Last week answered one question for the Washington Redskins — will Robert Griffin III (RG3) be able to play? — but it posed a half-dozen more. Likewise, the Green Bay Packers were able to reassure themselves that they could still hang with a championship-caliber team (the 49ers), but even a studly performance from Aaron Rodgers couldn’t bring home a win. What we have this week, then, is a Redskins vs Packers showdown in which one of the teams will end up with a .500 record while the other goes to 0-2. That’s not an enviable position, so if you want to know how things turn out and can’t catch the game on FOX, you’ll want to watch Redskins vs Packers live streaming online to see whether RG3 or Aaron Rodgers ends up with the “W.” Here’s how to do that, along with a quick Redskins vs Packers preview. Kickoff is scheduled for 1pm EST / 10am PST.
The Redskins’ season opener on Monday Night did double duty as RG3’s first game back from his ACL injury in January. It was clear that the matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles and new coach Chip Kelly would pose a challenge, and the fact that it was the Monday Night Football anchor game made the pressure even greater. The Redskins struck first, going up 7-0 after the Eagles literally threw away (well, lateraled away) a drive in which less than 20 seconds passed between plays. However, RG3 couldn’t deliver in the first half offensively, and the Eagles went into halftime with a 26-7 lead. With the rust kicked off, the Redskins stormed back in the second half, taking advantage of a suddenly slower-paced Eagles team and pulling within one touchdown. RG3 ended the game with 329 yards and two touchdowns, but the Redskins couldn’t seal the deal, allowing Philly to go home with a 33-27 victory.
The offensive struggles weren’t as bad for the Green Bay Packers, as Rodgers and wide receiver Jordy Nelson put on a show. Rodgers threw for 333 yards and three touchdowns, while Nelson had 130 yards receiving and one touchdown. The problem was that the 49ers had too much offense, with Colin Kaepernick having his way with the Packers defense and throwing for 412 yards. Things got so bad that the Packers’ Clay Matthews ended up tackling Kaepernick when he was well out of bounds (out of frustration?), drawing a penalty flag and causing one heck of a fracas. Needless to say, if you watch Redskins vs Packers live streaming online or on FOX today, you’ll see a couple of teams battling not only for a victory, but for the pride of sending another team into Week Three with an 0-2 record.
The Redskins will be battling to answer a few more questions after their Monday Night Football game, though, which you should keep an eye out for when you watch Redskins vs Packers live streaming online. The primary question is “while RG3 can play, should he be playing?” One recent report indicated that RG3 may be favoring his injured knee and thus harming his overall efficiency. Speaking on ESPN’s NFL Matchup, analyst Ron Jaworski said Griffin isn’t throwing the ball well because he’s still favoring his injured knee. “He’s protecting that right leg. I get it, I understand it,” said Jaworski. “But you’ve got to be able to make these throws. And I’m sure in three or four weeks, he will be making these throws. But right now, his mechanics, in throwing the football, those deep throws down the field where mechanics are critical, he is struggling.”
What that might mean for his performance against Clay Matthews and a Packers defense hungry to shut him down could be worrisome. RG3 is a scrambler, and although he can still move better than at least half of the NFL’s current quarterbacks, he’s not exactly where he should be. If he’s not throwing as well as he should — ESPN reports that he misfired on 11 passes, more than any game during his rookie season — then the Redskins may have a long day.
Or perhaps not. Clay Matthews is a beast, but coming out of Week One against the 49ers, the Packers defense is ranked 31st. That would be good news for any offense going up against them, but with RG3 not running (or firing) on all cylinders, that 31st ranking may be the Redskins’ saving grace. How it all plays out remains to be seen when you watch Redskins vs Packers live streaming online (maybe here) or on FOX.
The Redskins and Packers historically face off every three years, with the Packers having the series advantage since 2004. However, in 2010 when the teams last met, the Redskins won 16-13. That’s not a particularly high score, but the Packers and Redskins don’t often get into shootouts. In fact, in their past three matchups against the Packers, the Redskins have never scored more than 16 points. This year things should be different. Between RG3’s offensive abilities — even when he’s not 100% — and the Packers’ porous defense, when you watch Redskins vs Packers live streaming online you should see a higher-scoring game. Their offenses are pretty evenly matched (ranked 10th and 11th), but their defenses are equally bad (27th and 31st). Prepare for an entertaining game no matter which team you’re rooting for.