Matt LaFleur reveals hilarious detail from the Packers win over the Colts without Jordan Love
By Wendell Ferreira,
2024-09-15
Matt LaFleur called a pass play on third down, and Malik Willis didn’t throw it. It was strange considering how well Willis had been operating the Green Bay Packers offense against the Indianapolis Colts, despite being with the team for only three weeks.
So the Packers head coach went there and asked what had happened. The answer was surprising to say the least, and hilarious as well.
“I asked Malik why he didn’t throw the ball on that third down, and he told me that Josh (Myers) threw up on the ball,” LaFleur said. “That’s the first time I’ve ever heard that.”
It could have gotten in the way in tough circumstances, but the Packers were still able to overcome that to beat the Indianapolis Colts 16-10 at Lambeau Field.
“The official came over to me and said ‘we saw the center threw up on the ball, do you want us to take him out the next time?’ I said ‘Please do that’, because you’re talking about a critical situation, and it’s third down,” LaFleur recalled. “I’ve never had a guy to throw with vomit on the football. Malik probably didn’t appreciate that.”
Special moment
It was Matt LaFleur’s second game with a backup quarterback on the field since he took over as the Packers head coach in 2019. The first one was that Kansas City Chiefs game with Jordan Love when Aaron Rodgers got covid in 2021.
This time around, the circumstances were even more difficult. Malik Willis was on the team for three weeks and doesn’t have a huge track record of being a solid passer.
All that made the game against the Colts a special win for LaFleur.
“They are all great, but certainly, just the challenges of going into a football game without your starting quarterback, with a guy that has been here for three weeks,” LaFleur mentioned. “It’s a credit to everybody.”
Challenges ahead
The Indianapolis Colts had already shown weaknesses against the run, which allowed the Packers to run all over the field, especially in the first half. It will probably be a different challenge next week , and Green Bay will face the Tennessee Titans — a revenge game for Willis.
There is still a chance that Jordan Love returns , as LaFleur said before the game on Packers Radio Network that the starting quarterback is expected to come back “sooner than later.” But Ian Rapoport indicated Love is targeting a week 5 return, which would mean two more games for Willis, and two more huge challenges for the coaching staff.
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