The Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers will face off in a highly anticipated game in Week Four of the 2024 NFL regular season. Of course, much of the talk surrounding the upcoming tilt of fierce division rivals has been the return of running back Aaron Jones to his old stomping grounds at Lambeau Field.
Jones, the Packers third all-time leading rusher, signed with the Vikings in free agency this past offseason after Green Bay released him. The Packers had signed running back Josh Jacobs to a four-year $48 million contract and wanted Jones to take a pay cut.
Since he had already taken a significant pay cut in 2023 in order to stay with Green Bay, he was unwilling to do so. Jones signed with Minnesota on a one-year contract with $7 million, about $1 million more than what the Packers were willing to pay him.
His return, though, is not the only big topic surrounding this week’s game. It is the matchup of Vikings All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson with Packers star cornerback Jaire Alexander.
Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson and Green Bay Packers CB Jaire Alexander Have a History (Kind of)
Jefferson, of course, is the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL after signing a four-year $140 million extension this past offseason. Up until the start of the season, Alexander was the highest-paid cornerback in the game, too.
Needless to say, seeing two of the best players at their position go toe-to-toe against each other is going to be exciting, and it is a matchup that fans have not been able to see often.
Ever since Jefferson entered the NFL in 2020, the Vikings and Packers have met eight times in the regular season. The Vikings star and Alexander have both been healthy for four of those games.
Last year, Jefferson missed the first game the two teams played due to an injury. Alexander missed the second game because the Packers suspended him.
The last time Jefferson and Alexander played against each other was Week 17 of the 2022 season. He had one reception for 15 yards (while not being covered by the Packers’ All-Pro) and Alexander laid one of the most disrespectful moves on him after breaking up a pass intended for him on the sideline:
Jaire Alexander just did the griddy in Justin Jefferson’s face. pic.twitter.com/kjJ3ygl7gp
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 1, 2023
In fact, in the four games that they have played against each other, Jefferson has just one catch for 12 yards when being covered by Alexander. That happened in 2020.
Minnesota Vikings Wide Receiver Justin Jefferson Has Strong Words for Green Bay Packers Cornerback Jaire Alexander
Apc Packers Vs Vikings 2358 010123 Wag
Jefferson spoke with the media following practice today and was asked about his upcoming matchup with Alexander. Despite his struggles against the Packers’ cornerback in the past, Jefferson did not seem too worried about. In fact, he thinks that Alexander makes a bigger deal out of it than he does:
“Always just [trying] to knickknack at every little thing and just try to play the head game. Just try to hit you a little extra or try to push you a little extra than normal people do. But I understand that it’s a tactic. It’s a tactic to get inside my head and to mess up my game plan and what I’m doing, but it doesn’t really work.
“I understand that he has some help over the top sometimes and he likes to do the jump jam and likes to put hands on to disrupt the route, but we have a plan for it. I can’t wait to go up against it honestly.
“He likes to do that stuff to get inside someone’s head. I’m not really tripping on that. I’m going to just get my Griddy in his end zone. So, I’m not tripping on it at all. I’m excited for the matchup.”
The game on Sunday is sure to be a fierce one. Minnesota is 3-0 and in first place in the NFC North. The Packers are right behind them with a 2-1 record.
It is not yet known if Packers quarterback Jordan Love will be able to play. Head coach Matt LaFleur said that they will give him up until game time (90 minutes before kickoff) to decide/get cleared.
Regardless of Love’s status, the Jefferson-Alexander matchup is going to be must-see viewing for anyone able to tune in.
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