Packers get sigh of relief with Jaire Alexander injury update
The Green Bay Packers gasped at the sight of All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander going down Sunday. Alexander left the Chicago Bears game in the first half and never returned. He watched his team block the final field goal to prevail 20-19 .
Green Bay avoided one scare from a feisty Bears team. Turns out they will overcome one more scare, this one involving Alexander. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport revealed Alexander's diagnosis after the emotional road win .
"Packers CB Jaire Alexander, who was ruled out because of a knee injury, is going to be OK, source said. Not serious," Rapoport posted on X (formerly known as Twitter). "Essentially, a continuation of what he had been working through."
Alexander entered Soldier Field questionable due to his knee. He hurt his knee in Week 8 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. That ailment forced him to miss the next game against the Detroit Lions.
How did Packers defense fare vs. Chicago without Jaire Alexander?
Chicago delivered four drives after halftime. The Bears scored on half those drives, when Alexander got limited.
The Bears ate time up when Alexander was noticeably out. Chicago held the ball for 4:43 for its first second half drive. Caire Santos booted a 27-yard field goal to cap the drive and put Chicago ahead 13-7.
Chicago then completed an 11-play drive, eating up 6:03 in time of possession. D'Andre Swift accelerated 39 yards to the end zone to put the Bears back up 19-14.
The Packers, though, forced the Bears to punt on drive No. 3. Chicago's fourth drive ended with Green Bay's Karl Brooks blocking the game-winning attempt.
Alexander did not record any pass breakups or tackles in the one-point win. Veteran Xavier McKinney led the defense with six solo stops. Cornerback Carrington Valentine tied McKinney in total tackles at nine.
With Alexander dealing with a non-threatening knee injury, the Packers remain in strong position to catch the NFC North leading Detroit Lions. Green Bay moved to 7-3 in an ultra-competitive division race that also features the 8-2 Minnesota Vikings. The Packers will be the road team once they meet the Lions and Vikings again on Dec. 5 and Dec. 29, respectively.
If Alexander isn't healthy for the upcoming San Francisco 49ers home game next Sunday, Valentine will likely handle the CB1 reps for G.B. Although the Packers have fellow veterans Keisean Nixon and Eric Stokes as other options. The 49ers fell to 5-5 after losing in the closing seconds to the Seattle Seahawks in Santa Clara.
