Packers vs. Commanders

Green Bay Packers vs. the Washington Football Team

Rather than being about who plays in which division or geographic proximity, the rivalry between the Green Bay Packers and the Washington Football Team is simply about two of the more successful teams in NFL history squaring off for supremacy. Dating back to the 1930s, the two teams have been playing since Washington was known as the Boston Braves. With some of the biggest names in the sport in terms of both players and coaches featuring on both teams, this rivalry has always been appointment viewing.

This rivalry has seen all-time greats like Vince Lombardi on the sidelines (Lombardi coached a season for Washington in addition to all of his years with the Packers), with all-time great players on the field including Brett Favre, and even players who made their names elsewhere in the NFL like Donovan McNabb playing key roles in the history of this rivalry between two top-tier NFL teams.

Historic Packers vs. Washington Football Team Games

In 1983, the Packers and Washington Football Team played not only the most entertaining game in the history of their rivalry, but one of the more entertaining games in the history of the NFL, with the two sides combining for 95 points and over 800 yards of total offense. The Packers ended up getting the win in that game, 48-47, with Packers quarterback Lynn Dickey outdueling the great Joe Theismann for Washington. Washington would get the last laugh, though, as they would go onto the Super Bowl that year.

Believe it or not, Vince Lombardi only coached one game in his career against the the Washington Football Team, with that game coming in his first season as the head man in Green Bay. The Packers scored 21 points in that game and pitched a shutout defensively, in a game that was a sign of the great things that were to come for the Packers under the legendary coach.

Perhaps even more unbelievable than Lombardi's short track record in this rivalry is the inclusion of Donovan McNabb in it. The former Eagles great played for a brief period in Washington, and led the team to one of their more entertaining victories over Green Bay in 2010, a 16-13 overtime win. McNabb threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to swing the momentum of that game in Washington's favor, although Green Bay ended up getting the last laugh this time, winning the Super Bowl to close out that season.

For a more in-depth look at some of the best Green Bay vs. Washington games in history, click here.