GREEN BAY – The Packers set the tone on their first two drives against the Titans on Sunday with an effective combination.
Deception and execution.
Plays featuring one, the other, or both got QB Malik Willis off to a strong start in the 30-14 triumph. Here's a sampling:
Play No. 1: First-and-10 from the Green Bay 30, first quarter, 15:00 left
Result: 30-yard completion to WR Jayden Reed
First play of the game and the Titans are ultra-focused on the ground game the Packers deployed to dominate the Colts the week prior. So some deception is in order, and Willis doesn't just fake the pitch to RB Josh Jacobs (8). C Josh Myers (71) also pulls to the right to really sell the run to LBs Ernest Jones IV (53) and Kenneth Murray Jr. (56), who both bite hard on the run action as Reed crosses in front of them into wide-open space. Watch also how WR Romeo Doubs (87) doesn't give away to CB Chidobe Awuzie (13) that the ball is literally right behind him, then throws a little block for good measure before getting welcomed to the game by Murray.
Play No. 2: Third-and-6 from the Tennessee 36, first quarter, 13:43 left
Result: 30-yard completion to WR Christian Watson
Three plays later on the initial third down of the game, nothing deceptive about this, just solid if subtle execution up front. The Titans' best pass rusher is OLB Harold Landry III (58) off the edge. Watch how Myers, while starting on a double-team with LG Elgton Jenkins (74), has his head turned to the right watching in case he needs to provide help. When Landry stunts to the inside and RT Zach Tom (50) loses his footing, Myers is right there to keep the platform clean for Willis to deliver the shot downfield. Two plays later, the Packers are in the end zone and on the board.
Play No. 3: Third-and-2 from the Green Bay 38, first quarter, 5:59 left
Result: 20-yard scramble by Willis
On the first third down of the Packers' second drive, Willis finds all kinds of room as he scrambles, but his teammates keep key defenders in the dark as to what's happening. First, the escape route opens up when OLB Arden Key (49) gets overzealous following the chip block of TE Tucker Kraft (85), and LT Rasheed Walker (63) steers him clear of the QB. But then watch how Jacobs and Kraft (85) keep Willis' running lane open. Jacobs slow-plays his movement down the sideline so S Quandre Diggs (28) has no clue Willis is running right past him. Jacobs even gives Diggs a little shove just as Willis goes by. Kraft (85) also pulls his defender, Murray, out of the picture by running his route, and then making a nifty move to spin around and block him.
Play No. 4: Third-and-7 from the Tennessee 39, first quarter, 4:01 left
Result: 8-yard scramble by Willis
Another third down, another conversion with an effective combination of execution with a little deception thrown in. The Titans are going for broke, trying to knock the Packers out of field-goal range with a blitz that sends six rushers. But the Packers have seven in to block so they're OK. As he did on the last play, Kraft provides a nice chip block on the edge, this one against Landry, to help Tom against the Titans' leading sacker. Then RB Emanuel Wilson (31) nicely picks up the blitzing Jones. Tennessee has just five defenders in coverage, so Willis knows he's got some room. The deception? Watch the head-and-shoulder fake Willis gets BOTH S Amani Hooker (37) and CB L'Jarius Sneed (38) to bite on in the open field, allowing him to pick up a first down he otherwise wasn't converting.
Play No. 5: First-and-10 from the Tennessee 31, first quarter, 3:15 left
Result: 29-yard run by Willis
Very next play and it's deception first, then execution. The Packers full-on sell the inside run to OLB Jaylen Harrell (92), initially with Kraft throwing a quick shoulder fake as though he's going to block him, and then with Jacobs accelerating forward even though Willis has kept the ball. Harrell is out of the play. Jacobs carrying out the fake also gets Murray to hold just a beat too long behind the line, and Willis uses his speed to sprint around him. From there, Kraft absolutely buries Hooker with a block in the open field, while Doubs gets a strong initial shove on Sneed to seal him inside and open the sideline for Willis, who nearly scores.
Bonus play No. 1: Third-and-14 from the Green Bay 21, second quarter, 4:37 left
Result: 18-yard completion to Doubs
This play has nothing to do with the current film review theme, but it's worth showing just to point out the little things QBs must look for in reading coverages, and how Willis saw one for a huge conversion on third-and-long. The Titans rush four and have seven in coverage, six of whom are at the first-down marker or beyond, so anything downfield will be a tight fit. How does Willis get this throw to Doubs in there? He sees the dropping middle LB, Jones, turn his hips toward Reed's middle seam/deep post route and take a step outside the left hash just as Doubs makes his in cut toward the right hash. It is no coincidence that Willis cocks his arm right after he sees Jones' shift his body position, because he knows Jones can't reverse direction soon enough to disrupt this throw. That's all it takes. That's the read. The throw is on target, the drive remains alive, and Doubs signals first down, much to the chagrin of Sneed.
Bonus play No. 2: Second-and-6 from the Green Bay 43, second quarter, 3:06 left
Result: 15-yard run by Reed
In the realm of execution, here's an example of a whole host of guys doing their job across the board. Kraft and Jenkins lock up the point of attack on the front side, RG Sean Rhyan (75) helps seal off the back side, and even though Myers doesn't get a block, his defender takes a bad angle around him and is no factor. Returning to the front side, newly signed RB Chris Brooks (30) makes a nice kick-out block, and the guy to really watch is Walker, who does some double duty. First he shoves Diggs out of the way, and WR Dontayvion Wicks (13) makes sure he stays out of the way. Then, he locks up Murray downfield as Reed follows Walker's outside hip. Unfortunately, CB Roger McCreary (21) has just a little too much speed for Tom, who can't cut him off as McCreary gets a hand on Reed to bump him out of bounds. Otherwise, Reed knows he's gone and shows it.
