Game Preview, Week 7: Washington at Green Bay
October 22, 2021
by Steve Thomas
Well, here we are, with the Redskins Washington entering week 7 trying to salvage the first half of the 2021 season despite obvious defensive woes and offensive struggles. And then to save the day comes . . . the Green Bay Packers, at Lambeau Field. Honestly, it’s pretty laughable to think that Washington has much of a chance to win this game, but you never know. Perhaps Washington will figure things out on both sides of the ball enough to compete with the first place Packers on their home turf. Anything’s possible, I suppose, but this game is as close to a pre-destined loss as it gets. Regardless, we’ll cover it all here and root for a miracle to happen, because Washington desperately needs a win. Our game preview begins below.
Game time & location: Sunday, October 24, 2021, 1:00 p.m. ET, Lambeau Field, Green Bay WI; Gates open 11:00 a.m. ET; parking lots open 9:00 a.m.
Television: Fox
Television announcers: Joe Davis, Greg Olsen
TV broadcast map: click here
DC-area radio: The Team 980
Washington radio network: click here
Packers radio network: click here
Satellite radio: Sirius XM: 229 (Packers broad.); internet: 831 (Washington broad.)
Washington roster: click here
Washington depth chart: click here
Packers roster: click here
Packers depth chart: click here
All-time head-to-head record vs Packers: 15 – 19 – 1 (last 5: 4 – 6; streak: 0 – 1(reg. season)
Last meeting: L, December 8, 2019, 15 – 20
Early odds: Packers, -9.5
3 KEYS TO THE GAME
Eliminate mistakes in the secondary
This has probably been the most important element all season, and something at which Washington has mostly failed. However, now, they are facing the future first ballot hall of famer Aaron Rodgers, and he won’t hesitate to exploit every mistake Washington makes. Washington needs to figure out how to play flawless coverage, and fast, if they are going to have any chance at winning this game. This is the biggest and most important key to this game.
Successful run game, in abundance
Sometimes the best defense is to keep the opposing offense off of the field. Washington needs to run the ball, in abundance, this week. The Packers defense hasn’t been particularly successful against the run – opponents average 4.5 yards per carry, and frankly, it seems far-fetched to think that Washington can keep up with the Packers if the game turns into a shootout. Antonio Gibson is suffering through a shin injury this week, so Washington needs to get Jaret Patterson much more involved than he has been to date. Keep an eye on the run / pass balance this week to see if Ron Rivera, Scott Turner, and company, follow this gameplan.
Red zone efficiency
The Packers opponents have scored 15 touchdowns in 15 trips to the red zone so far this year. Obviously, Washington needs to keep up the streak and take advantage of Green Bay’s porous defense near the goal line. Keep an eye out on whether Washington ends up relying on Chris Blewitt field goal attempts, or whether they are able to convert touchdowns at a greater clip than they have so far this year. Washington’s offense has been at least average in the red zone this season – 62.5% touchdown rate, ranked 14th – but they need to be much better in order to beat Green Bay.
3 KEY MATCHUPS
William Jackson III vs Davante Adams
Jackson is on the injury report with a knee injury, but assuming he plays Sunday, his battle against Davante Adams is the most important one-on-one battle of the day. Adams is leading the NFL in both receiving yards and receptions, and is second in targets. Outside of Aaron Rodgers, Adams is the Green Bay offense. Washington needs to focus on Adams and keep him from dominating, and the job falls most prominently on Jackson, who will likely be matched up on him in press-man coverage for a significant portion of this game. Washington would be wise to slide a safety his way in zone coverage. Pay close attention to how this matchup is coming
Charles Leno Jr. vs Preston Smith
As of Thursday, former Redskin Preston Smith hadn’t practiced, but if he plays in this game, his matchup with left tackle Charles Leno will surely be one of the most high profile battles on the field for Washington fans, since Smith is a player who Washington probably should’ve kept. It would be a very Washington-like thing to happen for Smith to have a big day against his former team. Leno needs to do his job and keep Smith away from Taylor Heinicke. This one will be a fun battle to watch.
Aaron Rodgers vs Kamren Curl, Bobby McCain, and Landon Collins
Rodgers is a master at manipulating safeties with his eyes, and Washington has had a huge problem with their secondary in general understanding their assignments and doing their jobs. This is even more true for Washington’s safeties. At first glance, then, this seems like a prime matchup for Rodgers. Curl, McCain, and Collins each need to play flawless football in order to keep Rodgers and the Packers from getting easy long touchdowns. If they fail, there’s most likely no realistic way for Washington to win the game, so quite a bit is riding on the ability of those three players to not get manipulated by the hall of famer.
