Stage Set for Jaire Alexander vs. Justin Jefferson?

Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson is a three-time All-Pro. So is Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander. So long as Alexander is healthy, they might face each other in a marquee individual battle.

Green Bay Packers Jaire Alexander celebrates after breaking up a pass to Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson. / Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK

Justin Jefferson says he isn’t worried about it.

Jaire Alexander isn’t worried about it.

Reality is the marquee matchup for Sunday’s showdown between the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings pits those two players against each other.

Fans, players and coaches love seeing those heavyweight-style matchups.

They’re such a rarity, which is what makes them special.

During this year’s MLB All-Star festivities, National League starter Paul Skenes talked about how special it would be to face likely American League MVP Aaron Judge.

When those two faced off in the game, there was just extra juice in the building.

That is part of what makes sports beautiful.

That’s why we wanted to see Tom Brady face Peyton Manning in big spots.

It’s why we rooted for Kobe Bryant to face Lebron James in the NBA Finals when they were at their peak.

This week, there is potential for one of those matchups.

Jefferson is arguably the best receiver in football. He is a three-time All-Pro. A couple weeks ago, he became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 6,000 career receiving yards.

Jeff Hafley did not mince words when talking about Jefferson after Thursday’s practice.

“You just turn on the tape and it doesn’t take you very long to figure out how good he is,” Hafley said. “I mean, he’s big, he can catch the ball, he’s fast, he can run all the routes. He’s good when he catches the ball, catch-and-run. He’s got incredible hands.”

Former Packers defensive coordinators Mike Pettine and Joe Barry knew how good Jefferson was, too. Despite that knowledge, the Packers have not given the Jefferson assignment to one of their best players.

When Alexander and Jefferson have been healthy, which has been a rarity and might not be the case on Sunday with Alexander questionable due to groin and quad injuries, Alexander has not been asked to shadow the superstar receiver.

The line of thinking was that it messed up too many other things within their schemes.

The one big exception, of course, came in January 2023, when Alexander got what he asked for and won decisively. With Jefferson on the way to NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors with league-leading figures of 128 receptions for 1,809 yards, Alexander helped limit Jefferson to just one catch for 15 yards.

The most memorable play that day came on a pass deep down the right sideline. Alexander broke up the pass and mocked Jefferson’s signature “griddy” celebration, something that appeared to get under Jefferson’s skin.

Jefferson insists he’s not thinking about Alexander ahead of the matchup

“I mean, it is what it is” Jefferson said on Thursday of Alexander’s trash-talking. “He likes to do that stuff to get inside someone’s head. I’m not really tripping on that. I’m just going to get my get-back by griddying in his end zone. So, I’m not tripping on it at all. I’m excited for the matchup.”

Otherwise, they have not matched up frequently. Last year, Jefferson missed the first meeting with a hamstring injury. Alexander was suspended for the rematch, a 33-10 victory at Minnesota on New Year’s Eve.

If Hafley is to be believed, the team’s approach to covering the All-Pro receiver has changed.

This weekend should pit these two titans against each other more often than not rather than relying on a scheme or a game plan to slow Jefferson down.

“It’s our job to put our best players in a position to make plays, so if it’s our job to put our best players on their best players, then we need to figure out how to do that,” Hafley said on Thursday.

“I mean, I’m not just going to walk into a game and say the scheme is strong enough to stop that great player. That’s just not how I think. We got to figure out how to stop their best players each week, and if that means doing something a little bit different, then it’s our job to do that.”

Of course, this is all contingent on whether Alexander plays. He did not practice on Friday and is questionable for the game. Slowed by a quad injury to start the week, groin was added to the injury report on Friday.

Alexander was not in the locker room on Friday to discuss his status or the matchup.

If Alexander cannot go, coupled with Carrington Valentine’s ankle injury, that would leave the Packers perilously thin at cornerback.

Perhaps it’s not a death sentence. Jefferson has averaged an NFL-record 98.0 receiving yards per game. He’s averaged 100.6 yards per game against the rest of the NFL but 76.7 against Green Bay.

He gained 26 yards in each matchup against the Packers as a rookie in 2020 and 15 yards in the aforementioned game on Jan. 1, 2023. On the other hand, he had games of 169 yards at home in 2021 and 184 yards at home in 2022.

Alexander has never lacked confidence. That is part of what makes him a great player, and something that is almost required from a great cornerback.

With as many rules that exist slanted toward the offense, a short memory and supreme confidence are needed to slow down a player of Jefferson’s caliber.

If Alexander can go, the stage is set.

Alexander and Jefferson don’t appear to like each other. The teams don’t like each other, either.

Combine that with the fact that Sunday’s game is a battle for first place in the NFC North.

What’s not to love?

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In 2015 with the Browns, #Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell lived across the street from each other.

They'll be on opposite sides of the field on Sunday. ⬇️https://t.co/hajhGBtrh8

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 27, 2024

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