Game Changing Play of the Week: Jaire Alexander's Pass Interference Keeps Points off the Board

A heads-up play by Jaire Alexander kept a touchdown off the board in the fourth quarter.

The 2019 Packers sure know how to win ugly. But as they say, better to win ugly than lose pretty, and the Packers have won ugly all the way to a first-round bye in the playoffs.

This week, the Packers decided they'd wait to play football until the second half, at least on offense, and it nearly lost them the game. An overall strong defensive effort by the Packers gave them their fifth game in a row allowing 20 or fewer points, the first time the team has achieved that since the 2010 season. 

It was a heads up defensive play by Jaire Alexander that gets my choice for this week's Game Changing Play of the Week.

The play

Now, it's rare that a penalty called on the Packers would even be in contention for Game Changing Play of the Week from a positive perspective, but Jaire Alexander's pass interference penalty early in the fourth quarter helped make this a much more manageable game for the Packers to pull off in the fourth quarter.

The Packers had just driven down the field to get a field goal, bringing the score to a four-point margin. Alexander is beat here (though there was some question of OPI)--if the Lions complete the pass, this is very likely a touchdown. And a touchdown in this position would have been catastrophic for the Packers. They'd be back to two scores down in the fourth quarter, with there already being very litttle margin for error when you consider the amount of time left and the struggles the team had had offensively.

While you never want to see a corner get beat and give up a big play, this was absolutely the right play for Alexander to make, and shows a keen awareness and understanding of situational football on his part. Taking down the receiver kept the Lions to a field goal on this drive and meant the Packers would have the opportunity to tie up the game and set up a game-winning field goal scenario either at the end of the game or in overtime.

A touchdown here means the Packers have to score twice more in regulation no matter what; the interference and ensuing stop by the defense meant the Packers only had to score once more in regulation. When you're talking about 10 minutes or less left in the fourth quarter, that's a huge burden off the offense's shoulders.

 

My other option for Game Changing Play of the Week wasn't so much a play, but a decision. Early in the second half, Aaron Rodgers started taking underneath routes, which completely changed the offense. The first half was failed shot play after failed shot play. Once they started taking what the defense was giving to them, and once Rodgers started playing within the offense, they moved the ball with relative ease. Combining that with a greater reliance on Aaron Jones meant offense that simply wasn't there in the first half.

The decision to stop trying to force the long ball changed the game for the Packers. You wonder why it took so long for them to make it.

 

On to the playoffs!!

 

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Tim Backes is a lifelong Packer fan and a contributor to CheeseheadTV. Follow him on Twitter @timbackes for his Packer takes, random musings and Untappd beer check-ins.

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7 points
 

Comments (32)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
Lphill's picture

December 30, 2019 at 04:21 pm

Well I guess it made up for his stupid other penalty the WWE body slam, and where was the safety help ?

7 points
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jeremyjjbrown's picture

December 30, 2019 at 05:29 pm

Well, when it comes to safety help you need to check that it's there before playing with 4 yards of outside leverage and letting a guy run right upnthe seam.

Jaire is talented but also extremely arrogant. He reminds me of TBuck. I started out as a pretty big Jaire fan but he's had some disappointing play this year.

1 points
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LeotisHarris's picture

December 30, 2019 at 06:26 pm

Buckley is a popular go-to bust in the minds of most Packers fans. The guy had a 13-year NFL career, won a Super Bowl with the Patriots, played semi-pro baseball, and is currently DB coach at Mississippi State. That's not a bust.

I think Alexander will be a fine pro for the Packers for a long time.

3 points
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dblbogey's picture

December 30, 2019 at 06:46 pm

TBuck was a bust for the Packers. Jaire is much better.

-1 points
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mamasboy's picture

December 30, 2019 at 06:37 pm

Another thing, Saying that Alexander is like T Buck, is nothing short of idiotic. T Buck? You must not watch too much football. By the way he's confident, NOT cocky!

3 points
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Bure9620's picture

December 30, 2019 at 09:54 pm

He is much better than Buckley, much stickier and more pass breakups and he has actual technique. Buckley just relied on his athleticism.

