Packers vs. Commanders: Which upstart NFC contender has better QB, WRs, defense? Position-by-position rankings

Two of the NFL's top up-and-coming contenders will square off on Thursday night, with the Green Bay Packers and Washington Commanders set to ring in Week 2 of the 2025 season.

The Packers are fresh off a decisive rout of the rival Detroit Lions, confirming themselves as new favorites in the competitive NFC North. The Commanders, meanwhile, had little trouble cruising past the rival New York Giants in their own season opener, even prompting Big Blue faithful to question their club's quarterback decisions.

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Washington went farther than Green Bay the last time both squads made the playoffs, with Jayden Daniels and Co. advancing all the way to the NFC championship. But which franchise is better equipped for a title run at this moment? We'll get a small taste on Thursday when the two sides go head to head.

Until then, here's how we'd rank the top talent at premium positions for both teams, doing our best to identify whether the Commanders or Packers hold the edge going into their Week 2 matchup (and moving forward):

Quarterback

• Commanders: Jayden Daniels
• Packers: Jordan Love

Talk about a dynamic duo! You really can't go wrong here. Daniels is about two years younger at 24, so if you were "drafting" one for the future, maybe he'd get the nod by default. Just over one season into his career, he sure looks like the total package -- effortlessly elusive, snappily efficient, steadily poised. Love doesn't offer nearly as much on the ground, but he's also got the benefit of a longer NFL resume, showcasing one of the game's most gifted arms inside Matt LaFleur's offense. Almost every franchise would be supremely happy to have either young man.

Verdict: Draw

Running back

• Commanders: Jacory Croskey-Merritt
• Packers: Josh Jacobs

Austin Ekeler is technically Washington's starter, but he's used more as a pass-catching complement these days. Croskey-Merritt, the seventh-round rookie, flashed breakaway ability in his NFL debut. He might already be justifying the team's decision to send Brian Robinson Jr. elsewhere. Still, Jacobs is a proven workhorse. He sometimes functions more as a tool to wear defenses down than a home-run threat. But he does the job well.

Verdict: Packers

Wide receivers/tight ends

• Commanders: Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel, Zach Ertz, Noah Brown
• Packers: Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, Romeo Doubs, Tucker Kraft

This is another close call. If it's seasoned experience you're after, the Commanders are your squad: McLaurin is a savvy field-stretcher, Samuel's still got some juice as a multipurpose outlet and Ertz is a longtime safety valve. While the Packers lack a bona fide No. 1, they probably take the cake in collective depth and upside. Durability has been a concern, but Reed and Doubs combine to offer high-end electricity and ball skills. Golden is still coming into his own. And that's not even accounting for the potential return of speedster Christian Watson.

Verdict: Packers

Offensive line

• Commanders: Laremy Tunsil, Brandon Coleman, Tyler Biadasz, Nick Allegretti, Josh Conerly Jr.
• Packers: Rasheed Walker, Aaron Banks, Elgton Jenkins, Sean Rhyan, Zach Tom

Tunsil is pretty easily the most accomplished blocker between both sides. And Green Bay is currently banged up in the trenches, with Banks and Tom both nursing injuries. Still, when on the field, the Packers' unit registers as the most reliable. Love has generally operated with clean pockets since becoming the team's full-time starter, and Jenkins, the centerpiece of the line, has headlined the group with Pro Bowl-caliber play at basically every spot.

Verdict: Packers

Front seven

• Commanders: Daron Payne, Dorance Armstrong, Bobby Wagner, Frankie Luvu
• Packers: Micah Parsons, Rashan Gary, Edgerrin Cooper, Quay Walker

Washington was once vaunted for its defensive front, with Payne and former counterpart Jonathan Allen holding down the middle. The unit is still scrappy, with Javon Kinlaw and Deatrich Wise Jr. joining the fold. But once again, youth is the difference here. Even if Green Bay hadn't made the blockbuster splash for Parsons, who's already on a Pro Football Hall of Fame pace at 26, the Packers would've boasted a higher-upside linebacker corps. Yes, Wagner is still instinctual as the ageless leader for Dan Quinn's defense, but Green Bay is built to fly from sideline to sideline.

Verdict: Packers

Defensive backs

• Commanders: Marshon Lattimore, Trey Amos, Mike Sainristil, Will Harris
• Packers: Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs, Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams

Once again, Washington boasts the best individual resume in Lattimore, a four-time Pro Bowler. But the cover man is approaching 30 in an otherwise mercurial secondary. The Packers aren't without their own questions, given Hobbs' absence due to injury and pressure on reserves to fill the shoes of ex-standout Jaire Alexander. Yet Nixon has emerged as an athletic full-timer, and McKinney was one of the NFL's top ballhawks in his Packers debut.

Verdict: Packers

Coaches

• Commanders: Dan Quinn, Kliff Kingsbury, Joe Whitt Jr.
• Packers: Matt LaFleur, Adam Stenavich, Jeff Hafley

There's no question the Washington staff deserves a bit more respect than was initially given going into their first season together. Quinn has effectively handed the offense to Kingsbury, ensuring Daniels gets the support he needs. But the Packers are just more proven at the very top; LaFleur has led five playoff appearances in six seasons as Green Bay's head man, and his designs helped the club seamlessly transition to the Love era after Aaron Rodgers. Hafley, meanwhile, is overseeing a defensive resurgence since joining the club in 2024.

Verdict: Packers

Final tally

1. Packers (6)
2. Draw (1)

Wait, what?! It's that uneven? Let's start by remembering that some of these were close calls: You could truly go one of two ways at, say, quarterback and wide receiver. And quarterback shouldn't be downplayed. But what this exercise might rightfully suggest is how much Daniels has helped carry the Commanders. He's not necessarily lacking top-end supporting talent in vets like McLaurin and Samuel, but it's not hard to see, when pitting these lineups against each other, how much Washington is dependent on aging help.

The Commanders are literally the NFL's oldest roster, and it shows. Does that mean they're incapable of going the distance? No! We saw just last season they made it all the way to the doorstep of the Super Bowl. At the same time, it's just as apparent the Packers are better equipped to support their star quarterback with upside across the board. It's no wonder they've essentially replaced the Lions as NFC North favorites overnight. They register as one of the most balanced teams in the NFL. Now comes the hard part: meeting loftier expectations.