Packers-Cowboys Final Injury Report: Alexander, Watson Questionable
GREEN BAY, Wis. – In the latest twist in a bizarre season, Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander is questionable for Sunday’s NFC wild-card game at the Dallas Cowboys.
Unforgettably, the Packers’ run to the Super Bowl in 2020 probably ended when left tackle David Bakhtiari tore his ACL at practice before the final regular-season game.
Will the Packers’ hopes of upsetting the Cowboys and extending their season another week be extinguished with a practice-field injury, as well?
Alexander rolled his ankle when he stepped on a teammate at Wednesday’s jog-through practice. He didn’t practice on Thursday or Friday.
Fresh off the practice field on Friday, coach Matt LaFleur listed Alexander and receiver Christian Watson as questionable. Running back AJ Dillon is doubtful.
“We don’t know,” LaFleur said of Alexander. “We’re just trying to give him up to game time to kind of figure it out. He will legitimately be a game time decision.”
With a playoff showdown looming against the Cowboys, who led the NFL in scoring behind MVP-candidate quarterback Dak Prescott and prolific receiver CeeDee Lamb, Alexander’s iffy status could be a major problem.
Defensive coordinator Joe Barry was hopeful Alexander would be able to practice on Friday.
“Good thing, he was better today,” Barry said on Thursday afternoon. “He didn’t do anything today but I’m hoping he walks in here tomorrow and practices and has a good Friday.”
Fortunately for Green Bay, it has experience playing without Alexander. Due to back and shoulder injuries and a one-game suspension, Alexander played in only seven of 17 games this season. Rookie Carrington Valentine, a seventh-round pick, started 12 games and veteran Corey Ballentine started six games after not starting a single game since 2020.
The Packers have had some success, too, winning without Alexander against Justin Herbert and the Chargers, Jared Goff and the Lions, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs and Justin Jefferson and the Vikings.
However, the Cowboys’ offense is the best in the NFL. They finished first in scoring with 29.9 points per game. That includes a whopping 37.4 in winning all eight home games. Prescott’s 36 touchdown passes were four more than runner-up Jordan Love. Lamb’s 135 receptions were 16 more than anyone else. He had eight games of 115-plus receiving yards; the Packers had zero.
“I’ve said it to you guys many times, unfortunately, that anytime that Corey or Carrington have had to go in and play, they’ve done a great job,” Barry said. “Of course, any week you want a Jaire Alexander playing for you, especially this week when you’re playing against a guy like No. 4 and 88 and Brandin Cooks and the whole crew. I’m hoping tomorrow he comes in and feels better and can have a [good] Friday for us.”
In a violent sport in which players put their health in peril through a series of high-speed collisions, Alexander was injured when he stepped on someone’s foot at Wednesday’s practice. It was a low-intensity practice focused on getting the players right mentally and fresh physically.
“It was kind of a freak deal,” LaFleur said after Alexander didn’t practice on Thursday.
A quick glimpse of Alexander in the locker room on Thursday showed the two-time All-Pro walking without a walking boot.
Alexander and Dillon were the only players who did not practice. The full receiver corps, including Romeo Doubs, who missed the final three quarters against Chicago with a chest injury, and Christian Watson, who has missed the last five games with a hamstring injury, could be available.
Doubs practiced all three times after being briefly hospitalized last week. He’s not even on the final injury report.
Watson practiced all week, as well. Like last week, he’s questionable, but LaFleur thought Watson’s chances of playing this week are better.
“We’ll see on Christian. A lot of it’s going to be on how he feels,” LaFleur said.
On Thursday, the Packers had 19 players on their injury report compared to only seven for Dallas. However, only three were given an injury designation.
For Dallas, only quarterback Cooper Rush is on the final injury report.
Right guard Zach Martin and left tackle Tyron Smith, both of whom didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday, and left guard Tyler Smith, who was out last week with a foot injury, are ready to go. So is cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who suffered a dislocated shoulder last week.
The Cowboys are incredibly healthy.
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For Dallas, only quarterback Cooper Rush is on the final injury report.
Right guard Zach Martin, left tackle Tyron Smith and defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, three starters who didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday, and left guard Tyler Smith, who was out last week with a foot injury, are ready to go. So is cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who suffered a dislocated shoulder last week.
Here are the final injury reports.
Packers Final Injury Report
Doubtful: RB AJ Dillon (thumb/neck).
Questionable: CB Jaire Alexander (shoulder/ankle), WR Christian Watson (hamstring).
Cowboys Final Injury Report
Questionable: QB Cooper Rush.
