Packers vs. Washington preview, NFL playoffs 2016: Kirk Cousins leads NFC East champions vs. Green Bay

The final playoff game of Wild Card weekend features division champion Washington hosting the Green Bay Packers at FedEx Field. Washington is in the playoffs for the first time since 2012 and is looking for its first win since the 2005 season.

The last time Washington made the playoffs was that ill-fated Wild Card loss to the Seattle Seahawks, in which Robert Griffin III tore his ACL and dramatically changed the fortunes of both him and the franchise. Griffin’s fall from grace led to the dismissal of head coach Mike Shanahan and the hiring of Jay Gruden, who went with Kirk Cousins as his starting quarterback over Griffin this season.

That decision was met with controversy at the time, and Cousins did have his struggles, but for the most part he played solid football, leading Washington to a 9-7 record and first place in the NFC East.

The Packers are used to being in the postseason, but how they got there is a roller coaster that has left many people scratching their heads. They jumped out to a 6-0 start on the season and looked to be cruising towards the NFC North crown once again. They still appeared to be one of the top Super Bowl contenders despite losing Jordy Nelson to a torn ACL in preseason.

Then things fell apart. The Packers lost four of five games in November while their offense stagnated. They seemed to recover with a three-game winning streak in December, but closed out the regular season on a whimper, getting destroyed by the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16 and losing the NFC North title to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17. It turns out Green Bay had way bigger problems than losing Nelson. Almost none of its receivers could get open, Eddie Lacy disappeared for long stretches and even Aaron Rodgers looked rattled towards the end.

Despite all those problems, the Packers are in the playoffs, where everybody is 0-0 once more. They can’t solve all their problems in one week, but a playoff win would at least be a great start.

Kirk Cousins, franchise record holder? Not many people expected that to happen before the season, but the 2012 fourth-round pick had a career year. He now holds single-season Washington records for passing yards (4,166) and completed passes (379), while throwing just 11 interceptions. The low interception rate is particularly encouraging for Cousins, who gained a reputation for melting down in games after one turnover. Cousins threw just three interceptions in his final 10 games.

Alfred Morris has been a stalwart back since 2012, but this year Washington decided to put him in a committee with rookie Matt Jones. The results were mixed. Morris finished the year with 751 yards and just one touchdown on 202 carries, averaging 3.7 yards per carry. Jones carried the ball 114 for 490 yards and three touchdowns, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry. To Jones’ credit, he’s more of an asset in the passing game, getting 304 yards on 19 catches. The backfield duo showed flashes of promise, but this is one of the least inspiring rushing attacks in the playoffs, ranking 20th in yards per game.

Green Bay had the third-best offensive DVOA in 2014, a number that dropped to 11th in 2015. The Packers rank just 25th in passing yards per game, which is hardly what you’d expect of a Rodgers offense. Rodgers’ passing yards per attempt plummeted from 8.4 in 2014 to 6.7, while his completion percentage dropped from 65.6 to 60.7. He was also sacked 46 times, second-most in the league behind Blake Bortles. A combination of poor receiver play, poor offensive line play and an inconsistent running game led to a down season by Rodgers’ lofty standards.

Which Eddie Lacy will show up in the playoffs? The one who reached 100 rushing yards three times in a four-game span between Weeks 11-14? Or the one who had single-digit yards three times this year, battled injuries and faced questions about his conditioning? It’s been a rough year for the third-year running back, but if the Packers are to reach the next round, they may have to give Lacy the ball early and often against Washington’s 26th-ranked run defense.

The big ingredient to Cousins’ successful year has been tight end Jordan Reed. Always flashing potential but unable to stay healthy, Reed played the most games of his three-year career and emerged as one of the games’ best tight ends, racking up 87 catches for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s nearly unstoppable over the middle and down the seams, and should be one of the Packers’ primary focuses on defense.

However, they shouldn’t sell out solely to stop Reed -- Cousins is perfectly capable of blowing up defenses over the top with DeSean Jackson, or hitting Pierre Garcon and Jamison Crowder on chain-moving intermediate routes. Washington has a quietly versatile passing attack that will make them a tough matchup for any team in the playoffs.

When: 4:40 p.m. ET, FOX

Where: FedEx Field, Landover, Md.

TV: FOX

Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Chris Myers

Online: Fox Sports Go

The Packers are a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 45, according to OddsShark.

Five of eight writers at CBS Sports are picking Washington, while the home team is favored 10-3 at ESPN. It’s an even 4-4 split here at SB Nation.

For more on Washington, head over to Hogs Haven. For everything Packers, check out Acme Packing Company.