Saturday night football at Lambeau Field is always a spectacle, but Week 17’s clash between the Green Bay Packers and the Baltimore Ravens on December 27, 2025, delivered a storyline that few could have predicted. With both teams fighting for their playoff lives—Green Bay seeking to improve its postseason seeding and Baltimore desperate to stay in the hunt—fans were treated to a hard-fought, back-and-forth contest that kept everyone on the edge of their seats. Yet, the drama was heightened by the absence of both starting quarterbacks: Jordan Love for the Packers and Lamar Jackson for the Ravens, both sidelined with injuries sustained just a week prior.
Filling those massive shoes were Malik Willis for Green Bay and Tyler Huntley for Baltimore, each thrust into the spotlight in a high-stakes environment. The game, streamed exclusively on Peacock for a national audience, saw both teams’ backup quarterbacks step up in ways that left fans and analysts buzzing.
The Ravens, coming into the contest with a 7-8 record and riding a four-game road winning streak, got off to a blistering start. On their opening drive, Baltimore leaned heavily on their ground game, with Derrick Henry taking the reins. Henry, who has been the engine of the Ravens’ offense all season, racked up 48 rushing yards on that first drive alone, capping it off with his 13th rushing touchdown of the year. The 13-play, 75-yard march chewed up over eight minutes of the clock and set the tone for a physical contest.
Packers’ fans, shivering in the frigid Lambeau air, didn’t have to wait long for a response. Malik Willis, a late addition to the starting lineup after Jordan Love was ruled out with a left shoulder concussion, wasted no time making his mark. On Green Bay’s first possession, Willis connected with Christian Watson for a quick 7-yard gain, then found Watson again later for a 23-yard pickup. The real fireworks came when Willis unleashed a pinpoint 39-yard touchdown strike to Watson, tying the game and electrifying the home crowd.
But the Ravens weren’t about to let the Packers seize momentum. Tyler Huntley, starting in place of the injured Lamar Jackson—who was officially inactive with a back contusion—demonstrated poise and accuracy. Huntley orchestrated a balanced attack, mixing in short passes to Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews with timely scrambles. Huntley’s connection with Flowers proved especially fruitful, as the rookie wideout hauled in a 10-yard touchdown pass to put Baltimore back on top. Flowers would finish the night with seven catches for 84 yards, though a late fumble on the Ravens’ final drive would prove costly.
Both teams traded blows throughout the first half, with neither able to pull away. Derrick Henry continued to pound the rock for Baltimore, finishing the night with 18 carries for 128 yards and two touchdowns. He broke off a bruising 30-yard run in the third quarter and consistently moved the chains, though he too had a fumble that threatened to shift the game’s momentum. “We knew we had to run the ball to have a shot tonight,” Henry said after the game, according to local coverage. “The line did a great job, and I just tried to keep us moving forward.”
Green Bay, meanwhile, leaned on Willis’s dual-threat ability. The backup quarterback not only delivered through the air—completing key passes to Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Bo Melton—but also made several crucial plays with his legs. Willis rushed for an 11-yard touchdown and later a dazzling 22-yard scamper into the end zone, keeping the Packers within striking distance. His improvisational skills were on full display, especially late in the second quarter when he avoided a sack and found Reed for a 30-yard gain down the sideline.
Special teams and penalties played a pivotal role as well. Both squads exchanged long kickoffs—several traveling over 60 yards—and each kicker was called upon in pressure moments. Brandon McManus was steady for the Ravens, converting PATs and field goals from 24, 34, and 22 yards out. Tyler Loop answered for the Packers, nailing his own extra points and a critical 34-yard field goal as time wound down in the first half.
Defensively, the game was a slugfest. Baltimore’s Roquan Smith and Nate Wiggins made several key tackles, while Green Bay’s Quay Walker and Xavier McKinney were everywhere, limiting big plays and forcing the Ravens to earn every yard. The Packers’ defense also managed to sack Huntley and force Baltimore into a handful of costly penalties, including a 15-yard unnecessary roughness call that extended a Ravens drive in the second half.
As the fourth quarter ticked away, the Ravens held a 34-24 lead, thanks in part to Flowers’ touchdown catch and Henry’s relentless running. But Green Bay refused to go quietly. Willis led a furious comeback attempt, highlighted by a 34-yard bomb to Bo Melton and a series of quick passes to Doubs and Watson. A late touchdown drive, capped by another Willis rushing score, pulled the Packers within striking distance and set up a nail-biting finish.
The closing minutes were a whirlwind of action and emotion. Zay Flowers’ fumble on the Ravens’ final drive gave Green Bay a glimmer of hope, but Baltimore’s defense stiffened, forcing a turnover on downs and sealing a crucial possession. “We fought hard, and everybody stepped up tonight,” Huntley said after the game. “It wasn’t perfect, but we did what we had to do.”
For both teams, the outcome had major playoff implications. The Packers, now 9-5-1, remain in the thick of the NFC playoff race, though the loss stings. The Ravens, at 7-8, kept their postseason hopes alive, but they’ll need help down the stretch—and perhaps the return of their MVP quarterback—to make a real run.
As the dust settles on a wild night at Lambeau, one thing’s for sure: backup quarterbacks or not, the heart and grit on display Saturday night reminded everyone why December football matters. With the regular season winding down, both Green Bay and Baltimore will be watching the scoreboard closely, knowing that every snap could be the difference between a playoff berth and an early offseason.