OFFICIAL INJURY REPORT (active roster only) (starters in bold)
LP – limited practice FP – full practice DNP – did not practice
NIR – not injury related Q – questionable O – out
D – doubtful NL – not listed
| Washington | Packers |
| T S. Cosmi, ankle; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP; Fri: DNP; game: O | T D. Kelly, back; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP Fri: DNP; game: O |
| RB A. Gibson, shin; Wed: DNP; Thurs: LP Fri: LP; game: Q | C J. Myers, knee; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP Fri: DNP; game: O |
| T C. Leno Jr., NIR (rest); Wed: DNP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP | S D. Savage, concussion; Wed: DNP; Thurs: LP Fri: LP; game: Q |
| WR T. McLaurin, hamstring; Wed: DNP; Thurs: LP; Fri: FP | LB P. Smith, oblique; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP LP Fri: LP; game: Q |
| WR C. Samuel, groin; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP Fri: DNP; game: O | CB K. King, shoulder; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP LP Fri: LP; game: Q |
| G B. Scherff, knee; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP Fri: DNP; game: O | WR E. St. Brown, shoulder; Wed: FP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP |
| TE R. Seals-Jones, quad; Wed: DNP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP | |
| WR C. Sims, hamstring; Wed: DNP; Thurs: DNP Fri: DNP; game: O | |
| DT J. Allen, knee; Wed: LP; Thurs: FP; Fri: FP | |
| WR D. Brown, knee; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP; Fri: LP | |
| CB W. Jackson III, knee; Wed: LP; Thurs: LP Fri: DNP; game: Q | |
| DE S. Toney; Wed: NL; Thurs: NL; Fri: DNP; game: O |
TEAM STATISTICS
Washington:
Washington’s offense is mediocre by most standards. They’ve scored 136 points, which is ranked 19th, and are ranked 22nd in total yards, 22nd in passing yards, 17th in rushing yards, and 18th in rushing yards per attempt. Interestingly, they are leading the league with fewest sacks surrendered, with 6. Taylor Heinicke’s quarterback rating is 86.9, which is ranked 23rd. Antonio Gibson is averaging just 4.0 yards per attempt, which is down significantly from last year’s 4.7 yards per attempt.
Washington’s defense is one of the worst in the NFL by many measures. They’ve surrendered 186 points, which is the most in the league, and they’ve also given up the most passing yards. Washington is also the worst in the league on third down, with opponents converting first downs at a rate of 57.78%. They are 31st in total yards surrendered. One measurement at which Washington isn’t terrible is rushing yards per attempt – they’ve only given up 4.0 yards per attempt, which is ranked 9th. They are mediocre in sacks, getting just 12 on the season so far, which is ranked 21st.
Record: 2 – 4 (2nd) (Away: 1 – 1; NFC: 2 – 1)
All-time franchise record: 613 – 615 – 28
Offense
| Offensive rankings | 19 (points) / 22 (total yards) / 24 (yards per game) / 22 (yards per play) / 22 (passing yards) / 25 (passing yards per att.) / 17 (rushing yards) / 18 (rushing yards per att.) |
| Points for | 136 |
| Yards per game | 336.2 |
| Passing
|
204 att (18th); 129 comp; 63.2% comp per. (24th); 6.9 Y/A; 1379 net yds; 9 TD; 6 Int |
| Passing leader | Heinicke (198 att (19th), 1390 yds (24th), 63.6% comp perc (23rd), 9 TDs / 6 Int, 86.9 QB rating (23rd) |
| Receiving leader | McLaurin (428 yds (18th), 57 tgts (9th), 33 rec (23rd), 3 TDs, 13.0 YPC (46th)) |
| Rushing | 154 att (17th); 638 yds; 4.1 Y/A; 106.3 Y/G (19th); 5 TD |
| Rushing leader | Gibson (89 att (7th), 357 yds (15th), 3 TDs (24th), 4.0 Y/A (33rd), long 27) |
| Sacks surrendered / rank | 6 / 1 |
| Ave time of possession / rank | 28:04 / 26 |
| 3rd down conversion rate / rank | 34.25% / 27 |
| TD percentage in red zone / rank | 62.50% / 14 |
Defense
| Defensive rankings | 32 (points) / 31 (total yards) / 31 (yards per game surrendered) / 26 (yards per play) / 32 (passing yards) / 22 (passing yards per att.) / 20 (rushing yards) / 9 (rushing yards per att.) |
| Points against | 186 |
| Yards per game surrendered | 423.0 |
| Opponent’s passing | 242 att (30th); 158 comp; 65.3% comp perc. (10th); 7.9 Y/A; 1857 net yds; 16 TDs; QB Rating 104.4 (26th) |
| Opponent’s rushing | 169 att (23rd); 681 yds; 4.0 Y/A; 6 TDs; 113.5 Y/G (19th) |
| Sacks / rank / Sack leader | 12 / 21 / Allen, Sweat (3.0) |
| Tackles leader | Holcomb (58) |
| Int / rank / Int leader | 4 / 24 / Fuller, Holcomb, Jackson, McCain (1) |
| Opponent 3rd down conv rate / rank | 57.78% / 32 |
| Opponent TD percentage in red zone / rank | 60.0% / 15 |
Special Teams
| Kick returns | 25.8 Y/R (5th), 17 returns (3rd), long 101 yards (2nd), 1 TD |
| Punt returns | 9.5 Y/R (10th), 4 returns, long 14 yards (27th), 0 TDs |
| Kick return defense | 22.9 Y/R (23rd), 8 returns (12th), 0 TDs |
| Punt return defense | 9.8 Y/R (25th), 13 returns, 0 TDs |
| Punting | 49.5 Y/P (5th) |
Turnovers (lost by O / recv’d by D / net / rank): 9 / 7 / -2 / 22
Penalties (total accepted # / rank): 39 / 22
Packers:
The Packers have scored 144 points this season, which is ranked 14th, and are ranked 21st in total yards, 19th in passing yards, 16th in rushing yards, and 16th in rushing yards per attempt. Aaron Rodgers, the 2020 league MVP, has a quarterback rating of 104.6 so far this year, which is ranked 9th. Aaron Jones has averaged 4.6 yards per carry.
