Here’s what you need to know about Sunday’s game
PESKY PEPPERS: Julius Peppers is still going strong in his 14th year in the league. His 10 1/2 sacks led the Packers and was his highest total since getting 11 1/2 in 2012. Peppers and fellow OLB Clay Matthews give the Packers a pair of dangerous veteran pass rushers, and their solid play has been key to a generally effective defense.
ALONG THE LINE: A young Redskins offensive line — RG Brandon Scherff, RT Morgan Moses and LG Spencer Long became starters this season — allowed only 27 sacks. C Kory Lichtensteiger returns after missing half the season on IR. “It’s like he never left. … Should be like riding a bike,” Pro Bowl LT Trent Williams said. “There’s hardly any looks that we’re going to come across that he hasn’t seen and doesn’t know how to diagnose.”
GROUND GAME: Heading into the season, the Redskins vowed to be a run-first team, and Alfred Morris and Matt Jones topped 100 yards rushing once each in Weeks 1 and 2. And then it all fell apart. Morris did not reach the 100-yard mark in a game again until Week 17. “We’ve never lost faith in Alfred,” coach Jay Gruden said. “We haven’t killed him throughout the season (by) giving him 25-30 carries a game. He’s fresh, and this is the perfect time to start to utilize him.”
PACKER ‘BACKERS: OLB Ryan Kerrigan, who led Washington with 9 1/2 sacks, is a known quantity. But during its 4-0 finish, the team benefited from strong play by three other guys at linebacker — Will Compton and Mason Foster, neither of whom was a starter at ILB when the season began, and rookie OLB Preston Smith. Compton had his first career sack and first career interception in Weeks 16 and 17. Smith picked up five sacks over the final three games. They’ll go up against a Packers offensive line that allowed Rodgers to be sacked 46 times.
THIRD DOWNERS: Among plenty of problems for Green Bay’s offense has been an inability to convert on third downs. Green Bay was 28th in the league in third-down conversions at 33 percent, partly a reflection of an inconsistent running game. The Packers were just 2 of 15 on third downs in the loss to Minnesota in Week 17. While Washington’s defense ranked 28th in yards allowed, it was 12th in opponents’ third-down conversions at 37 percent.