Green Bay Packers: Kevin King and Jaire Alexander better be ready

The Green Bay Packers better hope their young cornerbacks Kevin King and Jaire Alexander are ready for big tests against the Seattle Seahawks.

After a drama-filled Sunday that saw the Minnesota Vikings take down the vaunted New Orleans Saints and the Seattle Seahawks outlast the Philadelphia Eagles, the Green Bay Packers finally know who their opponent for next week will be. And the Seahawks are the winners.

Green Bay will host Seattle at Lambeau Field on Sunday night, as the two teams look to add to their storied past. A past that hasn’t always ended positively for the Packers, especially in recent history.

Regardless, these two teams are mostly different and are each focused on taking the next step toward their ultimate goal of winning a Super Bowl.

The Seahawks have lost their top three running backs-C.J. Prosise, Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny-to injuries for the rest of the year. This led to them signing Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin to their roster. Although those two have proven themselves to be NFL-caliber players, they’re far past their prime and don’t present as the threat they once did.

That puts a lot of pressure on the shoulder of Russell Wilson and the passing game. Fortunately, Wilson has a bevy of dangerous weapons including D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

Metcalf, a second round pick in last year’s draft, is a physical specimen. He’s ripped at 6-foot-4 and 229 pounds and has elite speed as well. He used those physical attributes to catch 58 receptions for 900 yards and seven touchdowns during his rookie season.

On the other end of the spectrum is the more dangerous 5-foot-10 Lockett. The slot specialist caught a career-high 82 receptions for 1057 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He presents another unique player for the Packers to worry about.

Fortunately, Green Bay might have the right players to neutralize Seattle’s passing attack.

At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, King might give up some muscle to Metcalf, but he can certainly go toe to toe with him. King’s been very inconsistent this season, but has proven that he has the skills to be a good cover corner in this league. Hopefully, a week of rest will help him be completely healthy and on his A-game next week.

Jaire Alexander also matches up very well with Lockett. Alexander is a very physical corner despite his stature, and relies on elite quickness to stick all over receivers. He’s been torched a few times this season, but is on the top of his game more often than not.

A lot will come down to the performances of King and Alexander. The Packers aren’t going to be so worried about the Seahawks’ passing game, instead focusing the majority of their attention on the receiving threats. If the cornerbacks can win their individual battles it will swing the pendulum heavily in the Packers’ favor.