A victory over the Green Bay Packers seemed a lot less likely three weeks ago than it does today.
However, back-to-back wins have the Washington Redskins flying high, and fans have to be at least entertaining the idea that they could stay competitive in this game.
It’s no small task, and it definitely won’t be easy, but if rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins is on target, and Derrius Guice keeps up his encouraging workload, the Redskins just might have a chance.
On top of that, there’s one other thing that Washington can do to defeat Green Bay, and linebacker Jon Bostic knows that it just might be crazy enough to work: The Redskins need to make Aaron Rodgers beat them by himself.
“It is [crazy]. It really is,” Bostic said, via The Washington Post. “Even just saying that. You always preach going in stopping the run, making a team one-dimensional. But it’s like, making a team one-dimensional and putting the ball in the best player’s hands is like, do you really want to do that? But that’s what it’s going to take to beat them. It’s going to take all 11 guys out there, playing within the defense, playing within the rules.”
So the key to beating the Packers is putting the ball in the hands of arguably the best quarterback in the NFL and daring him to beat you?
Yep.
The truth is, Rodgers is statistically having a bit of a down year, and his lack of receiving talent is glaring outside of WR Davante Adams. It really has been the running game that has shouldered the load in Green Bay, with Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams leading the way. If Washington can nullify those two players and find a way to move the ball on offense, then it leaves Rodgers to win the game himself, which he is still highly capable of doing.
“When you have a balanced attack, it helps out the quarterback,” Redskins defensive lineman Jonathan Allen said. “And anytime you help out Aaron Rodgers, huh, that never [goes] well. Plus, [Green Bay’s] defense is playing lights out. I feel like this is one of the most complete teams out of Green Bay that I’ve seen in a while. … If we can stop the run and dominate the line of scrimmage, that’ll definitely give help to the defensive backs.”
It’s not a fool-proof plan, and it definitely has a chance of backfiring, as Rodgers is highly-capable of putting up monster stats and notching a ‘W’ all by himself. However, it may be the best plan that the Redskins have, and for now, that’s what they’re going with.
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