's 133 rushing yards on Sept. 9, 2001.
Taylor picked up 10 yards and a first down to start the second half, but the Colts' momentum was stopped when Devonte Wyatt sacked Richardson for a 6-yard loss on second-and-10.
Indianapolis went for it on fourth-and-4 from its own 46 but Taylor dropped a pass in the flat for the turnover on downs.
Green Bay didn't have as much success on the ground on the next series but Tucker Kraft picked up 17 on an underneath pass from Willis to set up Narveson's eventual 42-yard field goal to push the Packers' lead to 13-0 with 8:25 left in the third quarter.
The Colts charged out on their next series with Taylor gaining 27 yards on back-to-back carries. Richardson then connected with Mo Alie-Cox for 22 yards down the seam to the Green Bay 21.
Lukas Van Ness tackled Taylor for a 3-yard loss on second-and-5 off a read-option, which halted the drive. Matt Gay made a 34-yard field goal to cut the Packers' lead to 13-3 with 4:32 left in the third quarter.
Green Bay went three-and-out after Melton was tackled for an 8-yard loss on a first-down reverse. Whelan booted a 59-yard punt to the Indianapolis 16.
Taylor broke a big run to move back into Green Bay territory.
Packers hold off Colts 16-10 for first win
The fourth quarter started with Eric Wilson staying home on the read-option run by Richardson, who pitched to Sermons. The play ended in a 4-yard loss. Matt Gay then missed the 50-yard field goal wide left to keep the score at 13-3 with 14:12 left.
On third-and-5, Willis lofted a deep ball to Romeo Doubs down the sideline for a 39-yard completion to the Colts' 16. The explosive play led to Narveson's 34-yard field goal that extended Green Bay's lead to 16-3 with 10:50 remaining.
Richardson picked up 31 yards on his first-down deep ball for Mitchell. After Carrington Valentine broke up a deep ball for Pittman, Wilson picked off Richardson on a pass intended for Pittman on a slant for the turnover at the Green Bay 25.
Doubs skyed to grab a 15-yard pass from Willis and Jacobs moved the ball past midfield with a 12-yard carry up the middle on second-and-8. On third-and-5, Willis fired a 7-yard pass to Wicks to move the chains to the Indianapolis 31.
Narveson missed a 45-yard field goal wide right with 4:10 remaining. Indianapolis drove to the 25 before Richardson scrambled and found Alec Pierce for an 11-yard pass near the sideline on third-and-1.
Kenny Clark pressured Richardson into an incompletion, setting up third-and-10 with 2:07 left. The game reached the two-minute warning after a Sermon 4-yard run.
On fourth-and-6, Nelson was called for a false start. Richardson scrambled for 11 yards before being pushed out of bounds. The Colts found the end zone with a 4-yard TD pass to Pierce, cutting Green Bay's lead to 16-10 with 1:47 remaining.
The Colts declared an onside kick, which Evan Williams recovered at the Indianapolis 43. The Packers ran the ball three times, forcing the Colts to use their final two timeouts while draining the clock to 49 seconds before taking a delay of game.
Whelan pinned Indianapolis back on its own 5 with a 38-yard punt that was fair caught with 43 seconds left. Pierce caught a 15-yard pass and Richardson scrambled for 21 yards. With 5 seconds remaining, Williams intercepted it for the win.
