Super Six: Six Things to Know About Packers-Commanders

The Green Bay Packers will face the Washington Commanders at FedEx Field on Sunday. Here are six quick-hitting notes to get you ready.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers face what could be considered a must-win game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

The Packers are 3-3 and coming off back-to-back losses. They can’t afford to drop a third consecutive game, not with games coming up at the Buffalo Bills (5-1), Dallas Cowboys (4-2), Tennessee Titans (3-2) and Philadelphia Eagles (6-0) the following five games.

“There’s some teams that have jumped out a little bit but there’s a lot of football left,” Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday. “We’ve got 11 games left. We have a Thursday night game coming up next month, which gives us two (games) in one week and then a nice little mini-bye. So, there’s a lot of football left. We’ve obviously got to play better. I think that’s understood by everybody, in all three phases. But there’s definitely no panic.”

The Packers have a lot of flaws, including the offensive line. Turnovers can be the tonic to many of their ailments. From 2008 through 2021, the first 14 seasons of Rodgers’ run as quarterback, the Packers were second in turnover margin. Through six games, they’re tied for 28th at minus-4. They haven’t come out on top of the turnover table in any game this season.

“That’s not good,” coach Matt LaFleur said last week. “It’s hard to win games like that. So, we’ve got to do a better job [forcing turnovers, and] we’ve got to do a better job of taking care of the football, as well. I don’t think it’s been up to our standard, of what we’ve been able to do the last couple years. Every year’s a new year and has new challenges and new people and we’ve just got to continue to stress that because it is a big part of this game.”

The Commanders are 2-4 and coming off a Thursday night victory at Chicago, so they have some momentum and a few bonus days.

Here are six quick notes to get you ready for Sunday.

Six Facts About Packers-Commanders

The Green Bay Packers will face the Washington Commanders at FedEx Field on Sunday. Here are six quick-hitting notes to get you ready.

In Command

The Packers could use this blast from the past: In seven career starts against Washington, including the 2015 playoffs, Aaron Rodgers has thrown 16 touchdown passes vs. one interception, good for a 107.0 passer rating.

Under Pressure

Powered by their three first-round picks on the defensive line, the Commanders are fourth in sack rate (10.0 percent) while the Packers are fifth (9.27). On the other side of the ball, Washington is sixth in sack rate allowed (9.91 percent). Green Bay is in the middle of the pack but has allowed the second-most sacks (10) on third down.

Speaking of Third Down

These are two of the best third-down defenses in the NFL. The Packers are first in the league with a conversion rate allowed of 26.6 percent while the Commanders are third at 31.7 percent. Those powerful pass rushes are a big reason. The reason why these defenses aren’t even close to ranking in the top 10 in points allowed is first down. The Packers rank 24th with 5.92 yards allowed per play on first down while the Commanders are 31st with 7.02 yards. That sums up how the Packers allowed just 1-of-11 on third down vs. the Jets but gave up 17 points on defense, anyway.

Backup Plan

Usually, it’s good news to go against a backup quarterback. Maybe not for the Packers. Commanders starter Carson Wentz is 22nd in passer rating, 28th in yards per attempt and 30th in interception but is out after finger surgery. Taylor Heinicke will get the start. He started last year’s game at Lambeau Field. While the Packers won 24-10, Heinicke threw for 268 yards and ran for 95 more.

Three-Headed Monster

The Commanders have a three-back rotation. Rookie Brian Robinson, who missed the first four games of the season after being shot, started at Chicago on Thursday and rushed for 60 yards and one touchdown. Do-it-all Antonio Gibson topped 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns from scrimmage in each of his first two seasons. J.D. McKissic has 24 receptions after catching 80 passes in 2020. Commanders coach Ron Rivera liked the approach last week against Chicago in which Robinson brought the power to set up Gibson’s speed.

The Great/Awful Packers Pass Defense

Through six games, the Packers are No. 1 in the NFL with 164.0 passing yards allowed per game. That’s great. What’s not so great? Even after a solid week last week, the Packers are still last (or tied for last) in the NFL in completion percentage allowed (70.9 percent), interceptions (one) and passes defensed (12). Added together, the Packers are 23rd with an opponent passer rating of 97.0.

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