Packers vs. Washington: Three Reasons to Worry
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers are 5-1, winners of five straight. The Washington Football Team is 2-4, losers of three of its last four. Green Bay is an 8-point favorite but there are reasons to be concerned.
1. Fabulous Front Four
Not every team has a great defensive front four. It’s just that Green Bay has played most of those teams.
“It’s almost like a broken record,” offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett said.
There might not be a better front in the NFL than what Washington will roll onto the field on Sunday. In 2017, the No. 17 overall pick was used on defensive tackle Jonathan Allen. In 2018, the No. 13 pick was used on defensive tackle Daron Payne. In 2019, the No. 26 selection was defensive end Montez Sweat. In 2020, the No. 2 choice was Chase Young. That’s four consecutive first-round picks, and it hit on all of them. This is a group without a slouch.
Among interior defensive linemen, Allen is third with 25 quarterback pressures and Payne is seventh with 21, according to Pro Football Focus. Among edge defenders, Young is 21st with 20 pressures and Sweat is 24th with 19. Allen is having a superlative season; Young is the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Green Bay’s offensive line has been in flux all season. Center Josh Myers, who suffered a knee injury last week, is on injured reserve and will be replaced by Lucas Patrick. This will be its fifth starting quintet in seven weeks, which isn’t ideal. A quarterback’s worst enemy is up-the-middle pressure. Thus, the pressure will be on the interior trio of left guard Jon Runyan, right guard Royce Newman and Patrick.
“They’ve got a great front,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “You got four first-rounders. It’s a very difficult front to block up. They’ve got great edge rushers and guys who push the pocket inside. We’ve been on a streak now of four or five straight weeks of really good fronts that we’ve played. So, protection-wise, we’re going to have to try to slow them down a little bit, and running the ball is obviously going to be important. I feel like it’s a really solid defense. Last year, they had a fantastic defense and won with defense, it seemed like, in many weeks. Nothing has really changed. It’s a lot of the same people.”
2. Hot Heinicke
Washington quarterback Taylor Heinicke is not a great quarterback. That’s no secret. He’s 23rd in completion percentage, 23rd in yards per attempt and 25th in interception percentage.
But there are some reasons to be wary. First, Washington is No. 1 in sack percentage, though that might be a hollow stat with right guard Brandon Scherff and right tackle Sam Cosmi out with injuries. The pass rush must capitalize because the Packers will be down All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander. They also might be without veteran cornerback Kevin King, who appeared to be greatly limited by his injured shoulder at practice this week, and safety Darnell Savage, who remained in the concussion protocol on Friday.
Washington has one excellent receiver in Terry McLaurin, two superb pass-catching threats out of the backfield with Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic, and a smooth receiving threat at tight end with Ricky Seals-Jones. Heinicke is a dual-threat quarterback who was urged this week by coach Ron Rivera to play more aggressively.
“He’s a really good receiver,” LaFleur said of McLaurin. “We were watching some of the circus catches he’s made this season. I remember him a couple years ago here. He’s an explosive guy that has great ball skills, great tracking ability. He’s explosive. I just think he’s a really well-rounded receiver.”
3. Playing Peekaboo
The gauntlet begins on Thursday.
The Packers have fattened up on the soft part of the schedule. Including Washington, Green Bay’s first seven opponents have won 17 games. Its next five opponents – at Arizona and Kansas City, home against Seattle, at Minnesota and home against the Rams – have won 19 games.
It's one thing knowing what’s to come. That’s human nature. What the Packers must avoid is looking ahead to Thursday at the undefeated Cardinals and a potential Super Bowl preview the following week against the Chiefs. Yes, Washington is 2-4. But those four losses have come against the Chargers (4-2), Chiefs (3-3), Saints (3-2) and Bills (4-2).
“I know what’s in front of us,” Rodgers said. “I know what’s after this game. Personally, I don’t ever look past anybody, but you know what’s on the schedule. That’s just kind of normal. Anybody who doesn’t say that is probably just doing cliché talk.”
