The ideal recipe to a resilient Green Bay Packers performance was on full display Sunday afternoon.
Make it 12 straight home opening victories for the Packers after they defeated the Colts 16-10 and did so with Jordan Love on the sidelines. In his place was Malik Willis — the Packers’ backup quarterback acquired just three weeks ago — and there’s no question that Packers head coach Matt LaFleur did everything in his power to limit Willis from shouldering a similar burden to what Love has carried as the starting quarterback.
With 53 carries spread across the Packers’ backfield — including six for Willis — the Packers displayed a run-heavy game that came as no surprise to everyone anticipating how the Packers would form their game plan without Love. Those were the most carries the Packers had a game since 1978. A week after the Colts let up league-high 219 rushing yards in Week 1, the Packers ran down Indianapolis’ throats with 261 total rushing yards, which was the basis behind Green Bay’s domineering style of play.
It was new Packers running back Josh Jacobs that took on the role of the Packers’ bell cow as he finished his Lambeau Field debut with 32 carries and 151 rushing yards. Thanks to a stellar performance from the Packers offensive line, Jacobs found daylight all day and exploded past Colts defenders with ease.
