As the Green Bay Packers prepare to play the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17, their dreams of making the NFL Playoffs are in shambles. It’s a straightforward situation: the Packers need to win to have any chance of making the playoffs. Should they emerge triumphant and proceed to defeat the Chicago Bears on their home field in Week 18, their chances of qualifying for the postseason are 95%.
Unfortunately, Jaire Alexander, Green Bay’s two-time Pro Bowl cornerback, is also out of the game. The organization suspended Alexander on Wednesday, according to Brian Gutekunst and Matt LaFleur. Alexander had chosen to captain the coin toss against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Alexander told reporters that he sent himself out for the coin toss since the game was in his hometown of Charlotte and that LaFleur was not aware of that information after the Packers narrowly defeated the Panthers 33-30 after yet another defensive collapse.
Related: Former QB for the Green Bay Packers argues against Jaire Alexander and criticizes coaches during the Week 17 suspension
Fans and experts have debated about who is more to blame for the turmoil in the Packers locker room—players like Alexander or the coaching staff—ever since it was decided to suspend the two-time Second Team All-Pro. Though there are good points on both sides, one former player is criticizing the standout cornerback only.
Former lineman for the Green Bay Packers
Mark Tauscher, a former offensive lineman for the Packers, never played with Alexander, but in his 11-year career, he was surrounded by guys with distinct personalities. From Aaron Rodgers to Brett Favre and Greg Jennings, he has dealt with about every type of locker room problem a club might have.
Jason Wilde states at the opening of the film that Alexander could see this suspension as a turning point in his career since the two-time Pro Bowler might have a bad opinion of the company as a result. In reply, Tauscher remarked:
“It’s time to move on if that is his perspective on this. As an organization, this is what you intend to do. Although you want to offer people a second opportunity, you also need to make sure that conditions that are not beneficial to your business are changed.
Thus, you can be a gifted player. Right now, no one is discussing Jaire’s exceptional talent from the previous two seasons. They haven’t. We’ve stated that he’s been hurt and isn’t performing to the