5 Commanders facing nightmare matchups they must win against the Packers

The Washington Commanders got their season off on the best possible footing with a comfortable success over the lowly New York Giants on home soil. However, their upcoming test in Week 2 represents something different entirely.

Head coach Dan Quinn is navigating a short week before the Commanders travel to Lambeau Field for a Thursday Night Football showdown with the Green Bay Packers. This is an early battle between two clubs that harbor ambitions to go deep into the playoffs, so it could tell us plenty about Washington's capabilities to match its extraordinary efforts from the previous campaign.

Diminished preparation time is just one of several stumbling blocks for the Commanders to overcome. There is enough experience on the coaching staff and across the playing personnel to keep complications to a minimum, but the Packers' dominant triumph over the Detroit Lions to begin their 2025 exploits made a massive statement that put the league on notice.

The game plan must be concise. The execution must be supreme. And these five nightmare matchups must be won for the Commanders to improve their chances of a statement victory on the road with the entire NFL world watching.

Commanders facing nightmare matchups they must win against the Packers

Jacory Croskey-Merritt - Commanders RB

• Matchup: Packers run defense

Not many had Jacory Croskey-Merriitt being Pro Football Focus' highest-graded running back league-wide (rushing) on their bingo cards in Week 1. The hype around him far exceeded a typical seventh-round rookie over the summer. This reached another level entirely after a sensational showing against the New York Giants.

Croskey-Merritt didn't start. He watched Austin Ekeler and picked up the pace of the game from the sidelines early on. When offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury called his number, he was more than prepared.

An early touchdown set the tone. Croskey-Merritt got the Commanders out of a tricky spot near their own goal line, too, bouncing off the edge and displaying his explosive play ability for a lofty gain. Gaining 82 rushing yards and one score from just 10 carries made this a debut to remember, but the Green Bay Packers won't be the same pushover.

Green Bay's run defense was relentless against the Lions, holding the prolific tandem of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs to 44 rushing yards from 20 combined attempts on the ground. Getting in an early hole didn't help their cause. Even so, this represents a stern test for Croskey-Merritt and Washington's other running backs.

Their defensive front is stout despite giving up Kenny Clark in the deal for Micah Parsons. If any running back does manage to get to the second level, Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper will be waiting.

Laremy Tunsil - Commanders OT

• Matchup: Micah Parsons

Laremy Tunsil was a stonewall presence for the Washington Commanders in Week 1. The stud left tackle coped effectively with No. 3 pick Abdul Carter. He got beaten once or twice, but it was an accomplished display that further highlighted the benefits of bringing him into the fold.

The Commanders swung for the fences by acquiring Tunsil via trade from the Houston Texans. Adam Peters believed that a franchise-caliber blindside enforcer was essential to keep momentum trending up for quarterback Jayden Daniels. Based on this showing, the general manager was correct (not for the first time).

Tunsil's 84.1 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus ranked sixth among all offensive tackles in Week 1. It was a legitimate statement game versus the New York Giants' formidable pass-rush. It also set an enormously high bar to maintain in the coming months.

The challenges for Tunsil keep coming. Washington's pivotal Thursday Night Football showdown with the Green Bay Packers will see the former Ole Miss standout matched up frequently against Micah Parsons, who was acquired in a blockbuster trade from the Dallas Cowboys.

Parsons gave Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker endless problems when he was on the field. Tunsil must be ready to meet fire with fire.

Will Harris - Commanders S

• Matchup: Jordan Love's deep ball prowess

Will Harris was an unsung hero in the Commanders' opening-day triumph over the Giants. The veteran safety slotted into Joe Whitt Jr.'s scheme extremely well, providing strong assistance against the run and outstanding support on the backend in coverage for good measure.

The free-agent signing came into the franchise with some questions to answer. Harris was tasked with filling the gaping void left by Jeremy Chinn, who departed for the Las Vegas Raiders. There were some encouraging signs over the summer. Seeing it come to life in a competitive setting was immensely positive.

Harris must be at the top of his game this time out. The Packers have a potent passing attack led by quarterback Jordan Love, who thrives off play-action and has no trouble getting the football downfield quickly when opportunities arise.

The former Boston College star must have his wits about him at all times. Harris must remain disciplined and be ready to get around the football. Love is good, but he can also provide a turnover opportunity or two that the Commanders must seize to enhance their hopes.

If Quan Martin plays a little closer to the box, that piles even more pressure on Harris. He cannot wilt in the pressure cooker.

Commanders interior defensive linemen

• Matchup: Josh Jacobs

Arguably, the biggest positive from the Washington Commanders' perspective in Week 1 was their defensive front. It was a huge concern for fans over the summer, but this unit raised urgency and completely overwhelmed the New York Giants throughout a one-sided contest at Northwest Stadium.

Javon Kinlaw and Daron Payne were relentless on the interior. Dorance Armstrong Jr. caused havoc on the edge en route to nine pressures. Deatrich Wise Jr.'s hand placement wasn't entirely consistent, but he provided a sound base against the run that didn't go unnoticed.

This represents an exceptional platform from which to build. But the need to maintain or perhaps even enhance these standards against the Green Bay Packers cannot be overstated.

The Packers have a high-octane passing attack, but this is all predicated on establishing matters on the ground first. Josh Jacobs is their bell-cow backfield threat, who battled his way to 66 rushing yards and one touchdown from 19 touches versus the Detroit Lions.

Jacobs is a patient runner capable of gaining hard yards in between the tackles or bouncing off the edges for bigger gains. It's a difficult task for the Commanders, but if they can restrict his influence, their chances will improve exponentially.

Josh Conerly Jr. - Commanders OT

• Matchup: Rashan Gary, Micah Parsons, and Lukas Van Ness

Most fans expected some growing pains from rookie right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. against the Giants. The Commanders gave him the chance to start — something he'd earned over training camp and the preseason — but the vaunted New York pass-rush represented a challenge of epic proportions.

It was a rollercoaster debut for Conerly. He flashed enormous promise, although he gave up one sack and two pressures during the clash. The No. 29 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft also struggled to provide the push needed on running plays, which was a concern coming out of college.

There were more positives than negatives. However, that won't stop the Packers from targeting Conerly as a potential weak link with Laremy Tunsil offering so much accomplished assurance on the blindside.

It's out of the frying pan and into the fire for Conerly. Rashan Gary, Micah Parsons, and Lukas Van Ness will be testing him right to the limit. Last weekend's experience should serve him well. Coping with a supreme pass-rushing trio with the national spotlight glaring is a much stiffer obstacle to overcome.

The Commanders believe in Conerly. They are giving him all he can handle early on, but he'll need a lot of help from blocking tight end John Bates once again.