It was nearly as hard writing that headline as it is saying the “Washington Football Team”. It’s just so, anonymous sounding, but that’s who’s coming to Lambeau Field Sunday to take on the Green Bay Packers in a 12:00 PM noon start.
I’m certainly not put off by the franchise dropping the Redskins moniker but it’s hard to get used to saying the “Football Team” for even one week of the season compared to following the organization daily. It’s a franchise that’s lost it’s way in other aspects too, from the very top all the way to the FedEx Stadium water pipes. The NFL investigation into the workplace culture somehow got e-mail deflected with Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden taking the fall. The team’s home may rank as the league’s dumpiest now that those same Raiders have their glitzy palace in Vegas.
The last time the Pack visited Landover, Maryland was in September of 2018. It was a drizzly day and when I walked into the press box at Fed Ex, it was still dripping…..inside. Five gallon pails were scattered about the seating rows and aisles as water leaked throughout the game. Some of the guys had to cover their laptops for fear of moisture short circuiting. There was a video post from early this season where water was cascading over an upper level railing. A pipe burst, some felt in a bathroom.
Former Chicago Bear linebacker, Carolina Panther Head Coach Ron Rivera is six weeks into his second season working for owner Dan Snyder. A playoff appearance last year, stained by a 7-9 NFC East Division winning record, has devolved into a 2-4 start in 2021. Like I said, it’s not going well in Washington.
As for the Packers, wounded as they are, will pay homage to the worst decade in their franchise history, the 1950’s, by wearing the all green and yellow throwback uniforms. The decade began with the first, post Curly Lambeau season, a 3-9 record for new coach Gene Ronzani. The best Green Bay could finish in the fabulous 50’s was a 6-6 record twice and it bottomed out the year I was born, the worst year ever. Ray “Scooter” McLean’s boys went 1-10-1 in 1958. Maybe the tribute is solely for the 1959 campaign. A pup of a coach got things turned ar0und, Vince Lombardi’s first team went 7-5.
A lousy medical week ended with two players getting ruled out for the game, backup tackle Dennis Kelly with a bad back and rookie center Josh Myers who is just beginning his rehab of an injured knee. It could take a while. Despite limited at best practice time, three more are questionable. Preston Smith (oblique) finally got in some work Friday. He hasn’t missed a game in his NFL career. Kevin King (shoulder) might be back after missing a week and safety Darnell Savage is clearing his way through the concussion protocol.
If those three don’t dress, the Packers will plug in and play Rasul Douglas on the corner, Henry Black at safety and the newly signed Whitney Mercilus could make a very rapid Packer debut on the edge.
The revolving door lineups haven’t slowed the team, winners of five straight, the Packers are basically on a Green Bay layover before playing two more on the road, one that comes fast, in Phoenix against the as of now unbeaten Cardinals next Thursday night, followed by the marquee QB showdown of Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City.
All set for the 36th meeting between the Packers and the Red…. almost did it again, WFT.
When the Packers have the ball.
How many great front fours will these guys have to block? With Lucas Patrick snapping and Elgton Jenkins a week back into his left tackle gig, the Packer offensive line will have to deal with four of Washington’s last five first round draft picks. Jonathan Allen in 2017, Da’Ron Payne in 2018, Montez Sweat in ’19 and maybe the best of the bunch, Chase Young in 2020. With stacked sides or stunts, Washington loves to create one on one matchups for any of the four and the Packers have to get slightly better than a stalemate to find success. The downside to keeping Rodgers upright against the likes of the Niners, last week the Bears and this week, is keeping tight ends or backs in to help. It’s limited the opportunities for Robert Tonyan in particular to make plays. The other counter to trench warfare is by sending backs right at ’em. LaFleur switched to “power” runs against Chicago that helped turn the tide. A productive run game could do the same again.
In passing situations, if Washington’s rush doesn’t get home, there’s usually hell to pay. They’ve yielded the most passing yards per game after 6 weeks and if the Bears couldn’t hold Davante Adams under 4 catches for 89 yards with on at least one snap, four defenders surrounding him, not sure Washington can either. I sense a big day for Allen Lazard regardless. The Packer offense is diverse enough to handle just about any style of defense.
When Washington has the ball.
28 year old Taylor Heinicke will get the start at quarterback in a stadium he’s dreamed about playing in. Growing up outside Atlanta, his dad was a huge Packer fan. Heinicke admitted this week Brett Favre is the reason he got into football. At halftime of Packer games where father and son watched religiously, Taylor would hit the backyard and mimic all the dazzling throws from the gunslinger. He also recalled a memory of watching Favre and the Packers fail, in the 2007 NFC title game. The overtime pick, the last pass he ever threw for Green Bay, set up the New York Giants overtime game winning and Super Bowl berth clinching field goal. Heinicke said his dad told him how sorry he was but it was important to experience the hurt together. 5 years later, the two rejoiced when the Packers captured the Super Bowl, the last game they watched together before Taylor’s father passed away. He said that makes this week even more memorable.
Now on his 5th NFL team, the kid has moxie. The Packers say he’s hard to bring down, moves well and has an excellent feature receiver in Terry McLaurin. That could be a problematic for Eric Stokes and Douglas on the boundaries. Washington’s run game hasn’t gotten much traction with Antonio Gibson however backup J.D. McKissic, the former Lion, is second on the team with 21 receptions.
The Packer defense has gotten excellent work from Kenny Clark this year and if he’s disruptive, Heinicke may not find many escape routes from the pocket.
My only prediction from this match up is, the first red zone stop arrives this weekend.
A special teams note.
Rivera cut veteran kicker Dustin Hopkins this week, after 5 and a half years on the team. A missed field goal in last week’s loss to Kansas City, by 18 points, seemed to have been the last straw. Hopkins missed a couple of extra points in another loss to Atlanta and Rivera sent him packing in favor of Chris Blewitt who will make his NFL debut after five years of trying, having last kicked while in college at Pitt in 2016. I’d be surprised, but curious to see what happens if it comes down to a late kick.
The bottom line.
The numbers belie the talent on Washington’s defense, the reason they made the playoffs a year ago, but they appear vulnerable to an offense that is honing it’s versatility with a fired up quarterback. If he owns Chicago, Rodgers controls Lambeau and they’ll put enough points to make it a rather comfortable sixth straight win.
I like the Pack, 28-20.