3 points
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jlc1's picture

December 31, 2019 at 12:01 pm

Looked to me like Alexander lost his balance for a step or two (OPI maybe?) and that is what created the gap. Really smart play.

0 points
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mamasboy's picture

December 30, 2019 at 06:30 pm

His job as a DB is to prevent the receiver from advancing the ball after a catch. He did exactly that. Look at it in slow motion and you;ll see that he never really smashed him into the ground. That call was a joke.

0 points
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Spock's picture

December 31, 2019 at 10:20 am

Agree, Lphill. That previous WWE body slam changed a fourth down stop (which Jaire had if he didn't go brain dead and make that pick up and slam) into a first down. If I recall correctly that continuation of the drive did give the Lions a TD. I wrote in another thread that, had the Packers lost, that body slam would have been a candidate for game changing play of the week. Odd that his desperation PI becomes the one used by Tim for this, lol.

0 points
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Barazinho's picture

December 30, 2019 at 04:31 pm

The Detroit D was giving them shot plays, they just missed them. The deep post to Lazard was wide open, 30+ yard gain, and the throw was well over his head...

2 points
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Hematite's picture

December 30, 2019 at 04:41 pm

It was definitely a fortuitous foul.

3 points
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porupack's picture

December 30, 2019 at 04:49 pm

Goes to prove what a terrible game the packers played, if the game changing play is a PI. Not disagreeing with Tim at all.

3 points
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Lare's picture

December 30, 2019 at 04:59 pm

"...shows a keen awareness and understanding of situational football on his part."

Frankly, I just think Alexander was beaten badly and while tripping over his own feet he dove at the receiver hoping to stop a huge play.

Personally, I think the game changing play of the game was Lazard's TD catch.

1 points
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4thand10's picture

December 30, 2019 at 05:33 pm

It was weird...he did trip, then simultaneously realized it was going to go for a score if he didnt do something. Looked like he mad a judgment call once he realized he tripped. No one likes a PI but it appeared on the surface to be a heads up move... I dont know necessarily if he was beat, but once he tripped it looked like he realized it would be bad ...so he grabbed the legs b4 the ball got there.

4 points
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HankScorpio's picture

December 30, 2019 at 09:45 pm

Not many highlights for the Packers in this one. I certainly don't think getting beat for a 30 yard penalty deserves any praise just because it didn't go for a TD.

Lazard's catch was big. Davante Adams spinning the DB inside out to get wide open on the other TD was a nice candidate as well. Adams TD gave a sliver of hope. Lazard's TD made me believe. One was a beautiful throw and catch, the other was Adams showing why he's elite. Either way is fine.

3 points
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flackcatcher's picture

December 30, 2019 at 05:30 pm

The same game plan which led to defeat at both the Chargers and 49ers. I wonder how much lobbying Rodgers did with MLF prior to push so many shot plays early. To go away from the run setting up the play action which is the strength of this Packers offense.... (shakes head) I chalk it up to a inexperience head coach trying to please his veteran quarterback and wanting to try to put something different on video. Not respecting the Lions almost cost them home field. Once again Mike Pettine's defense saves this team from the offenses mistakes. (I laughed at the Lions first touchdown. Defense deserved to be embarrassed like that... )

5 points
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edub's picture

December 30, 2019 at 06:15 pm

It was a smart or lucky play, that's for sure. As for the downfield shots, I can't help but think #12 had reaching 4000 yds in the back of his mind at the start of the game. If I recall, I think he needed 351 and he fell short.

-3 points
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dobber's picture

December 30, 2019 at 06:28 pm

He still topped 320...not a bad day given how this season has gone.

2 points
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4thand1's picture

December 30, 2019 at 07:06 pm

AR ended up with 4002. Thank God for a week off, bring my blood pressure back to earth. 26 td's- 4int's. I'm done making predictions, I have no f-ing idea what to expect from here on out. Maybe that's the MLF plan...........................hhmmmmmmmm??

