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Brett Favre fan Taylor Heinicke savors Washington Football Team’s visit to Green Bay

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the second half against the Bears on Sunday in Chicago. (AP photo)

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Washington’s Taylor Heinicke grew up watching Green Bay Packers games on television and idolizing Brett Favre, their Hall of Fame quarterback.

Now the 28-year-old quarterback is about to match up with Favre’s successor as Washington tries to cool off reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers and snap the Packers’ five-game winning streak.

“Brett Favre is the reason I started loving football,” Heinicke said. “I had so many of his jerseys. I remember watching the Packers game every Sunday with my dad, and during halftime, I would go out in the backyard and pretend like I was him and come back, watch second half. It’s a really cool deal.”

Heinicke has been to Lambeau Field as an opposing player before during his years with the Minnesota Vikings. The difference this time is he will be in uniform rather than in street clothes.

“To actually be on the field competing, it’s going to be a dream come true,” Heinicke said.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, left, reacts with teammate wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 13, 2020, in Minneapolis. (AP file photo)

The records of both teams suggest Heinicke could be in for a rude awakening.

Green Bay (5-1) hasn’t lost since falling to the New Orleans Saints on the season’s opening week. Washington (2-4) is trying to avoid a third consecutive defeat.

The way Green Bay’s schedule is constructed, this shapes up as a potential trap game for the Packers.

Green Bay is coming off consecutive road wins at Cincinnati and Chicago. The Packers visit the unbeaten Arizona Cardinals just four nights after the Washington game. They follow that up by traveling to Kansas City.

With two demanding road tests on the horizon, Green Bay could be tempted to look past Sunday’s game. The Packers want to make sure that doesn’t happen.

“I know what’s after this game,” Rodgers said. “A short week against an undefeated opponent. A long week against the Kansas City Chiefs, defending representative in the Super Bowl from the AFC. So we know what’s in front of us. Personally, I don’t ever look past anybody, but you know what’s on the schedule. That’s just kind of normal. Anybody who doesn’t say that is probably just doing cliche talk.”

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