Jaire Alexander, the Green Bay Packers’ star cornerback, has consistently demonstrated his ability to shut down some of the NFL’s top wide receivers. When it comes to facing D.J. Moore, the Chicago Bears wide receiver, Alexander’s skills align perfectly to contain the talented receiver.
Alexander’s exceptional speed and agility make him a formidable matchup against Moore’s quick bursts off the line of scrimmage. Moore often relies on his agility and route-running precision to gain separation, but Alexander’s speed allows him to shadow him effectively.
Physicality is one of Alexander’s key assets. Moore can be a physical receiver himself, but Alexander’s strength and ability to jam receivers at the line disrupt his timing and route execution.
With the Green Bay Packers playing on the road against the Chicago Bears in Week 1, here are three reasons why they’ll be victorious.
In the last game these two matched up back in 2020, Moore had a big game, finishing with six receptions for 131 yards. However, when Alexander was covering him, he only accrued two of those catches for 32 yards, with Alexander breaking up one pass. Joe Barry talked this week about adapting or dying in the NFL, and he needs to adapt his defense so Alexander follows the Bears’ star receiver and gives him the business all game long. That’s a key for Green Bay to walk away with a victory on their rival’s home field.
Let’s check out a couple of other reasons why the Packers will beat the Bears in Week 1.
Reason Why Packers Will Beat Bears: Packers’ Pass Protection
One reason Jordan Love was able to show off his skills in the preseason was due to the Packers’ amazing pass protection. The offensive line gave him plenty of time to go through his progression and find the open receiver.
Now, they’ll get a boost with the return of David Bakhtiari, one of the best left tackles in the NFL. Bakhtiari will join Elgton Jenkins on the left side to form one of the most formidable left sides in all of football. That will help boost Josh Myers, the team’s weak link at center, while Jon Runyan Jr and Zach Tom also support him on the right side.
To further create an advantage for Green Bay. Chicago was second-to-last in sack percentage in 2022. They added a couple of pieces to improve that, but the Packers have a clear advantage in pass protection and will be able to dominate the line of scrimmage in this game.
Reason Why Packers Will Beat Bears: Justin Fields’ Turnovers
There’s no doubt Justin Fields will give Green Bay troubles in this game with his feet. He had a big run against the Packers last year and he’s one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL when it comes to making plays on the ground.
However, the Packers’ defense also figures to give Fields trouble. He’s thrown six interceptions against the Packers in just four career games and ranked sixth in the NFL in 2022 with 221 turnover-worthy plays, according to PFF. That lack of ball security is a major concern for Chicago.
The Packers are hoping to play more aggressively than ever before. Combine that with their improved pass rush and they should be able to force Fields into some poor decisions with the football. Expect Green Bay to get after the young quarterback early and often, making him uncomfortable with the rock in his hands.