2 points
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Lphill's picture

December 30, 2019 at 06:58 pm

Sternberger is a fast tight end and good blocker , watch his college tape , I don’t think we take a tight end early, inside linebacker , receiver then maybe TE .

2 points
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NickPerry's picture

December 31, 2019 at 01:07 am

Hey Lphill...I love me some Sternberger too and would really like to see him more involved. Yes, I understand he missed time but he's been back for a while now and for the ;like of me can't understand why were not trying him up the seam. Every college TE knows that route and Sternberger does too. Matter of fact he ran it very well at Texas A&M among other routes too.

I'm with you on the ILB and WR too. I would REALLY like to see the Packers get one of those top 5 to 8 WR's which I highly doubt they'll get late in the 2nd round. Maybe Joe Schubert in Free Agency would fix the ILB position for the Packers. Be cool if he wanted to come home!

0 points
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Bearmeat's picture

December 30, 2019 at 07:50 pm

We're 13-3 for a reason, and we've got our shot in the dance. But this is the ugliest damn bye team in the history of bye teams. lol.

5 points
5
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Jonathan Spader's picture

December 30, 2019 at 09:37 pm

I disagree Tim the game changer was the moment Slay was injured. That freed Adams which finally got out offense going.

As for the decision to give up on the long ball the deep shots look like a MM offense. Makes me assume that's on Rodgers but who knows.

0 points
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LeotisHarris's picture

December 30, 2019 at 09:21 pm

Disagree all you want, Jonathan, but you leave Tom the hell out of this!

0 points
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albert999's picture

December 30, 2019 at 09:22 pm

Aaron Rodgers had 16 overthrows for incompletions Sunday. Not only was that a career high, it's tied for the most by a QB since ESPN began tracking them in 2006.

3 points
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4thand1's picture

December 31, 2019 at 05:31 am

stats stats stats.................AR has 51 td's and 6 int's over the last 2 seasons. overthrow that. Try a new yew resolution........less negativity.

2 points
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albert999's picture

December 31, 2019 at 10:40 am

How bout just the truth and what he’s done lately
Try that for your New Years resolution

0 points
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edp1959's picture

December 31, 2019 at 05:52 am

Another worthless and idiotic stat. Do you always assume the overthrow is the QB's fault? Just like the interception that hits a receiver in the hands and he bats it into the air. But of course you blame this QB because you hate him so much.

1 points
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albert999's picture

December 31, 2019 at 10:41 am

How bout just the truth and what he’s done lately

-1 points
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jlc1's picture

December 31, 2019 at 11:58 am

the truth is a 13-3, a very recent indication of what he has done lately. Yes it is a team stat but name a team that can go that far with a QB as awful as you think Rodgers is. None is the truthful answer.

1 points
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ILPackerBacker's picture

December 31, 2019 at 01:27 pm

wow 13 and 3, would hate to read comments if this were a bears site

BTW anyone who ever watched TBUCK would laugh at someone comparing him to JA. JA has made more plays on running plays and bubble screens in 2 years than TBUCK did in his entire career.

This is nearly comparing Bobby Douglas to Favre

1 points
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Philarod's picture

December 31, 2019 at 07:47 pm

I don't think I've ever read so much praise for a PI, but in retrospect, I guess it was a big play.

As a dual Eagles and Packers fan (I guess some of us exist...and as my screen name may suggest, I'm a lifelong Birds fan who always liked GB, but I'm kind of an Aaron Rodgers GB fan), my dream scenario...if a heavy longshot...would be the Eagles playing at Lambeau for the NFC title.

If no upsets in the WC round (at least seeding-wise), I actually think the Eagles (although very, very depleted) can survive Seattle at home, and that GB can get the better of a really good Saints team at home. The toughest part of getting this "inside straight" is the Eagles then going into SF (a superior and healthy team, at home) and knocking off a very good Niners team. Then again, the Birds (of late) and the Packers most of the year, have looked like destiny's darlings - and they also played a great game earlier this year at Lambeau.

My sentiment would trend slightly to the Pack should they (somewhat improbably) meet, as I honestly think that Rodgers is much too great to only have won one SB.

1 points
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