The Washington Redskins might be 3-9 and limping to the finish line of another lost season, but they’ll bring a talented and disruptive defensive front to Lambeau Field for Sunday’s Week 14 matchup.
The offensive line of the Green Bay Packers has another big battle in front of them.
The Redskins are sixth in the NFL in sack percentage, ninth in total sacks and fourth in pressure percentage this season. After an 0-5 start, the Redskins rank second in the NFL in sacks with 27 and 10th in opponent yards per carry (3.9) since Week 6.
The group is talented inside and out. Jonathan Allen, Da’Ron Payne and Matthew Ioannidis anchor the inside, while Ryan Kerrigan and Montez Sweat are the primary edge rushers. All five are big and tough and hard to keep blocked.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur called them “really, really talented” on Thursday.
While Payne is more of a run-stuffer, Allen, Ioannidis, Kerrigan and Sweat have combined for 22 sacks and 42 quarterback hits this season.
Over the last two weeks alone, the Redskins have 13 sacks. They got to Panthers quarterback Kyle Allen seven times despite not having Kerrigan, who will return Sunday after missing last week’s win with a concussion.
The Packers will have all five starters available along the offensive line on Sunday. Right tackle Bryan Bulaga, who left the Packers’ loss in San Francisco with a knee injury, played a full game against the New York Giants last Sunday and doesn’t have an injury designation for Sunday’s visit from the Redskins.
Teams that have been able to rush the quarterback with four players along the defensive front have given the Packers the most trouble this season, and the Redskins look capable of replicating the blueprint, at least up front.
Since Week 6, opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of 84.5 against the Redskins.
Sunday should be another good test for the Packers offensive line. They’ve struggled at times to create running lanes and protect the quarterback, especially recently against talented fronts of the Los Angeles Chargers and San Francisco 49ers and, to a lesser degree, the New York Giants.
The Redskins haven’t played well as a team in 2019 but their front can match any the Packers have faced this season. Consider Sunday’s battle a barometer for how the Packers will fare against the stingy defenses awaiting them in December and January.