Good morning, everyone. On Sunday afternoon, the Green Bay Packers look to stay in their winning ways against the Washington Redskins. This game is the first of a back-to-back home stand at Lambeau Field before closing the season on the road. I am here to give you my thoughts on what the Packers need to do to win on Sunday. Let‘s get started.
On offense, the key for the Packers is to get to a fast start. If the offense can get touchdowns on their first few possessions (plus get stops on defense), then this can be accomplished. What can help the Packers do this is by having a balanced attack of run and pass. The best way to tire out the pass rushers of Washington is for Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams to run at them for plenty of yards. If the backs can run the ball well, then the play-action passing game can be used to confuse the Washington defenders. In the passing game, it is up to Aaron Rodgers to throw accurately to his receivers and tight ends. Those pass catchers (who include Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, Marcedes Lewis, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Jimmy Graham) need to catch every pass that is thrown by Rodgers. Hopefully the backs (Jones, Williams and Danny Vitale) are used in creative ways in the passing game, including wheel routes. All of this cannot be done without the offensive line protecting Rodgers from any sacks and also creating the holes for the backs to run through. Also, the offensive line needs to avoid pre-snap penalties that could change a third and manageable to a third and long. In order for the offense to sustain long drives, they need to convert every third down that they are in (especially third downs 5 yards or less). Touchdowns need to be scored in the red zone instead of field goals to keep the pressure on the Redskins to catch up. As always, the Packers need to protect the football and avoid turnovers. Despite the Redskins being 3-9, they have won their last two games partly because of turnovers. As long as the Packers don’t turn the ball over (plus everything else that I mentioned before), they should have a good chance of winning at home.
On defense, the key for the Packers is to shut down the Washington rushing attack. The running back duo of Derrius Guice and Adrian Peterson combined for over 200 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns last week against the Panthers. That kind of production can’t be allowed at all on Sunday at Lambeau Field. The defensive linemen (who include Kenny Clark and Dean Lowry, among others) need to get off the blocks and tackle the ball carriers for minimum yardage. If they can shut down the running game, then the pass rushers (mainly Preston and Za’Darius Smith) can get after rookie QB Dwayne Haskins for the rest of the game. This game also presents an opportunity for defensive coordinator Mike Pettine to call for multiple types of coverages and blitzes to confuse Haskins and force him into making mistakes, which include turning the ball over. Hopefully he does this instead of calling for a soft zone on third or fourth and manageable. If Haskins has time to throw to his receivers (who include rookie WR Terry McLaurin), the defensive backs need to cover those pass catchers well and not allow any easy catches. I think that Jaire Alexander will be covering McLaurin for most, if not all, of the game. One thing that the defense needs to do a lot better over these last 4 weeks of the season (including on Sunday) is to cover tight ends. Whoever is playing tight end for Washington (including Jeremy Sprinkle) needs to be accounted for on defense. The Packers defense needs to stop Washington on every third (and poss fourth) down that they face. If they get to the red zone, the defense needs to force the Redskins to settle for field goals instead of letting them score touchdowns. The defense also needs to force turnovers of any kind, including interceptions and strip-sacks of Dwayne Haskins. Doing all of these things on defense will help the Packers win against Washington on Sunday.
On Special Teams, the Packers need to keep improving on a couple of things. First, they need to get to having positive punt return yardage when there is an opportunity. With Tremon Smith cut, the new punt and kick returner for the Packers is Tyler Ervin (who used to be with the Jacksonville Jaguars). Hopefully he can get some productive punt and kick returns to give the Packers great field position on offense. It would be an added bonus if he returns a kick or punt for a touchdown. On the other side, the Packers need to cover any punt or kick returns by Washington very well to avoid momentum-changing plays. Second, with JK Scott having a bounce-back game in terms of flipping the field with his punts, he needs to continue doing that on Sunday regardless of the cold weather. I am very thankful that the Packers still have Mason Crosby as their kicker through all of the highs and lows of his career. He has only missed one field goal so far this season (*knocks on wood). The only thing that he can do on Sunday is to keep making all of his kicks. Hunter Bradley needs to snap the ball accurately to make sure everything goes well with the punts and field goals. As long as the Packers do all of these things on Special Teams (also including avoiding penalties and turnovers), the Packers will have a good chance of getting a win on Sunday.
Winning on Sunday at Lambeau Field will improve the Packers’ overall record to 10-3 on the season. I think that if the Packers do everything right against Washington, they should beat the Redskins by at least 3 touchdowns. This is a game that should not be close at all. Anything can happen in the NFL, so it is important for Green Bay to take care of business at home. I will be back with my post-game thoughts on Monday morning regardless of the outcome of the game. In the meantime, I hope that you have a great day ahead of you. Go Pack Go!
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