Packers coaches didn’t listen to Jaire Alexander about Justin Jefferson, and it showed
By Scott Rogust
Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander said that not covering Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was not his decision. It was the coaches’ decision.
The Green Bay Packers opened up their 2022 season looking to show the NFL world that they can still contend for the Super Bowl, even though they had high-profile departures such as wide receiver Davante Adams and linebacker Za’Darius Smith. They faced the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1, but they were beaten 23-7, and watched wide receiver Justin Jefferson record nine receptions for 184 yards and two touchdowns.
The performance of Jefferson was notable, because Green Bay’s top cornerback, Jaire Alexander, was not matching up with him. After the game, Alexander told The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman and ESPN’s Rob Demovsky that he was asking coaches to defend Jefferson, but said “it’s about the team.”
Jaire Alexander to me and @RobDemovsky postgame on coaches not having him shadow Justin Jefferson: "All week, (I was) asking for that matchup. But it ain't about me. It's about the team. It ain't about me. If it was my way, you know what I would be doing."
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) September 12, 2022
Jaire Alexander says decision not to cover Justin Jefferson was made by Packers coaches
That is certainly an interesting development as, usually, the top cornerback matches up with the top wide receiver.
On the day following the loss, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur spoke about now having Alexander matching up with Jefferson, saying that they would have to commit to man coverage. Meanwhile, Green Bay’s defense plays primarily in zone coverage.
Matt LaFleur on not having Jaire Alexander follow Justin Jefferson, says it’s an easy proposition if you want to change the whole structure of the defense.
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) September 12, 2022
“You would have to commit to man coverage. I don’t know how else you would get it done.”
Why was Jaire Alexander not covering Justin Jefferson more?
— Lily Zhao (@LilySZhao) September 12, 2022
Matt LaFleur reiterated that they're a zone defense and can't play man on every single snap, but certainly understands that they can take more of a look situationally. #Packers
Jefferson made an impact from the jump, scoring a touchdown on the very first drive of the game. The majority of the damage Jefferson did happened in the first half, as he caught six passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, Jefferson’s nine receptions happened on 11 targets from Cousins.
The Packers wide receivers, meanwhile, had just 95 total receiving yards in the entire game.
For those wondering why Alexander was not covering Alexander, the cornerback and the head coach revealed the reasoning behind the decision.
Must Read. 3 pregame Aaron Rodgers quotes that aged like moldy cheese after loss to Vikings. light