The Green Bay Packers will enter the postseason without cornerback Jaire Alexander, who suffered a knee injury in Week 8. This isn’t the first time Alexander has missed significant playing time due to an injury, as he was out for all but 10 snaps since suffering the injury.
Without Alexander, the Packers’ pass defense is uncertain. The team’s traditional and analytical numbers show they have been strong against lower-quality quarterbacks, but struggle against top-tier quarterbacks like Jared Goff, Tua Tagovailoa, and Sam Darnold.
In a conference loaded with talented passing games, the Packers will likely face challenging matchups in the postseason. They may roll out a combination of Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, and Eric Stokes at perimeter cornerback, and Nixon and Javon Bullard in the slot.
The pass rush quality is also concerning, as it has been inconsistent throughout the season. The Packers’ inability to generate a consistent pass rush against top quarterbacks could be a major issue in the postseason.
Two key questions will arise when playoff time arrives: Can the Packers’ pass defense hold up against a top quarterback on the road? And if they can, is their pass defense good enough to win three or four playoff games without Alexander’s contributions?
Source: https://packerswire.usatoday.com/2025/01/02/what-to-make-of-packers-pass-defense-entering-playoffs-without-jaire-alexander