The opinions in this article do not reflect those of the team unless specified by a direct quote.
The Washington Commanders are heading to Green Bay, Wisconsin, to play the Packers on Thursday Night Football. Here are three keys to them securing a win.
1. Don't let Micah Parsons be a game-wrecker.
The Commanders are familiar with exactly how disruptive Parsons can be for an offense. He has recorded 10.5 sacks with 15 quarterback hits in his matchups with them, and his effectiveness isn't going to change now that he's with another team.
It might be impossible to make him a complete non-factor on Thursday, but the Commanders want to mitigate his success as much as possible.
"You don't let game wreckers wreck the game, and you have to keep an eye on him," quarterback Jayden Daniels said of Parsons.
The Commanders do have some tools they can work with. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil allowed zero pressures from Parsons in their last two matchups, and while that doesn't guarantee success on Thursday, it does show Tunsil has a history of holding his own. As a result, rookie Josh Conerly Jr. could see a lot more of Parsons. Conerly allowed a sack last week against the Giants but otherwise looked solid against New York's front, allowing just two pressures.
Parsons is a different challenge, and Conerly might need some help to contain him. If that is the case, the Commanders could move John Bates to the right side or have one of their slot receivers provide a chip block on Parsons. That likely won't completely negate Parsons, but it might be enough to throw him off balance.
2. Create turnovers.
The Commanders did not commit any turnovers against the Giants last Sunday, but they didn't force any, either. They might need to on Thursday in order to secure a win.
"We just know it controls winning," head coach Dan Quinn said Tuesday.
The Commanders have emphasized creating more turnovers since Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. arrived last year. The results have been more sporadic than they would like, although the defense did improve in that regard later in the 2024 campaign. The Commanders went through a stretch from Weeks 4-10 in which they forced at least one turnover every week and were 5-2 during that period.
The Commanders should have opportunities to create more chances for their offense on Thursday, despite the Packers having one of the best turnover margins in the sport last season. Love was tied with three other players for the fourth-most interceptions in the league, and Pro Football Focus notes that he was tied for 13th in turnover worthy plays. He had two in their Week 1 matchup against the Detroit Lions.
Washington must capitalize on those moments, but games like this are why they overhauled their secondary this offseason.
3. Keep up the defensive momentum from the Giants game.
Although it was Week 1 against a Giants team that is expected to struggle this season, the Commanders' defense looked drastically improved from a year ago. They stuck to their rushing lanes, held the Giants to 74 yards on the ground and provided stingy coverage against players like Malik Nabers.
The Commanders will need more of that against the Packers, who didn't overwhelm the Lions statistically in their 27-13 win over their NFC North rival but still possess a talented offensive roster. Love had the fifth-highest QBR last season and tied for the 10th-most touchdowns. Josh Jacobs recorded his fourth 1,000-yard season in his first season with the Packers and hit a career-high in rushing touchdowns. Their wideouts might not be the biggest household names, but head coach Matt LaFleur, considered one of the top offensive coaches in the league, knows how to put them in the best position to succeed.
Every week doesn't need to be a referendum on how the Commanders' newcomers influence the defense, but the Packers are the type of team that general manager Adam Peters made all those moves to beat. He upgraded the defensive line and overhauled the secondary to give them a better chance against the best teams in the conference. It's only Week 2, but Thursday's game will provide a look at where the new version of the roster stacks up with a perceived Super Bowl contender.
