The Green Bay Packers (1-0, 11-6 last year) will host the Washington Commanders (1-0, 12-5 last year) in a heavyweight NFC battle on “Thursday Night Football” to open Week 2 of the NFL season. Both teams made the playoffs last season. Both teams cruised to wins in Week 1. The stage is set for an important early season matchup of playoff hopefuls.

Can the Packers build on the Week 1 win and start the 2025 season with two impressive victories back-to-back?

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Here’s how the staff at Packers Wire believes the Week 2 showdown with the Commanders will go down:

Zach Kruse: Packers 28, Commanders 24 (1-0)

The fear of a letdown coming off a big-time Week 1 win over a division rival is lessened by the quick turnaround of a Thursday night game and the opportunity to start the season with back-to-back wins over NFC contenders. The Packers have the pass-rushers and team speed to defend Jayden Daniels, the protection plan and offensive line personnel to slow a deep Commanders front, and a playcaller who has consistently scored a lot of points against defenses run by Dan Quinn. There are injury concerns for Matt LaFleur’s team, and the Commanders have a big advantage as the healthier team on a short week. But at home, with a ferocious pass-rush set to face a middling Commanders offensive line and a balanced offense capable of winning multiple ways, the Packers must be considered the favorite. Getting to 2-0 and having a chance to heal up over the long break before Week 3 would create a tremendous start to 2025 for Green Bay.

Brandon Carwile: Packers 24, Commanders 16 (1-0)

Who’s the biggest threat to the Eagles in the NFC? Thursday’s Packers-Commanders matchup could give us a clue. Washington hasn’t won at Green Bay since the 80s, but after reaching their first NFC Championship since 1991 and adding Laremy Tunsil, Deebo Samuel, and Javon Kinlaw, they will be ready to end the drought. However, I expect the Packers to build off of last week’s defensive performance and have a game plan to contain last year’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, Jayden Daniels. Green Bay is also more talented on both sides of the ball, and that proves to be the difference in this one.

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Brennen Rupp: Packers 23, Commanders 17 (1-0)

Green Bay’s defense looked fast and turned in a dominant performance to open the season against the Detroit Lions. They’ll face a different test this week with Jayden Daniels and his ability to make plays with his legs and outside the pocket. They’ll need to be disciplined and I expect a big-time performance from the linebacker duo of Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker. Even with a banged up offensive line, Green Bay’s offense will put up enough points to knock off the Commaders in prime time to open the season 2-0 for the first time since 2020.

Mark Oldacres: Packers 32, Commanders 24 (1-0)

After a dominant display against the Lions, primarily by Jeff Hafley’s defense which suffocated Jared Goff and Detroit’s offense throughout, this game could have more of a back-and-forth feel to it. Even if the Packers manage to generate a similar level of pressure on Jayden Daniels, he is more capable of escaping and making them pay, and Green Bay’s defense will have to be extremely fundamentally sound on Thursday night. Matt LaFleur’s offenses have scored 30, 31 and 48 points in three matchups against Dan Quinn’s defenses, and although the Commanders devoured a meek Giants team in Week 1, Green Bay will be a different proposition, and compared to Washington, have the more well-rounded team, as well as home field advantage.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers Wire staff predictions: Week 2 vs. Commanders