The Packers would be favored on a neutral field, though the Redskins have been playing much better of late. No matter who it is, one advantage they will have is they will be well rested, whereas the team they face will have a short week of preparation. The Redskins ended up clinching the East in Week 16 and having the luxury of resting key starters last week’s win vs. Dallas.
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If folks had talked about a potential encounter between the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins before the season, most would have had no problem laughing off the end result in favor of Aaron Rodgers and Co. Needing to win nearly every week, the Chiefs won 10 in a row including double digit wins over playoff teams, the Steelers and Broncos. If they can do that, which shouldn’t be all that hard considering Green Bay allowed 47 sacks this season, they have a solid chance of winning the contest. With the large amount of success that the Packers have enjoyed over the years, they’re not a team that you can take lightly, especially with a quarterback who has two MVPs and a Super Bowl victory running the plays. His Green Bay Packers are in the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season. Coach Jay Gruden hopes for a much better outcome this time around with a whole crop of new players. He was sacked 46 times, second-most in the NFL.
That could change against Washington as David Bakhtiari, a solid pass protector on the offensive line, returns to the Packers’ starting lineup from an injury. “They’ve won a game to get to you, too, so you know they’re tested – they’ve been tested against another good football team”. Those are three things Green Bay doesn’t have.
If there is one area in which Washington struggles, it’s stopping the run. Lacy, however, averaged 39 yards on 3.3 per carry in the final three and Washington held opponents to 100 rushing yards or fewer in five of its last six.
Unfortunately, no one has had a settling message like quarterback Aaron Rodgers delivered after a 1-2 start a year ago when he spelled it out for fans: R-E-L-A-X. Kirk Cousins of the Redskins finished the regular season on a strong note. Aaron Rodgers and the offense have been consistently inconsistent. While neither unit lit up the league this season, the battle in the trenches could decided this playoff game, as it has in many games throughout NFL playoff history. The offense has been inconsistent mainly because the remaining receivers have had trouble getting open. Washington is the smart pick in the Sunday’s matchup. Although tight end Jordan Reed had a relatively quiet season finale with four catches, he was unstoppable in the previous three games with 25 receptions for 333 yards and five touchdowns.
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The cageyness is strategic, of course, as McCarthy’s team gains nothing by divulging injury information in advance of the biggest game of its season. They’ve had one rushing touchdown by a running back since October 18. While Pierre Thomas and Chris Thompson will be catching balls out of the backfield, Morris will have to be the bell cow to make things ultra-easy on the offense. “Until he comes through the protocol that’s just where we are”. Rodgers has been in the spotlight before and has shown an ability to shine.