Defensively, the Packers have given up 136 points, which is ranked 15th. Green Bay is ranked 9th in total yards surrendered, 6th in passing yards, 15th in rushing yards, and 25th in rushing yards per attempt. The Packers defense is the worst in the NFL in the red zone, allowing opponents to score touchdowns on all 15 trips to the Packers red zone.
Record: 5 – 1 (1st); Home: 2 – 0; NFC: 3 – 1)
All-time franchise record: 774 – 578 – 38
Offense
| Offensive rankings
|
14 (points) / 21 (total yards) / 23 (yards per game) / 19 (yards per play) / 19 (passing yards) / 12 (passing yards per att.) / 16 (rushing yards) / 16 (rushing yards per att.) |
| Points for | 144 |
| Yards per game | 343.5 |
| Passing | 193 att (24th); 129 comp; 66.8% comp per. (13th); 7.8 Y/A; 1404 net yds; 12 TDs; 3 Int |
| Passing leader | Rodgers (186 att (23rd), 1436 yds (23rd), 66.7% comp per. (15th), 12 TDs / 3 Int, 104.6 QB rating (9th)) |
| Reception leader | Adams (668 yds (1st), 66 targets (2nd), 46 rec (1st), 2 TDs (79th), 14.5 Y/C (24th) |
| Rushing | 157 att (14th); 657 yds; 4.2 Y/A; 109.5 Y/G (18th); 4 TDs |
| Rushing leader | Jones (83 att (11th), 385 yds (9th), 2 TDs (40th), 4.6 Y/A (22nd), long 57 yds (5th)) |
| Sacks surrendered / rank | 14 / 20 |
| Ave time of possession / rank | 30:59 / 14 |
| 3rd down conversion rate / rank | 40.62% / 14 |
| TD percentage in red zone / rank | 58.33% / 22 |
Defense
| Defensive rankings | 15 (points) / 9 (total yards) / 5 (yards per game surrendered) / 7 (yards per play) / 6 (passing yards) / 4 (passing yards per att.) / 15 (rushing yards) / 25 (rushing yards per att.) |
| Points against | 136 |
| Yards per game surrendered | 315.0 |
| Opponent’s passing | 202 att (13th); 134 comp; 66.3% comp per. (18th); 6.6 Y/A; 1239 net yds; 13 TDs; QB rating 94.1 (14th) |
| Opponent’s rushing | 145 att (11th); 651 yds; 4.5 Y/A; 5 TDs |
| Sacks / rank / Sack leader | 14 / 13 / Clark (3.0) |
| Tackles leader | Campbell (55) |
| Int / rank / Int leader | 6 / 10 / Campbell (2) |
| Opponent 3rd down conv rate / rank | 43.94% / 25 |
| Opponent TD percentage in red zone / rank | 100.0% / 32 |
Special Teams
| Kick returns | 19.6 Y/R (26th), 10 returns, long 41 yards (13th), 0 TDs |
| Punt returns | 6.3 Y/R (26th), 8 returns, long 17 yards (20th), 0 TDs |
| Kick return defense | 30.4 Y/R (30th), 16 returns, 0 TDs |
| Punt return defense | 9.1 Y/R (22nd), 8 returns, 0 TDs |
| Punting | 47.4 Y/P (9th) |
Turnovers (lost by O / recv’d by D / net / rank): 5 / 9 / +4 / 6
Penalties (total accepted # / rank): 25 / 3
* Statistics courtesy of www.pro-football-reference.com, www.nflpenalties.com, www.nfl.com, www.teamrankings.com, www.espn.com, www.sportingcharts.com