Green Bay Packers: 3 Matchups to Watch in Week 15

Jaire Alexander vs. Robby Anderson

Well, it’s business as usual for lockdown cornerback Jaire Alexander this week. Take on a number one receiver and don’t let them get anything consequential on his watch. Alexander has had an extremely high-quality season this year, with an 84.5 Pro Football Focus grade. He has just a 54.5 percent completion rate when he’s targeted and has given up a total of 340 yards this season, all while consistently matching up with the best receiver on each team.

This week, it will be the speedy Robby Anderson. Anderson made a living with the Jets as a burner and a big-play threat but has somewhat remade himself this year into a more polished possession receiver. In four years with the Jets, his catch percentage on passes thrown his way was just 54.2, and his average yards before the catch was 11.3. With Carolina this season, he’s caught 72.8 percent of his targets and yards before the catch has been nearly cut in half at 6.4.

Even with this stark change, the receiver he most resembles in the league is Will Fuller. They both have tons of speed and use it to gain leverage and separation on their routes. Jaire Alexander is no stranger to speed and stifled Fuller’s attempts to get open all game, holding him to three catches for 35 yards. It isn’t too bold to think that Anderson could suffer the same fate.

D.J. Moore will, no doubt, be a factor in the passing game on the other side of the field as well as Mike Davis out of the backfield, but Anderson is incredibly vital to this offense. In the seven games that he’s had under 80 yards, they’ve scored over 24 points just once, and in the four games when he’s been under 60, the most they’ve been able to muster is just 23. If he’s kept in check by Jaire, this Panthers offense will likely be stopped in its tracks.

So what matchups do you think are most important for a Green Bay Packers’ win this week? Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter @DairylandXpress.