The Green Bay Packers overcome a “mistake” on the coin toss and win
CHARLOTTE, NC — Jaire Alexander shouldn’t even be on the field when the coin is tossed Green Bay Packers The cornerback fell during the captain’s meeting in midfield and almost cost his team a loss of the ball in Sunday’s 33:30 win against them Carolina Panthers.
Alexander, who joined the Packers’ three game captains Aaron Jones, Quay Walker And Eric Wilson in center field, called Tails and won the toss.
When referee Alex Kemp asked about his call, Alexander said the Packers wanted to be on defense, which wasn’t technically the same as deciding to defer the ball. If Kemp hadn’t cleared, it could have cost the Packers a possession and the Panthers would have gotten both halves.
According to the rule, the winner of the coin toss can choose to receive the coin, toast, or defer the election to the second half. When Alexander said they wanted to be on defense, it could have been interpreted as them deciding to kick off.
The only reason Kemp double-checked and asked Alexander if he meant a deferral may be because coach Matt LaFleur made a point in the pre-meeting with the officials to inform them of their choice if they missed the throw should win.
LaFleur didn’t seem happy with Alexander, who was playing for the first time after missing six games with a shoulder injury.
“That was a big mistake,” LaFleur said of Alexander’s call. “That’s something you discuss with the guys every time before they go out: ‘Hey, we win the toss, we move it.’ I went to the officials before the game and made sure they knew what we were going to do. We had an incident earlier this year where we had a similar situation, so I’ve always tried to be proactive.”
LaFleur added that he thought Kemp made it clear because “I don’t think they ever want to get that.” [wrong].” Alexander didn’t seem to realize his mistake.
“I said, ‘I want our defense to be out there,’ and everyone looked at me like I was crazy,” Alexander said. “I think it’s pretty simple what I said, like I want the defense to be out there. They say, ‘You mean postpone?’ and I think, ‘Yeah, I think.'”
Why Alexander even went to the litter was a mystery. The Packers do not have seasonal captains, but rather weekly rotations. When asked if Alexander was added as a game captain by the coaches or by Alexander himself, LaFleur replied, “Yes.”
Alexander said: “It just fits. I don’t think Coach knew I was from Charlotte, so…”
This was another chapter in a bizarre season for Alexander, who has been healthy enough to practice for more than a month but hasn’t played since injuring his shoulder on Nov. 5.
His return didn’t help the Packers’ struggling defense or struggling defensive coordinator Joe Barry. Panthers rookie Bryce Young threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns.
Asked if it was worrying to give up 30 points to a team that has only won two games, Alexander replied: “Yes, it is. Honestly. But we just have to make the decision that’s called for,” which could be assumed to be a shot at Barry. But Alexander then added that it was “a pretty good game plan.”
