Malik Willis shows the Titans what they gave up, leading the Packers to a 30-14 rout

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A change of scenery and an injury gave Malik Willis a huge opportunity to show what he can do in the NFL.

Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said people truly can't fathom what the third-year quarterback has done in less than a month with the Packers.

Willis ran for a touchdown and threw for a score in his best performance as a pro, leading the Packers to a 30-14 rout of the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

“What he’s been able to do is, I’ve never seen something like this,” LaFleur said of Willis, who was acquired in a trade in late August. “So hats off to him. Hats off to everybody around him. Guys rallying and having his back.”

Willis not only won his second straight start subbing for Jordan Love, he got a sweet measure of revenge against the team that traded him to Green Bay (2-1). Willis accounted for 134 of the Packers' 137 yards in the first quarter. He finished with 202 yards passing and 73 rushing.

He started three games as a rookie for Tennessee in 2022 after being a third-round pick out of Liberty by a general manager who was fired that December. Willis said he simply kept working to be ready when opportunity came his way again.

“You don’t know when opportunity will come, but you have to be ready for it if you get it,” Willis said.

The Packers gave Willis plenty of help to improve to 3-2 as a starting quarterback.

Two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander scored a touchdown on his first career pick-6 late in the first quarter, helping Green Bay lead 17-7 after 15 minutes and 20-7 at halftime. The Packers ultimately scored 20 straight points for a 27-7 advantage midway through the third, prompting a loud chant of “Go, Pack, Go!”

The Packers had eight sacks, their most since getting eight at Chicago on Jan. 2, 2005. They also forced three turnovers.

“Oh my goodness, they went crazy,” Willis said. “That was amazing. Eight sacks, right? Oh my goodness. That was super. They won the game for us.”

Green Bay receiver Christian Watson, one of seven to catch at least one pass, said Willis may not think of this as a revenge game, having been gone less than a month.

“I want him to be able to go out there and win this thing considering his situation,” Watson said. “I know that he’s always going to be humble.”

First-year coach Brian Callahan has the the Titans (0-3) off to their worst start since losing the first six in 2009. Tennessee, which got a seventh-round pick for Willis, has lost 21 of 27 overall. Callahan said he has not done a good enough job.

“It’s embarrassing and disappointing,” Callahan said. “I’ve got to be a lot better than I’ve been, and this is frustrating and unfortunate and not what I thought we were capable of to start the season.”

Green Bay scratched Love before the game, giving him another week to heal his sprained left knee. Willis, with LaFleur's play-calling, made sure the Packers had no issues. The quarterback showed the Titans what they gave up when they stuck with Will Levis as their starter and Mason Rudolph as his backup.

Levis threw two TD passes, one to Nick Vannett and the other to DeAndre Hopkins.

The 33rd pick overall in 2023 out of Kentucky has eight turnovers in three games, including two interceptions returned for TDs. When Callahan took a timeout and sent the offense back in for the punt team, Levis was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-2 to start the third quarter.

Tennessee's defense forced its first three-and-out after Hopkins' TD pulled the Titans within 27-14. Levis drove the Titans to the Green Bay 31 but was sacked two plays later by Kingsley Enagbare. Lukas Van Ness recovered the fumble near midfield.

That sent Titans fans streaming for the exits on a steamy afternoon.

Green Bay came in leading the NFL with five interceptions and six takeaways. Now the Packers have seven picks through three games, matching their total from all of 2023. Xavier McKinney got the other interception in the final minutes.

LaFleur wasn't happy with his Packers being flagged 10 times for 75 yards. But he credited his receivers with patiently blocking more than looking for passes for a second straight game. Green Bay ran 37 times and threw 19 passes. A week earlier, the Packers had 53 rushing attempts.

Packers: TE Tucker Kraft aggravated the shoulder injury that had him limited in practice.

Titans: CB Chidobe Awuzie hurt a groin muscle early and didn't return. S Amani Hooker came off the field holding something to his right temple at the two-minute warning and did not return.

Packers: Host Minnesota next Sunday.

