The Green Bay Packers will play today without a number of key players. They’ll be without Mark Tauscher on offense and Nick Barnett, Morgan Burnett and Brandon Chillar on defense. They’ll play in one of the loudest venues in the NFL at Washington’s FedExField and despite being 3-1, are wondering why they haven’t been able to put teams like the Detroit Lions away.
In the long term, these key injuries may take their toll on the Packers, but under Mike McCarthy, the Packers have more times than not, been able to rally when their backs were against the wall to win. I look for them to do the same against the Washington Redskins today.
Aaron Rodgers questioned the head coach last week and called for the Packers to have their top players on the field more in key situations.
The Packers have a difficult stretch ahead with Miami, Minnesota, the New York Jets and the Dallas Cowboys ahead. But the only game that concerns the Packers, is today’s game against Washington.
My concerns with the Packers are special teams and penalties. They’re problems the Packers have struggled with on the road in loud environments. That’s the situation they’ll be faced with today. But I believe they’ll do enough to overcome those problems and find a way to go to 4-1.
My prediction: Packers 20, Redskins 17
The Packers lost rookie safety Morgan Burnett for the rest of the season after an ACL injury. I chatted with Burnett earlier this week.
AUDIO: Bill Scott on the loss of Packers safety Morgan Burnett 2:48