Washington is perhaps the most shocking playoff team, not given much of a chance after winning the worst division in football.
But the Skins finished on a tear with four consecutive wins and don’t have to face the Seahawks, who they lost to in each of their last three playoff games.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Washington Redskins 0
Green Bay Packers 0
Over/Under 46
ODDS ANALYSIS
Two unpredictable teams have made for some crazy line changes. After opening as a pick em, the Skins were positioned as a 1-point favorite. The spread then crossed the fence in favor of Green Bay by a point. Playoff experience counts for something and the Packers have plenty of it. The betting public is counting on Aaron Rodgers and the Pack in this one. The total fell to 44.5.
KEY INJURIES
David Bakhtiari – Green Bay’s starting left tackle missed the final two regular season games with an ankle injury and the line suffered, allowing 14 sacks combined in those games. Coach Mike McCarthy says Bakhtiari is improving, but he’s questionable to play on Sunday. Josh Sitton moved to tackle last week with Lane Taylor inserted at Sitton’s left guard spot.
Kyshoen Jarrett – Was placed on injured reserve after a shoulder injury sustained last week caused some nerve damage in his arm. He started the finale at safety and was a vital piece of the Skins secondary as a cornerback and safety in nickel and dime packages. The defensive backfield took another hit when Dashaun Phillips suffered a stinger last week. He’s questionable to play against Green Bay.
KEY MISMATCH
There little doubt the Packers’ defense has made the kind of improvement that’s been necessary since it bottomed out in 2011. More than a handful of defensive players said they’re fine with taking on a bigger responsibility, covering for an offense that has been sleepwalking for much of the second half of the season. Like linebacker Clay Matthews said before the season, the Packers’ offense has been carrying this team for years. The Packers finished 15th in total defense, including sixth in fewest passing yards allowed, and ranked 12th in scoring defense. It was the highest ranking against the pass and the fewest points allowed since the Super Bowl season in 2010. Although the Packers head into the playoffs on a two-game losing streak, the defense allowed just 24 of the 38 points in Week 16 and 13 of the 20 in the finale – a game that could have swung in Green Bay’s favor after Micah Hyde’s spectacular one-handed interception in the third quarter. The Pack held Minnesota’s Teddy Bridgewater to 99 passing yards and a porous passer rating of 45.7, with a good dose of pressure keeping him out of sorts the entire game.
KEY STAT
47.0 – Green Bay’s quarterback sacks allowed. The Packers surrendered 14 sacks in the last two games and finished with the fifth-most given up. Washington’s defense amassed 38 sacks this season, tied for 14th in the league.
BETTING ANGLE
Maybe it has to do with the weak division they play in, but there aren’t many people giving the NFC East champion Redskins much credit and much of a chance ahead of their playoff opener. Washington collected victories over division rivals Philadelphia and Dallas to close out the regular season, clinching the division title and a first-round home game. The Skins are playing their best football of the season down the stretch, winning their final four games both SU and ATS. Washington is a scary team at FedEx Field with a 6-2 SU and 5-3 ATS record during the regular year. Green Bay tiptoed into the playoffs losing six of its final 10 games after cruising to a 6-0 start. The Pack was also 4-6 ATS during that stretch.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
The Skins have plenty of momentum heading into this one, winning their final four games while covering in each, and becoming the unlikely NFC East champs. You could say Washington was competing in a playoff atmosphere over the second half of the season while capturing the division, and they were. But now the real playoffs begin. It’s a whole different ballgame and while Kirk Cousins has been stellar, he hasn’t faced the pressure of a one-and-done scenario. These are not the same old Packers and two losses to end the season forced them to hit the road in the opening round. Rodgers catches a break against a Skins squad that isn’t as deep in the secondary and a pass rush that’s average. The Pack will likely have some stability on the offensive line and receivers James Jones, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams will find space in the secondary. If the Packers can jumpstart their offense and Cousins can keep up the Skins’ high-scoring ways, the over will generate some interest. So will a Green Bay victory.
Green Bay 31, Washington 20
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Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet, click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The contest pitting the Green Bay Packers versus the Washington Redskins will commence Sunday, January 10, 2016, at 4:40 p.m. ET at FedEx Field. The contest will be broadcast regionally on FOX.
