No Rest for the Washington

After a successful start to the season with a home win over the Giants, the Commanders head out for Thursday Night Football at Lambeau Field to face one of the most storied franchises in the NFL.

It’s a road trip where the burgundy & gold haven’t returned with a victory since 1988!

Here at UKHTTC, Christian posed some questions to the UK & Irish Packers – another example of a hugely productive podcast and meetup organiser, even featured in two official documentaries.

UKHTTC: Perhaps the trade of the summer was Micah Parsons heading to Green Bay. Can you convey what it means to go big for a premium pass rusher and early thoughts on Parsons in Week 1?

UK & Irish Packers: Green Bay have always prided themselves on being a draft-and-develop team. But that hasn’t stopped them from making impactful splashes in free agency before! The obvious and eerily comparable move was trading for Reggie White – the only other player to record 12+ sacks in each of his first four seasons, just like Parsons. Some of the Packers’ most impactful players of late were also brought in via free agency – look at the impact Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney have already had since joining.

The Parsons trade is a statement that the Packers believe their Super Bowl window is open now. His impact, even on a limited snap count, was extremely impressive. From his very first snap, he nearly recorded a sack. As Commanders fans know all too well, he is capable of wrecking even the best-laid game plans.

Parsons might also solve a weakness on the Packers’ roster – the cornerback position. With less time for opposing QBs to throw, CBs are less likely to be exposed. It also can’t be overstated how much of a presence Parsons has already had in the locker room. In all interviews so far, he’s shown a clear intent to elevate and motivate his teammates. This could be the start of something special in Green Bay.

UKHTTC: Jordan Love – for some a middle-of-the-pack QB. How is he viewed by the average Packers fan? It must help that the OL in Green Bay is regarded as above average?

UK & Irish Packers: Jordan Love has the unenviable task of following two first-ballot Hall of Famers in Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.

That said, he’s viewed very favourably by fans. His early-career struggles with deep-ball accuracy have subsided, and the “mid-tier QB” label is largely based on raw stats without context. Last season, Love was injured in Week 1, which significantly affected his performance throughout the year.

Looking past the numbers and focusing on his play, he’s an extremely capable QB who is only going to get better. He’s now surrounded by serious speed merchants, with Watson due back later this season on a new contract extension. Add to that Green Bay’s knack for drafting and coaching strong offensive linemen, and this could be the year Love cements himself as a top-tier QB – provided he stays healthy, of course.

UKHTTC: The Commanders beefed up the middle of the DL in the offseason. Given last year’s struggles against the run, will Josh Jacobs still have his way against the likes of Kinlaw, Wise, and Payne?

UK & Irish Packers: Jacobs had a tough outing against the Lions’ solid line in Week 1. But with persistence, he broke off some nice runs in the second half and extended his own franchise record to 9 consecutive games with a TD.

The Packers’ offense is built on the run game, and making it work is vital. Jacobs will also be helped by backups Wilson and Brooks, who are adept in blocking assignments. Expect a heavy, committed dosage of Jacobs no matter how effective it looks early on. If there’s any RB in the league who can eventually wear down a defense, my money’s on Jacobs.

UKHTTC: The cornerback group in Green Bay is perhaps a weakness. What’s your view, and could Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel “go off” against the Pack’s secondary?

UK & Irish Packers: The CB group is more unproven than an outright weakness.

There’s talent there, but like much of the roster, they’re very young. Nate Hobbs, brought in this offseason, is carrying an injury, so this group could be viewed as an area of concern.

Terry McLaurin is an undisputed game wrecker – he’s been a fantastic asset despite often subpar QB play. Samuel is another nightmare name for Packers fans after what his 49ers inflicted in past postseasons. The key to containing them? Relentless pass rush and plenty of safety help.

UKHTTC: Who’s an underrated player on the roster that doesn’t get the credit he deserves?

UK & Irish Packers: There are a few! I’m tempted to say Edgerrin Cooper, but we expect his stock to rise quickly this year after an outstanding campaign last season.

The real unheralded weapon, though, is punter Dan Whelan. An Irish native with an unlikely path to the NFL, he has been pivotal in flipping the field and pinning opposing offenses deep. His hang time, trajectory, and ability to consistently drop the ball inside the 20 are a secret weapon. Just look at Week 1: the Lions had 35 minutes of possession, but Whelan’s punts combined with the defense forcing tough yardage allowed the Packers to dictate tempo and grind out a win against a previously dominant rival.

UKHTTC: Thoughts on the Commanders since Daniels, Harris, and Dan Quinn came to town? It’s been refreshing after years of abject failure under Dan Snyder – what’s your view?

UK & Irish Packers: I have a unique perspective – my brother-in-law is a long-time Commanders fan. I’ve seen his repeated dejection year after year, so to see the team flourishing now is fascinating.

McLaurin finally has his star QB, and fans finally have something to root for. Playing QB as a rookie is an almost impossible task. Plenty of prospects arrive with glowing résumés only to flop – but Daniels has stormed into the league and made it look easy.

This is a real force to be reckoned with, and the Packers will have their hands full on Thursday as Washington marches into the stomping ground of their former head coach, Vince Lombardi.

UKHTTC: Score prediction for TNF and season records?

UK & Irish Packers: Blind optimism says the Packers claim a second win, 24-13.

For season records, I’ll say the Packers top the division at 14-3 – and Washington do the same with an identical record.