Maybe I’m alone in thinking this, but I wish instead of “Football Team,” that Washington would have renamed themselves the ‘Snyders’. Why not? Paul Brown named the Cleveland Browns. Of course, he also founded the Bengals. Let’s see…Lions is taken…maybe Elephants – nah, too political. Crocodiles would work but I really think ‘Snyders’ is best, it makes me laugh and it’s better than Football Team or Human Beings (bing it).
Anyways, Sunday at noon in Green Bay, the Washington Snyders, sorry, Football Team (2-4) take on the Packers (5-1). This meeting will mark the 38th meeting between the teams (including 3 playoff games) and the intra-divisional rivalry has some cool history.
The most memorable battle between the 2 franchises was on MNF in 1983, a game which is still legendary in the minds of Packers fans. Green Bay won in Lambeau 48-47 in what is still the highest-scoring game in MNF history. On Washington’s first possession Packer LB Mike Douglass forced a fumble, picked up the ball, scored and the points race was on. Hall of Famer, Washington QB Joe Theismann, threw for 398 yards and 2 TDs and Packers legend, QB Lynn Dickey, threw for 387 with 3 TDs in the win.
This Sunday, the slumping Football Team, who are 2nd in the NFC East behind Dallas (5-1), limp into Green Bay following two home losses. Quarterback Taylor Heinicke will get his first start in Lambeau and has a 96.9 QB rating with 9 TDs and 6 ints in 2021. Defensively Football Team is a bit of an anomaly, they’re D is last in the league allowing 31 ppg but they have a fierce pass rush which could cause problems for a Green Bay offense that is sputtering trying to find the right gear.
The Packers are scoring just 24 points a game but their balanced rush/pass attack has worked well, thus 5-1. Green Bays’ backfield duo of Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon is averaging 109 ypg and QB Aaron Rodgers averages 234 yds passing and is building a typical Rodgers-like season with 12 TDs vs 3 int. As usual for Green Bay, the game could hinge on the Pack D which is baffling in its own way. The D is smack dab in the middle of the League yielding 136 ppg and yet is on pace to be historically horrible in the red zone and has allowed TDs on 15 of 15 opponents red zone trips. But still, bizarrely the Joe Barry D is 5th in fewest yards allowed.
The Game opened with Green Bay a 7 point favorite and the line has moved to 8 in many casinos and sites. The teams should have good football weather as the forecast for Sunday at Lambeau is mostly cloudy & 50 deg. Washington head coach Ron Rivera, who played 20 times in Lambeau, winning 15 during his playing career with the Bears, points to discipline being the key for his Football Team against a ‘red-hot” Packers squad. Matt LaFleur is 1-0 vs Washington as a head coach.
Football Team vs Packers All-time Head-to-Head (and other) stats:
Football Team/Packers
Wins all-time: 16/21 inc. 3 playoff (1 tie)
Playoff wins: 1/2
Since 2000: 3/7
Points scored: 635/742
In Green Bay: 5/12 inc. (1 tied)
- Football Team longest win streak: 5 (1972-1979)
- Packers longest win streak: 4-2 times (1934-1936 & 2001-2007)
- Taylor Heinicke vs Packers: NA
- Aaron Rodgers vs Football Team: 3-3 inc. 1 playoff (2016)
- Last meeting 12/8/2019: Green Bay 20 at Chicago 15 (Attendance-77,296-sellout)
- Lambeau Field Capacity – 80,750
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