Five Packers to watch vs. Redskins in Week 14 matchup
By Jesse Fry
The Green Bay Packers enter the final quarter of the 2019 season with a matchup against an improving Washington team. Which five players will ensure it’s a winning one?
We are down to the final four games of the season. The playoffs are within reach as is a division title. There is also still a good shot at a first-round bye. There is a lot at stake over these final four weeks. The Packers must take it a game at a time and find their stride over the final quarter.
It starts this week against a suddenly improved Redskins team.
The Redskins have been searching for something, anything, to hang their hat on in 2019. Injuries, coaching and ineffective play guaranteed a losing season for the team. The poor start, coupled with only one playoff appearance in five years, cost Jay Gruden his job.
But this isn’t the same team we’ve seen in the first half of the season. They have won two in a row and are gaining confidence.
On offense, they have the kind of attack that can do some damage against the Packers. The two-headed monster of Derrius Guice and Adrian Peterson led the way for their victory over the Panthers last weekend. It’s almost guaranteed that will be the same approach this Sunday in order to protect rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins.
Defensively, the strength of Washington is on their defensive line. They have three solid players who will make life difficult for the Packers starting line. Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne and Matt Ioannidis are as solid a trio there is in a 3-4 defense. The Redskins also have two players on the outside who can cause havoc in Ryan Kerrigan and Montez Sweat.
On paper, it looks like it should be an easy task. The Redskins are 3-9 and heading nowhere. But the Packers cannot overlook this team.
Here are five players that will ensure they don’t.