I predicted the Packers would go 10-7 this season and fully expected three of those Ws to come in consecutive weeks against the Giants, Jets, and Commanders. Already 0-2 in what figured to be the softest part of the schedule, it’s going to be difficult for this team to reach double-digit wins. It’ll be next to impossible if they don’t right the ship on Sunday in Washington:
The coach wants his team to have more fun; the best way to do that is to start winning games. Here are five keys to victory:
1) CREATE SOME TURNOVERS
The Packers have forced only four turnovers in six games and none since Week 4. That’s never a recipe for success, especially for a team whose offense is struggling and could really use some short fields. For the second time in less than a month, Joe Barry’s underachieving defense will be facing a backup quarterback making his first start of the season (Taylor Heinicke). The former Old Dominion star must be made to feel uncomfortable in the pocket because that’s when QBs – especially rusty ones – tend to make mistakes. Barry should build off last week’s more aggressive scheme.
2) GET THE BALL TO JONES
Coach Matt LaFleur and quarterback Aaron Rodgers keep talking about getting star running back Aaron Jones more touches as if they’re not calling the plays and carrying them out. If the Packers want their best weapon to be a bigger part of the offense, then give him the damn ball. The desire to keep the 205-pound Jones healthy for the playoffs is all well and good, but there’ll be no football in the winter if the Packers don’t start winning in the fall. The best way to do that is to get Jones at least 20 touches per game. That he has only 17 catches for 123 yards all season is bordering on insanity.
3) FIX THE OFFENSIVE LINE
A year ago, an offensive line made up of Yosh Nijman and Dennis Kelly at tackle, Jon Runyan and Royce Newman at guard and Lucas Patrick at center held up just fine for a handful of games. A week ago, the Jets dominated an offensive line made up of Runyan and Newman at guard, David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins at tackle, and Josh Myers at center. Expect to see a few changes on Sunday – perhaps moving Jenkins to guard and inserting Nijman at right tackle. Better coaching would also help. It was downright embarrassing to see experienced players unable to pick up the simplist of stunts.
4) CLEAN UP SPECIAL TEAMS
After playing pretty well on special teams for the first five games of the season, it was as if Maurice Drayton replaced Rich Bisaccia last week. The Packers had a field goal and a punt blocked and allowed a couple of sizeable returns in their embarrassing home loss to the Jets. Even really good teams would have difficulty overcoming these mistakes, and Green Bay is far from a really good team right now. LaFleur hired and paid Bisaccia a lot of money to make sure games like last Sunday don’t happen. Drayton could never fix the problems on special teams a year ago. Let’s see if the new guy can.
5) DON’T BE OVERCONFIDENT
Washington might be 2-4, but they have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. In fact, this might be the most impressive group of skill players the defense has faced all season. Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson are quality runners, and wide receivers Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, and Jahan Dotson (if healthy) would be 1, 2, and 3 on Green Bay’s depth chart. The Commanders also boast a very talented defensive line, even without stud edge rusher Chase Young. Coming off a mini-bye won’t hurt, especially considering how hectic the Packers’ schedule has been lately.
PREDICTION: It’s seldom that facing a backup QB is a negative, but it might be this week. Carson Wentz wasn’t playing well before he injured a finger, and Washington looked like an uninspired team going through the motions. Heinicke should inject some much-needed life into the offense. If he gets off to a fast start, he could hurt the Packers with his arm and his legs.
The way the Packers have played the past few weeks, they are more than capable of losing to anybody, including the Commanders. That said, they have to know the importance of this game. With Buffalo (5-1), Dallas (4-2), Tennessee (3-2), and Philadelphia (6-0) looming in the next five weeks, another stumble on Sunday afternoon could be too much to overcome.
The Packers are favored by 5.5 points, and that seems high considering how they’ve been playing. Like last week, I kind of think the underdogs are going to win, but once again, I just can’t go there. GREEN BAY 24-20 (Record: 3-3; 2-4 vs. spread)
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the coming schedule looks like a serious challenge.. Packers have many areas in need of improvement. O-line issues have to get better. turnovers need to come. blocking on special teams. AR12 needs to return to his famous accuracy on more throws. receivers need to catch the ball.
i heard John Paulson, a Packer fan, on his 4-for-4 podcast speculate that this could be a big game for Romeo Doubs. Tonyan had a good game last week.. maybe the receiving corps can improve this week. i’d like to see the defense improve too. GPG.