The Washington Commanders took care of business against the New York Giants in Week 1, but Week 2 presents a chance to put the NFL on notice.
The Commanders will face the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Thursday Night Football, which is a more difficult assignment than beating the Giants at home. Not only have the Packers made the playoffs the last two seasons, but they now have superstar pass rusher Micah Parsons after trading for him on August 28.
Although Washington beat New York 21-6, it did lose 21 yards on three sacks. The pass protection must contain Parsons on Thursday, as he could wreck the game.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn had jokes when asked how to gameplan for a player like Parsons, via NFL.com's Kevin Patra.
"Are you asking what would I do if I were coaching him? I'd sit him this week. Yeah, short week," he said, laughing.
Quinn coached Parsons when he was the Dallas Cowboys' defensive coordinator, and coached against him twice last year. The Penn State alum sacked Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels 4.5 times across those two games.
"Like Micah and other great players, you want to know where they are to how to go play," Quinn continued. "And if you have a vulnerability in a spot, you want to make sure you can fortify that to a strength. So, you don't just leave it to chance and see what happens."
Dan Quinn asked about Micah Parsons: "are you asking what I would do If i was coaching him? I would sit him this week."
— John Keim (@john_keim) September 9, 2025
Commanders Must Pass Quickly
Although Daniels is one of the quickest and most athletic quarterbacks in the NFL, it would behoove him to get the ball out fast on passing plays. Green Bay has both Parsons and Rashan Gary on the edges of the defensive line, who have a combined 94 sacks over their careers.
Luckily for Daniels, he's surrounded by several offensive weapons that will make his life easier. Newcomer Deebo Samuel recorded 96 total yards with a touchdown on eight touches against the Giants, and two-time Pro Bowl wideout Terry McLaurin can get open against any secondary. Additionally, tailbacks Jacory Coreky-Merritt and Austin Ekeler can also take pressure off the signal-caller, as they combined for 108 yards on 16 carries in Week 1.
Thursday's game will start at 8:15 p.m. EST on Amazon Prime Video.