Packers vs. Raiders Final Injury Report: Alexander and Jones Questionable

The Packers announced their final injury report ahead of their Monday night matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders, and the mini-bye week following Green Bay’s Thursday night game with Detroit seemed to help as this group is more healthy than what it had been.

Here is what you need to know and the potential impact on Monday’s game.

Let’s start with who won’t be playing—linebacker De’Vondre Campbell and safety Zayne Anderson were both ruled out already. Neither player practiced during the week. In Campbell’s place at linebacker as primarily been Isaiah McDuffie along with Eric Wilson being mixed in during obvious running situations.

The Green Bay linebackers are going to be tasked with slowing Raiders’ running back Josh Jacobs. Las Vegas has struggled to get the ground game going this season, but Jacobs has been one of the best pass-catching backs out of the backfield through four games. This is also a Raiders’ offense with Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback that loves to utilize the middle of the field and underneath routes.

Anderson is yet to play this season. He was a healthy scratch the first two weeks and has been sidelined for what will be the last three games now. To provide special teams depth, the Packers will likely elevate either Innis Gaines or Corey Ballentine from the practice squad.

Listed as questionable are cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes, safety Rudy Ford, and running back Aaron Jones. Alexander practiced all three days in a limited capacity, still nursing a back injury. With Davante Adams opposite the Green Bay defense this week, having Alexander available feels like a must.

"“He did everything we asked him to do,” said Matt LaFleur. “We’ll see how he’s feeling on Monday night.”"

Stokes, meanwhile, was back at practice for the first time this week. The Packers have three weeks to add him to the 53-man roster from the PUP list, and if they do before the Raiders game, a corresponding roster cut will have to take place to make room for him. Admittedly, with Green Bay having a window to activate him, I would be surprised if Stokes isn’t given more practice time before being added back to the mix, especially with the bye week upcoming.

Jones played against Detroit but was on a snap count. If the run game is going to get going at any point, having Jones back and as an active member of the rushing attack will be a must for this offense. Many of the issues that the offense has experienced this season is due not being able to move the ball in the ground game. Matt LaFleur did say on Saturday that Jones’ workload remained the same throughout the week.

If Ford can’t go at safety, Jonathan Owens will be lined up next to Savage. Ford has had some miscues, but he’s a physical player who flies around the field—an important element at safety when going up against Adams and Jacobs for the Raiders.

Some good news is that neither offensive linemen Elgton Jenkins nor Jon Runyan will have an injury designation—presumably making them available. Jenkins has been out since the Atlanta game with an MCL sprain. Runyan was dealing with both an ankle and groin injury. LaFleur said that both looked “good” at practice this week.

The offensive line as a whole needs a bounce back performance after getting bullied by Detroit. Objective No. 1 for this unit, and it won’t be an easy one, needs to be limiting edge rusher Maxx Crosby, who leads all pass rushers in pressures this season. However, other than Crosby, this has been a Raiders’ defensive front that has struggled to generate consistent pressure and stop the run this season. If the Green Bay offense is going to bounce back, it starts up front, by finding more success in the run game, resulting in more second and third-and-short situations, and with Jordan Love having time to throw.

Carrington Valentine, Zach Tom, Christian Watson, and Luke Musgrave do not have an injury designation either. With Watson on a pitch count last week, hopefully he will be at full capacity this Monday. This will be the first game all season, if Jones can play, that Love will have his full compliment of skill position and offensive line players around him.

Also of note is that Rashan Gary was never on the injury list this week—which is the first time that has happened this season. He has been on a snap count the first four games, but this could mean he’s a full go versus the Raiders. Gary has been on an absolute tear this season, pressuring quarterbacks at league-high 33.3 percent success rate.

Raiders Final Injury Report

Davante Adams (shoulder), WR, Questionable

Jakorian Bennett (hamstring/shoulder), CB, Questionable

David Long (ankle), CB, Questionable

Nate Hobbs (ankle), CB, Out