Despite a Week 16 victory, Jaire Alexander is brutally honest about what the Green Bay Packers need to improve

The Green Bay Packers defeated the Carolina Panthers in Week 16, but as Jaire Alexander pointed out, their effort was far from ideal and will not suffice against top-tier teams.

Alexander told this to media after the game, giving an honest appraisal of the team’s overall performance in their 33-30 triumph. The 26-year-old cornerback was asked if allowing 30 points to a team that has only won two games so far is concerning, and he said absolutely.

“To be honest, it is. But we just have to play the call,” Alexander said, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic.

Jaire Alexander did mention that the Green Bay Packers had a “pretty good game plan” on defense, but the Carolina Panthers still outscored them, emphasizing their need for development.

The two-time Pro Bowl cornerback, who returned off a six-game absence due to a shoulder injury, also conceded that he had much work to do. Unfortunately for him, the aftereffects of his recent health setback continue to trouble him.

“I could’ve been better, but when you are playing through injury, there are certain plays and things that you can and can’t do, so that’s the only thing that’s bothering me,” Alexander said, before noting, “What I got going on, a lot of people check out of the season.”

Should the Green Bay Packers Be Concerned Like Jaire Alexander Said?

Jaire Alexander did make some fascinating points about the Green Bay Packers’ defense, for what it’s worth. After all, the Carolina Panthers have the NFL’s fifth-worst offense this season.

There’s a reason the Panthers have only won two games this season. Not only is their offensive deficient, but their defense is also deficient.

It’s hardly unexpected that the Packers beat the Panthers by 33 points. Indeed, many may be perplexed as to how they were only able to score that much despite being in the top half of the NFC in scoring.

The Panthers’ ability to score so many points on them could be a sign of a growing defensive concern. It’s the second straight game in which they’ve surrendered 30 or more points to their opponents, after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers destroyed them in Week 15.

The Packers have only held their opponents to one-digit scoring once this season, against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9.

The Packers’ challenge now is to find a solution to their defensive problems. They are still in the playoff picture, but they can’t expect to compete at the highest level with a defense that is, at best, leaky.