Packers Stock Report: Malik Willis Shines, Defense Stinks in Loss to Ravens

The Green Bay Packers entered Saturday night’s game against the Baltimore Ravens needing a win to stay alive in the NFC North race. They had to go to battle without their starting quarterback as Jordan Love did not clear the NFL’s concussion protocol in time for Saturday’s game, so it was the Malik Willis show against Baltimore’s Tyler Huntley.

The beginning of the game was an absolute disaster for Green Bay’s hapless defense. The Ravens took the ball first and ran right down Green Bay’s throat for 80 yards on 13 plays. 10 came on the ground, and they averaged 6.2 yards-per-play on the opening series.

Green Bay’s opening drive looked a little different. They ran two plays, and had two penalties on the series. The good news is both plays gained at least 39 yards. The opening play of the game was a 40-yard bomb to Romeo Doubs, and the second pass was a 39-yard touchdown to Christian Watson.

Little changed for the rest of the game. The Packers had no answer for Henry and the powerful Ravvens rushing attack and the final result was a 41-24 loss, and a gift of an NFC North division title to the Chicago Bears.

Here are our risers and fallers from an embarrassing effort at Lambeau Field.

Stock Down: Run Defense

This part seems obvious. The Ravens were playing a backup quarterback and their running back is ticketed for Canton as soon as his career ends.

What did you think the plan was going to be? Predictably, the Ravens gave the Packers a steady diet of Henry and their powerful run game in the first half.

Henry did whatever he wanted in the first half. Tyler Huntley created plays with his legs, and the Ravens piled up points against a punchless Packers’ defense.

As a result, the Ravens dominated the time of possession in the first half. Green Bay’s run defense had been a bright spot this season, even with all the questions that surrounded it. In Saturday’s game, however, they knelt to the king

Henry eclipsed 100 yards rushing on 21 carries, and scored three times. That was before halftime.

Tyler Huntley added 46 yards on four carries including an embarrassing 25-yard run during a two-minute drill late in the first half.

It really didn’t matter what plays the Ravens tried to run. If they were trying to move the ball on the ground, they were successful.

They rang up 27 points before halftime as a result, and the Packers were booed off the field.

Through three quarters, Henry had 27 carries, 146 yards, and three touchdowns.

The only reason the Packers got the ball back late in the fourth quarter is that Derrick Henry broke a 31-yard touchdown to give the Ravens a 41-24 lead with 1:56 to play in the game. He finished the night with 216 yards on 36 carries and four scores. The Ravens ran the ball for 308 yards on 52 carries. The performance was embarrassing.

Stock Down: DE Rashan Gary

“This what I say. For the rest of the season, what we got? Three more opportunities? Watch how the front play.”

That’s what Rashan Gary said after the Packers lost Micah Parsons for the rest of the season in a 34-26 loss to the Denver Broncos.

Gary is the leader of that group, being voted as a team captain before the season began. Leading by example is great. Leading with big plays is better. Gary simply has not made any of those since Parsons got hurt.

He has not made any since the end of October. His coaches have defended him and talked about his ability to play the run, but the Packers were just bludgeoned for four quarters by Derrick Henry in the run game.

The bottom line is that Gary is being paid to be an impact player, and he has not made an impact play in two full months.

Stock Down: RB Josh Jacobs

The Packers tried to get Josh Jacobs going early in the game with no success to speak of it. Their first drive of the second half tried to get him the ball to solve some of their red zone woes. The results were two plays for a total of one yard.

Jacobs struggled again tonight after having a disastrous performance a week ago against the Bears that included a game-changing fumble in the red zone. He was off the injury report this week, but still looks like a player who is fighting through an injury.

Would the Packers consider giving Jacobs a week off next week to get right for the postseason? That remains to be seen, but it is worth considering with how Jacobs has looked the last two weeks.

Stock Down: CB Carrington Valentine

Valentine has had to scratch and claw his way onto the field this season after being buried behind Keisean Nixon and Nate Hobbs.

With Hobbs injured and struggling for most of the year, Valentine finally made his way into the starting lineup in late October against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

He had some nice moments in coverage coupled with some rough moments as a tackler. The latter showed up in Saturday’s game against the Ravens where he whiffed on Zay Flowers in the first half.

He found his way to the bench in favor of Hobbs for the rest of the half. When Hobbs went down with a knee injury, it was Kamal Hadden who took the field in his place.

Valentine only found his way back onto the field when Hadden left the game on a cart with 8:50 to play in the third quarter.

When he got back on the field in the fourth quarter, he as beaten for a touchdown by Zay Flowers when the Packers had the Ravens in an obvious pass situation and had a free runner at the quarterback.

The cornerback group has been a point of contention all season, and it looks like it will continue to be a revolving door as the season comes to a close.

Stock Up: QB Malik Willis

Sure, the Packers trailed 20-7 late in the first half, which is usually indicative of poor quarterback play. That was not the case for Green Bay on this night. Willis had a perfect start to the night, completing his first eight passes and had a perfect passer rating at halftime.

Willis came into the night looking to make a final impression before a chance at free agency in the offseason, and certainly was able to deliver. He was decisive on both of his first passes of the game. One was a big completion to Romeo Doubs for 40 yards. The second was a touchdown pass to Christian Watson down the middle of the field to give the Packers an immediate answer to Baltimore’s opening drive.

He scored the second touchdown of the night with his legs , running a zone read in from 22 yards out to pull the Packers within 20-14 before halftime.

2 for 2

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— Green Bay Packers (@packers) December 28, 2025

His first incompletion on the night wasn’t even his fault, as Chris Brooks tried to run before securing a catch.

Willis continued to slice and dice the Baltimore defense while trying to lead his team to a comeback. He was Green Bay’s entire offense, whether with his arm or using his legs. He had two rushing touchdowns on the night.

Through three quarters, Malik Willis had 317 total yards, and the Packers had 311. He was carrying the team in a way the Packers became accustomed to seeing Aaron Rodgers do during his time in Green Bay.

He was their entire offense, piling up 348 total yards before he left the game in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury.

He is going to get a chance to start somewhere in 2026, and he’ll have earned every penny and opportunity that comes his way.

Stock Up: WR Christian Watson

Christian Watson was in the emergency room less than two weeks ago with an injury that at least live looked like it could have ended his season.

On Saturday night, Watson became the first Packers’ pass catcher to top 100 yards since Tucker Kraft did against the Pittsburgh Steelers in late October.

Watson’s toughness and locker room presence has been valuable this season as evidenced by him being nominated as the team’s Ed Block Courage Award winner.

He’s also the team’s biggest playmaker. Watson finished the night with 113 yards receiving.

That contract extension he signed earlier in the year is already a bargain, and something the Packers should re-visit as soon as they possibly can.

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