And we’re off and running.
The Green Bay Packers open their season by hosting the Detroit Lions in Week 1, and just four days later, they will take on the Washington Commanders in Week 2.
There’s no time to dwell on the previous game, the Packers will play on Thursday Night Football against a team that played for the conference championship a season ago.
The Washington Commanders come to Lambeau Field looking to get their season on track as well.
Here are the keys to the Packers walking out of Lambeau Field with a victory.
Turnovers
Turnovers are the name of the game in today’s NFL. The Packers are no exception, they’re very good when they win the turnover battle under Matt LaFleur.
Dan Quinn’s teams are always going to be opportunistic in looking to take the ball today.
With the prolific nature of both of these offenses, takeaways could be the difference between which team comes away with a win versus a loss.
Washington has Von Miller, a strip-sack artist, even at this stage of his prime. Mike Sainristil grew into a ballhawk last season as the team’s nickel corner.
The Packers have stated publicly their goal is to lead the league in forced fumbles. Jeff Hafley has emphasized taking the ball away since the day he stepped into the role of defensive coordinator.
Whoever takes care of the ball the most in this game will have an edge.
Jayden Daniels
Former Packer Preston Smith used to say playing some of the NFL’s great mobile quarterbacks was like chasing the fastest chicken in the yard with no fence to hold them in.
Jayden Daniels is not that different.
He may be the best running quarterback in football this side of Lamar Jackson.
He’s no slouch in the passing game, either. By the end of his rookie season a year ago, Daniels had grown from impressive rookie, to one of the best quarterbacks in all of football.
Some experts are picking Daniels to win this year’s MVP. If he’s as productive as he was a season ago, he’ll certainly have an opportunity to do that.
For Thursday night’s game, the Packers need to find a way to limit Daniels. He’s dangerous in the open field and also deadly from the pocket.
Discipline and maintaining rush lanes to collapse the pocket will be the key to keep Washington’s MVP contender under wraps.
Josh Jacobs
Usually games like these come down to the quarterback battle, but this one is a little different.
Washington met its demise in the NFC Championship game last year, largely because they could not slow down Philadelphia’s star running back, Saquon Barkley.
The Packers have a guy similar to that with Josh Jacobs in tow. Jacobs was a 1,300-yard rusher last year and the anchor that helped carry Green Bay’s offense.
Green Bay will need more from its passing game this season to get where they ultimately want to go, but this game should be on the back of Jacobs. Washington’s front is undersized, and Green Bay’s offensive line added some size this offseason.
This could be a game where the big boys in Green Bay can lean on Washington’s smaller front, with the punishing running style of Jacobs taking its toll by the end of the game.
