GREEN BAY, Wis. – On Friday, Inexperienced Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur mentioned linebackers Jaire Alexander and Christian Watson will likely be enjoying time choices in Sunday's playoff sport on the Dallas Cowboys.
Certainly it will likely be. Each gamers will bear pre-game exercises to find out their availability for the wild card sport.
Nevertheless, ESPN's Ed Werder mentioned LaFleur is “inclined” to threat two of his finest gamers as a substitute of taking his usually cautious strategy with injured gamers.
Clearly, from LaFleur's perspective, there is no such thing as a tomorrow if the Packers lose to the Cowboys. If Alexander aggravates a “freak” ankle damage he suffered in Wednesday's follow, or if Watson tweaks the hamstring that has value him the previous 5 video games and the Packers lose, they’ll have roughly 4 months to organize to start organized crew actions.
Their availability boils right down to pre-match coaching periods.
Does Alexander consider he can face up to the trials of 60 or 70 defensive snaps in opposition to a top-tier offense led by MVP candidate Dake Prescott and NFL receptions chief CeeDee Lamb?
Alexander is managing the ache — or can get some assist to cope with the ache — however can he minimize and spin and speed up at his traditional stage, or would the Packers be higher served with a wholesome Corey Ballentine beginning?
He goes to nice lengths to show it:
Alexander needs to play — and his contribution will likely be vital — however Lamb is the front-runner. In final 12 months's sport at Lambeau Subject, he caught 11 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns.
Does Watson, who had a three-touchdown breakout sport in opposition to the Cowboys final 12 months, consider he's at ninety % so he can attain the highest gear because the crew's finest deep risk?
“That may be the objective (as a result of) 70-75 (%) with the issues I do on the sphere is simply not sufficient,” Watson mentioned this week.
At cornerback, the Packers made positive to advertise David Lengthy from the follow squad on Saturday. If Alexander can't play or can't end the sport, they might depend on Carrington Valentine and Ballentine on the corners and Keisean Nixon within the slot.
The Packers didn’t promote receiver Grant DuBose. So he'll line up with Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton, Malik Heath and presumably Watson. They went with Doubs, Reed, Wicks, Melton and Heath in a win in opposition to Chicago final week.
