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Green Bay Packers at Washington Redskins
Location: FedEx Field, Landover, MD
Kickoff: 4:30 pm Eastern Time
Line: WA -1.5
TV: FOX (Joe Buck and Troy Aikman)
Radio:
Green Bay: WTMJ (Wayne Larrivee and Larry McCarren)
Washington: ESPN Radio WTEM 980 AM (Larry Michael, Chris Cooley, Rick “Doc” Walker and Sonny Jurgensen)
The 2015 NFL regular season has come and gone. In fact, it’s now 2016 and the playoffs are upon us. For the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins it’s been two totally different results as of late. The Redskins have been playing like they want to win the Super Bowl, while the Packers have limped into the playoffs after two straight losses by a combined total of 58-21. Aaron Rodgers and company just haven’t looked like the Green Bay Packers we’re accustomed to seeing year in and year out. Kirk Cousins on the other hand has been on fire for the Redskins. Since losing to the Dallas Cowboys in week 13, Washington won their final four games of the year with Cousins throwing 12 touchdown passes and only one interception in that span. Something has to give Sunday between these two teams and quarterbacks.
KEYS TO THE GAME: GREEN BAY PACKERS
First of all, the Aaron Rodgers led offense that has been inconsistent this season ever since coming off their bye week has to improve. The 23rd ranked offense in 2015 needs to put their regular season performance behind them and pretend that the playoffs is a fresh start.
Eddie Lacy had a down year in 2015 running the ball. He accumulated only 758-yards and three touchdowns rushing. Near the end of the season however, he started showing a glimmer of hope that he was turning his year around. In his final seven games, three of those were over 100-yards. Green Bay will need a good game from Lacy on Sunday against Washington’s 26th ranked rush defense.
For the majority of the season, Head Coach Mike McCarthy wasn’t in charge of the play calling. December 13th, he took the responsibility back and led the Packers to a 28-7 win over Dallas. Including that win, Green Bay finished the season 3-2 under McCarthy’s direction. If the Packers are going to have success against Washington, they will need to rely on the smarts of their coach and Aaron Rodgers to carry the team to victory.
KEYS TO THE GAME: WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Will Kirk Cousins continue the fantastic season he’s had for the Redskins in which he posted 4,166 yards, 29 touchdowns and a quarterback rating of 101.6? He is facing a fantastic Green Bay pass defense that ranked 6th during the regular season. He will need a great game on Sunday in order for the Redskins to move past the Packers.
The Redskins rushing attack that ranked 2oth during the regular season consists of Alfred Morris and Matt Jones. Morris had a down season rushing for only 751-yards and one touchdown, while Matt Jones ran for 490-yards and three touchdowns. Between the two of them, they will need to step up on Sunday against Green Bay’s 21st ranked rushing defense.
Washington is looking to win their first home playoff game since 1991, when they defeated the Atlanta Falcons in the Divisional round. This was the same season that they Super Bowl XXVI. They will need to use the home field advantage to their benefit if they want to get a shot at the divisional round this time around.
IMPACT PLAYER: GREEN BAY PACKERS
James Jones – Dating back to the beginning of the season when Jordy Nelson went down, the Packers signed free agent James Jones to come back home and play once again with his former friends in Wisconsin. It proved to be a smart signing even though he’s not the caliber of Nelson. Jones was the leading receiver for Green Bay this season hauling in 50 receptions for 890 yards and eight touchdowns. He is my pick for impact player for the Packers on Sunday.
IMPACT PLAYER: WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Jordan Reed – The Redskins star tight end had a fantastic season in 2015 which saw him make 87-catches for 952-yards and 11-touchdowns. Jordan’s 11 touchdowns ties Bobby Mitchell‘s record from 1962 for fifth most receiving touchdowns by a tight end in team history. Look for him to be Kirk Cousins’ go-to guy on Sunday in hopes of shredding the Packers’ defense.
PREDICTION:
Green Bay enters the Wildcard round on Sunday as the fifth seed after losing to to Minnesota Vikings in Week 17. The victory ended up giving the Vikings the NFC North title, the third seed in the NFC playoffs and a home game. Washington comes in with four straight wins that secured them the NFC East title and they look to be set at quarterback for the future with Kirk Cousins running things. With the way these two teams have been playing lately, it seems like an easy choice to say Washington will win this game, but if they do, it will be close. With that being said, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a lot of points put up in this one, but we’ll have to wait until Sunday to see how everything unravels.
GREEN BAY – 31 WASHINGTON – 35
Ryan Cole is a Writer for Couch Rider Report. Follow us on Facebook or twitter