Titans: Visit Miami and another backup quarterback in prime time on Monday, Sept. 30.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Green Bay Packers' Kadeem Telfort takes a selfie after an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Green Bay Packers fans cheer after an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Green Bay Packers' Malik Willis talks to Tennessee Titans' Will Levis after an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Green Bay Packers place kicker Brayden Narveson kicks a field goal during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Tennessee Titans' DeAndre Hopkins gets past Green Bay Packers' Eric Stokes and Xavier McKinney for a touchdown catch during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Green Bay Packers' Jaire Alexander returns an interception for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Green Bay Packers' Emanuel Wilson celebrates his touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Tennessee Titan head coach Brian Callahan reacts to a call during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur reacts during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love watches before an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Green Bay Packers' Kingsley Enagbare celebrates a sack during the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Tennessee Titans' Will Levis is sacked by Green Bay Packers' Kingsley Enagbare (55), Rashan Gary (52) and Edgerrin Cooper (56) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Green Bay Packers' Malik Willis throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Green Bay Packers' Malik Willis runs for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Marcus Semien's line single into the left field corner scored Leody Taveras as the Texas Rangers rallied from a five-run deficit in a 6-5, walk-off win over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.

Taveras had tied the score at 5-all with a solo homer in the seventh inning and finished with three hits — all from the sixth inning onward.

The Mariners built a 5-0 lead on Dylan Moore’s RBI single in the second inning, Cal Raleigh’s solo home run in the third and a three-run sixth that included Victor Robles singling in two runs, stealing second base and scoring when a pickoff attempt led to two Texas errors.

The Rangers countered by cutting the deficit to one run in the sixth on an RBI single by Josh Smith and a three-run homer by Wyatt Langford off starter Bryan Woo.

The Mariners are two games out of the last AL wild-card spot with six games remaining. Seattle closes out the season with three games at Houston and hosting the Oakland Athletcs.

The defending World Series champion Rangers, who were eliminated from postseason contention on Friday, improved to 7-61 when trailing after six innings.

Raleigh hit his career-best 31st home run. Andres Munoz (3-7) took the loss.

Texas starter Andrew Heaney allowed four earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and a walk in 5 2/3 innings. Kirby Yates (7-2) worked an inning of relief and earned the victory.

SCHERZER'S FUTURE

Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, placed on the injured list on Saturday with a hamstring strain, said he would like to return to the Texas Rangers after his contract expires next week.

“But I also know when you’re a free agent, you know, I’ve been in free agency two other times in my career. I get how this goes,” the 40-year-old Scherzer said.

Scherzer made 17 regular-season starts for the Rangers over a season and a half and pitched twice in last year’s ALCS and once in the World Series.

UP NEXT

Mariners RHP Bryce Miller (11-8, 3.06 ERA) will open a three-game series at Houston on Monday against Astros RHP Hunter Brown (11-8, 3.57 ERA).

Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi (11-8, 3.96) will face Oakland RHP Mitch Spence (8-9, 4.30) on Tuesday in the opener of the Athletics’ final home series before they relocate to Sacramento next season with plans to move to Las Vegas in 2028.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Seattle Mariners' Dylan Moore celebrates after his single that scored teammate Justin Turner during the second inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Texas Rangers' Leody Taveras hits a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh (29) runs the bases after hitting a home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh (29) celebrates after his home run with teammate Justin Turner (2) during the third inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Texas Rangers' Leody Taveras, left, steals second base against Seattle Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco (7) during the ninth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Seattle Mariners' Victor Robles (10) bumps into Texas Rangers third baseman Ezequiel Duran, front right, as a fielding error throw by Texas second baseman Marcus Semien misses the mark on a pickoff-attempt to third during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Andrew Heaney throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Texas Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, left, reaches for a throw from teammate Ezequiel Duran against Seattle Mariners' Jorge Polanco (7) for a groundout at first base during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Texas Rangers' Marcus Semien, center, is congratulated by teammates after hitting a single that scored Leody Taveras during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas.(AP Photo/LM Otero)

Texas Rangers' Leody Taveras, left, is congratulated by third base coach Tony Beasley, right, after hitting a home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)