The energy level was up, enthusiasm was evident on the practice field and in the locker room all week. The challenge for the Green Bay Packers is to channel that energy and enthusiasm where it matters even more, at Fed Ex Field when they meet the Washington Commanders at 12:00 PM CST on Sunday. When the schedule first came out last April, not a whole lot of attention was paid to this week 7 game. Now that the Packers find themselves with a 3-3 record, losers of back to back games for the first time in Head Coach Matt LaFleur’s tenure, facing the prospect of actually dipping under .500, this one has significantly more meaning. Misery loves company as the Commanders stand 2-4, without starting quarterback Carson Wentz and to defensive player Chase Young. Young has been on the Physically Unable to Perform list all season while Wentz broke a bone in his right ring finger last weekend and had surgery in Los Angeles. More problematic for the franchise is the intense scrutiny owner Daniel Snyder has placed them in. The lengthy investigation into Washington’s workplace environment, the recent revelation Snyder has “dirt” on the Commissioner and other owners that he’ll release if forced to sell the team. The stadium is in disarray and efforts to find a new location has met resistance. It’s as if the all the Packer troubles are on the field and the Commanders off it.
Big misery awaits the loser of this one.
When the Packers have ball.
At least the running backs and tight ends are good. Just about every other position has issues big and small. Aaron Rodgers did finish another week with a sore thumb after not practicing Wednesday and throwing Thursday and Friday. It may be a couple more weeks before it’s completely healed. Wide receiver is even more problematic with Randall Cobb and Christian Watson ruled out. Sammy Watkins practiced but as of this writing, hasn’t been activated off injured reserve. That leaves Allen Lazard, Romeo Doubs and Amari Rodgers as receivers on the 53 who have played. Juwann Winfree has come off the practice squad a couple of times with almost no impact. Draft pick Samori Toure has been inactive all six weeks so far. Travis Fulgham is another practice squadder who might get a call up. Hardly a fearsome downfield threat. And without that threat, opponents have closed things down with the healthy running backs. Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon are driving into crowded boxes and the results have not been good. Look for Washington to follow the New York leads and show more of the same. The biggest question going into this weekend is whether the offensive line will undergo a makeover after an abhorrent showing last Sunday at home. David Bakhtiari looks settled in at left tackle and appears ready to handle an entire game. Josh Myers will be the center. After that? It’s anybody’s guess. Elgton Jenkins could go from right tackle back to his Pro Bowl position of left guard,, forcing Jon Runyan two places to his right. Or Jenkins could take over at right guard and cross that last remaining position off his Packer starting list, allowing Yosh Nijman to give the right tackle job a shot, a place he hasn’t played since his senior year at Virginia Tech.
The front five will be challenged mightily by the Commanders front, even without Young, that has produced 19 sacks already, five different players have at least three. Washington has given up yards on the ground however. An angry offensive line might be better served taking out some frustration by trying to push foes forward. If the run game is muted, asking this group to protect until the thinned receiving corps beats more man coverage might lead to even more sacks and quarterback hits. Rodgers endured plenty of those last week.
It’s time Jones becomes a number one read in the passing game. The touch numbers the last couple of weeks are unacceptably low. Getting a run game against a stacked box is hard, but there must be ways Jones can be split wide, moved around, to create matchups rather than using him as a last resort check down when everything else is covered. Rodgers may not have time to get that far in his progressions.
When the Commanders have the ball.
LaFleur bristled when asked this week if he’d rather game plan for the expensive, statuesque and mistake prone Wentz versus Heinicke. He’d never answer that one. Most observers would probably say yes. The Packer defense dealt with Heinicke a year ago at Lambeau Field and he used his athleticism to throw quite a scare into the boys, passing for 268 yards and rushing for 95 more. Washington’s offense needs a jolt. They rank 24th in yards, 27th in points per game, scoring just 12 the last time out, a week ago Thursday in Chicago. Heinicke has helpers. A three headed backfield with Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson to carry the ball and J.D. McKissic catching it. Terry McLaurin is one of the best wide receivers in the league no one talks about. I’ve always been very impressed with his game. Washington has just had difficulty functioning for a full game. They’ve given up 25 sacks and struggled on third down.
A collapse and contain the pocket pass rush will be required to keep Heinicke’s escape lanes clogged. Look for Jaire Alexander to become McLaurin’s shadow, a strategy that paid big dividends last week against the Jets.
The Packers have put up frustrating games all year on defense, great for 5 or 6 series in a row, yielding in others, most at the worst time either late in games or when momentum swings.
A 60 minute effort is vital and a couple of takeaways wouldn’t hurt either.
The bottom line.
It was Alexander who quipped after the loss to the Giants that we’ll start worrying if we lose to the Jets. They did. They’re worried. Everyone knew the offense would be a work in progress, now it’s a wounded and confidence shaken work in progress. The defense has talked better than they have played and that has to be reversed. I’ll be very surprised if the wagons don’t get circled around Landover, Maryland Sunday afternoon, the energy lasts all four quarters and the fun returns with a win.
I like the Pack, 20-17.
