PREMIUM
Stephen Nover's 10-Dime Sunday Top Ticket
(NFL) Green Bay vs. Washington,
Money Line: -105.00 Green Bay (Away)
Result: Win
Money Line: -105.00 Green Bay (Away)
Result: Win
It's a break for Green Bay to draw Washington in the first round of the playoffs. Although they are struggling offensively, the Packers defense has been solid. The Green Bay secondary will get a huge boost, too, if cornerback Sam Shields can play for the first time since suffering a concussion in Week 14.
The Redskins are a nice story winning the NFC East. Kirk Cousins actually had better numbers than Aaron Rodgers. But things need to be kept in perspective. The NFC East was a bad joke this season. The Redskins played only three winning teams - Panthers, Patriots and Jets. They were crushed in all three of those matchups.
Washington lacks Green Bay' long playoff experience and also does not have the speed and talented athletes to exploit the Packers. The Packers have made the postseason seven consecutive seasons and 18 of the last 23 seasons. They know how to step up and deal with pressure. The last time they reached the Super Bowl, which was 2010, they did it as a wild card. The Redskins haven't made the postseason since 2012 when Robert Griffin III was their quarterback. Cousins and the Redskins are totally unproven in the playoffs. Cousins has turnover traits that the Packers defense can exploit and the Washington organization has been dysfunctional ever since Daniel Snyder became its owner. They should not be trusted. Having know they were hosting a playoff game for two weeks only increases the pressure on the Redskins.
The Packers played the far more difficult schedule playing seven games versus playoff opponents. The Packers won three of those games. Rodgers had a down season statistically, but he still potentially is the best player in the league. Green Bay's offense is much better than it has shown and it's going against a defense that is far easier than other playoff teams.
Rodgers can take advantage of a Washington secondary that has lost three of its top six defensive backs for the season. In fact, the Redskins are so desperate for secondary help they signed 31-year-old cornerback Cary Williams this past Tuesday.
It's not a stretch of the imagination at all to project Green Bay to get turned around and for Rodgers and McCarthy - proven winners - to step up and take advantage of a weak division champion that ranks among the bottom 10 in rushing and run defense - yet tries to play a power game - and lacks postseason experience.
The Redskins are a nice story winning the NFC East. Kirk Cousins actually had better numbers than Aaron Rodgers. But things need to be kept in perspective. The NFC East was a bad joke this season. The Redskins played only three winning teams - Panthers, Patriots and Jets. They were crushed in all three of those matchups.
Washington lacks Green Bay' long playoff experience and also does not have the speed and talented athletes to exploit the Packers. The Packers have made the postseason seven consecutive seasons and 18 of the last 23 seasons. They know how to step up and deal with pressure. The last time they reached the Super Bowl, which was 2010, they did it as a wild card. The Redskins haven't made the postseason since 2012 when Robert Griffin III was their quarterback. Cousins and the Redskins are totally unproven in the playoffs. Cousins has turnover traits that the Packers defense can exploit and the Washington organization has been dysfunctional ever since Daniel Snyder became its owner. They should not be trusted. Having know they were hosting a playoff game for two weeks only increases the pressure on the Redskins.
The Packers played the far more difficult schedule playing seven games versus playoff opponents. The Packers won three of those games. Rodgers had a down season statistically, but he still potentially is the best player in the league. Green Bay's offense is much better than it has shown and it's going against a defense that is far easier than other playoff teams.
Rodgers can take advantage of a Washington secondary that has lost three of its top six defensive backs for the season. In fact, the Redskins are so desperate for secondary help they signed 31-year-old cornerback Cary Williams this past Tuesday.
It's not a stretch of the imagination at all to project Green Bay to get turned around and for Rodgers and McCarthy - proven winners - to step up and take advantage of a weak division champion that ranks among the bottom 10 in rushing and run defense - yet tries to play a power game - and lacks postseason experience.
