Game 5: Redskins (3-1) at Packers (4-1)

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The Redskins travel to the not yet frozen tundra of Lambeau Field to play the 4-1 Green Bay Packers in Washington's second game in a row against an NFC North opponent, 1pm ET.

As a result of the manner in which the Redskins completely dismantled the Lions last week the Redskins have generated substantial national interest as a possible contender and this game is a chance for them to solidify their position and keep pace with the division leading Cowboys.

Media coverage of the Redskins this week focused on the defense with Washington Post pieces on the overall improvement of the unit from 2006 and the performance of the all first round pick secondary. Want to see what the start of a turnaround looks like? Have a look at these stats.

And the final irony of the second coming of this defense is that the players believe it is the simplifying of the schemes by Gregg Williams that have allowed them to read better and improve, this in contrast to Al Saunders' 700 page playbook.

Curly R aside: uh-oh, practice squad offensive lineman Kili Lefotu was arrested Friday night after an altercation in a Loudon County restaurant for public drunkenness, assault and destruction of property. Redskins blog newcomer Redskins FanView thinks this might be the end of Kili on the Redskins but I will wait to hear some more detail. Drunken public displays are never good and we have no idea what the details were. You may remember Kili was found unconscious in his dorm room during 2006 training camp, his rookie season.

For the offense Jason Campbell comes into this game as the NFC Creepy Stalker and Offensive Player of the Week. The running game has been a little disappointing, I can agree with that but I think Al Saunders' desire to see a 4.8 yard per carry average is a little unreasonable. Hell if you want 5 yards per carry why not 10? That said Ladell Betts is going to need to do better than 2.7 yards per carry.

On the injury front Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El are walking wounded and these guys will be needed down the stretch but the Redskins will need them today so figure that one out, maybe Keenan McCardell can help out. BTW what happened to Reche Caldwell since Keenan came to town? Marcus Washington is probably out and Phillip Daniels is probably in but either way we will see some of Randall Godfrey and Chris Wilson.

Offensively for the Packers Brett Favre is basically playing sandlot football, you can imagine him in the huddle[ripple fade to daydream]:

Brett (in huddle): ok Greg you're the bottlecap, Vernand you're the gum wrapper, DeShawn you be the piece of glass.

Donald Driver: what about me?

Brett: you go long

The Packer paradigm: they are 23rd against the pass but have a shutdown defense, to Charles Woodson the Redskins gameplan will be 'obvious.'

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Mike Wise makes sure Jason Campbell visiting Brett Favre's 500 acre compound in Hattiesburg unannounced stays in the news for another cycle. We all had a good laugh, let's move on, when these teams meet again in the playoffs and the Redskins win the narrative will be the passing of the Mississippi torch.

George Solomon reminds us that not only does Brett have the most touchdown passes (423), most passes thrown (8433) and most completions (5162) all time he also has the greatest streak of consecutive games starting for a quarterback at 243, a record even the man Cal Ripken thinks may surpass his record of 2632 consecutive baseball games started (not really, Cal is modest). Check out the other places where Brett is nearly the best ever.

But seriously Jason, there's nothing wrong with hero worship. You are a lucky man to be playing an NFL game against first ballot Hall of Famer Brett Favre.


Other previews: Washington Post Redskins Gameday (PDF), Hogs Haven previews the Packers offense, Anthony Brown at Hog Heaven, Lee Gibbons' statlicious preview at The Redskin Report.


This is a gameday open thread.