The NFC East champions start their journey into the playoffs this Saturday, and unfortunately it’s not our Dallas Cowboys. Nor is it the Eagles or Giants. For the first time since 2012, the Washington Redskins captured the NFC East crown – finishing the regular season at 9-7 – and earning a home playoff game against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
The Redskins come into this game on the right side of momentum, finishing the regular season with wins at the Eagles and Cowboys. The Packers backed their way into Wild Card weekend, getting drubbed at the Cardinals in week 16 before losing the NFC North championship game to the Vikings at home in the last week of the season.
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TEAM RANKS
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 |
11th |
PASSING OFFENSE |
25th |
20th |
RUSHING OFFENSE |
12th |
8th |
PASSING DEFENSE |
27th |
7th |
RUSHING DEFENSE |
12th |
The Vikings secondary provided a potential blueprint to slowing down the Packers passing attack last week, when they played tight press coverage and forced Randall Cobb and Davante Adams to beat them down the field. The two finished with a combined ten receptions for just 91 yards.
It will be up to Bashaud Breeland and Will Blackmon in the Washington secondary to slow down Rodgers, with help from the likes of Jason Hatcher and Ryan Kerrigan up front.
When the Redskins have the ball, they will rely on Kirk Cousins to make smart decisions – as he has done all season long – and methodically march them down the field to keep Rodgers on the sideline.
Cousins has thrown just three interceptions in his final nine games of the season, famously denoted as the post “YOU LIKE THAT!” portion of his season.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsB7UQ8BlE0
If the Redskins offense can get some big plays out of guys like DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, paired with solid play in the secondary, they should be able to handle a Green Bay team that has certainly lost some shine to them as the season has progressed.
Washington is 6-2 at home this season, and I like them to get lucky win number 7 on Saturday.
The Pick: Washington Redskins 27 – Green Bay Packers 21
Don’t worry, Cowboys Nation, a Redskins win on Saturday does little to extend their season past the Divisional Round. A win paired with a Seattle win at the Vikings would send them to Arizona while a Vikings win would see the Redskins travel to the home of the 15-1 Carolina Panthers.
Enjoy this one while you can, Redskins.
