The Baltimore Ravens have kept their playoff hopes alive after defeating the Green Bay Packers by 41-24. But even in a dominant 41-24 win, the Ravens’ defense showed cracks so alarming that head coach John Harbaugh couldn’t hide his shock

“John Harbaugh said it was “shocking” to see how “discombobulated” the Ravens’ pass defense was, but was proud of how they “got off the mat,”” posted Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Banner, via X.

The Ravens gave up 296 passing yards in Week 17! The two rushing touchdowns by Malik Willis clearly exposed the problems in the Ravens’ defense. There was barely any effort to stop his running game. They were confused about whom to cover, which led to large chunks of space for the Packers to use those pockets for their running game. Thanks to it, the quarterback completed a 25-yard rush and brought it to a one-score game with 1:24 minutes remaining in the first half.

Then there is the pass defense, which poses another challenge to the Ravens. Malik Willis completed 11 consecutive passes and missed only three during those 60 minutes. The 30-yard mark was covered in at least four pass completions, which includes a 39-yard touchdown to WR Christian Watson.

But the real question is whether the HC should be “surprised”? He shouldn’t feel surprised, considering the last five games. In the last five games, the Ravens gave up 1446 yards, with an average of 289.2. So, the 296 yards against the Packers is well above their average, but it is not the highest. In Week 16, they gave up a whopping 394 passing yards against the New England Patriots.

Against the Green Bay Packers, linebacker Roquan Smith and safety Kyle Hamilton faced some miscommunication, further opening up the Ravens’ defense.

John Harbaugh’s admission about his defense seems to open their eyes; Malik Willis deserves all the credit for it.

Malik Willis will make a fortune in 2026

Malik Willis exposed Baltimore’s defense when he completed 18-of-21 passes with a completion rate of 85.7% for 288 passing yards and one touchdown. The QB threw no interceptions. He also had nine carries for 60 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Willis became the first NFL player to record at least 275 passing yards, 50 rushing yards, and two rushing touchdowns in a game.

To make things sweeter for him, the quarterback will become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. After the performance he exhibited, there seems to be no doubt that the Packers will do everything in their power to keep him. Nonetheless, it will be a tough deal to crack since other franchises will also be looking to bolster their QB lineup this postseason.

The 26-year-old quarterback was the Packers’ backup QB behind Jordon Love. After the QB1 suffered a concussion, Willis had his first start of the season and seized the moment. Unfortunately, it was not a happy ending for him. Not only did they lose the game, but the QB also had to exit the game early due to an injury.

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With 7:53 minutes left on the clock for the game to end, Malik Willis left the field with a shoulder injury after throwing a pass.

“I just felt a little tweak,” Willis said. “I think all the treatment had me feeling good, and I think a little soreness just built up into that point of the game.”

“I slid and kind of hit it a little bit, and on that throw I kind of threw it all arm, and I kind of felt it a little bit and just wanted to check it out and make sure everything was all right.”

Now, with Week 18 lying ahead of us, it will be interesting to see how the NFC playoffs shape up. Both the Packers and the Bears are fighting for the top spot in the NFC North. Will Malik Willis be able to put up with another impressive performance? Until the Week 18 game takes place, it remains to be seen how things will unfold.