Why This Week’s Clash Between the Commanders and Packers Could Defy Every Offensive Expectation

After the drought of no football that always feels a bit like withdrawal, Thursday Night Football is back—and boy, this one’s got some juice. Two playoff-caliber squads from last season clash under the bright lights: the Commanders rolling into the notoriously tough Lambeau Field to take on the Packers. Now, here’s a question that’s been gnawing at me—can the Commanders keep their last season’s magic alive against a Green Bay defense that looks to have patched its leaks? Or will the Packers’ home turf advantage and that pesky habit of spreading the ball to ten different guys wear down Washington’s defense? The Commanders’ early win over the Giants might look pretty on paper, but we all know Big Blue’s been more punching bag than heavyweight contender lately. On the flip side, the Packers’ cruise over Detroit showcased some promising depth, even if the receiving corps lacks that razor-sharp edge. Underneath it all, expect chess moves, grit, and maybe a few moments of sheer football artistry—this won’t be your typical Thursday night snoozer. Grab your popcorn; this one’s set to test both teams—not just their plays but their grit. LEARN MORE.

Commanders vs. Packers, 8:15 ET

After two long, grueling days without football, we are back on the docket with yet another Thursday Night Football game. In recent years, the schedule is starting to get better with the teams that are playing each other. Before, it used to be second-tier games, but now we get some pretty juicy matchups. Week 1 we saw the Eagles take down the Cowboys, and this week, we should get another good one as we have two playoff teams from last season taking each other on. This week, we get the Commanders heading to Green Bay to take on the Packers. 

The Commanders started their season with a pretty easy win and a nice warm-up over the New York Giants. Before Commanders fans get too pumped up, remember that the Giants are likely to be punching bags for most of the league. The Commanders did a nice job of holding the Giants to just two field goals for the game. They also kept Russell Wilson from getting much success, holding him to just 17-of-37 passing. Jayden Daniels was not significantly better, but he was better. He missed a big bomb to Terry McLaurin that could’ve changed his numbers, but he did complete 19-of-30 passes for 233 yards and one touchdown. New addition Deebo Samuel made an immediate impact with seven catches for 77 yards and one 19-yard rushing touchdown. This game will present a much bigger challenge for the Commanders as I don’t think they have the edge on both sides of the trenches like they did against the Giants.

The Packers had a significantly better opponent to start their season against, but they handled it with relative ease. The Packers had to face the Lions in their first game, but they were able to coast to a 14-point victory, and they never trailed at any point during the game. Winning in Lambeau Field is difficult for opponents, typically. Jordan Love played a great game, missing on just six of 22 attempts for the game. He only had 188 passing yards, but did get two touchdowns. I have said for about a year now that the receiving corps of Green Bay isn’t scary, but he had 10 different receivers haul in a pass. If you get that many guys making catches, it doesn’t matter if you have a true #1, it is hard to defend against spreading the wealth. Defenisvely, they weren’t exactly amazing against anything other than the rush. The passing game still got a lot of production with Jared Goff throwing for 225 yards and one touchdown and one interception. They will need the same success to hold the Commanders running game – specifically Daniels – from scrambling and making plays out of nothing. 

Both teams now have a short week to prepare for this one, but since it is earlier in the season, I kind of expect that both would’ve at least been somewhat preparing for this game. Perhaps the Commanders actually have a bit more time to prepare than the Packers as the Packers had the tougher opponent. Still, this is one of those games that I feel like we are giving too much credit to the Commanders for last year’s success. Playing at Lambeau is not easy and I expect the Packers to handle their business here. I’d be surprised if they don’t cover, but I’d like to see the number at -3 or -2.5. Instead, I think that the offenses will find a bigger challenge in this game and I see this going under the 48.5. 

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