Are the Green Bay Packers (3-3) closer to finding their identity, or will their confidence continue to wane coming off consecutive losses? We will know more this Sunday when they travel to take on the Washington Commanders (2-4).
This week is the same story as the previous two. The Packers have the upper hand on paper but are very much capable of losing if their execution continues to flounder.
As always, let’s look at three key matchups which could very well decide the outcome of this Week 7 meeting.
Packers’ ball hawking vs. QB Taylor Heinicke
The Commanders will be without starting quarterback Carson Wentz, who suffered a broken ring finger on his throwing hand in last Thursday’s win over the Chicago Bears. That means Green Bay will have to face Taylor Heinicke, a game manager with 16 career starts. Honestly, the Packers probably wish they were playing Wentz.
As outlined by Bill Huber of SI.com, Green Bay’s secondary has struggled to showcase their ball skills this season, and Wentz has done a good job of putting the ball in harm’s way. According to Pro Football Focus, he has 10 turnover-worthy plays in 2022, which is tied for the second most among all quarterbacks. Meanwhile, Heinicke threw 15 interceptions in 16 appearances last season. Takeaways in any form are obviously huge, and there’s a decent chance the Packers will get their first interception since Week 2.
Packers offensive line vs Commanders' pass rush
Last week was brutal for Green Bay’s offensive line, with quarterback Aaron Rodgers getting hit nine times and sacked another four. The New York Jets had a pretty stout pass rush, but Washington’s might be even better. They have five guys with at least three sacks this season, led by their two premier defensive tackles, Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen. The Packers need to be ready to block, and it may require some re-arranging up front. Right guard Royce Newman had an especially bad outing against the Jets and could be headed for the bench. Regardless of who is out there, Green Bay can’t afford a repeat performance in the trenches, or the offense will suffer greatly.
Packers run defense vs Commanders run offense
Starting Heinicke means the Commanders may lean on their run game. If that’s the case, this matchup could look similar to last week’s game against the Jets, when Zach Wilson totaled just 110 yards through the air while the ball carriers racked up 179 on the ground. Washington’s rushing attack isn’t exactly potent, but they have a new starter in Brian Robinson. Washington’s third-round pick has made an incredible recovery since being shot twice during an armed robbery attempt just before the start of the regular season. Last week, Robinson totaled 17 carries for 60 yards and one touchdown in their win over Chicago. The Packers have a ton of loose ends to tie up, and their 27th-ranked run defense is at the top of the list. They can’t afford to let another team gash them, and with all the talent they have on defense, it shouldn’t happen against a backfield featuring Robinson and Antonio Gibson.
Matt LaFleur vs RB Aaron Jones
No, this isn’t a feud between player and coach. This is to see if LaFleur follows through with his pledge to get Jones more involved. Jones is undoubtedly Green Bay’s most skilled player on offense, so it’s no wonder they struggled last week when he received only nine carries. After the game, LaFleur acknowledged that it wasn’t good enough, but this isn’t the first time we’ve heard that from the Packers’ play caller. It’s time for LaFleur to put his words into action and prioritize getting Jones more touches. He should total no less than 15 carries against the Commanders on Sunday.
