The Washington Commanders look to pull within a game of .500 when they host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in an NFC showdown.
Washington enters the game on extra rest having played last Thursday night at Chicago, while the Packers are 3-3 and reeling from a shocking home loss to the New York Jets last Sunday.
Green Bay finds itself in second place in the NFC North behind the 5-1 Minnesota Vikings while the Commanders are last in the NFC East at 2-2.
Where to watch?
The game will air at 1 p.m. on Fox, and if you don’t have it on your local Fox, you’ll need NFL Sunday Ticket.
What to know about the Commanders
Washington is catching Green Bay at the right time, but Carson Wentz won’t be playing. The starting quarterback is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a finger injury, and that means it is Taylor Heinecke time. He started in a playoff loss during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl run back in 2020, and he looked sharp as can be, taking the eventual champs to the wire. He then started 15 games last season and threw for 3,419 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.
“I feel a lot more comfortable, a lot more confident,” Heinicke told ESPN. “I was a little overwhelmed last year; it was my first time starting 15 games and it gets to you a little bit.”
His ability to run with the ball could be key to keeping defenses honest. Against a Packers team with a stout defensive line, he’ll have to be quick with the ball for his team to have a chance.
What to know about the Packers
Inconsistent as can be, they entered the season looked at as Super Bowl contenders. While that may still be true, even after trading Davante Adams, the fact of the matter is they lost back-to-back games to the New York Giants and New York Jets. Sure, both of those teams are playing better than anybody expected, but the Packers should be winning those games. This feels like a game that Packers really need to get back on track before facing the Buffalo Bills next Sunday night. After running for just 60 yards against the Jets, expect there to be a bit more balance this time around.
Prediction
Green Bay 31, Washington 17
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