The Green Bay Packers overwhelmed the New Orleans Saints with a dominant 34-0 victory on Monday Night Football during Week 16. The rout was made easier by a disastrous outing from rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler. Despite not being at full strength, the Packers secured a resounding win.
Green Bay’s defense posted a shutout against the Saints, but the unit will face a significantly tougher test in Week 17 when they visit the Minnesota Vikings. The Packers expect to take the field once again without Pro-Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander.
Head coach Matt LaFleur anticipates that Alexander will miss his sixth consecutive game, even though he participated in a limited practice on Thursday. The cornerback had a full practice last week but was ultimately ruled out against the Saints. When asked about Alexander’s chances of playing against the Vikings, LaFleur replied, “I’d say probably not,” according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky on X.
In the Packers’ first meeting with the Vikings in Week 4, Alexander was sidelined with a quad injury. In his absence, Minnesota’s wide receiver Justin Jefferson had a standout performance, recording six catches for 85 yards and a touchdown, helping the Vikings narrowly defeat Green Bay 31-29.
The Packers are preparing for the absence of top CB Jaire Alexander
After recovering from a quad injury, Jaire Alexander sustained a knee injury during the Packers’ Week 8 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He attempted to play through it in the team’s Week 11 matchup with the Chicago Bears but lasted only 10 snaps before re-aggravating the issue. It was later revealed that Alexander had suffered a PCL tear, and he has been sidelined ever since. The cornerback is expected to miss his sixth consecutive game in Week 17, marking the ninth game he will have missed this season.
The Packers improved to 11-4 with their win over the Saints. While Green Bay has already secured a playoff spot, their Week 17 game against the Vikings still holds significance. The Packers currently sit as the sixth seed in the NFC, two games behind Minnesota with two games remaining. A win over the Vikings, combined with a loss from the Washington Commanders, would help Green Bay avoid the seventh seed.
The 10-5 Commanders are set to play the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17 and will finish the regular season against the Dallas Cowboys. The Packers are hopeful that Alexander will be able to return to the field when they host the Bears in Week 18.
