The Inexperienced Bay Packers might be at practically full energy in Sunday's NFC wild card playoff sport on the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys might be at full energy.
An enormous enhance for the Packers is that receiver Christian Watson and cornerback Jaire Alexander are lively for the playoff showdown after profitable pregame practices.
Not solely are they lively, the Packers will rely on them. Out as a part of their inactive listing are wild rookie working again Malik Heath and cornerback David Lengthy, who was promoted from the observe squad for insurance coverage.
Their presence can’t be underestimated.
Alexander has performed in simply seven video games this season and has missed seven of the final 9 video games attributable to a shoulder harm and a one-game suspension. He rolled his ankle in coaching on Wednesday. He didn't train the remainder of the week, as a substitute specializing in remedy “(a) 24 hours a day.”
Whereas Alexander is having a largely forgettable season by his All-Professional requirements, the Cowboys' top-scoring offense options an elite mixture of quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb.
“It's among the best within the league,” coach Matt LaFleur stated of their mixture. “They're dynamic, they're tremendous explosive. Clearly, they're going to attempt to discover other ways to get him the ball, and he's such a risk when it comes to his means to make folks miss, use his velocity to outrun folks. He's an enormous, robust man. He can break instruments, so we’ve got to ensure we all know the place #88 is always.”
Will probably be fascinating to see if defensive coordinator Joe Barry struggles with a less-than-full-speed Alexander towards Lamb, who’s dangerous within the slot, or if he performs his typical carry-and-big-play zone schemes.
“I've stated it earlier than,” Barry stated, “the problem whenever you go up towards a man, it's not the man — the participant simply appears to be like for the jersey quantity and goes to that facet — it's the remainder of the secondary that has to make that play. We've completed it earlier than and we be ok with it.'
Watson has missed the final 5 video games with a hamstring harm. The passing offense was completely advantageous with out him, however he scored three touchdowns in final 12 months's sport at Lambeau Discipline.
“There are by no means sufficient good gamers,” LaFleur stated. “Clearly I believe not having them for some time creates some points when it comes to learn how to match them into the lineup and precisely what you're going to do with them, however that's a superb drawback to have to determine.”
With Romeo Doubs and high-flying rookies Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks faraway from the harm report Friday after chest accidents, and Luke Musgrave set for his second sport again from a kidney harm, the Packers could have loads of weapons on offense. Cowboys.
In reality, of their prime 9 in receptions, solely working again AJ Dillon (neck/thumb) might be out. In reality, Dillon is the most important identify on the crew's inactive listing.
Reed is first on the crew with 64 receptions, 793 yards and 10 whole touchdowns.
Doubs is second on the crew with 59 receptions for 674 yards and is tied with Reed for first with eight receiving touchdowns.
Wicks is third with 39 receptions for 581 yards.
Musgrave is fourth with 34 receptions and sixth with 352 yards.
Tucker Kraft is fifth with 31 receptions and 355 yards.
Operating again Aaron Jones is sixth with 30 receptions.
Watson is seventh with 28 receptions, fourth with 422 yards and third with 5 touchdowns.
Receiver Bo Melton is ninth with 18 receptions for 218 yards, with practically all of that manufacturing coming in the course of the crew's three-game successful streak with 15 catches for 211 yards and one landing.
Heath is tenth with 15 receptions.
That glorious depth is the primary purpose for the success of the Packers' working sport, which is lacking a so-called No. 1 receiver.
Inexperienced Bay solely had three gamers on its last harm report: Alexander, Watson and Dillon. Dillon is inactive and the others are wholesome scratches: Heath, Lengthy, security Benny Sapp, exterior linebacker Brenton Cox and offensive deal with Caleb Jones.
Dallas solely had one participant on its last harm report: backup quarterback Cooper Rush. The Rush is lively, so their inactive listing consists solely of deep backups: quarterback Trey Lance (third QB), cornerback Eric Scott, receiver Jalen Brooks, offensive linemen Asim Richards and Matt Waletzko, and defensive lineman Villami Fehoko.
