Green Bay Packers: 5 Toughest matchups for Jaire Alexander in 2019
By Joe Kipp
5. Amari Cooper, Week 5
One of the most refined route runners in the entire NFL, Dallas Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper will be a handful for Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander. Cooper, who was acquired by the Cowboys from the Oakland Raiders before the trade deadline last season, finished 2018 with 75 receptions for 1,005 yards and seven touchdowns; 53 receptions, 725 yards and six touchdowns coming with Dallas.
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Cooper is unquestionably the No. 1 target for Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, which means Alexander should see plenty of action. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Cooper targeted at least seven or eight times, especially if the Packers get into a shootout. Last season, Cooper was targeted 76 times by Prescott over nine games, averaging out to 8.4 targets per game.
Alexander may not be assigned to covering Cooper the entire game, especially since Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine likes to disguise his defense using multiple fronts. But there’s no question the Cooper-Alexander matchup will hold the majority of the spotlight in Week 5.
Expect the Cowboys to run Ezekiel Elliott 25 times in order to help set up the play action game. This could allow for plenty of one-on-one matchups on the outside between Cooper and Alexander.