Keys to the Game (at Commanders)

The Green Bay Packers (3-3) will travel to face the Washington Commanders (2-4) at noon on Sunday at FedExField in North Englewood, Maryland. FOX will televise the game.

History

In a series that dates to 1932, when the Packers won at the Boston Braves 21-0, Green Bay leads 22-16-1. The Packers have won two straight, including 24-10 at Lambeau Field last year. The last time the teams met in Washington was 2018, with the Packers falling 31-17. Alex Smith had two touchdown passes and Adrian Peterson had two touchdown runs as Washington led 28-10 at halftime.

Coaches

Green Bay — Matt LaFleur, 42-13, fourth season. Washington — Ron Rivera, 16-23, third season at Washington; 92-86-1 overall in 12 seasons.

When the Packers have the ball

Washington enters week seven ranked 18th with 22.5 points allowed per game. The Commanders have been generous in giving up yards — 19th in total defense (353.3 yards per game), 21st in rushing per play (4.65) and 24th in passing per play (6.99) — but have been excellent in the key situations of third down (third-ranked 31.7% conversions), red zone (ninth-ranked 50% touchdowns) and goal-to-go (third-ranked 45.5% touchdowns). They’ve forced a league-low three turnovers.

“We struggled last year in third downs. We struggled getting pressure on the quarterback,” Rivera said. “We now are one of the better groups in getting pressure on the quarterback. We’re one of the better groups at third down. And we’re also one of the better groups in the red zone.”

The strength of the defense is the front. Even with star defensive end Chase Young out with a torn ACL, Washington’s front includes three first-round picks. Defensive tackles Jonathan Allen (3½ sacks, seven tackles for losses, one interception and one forced fumble) and Daron Payne (3½ sacks, five tackles for losses) are elite, and defensive end Montez Sweat (three sacks, second in league with 14 quarterback hits) is underrated. Led by those three players, Washington is fourth in sack percentage.

Washington plays almost entirely out of nickel (four linemen, two linebackers, five defensive backs) or dime (four linemen, one linebacker, six defensive backs). The every-down linebacker is Cole Holcomb, who ranks fifth in the league with 60 tackles. The other linebacker is Jamin Davis. A first-round pick last year, he has 28 tackles and three sacks.

Kendall Fuller, Rachad Wildgoose and Benjamin St-Juste are the three cornerbacks. It’s the weak link on their defense. Fuller has been torched for a 137.3 passer rating, according to Pro Football Focus. St-Juste, a towering 6-foot-3, has allowed just a 48.4% catch rate and has broken up four passes.

Wildgoose, a sixth-round pick from Wisconsin in 2021, replaced the unit’s big name, William Jackson. Jackson, who signed a three-year, $40.5 million contract with Washington in free agency in 2021, didn’t play last week and is likely to be traded before the Nov. 1 deadline.

Bobby McCain and Kamren Curl are the starting safeties, and Darrick Forrest plays a lot off the bench. Forrest and Curl play a lot in the box to help offset the lack of a third linebacker. Forrest is third on the team with 27 tackles and tied for first with four passes defensed.

When the Commanders have the ball

The Commanders have one of the worst offenses in the NFL. The Packers must take advantage. They are 29th in scoring with 17 points per game.

You name it, they’re bad at it. They are 30th in yards per play (4.83), 24th in rushing per play (4.01) and 28th in passing per play (5.81). They’re also 27th in sack percentage, 26th on third down and 17th in the red zone.

Washington starting quarterback Carson Wentz suffered a broken finger and is out indefinitely. That means, for the second consecutive year, a matchup against Taylor Heinicke. In Green Bay’s win last season, Heinicke threw for 268 yards and rushed for 95 more. So, this might not be much of a break from Joe Barry’s perspective.

The Commanders have a few playmakers. Topping the list is receiver Terry McLaurin, who has 22 catches for 367 yards (16.7 average) and one touchdown. He is coming off back-to-back seasons of 75-plus receptions and 1,000-plus yards.

Curtis Samuel has a team-high 34 receptions but for only 287 yards. First-round pick Jahan Dotson, who has all sorts of speed, has added 12 catches for 152 yards and a team-high four touchdowns.

Running back Antonio Gibson is a three-down player. He has a team-high 214 rushing yards (3.5 average) and is fourth with 19 receptions (8 average).

His backfield sidekicks are J.D. McKissic, who is more receiver (24 receptions) than runner (19 attempts), and burly rookie Brian Robinson. Robinson missed the start of the season after being shot. Against the Bears last week, he carried 17 times for 60 yards and one touchdown. Rivera liked the results of pounding away with Robinson and then getting Gibson on the edge.

Against Chicago, the offensive line was left tackle Charles Leno, left guard Andrew Norwell, center Tyler Larsen, right guard Saahdiq Charles and right tackle Cornelius Lucas. It’s been a revolving door at center with Case Roullier on injured reserve. Larsen was the fourth player to get snaps at that spot.

Lucas replaced second-year player Sam Cosmi (broken thumb). Cosmi is the team’s worst pass protector (five sacks) but best run blocker.

Special teams

Special teams had been the consistent strength of the Packers until last week, when they gave up a blocked punt and blocked field goal against the Jets.

The Commanders will pose a huge challenge. They are No. 2 in special teams, according to Football Outsiders.

Punter Tress Way ranks fourth in the NFL with a 44.8-yard net average. So, it won’t be easy for Green Bay’s feeble punt-return unit to get going. Returner Amari Rodgers didn’t have a prayer against the Jets.

Kicker Joey Slye is 4-of-5 on field goals. He’s got a big-time leg; opponents have returned only three of his kickoffs. He is 14-of-22 from 50-plus yards for his career.

Dax Milne handles returns on kickoffs (20.5 yards per return) and punts (9.5).