Redskins - Packers Preview

Week 6 – Washington at Green Bay

(September 4, 2007) Lambeau Field used to mean an automatic loss to any team unfortunate enough to have to travel there. Over the last couple seasons, however, Green Bay has been a friendly site for the opposition as the Packers have a losing record at home going 3-5 in 2005 and 2006. The Redskins will be making their first true road trip of the season with the Monday night game at nearby Philly the only other game away from Fedex. The Skins defense will handle WR Donald Driver and force Favre to go to young WRs Greg Jennings and James Jones. After a few shots from Taylor and Landry, these two will be alligator arming every ball across the middle. The Packers defense is much improved but the Skins should be able to run and before hitting Moss deep on play action. Moss’ speed should be too much to handle for aging cornerback Charles Woodson.

Prediction – Washington 27 – Green Bay 13 (Record 4-1)

Don't think I can stand by my preseason prediction after the way Green Bay's defense has been playing this season. However, they melted in down in the second half of the Bears game and showed a susceptibility to plays made by the TE and RB. Chicago TEs Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark combined for 7 catches, 119 yards, and 2 TDs. Chicago RBs added 3 catches for 37 yards. This is good news for a Redskins' team that has had trouble going vertical and will feature Cooley, Sellers, Portis/Betts, and underneath routes by Thrash and McCardell. Poor Santana Moss will be coming back to the huddle following many decoy go routes.

The Packers and Redskins enter this week with one loss each, both coming in games in which each team held a ten-point halftime lead at home but went on to lose the game. There were a couple of similarities between the two games:

1. Each team followed the gameplan of playing to keep the lead rather than extend it. Both teams ran the ball ineffectively in the second half. Run first down, run second down, incomplete pass on third down.

2. The Packers had 32 total yards of offense before their final drive of the game where they totaled 41 yards in driving for the tying touchdown. The Redskins had 31 total yards of offense before their final drive of the game where they totaled 32 yards.

3. Each team had a costly second-half turnover that directly led to an opponents' touchdown on the following drive.

4. Both teams played aggressive defense in the first half as Chicago and New York had just over 120 yards of offense and 10 total points. In the second half, both teams employed the prevent defense and got picked apart for 7 scores or 41 points.

The Redskins learned from their mistake and kept the pressure on Detroit in the next game. After allowing only 56 yards and four punts in the first half, the Skins picked off two passes and only surrendered a field goal in the second half. I have a feeling that Packers' coach Mike McCarthy will make the same adjustments and this game will be hard-hitting from the first quarter through the fourth.

The keys to this game will be on the offensive and defensive lines and in the secondary of the Skins. Washington will need to get pressure on Favre and not let him improvise and allow the receivers time to work open. Injuries to Green Bay's offensive line should help the Skins defense get to Favre without blitzing allowing extra defenders to drop back into coverage.

Green Bay likes short passes and allowing their receivers to run after the catch. The Redskins secondary will have to tackle on the first opportunity or the next opportunity will be in the endzone. If the Packers pick up the Skins' blitzes, then Favre will have time to hit Driver and Jennings on quick slants which often lead to long touchdowns.

The Skins line will need to keep Packer DEs Aaron Kampman and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila off Campbell or he'll be attempting his throws from his back.

While I think the Skins have a great chance to win this game, I don't think they are at the point yet where they can go on the road and beat a good team. In the second half of this season, they could be. I do think they'll hold the lead for parts of this game, but will probably lose it in the fourth quarter.

Prediction: Green Bay 24 - Washington 20