Packers' Jaire Alexander backs up the talk, stifles Justin Jefferson

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Packers head coach Matt LaFleur chuckled before the question was even finished: "Was having cornerback Jaire Alexander cover receiver Justin Jefferson an easy fix" after the Vikings star torched Green Bay for nine catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns way back in September?

"I would say so," LaFleur said. "[Alexander] challenged him. There were a couple times he implemented some quick jams where he was very physical at the line of scrimmage. Anytime DBs do that, you're not always expecting it — especially if you haven't seen it a ton on tape. I don't care who you are as a wide receiver, it's always a challenge. I thought that was a great job by our staff."

The Vikings' season-opening win seemed like decades ago on Sunday, when Jefferson was held to a career-low one catch for 15 yards in the 41-17 loss at Lambeau Field.

Jefferson's frustrations were visible on the field and the sideline as Alexander got in his face from the first series, when Alexander pressed both hands into Jefferson's chest at the line. Jefferson's first target fell incomplete, after which Alexander immediately hunched over and did the Griddy celebration that Jefferson has popularized.

After Jefferson chased Packers safety Rudy Ford out of bounds along the Packers sideline after an interception, Alexander had more to say.

"A lot of nothing, really," Jefferson said. "He was just being that type of player trying to get in my head that normal DBs do. Really, it's just talk, just trash talk. But it really doesn't affect me."

Jefferson had words for officials after Alexander's Griddy in the first quarter.

"I thought it was taunting, really," he said. "That was first of all. I thought that was a taunting call. But I mean, it is what it is. He does stuff like that trying to get in my head."

Jefferson and other Vikings targets struggled to find their footing. Jefferson slipped on the first passing play — an incompletion to receiver Adam Thielen on third down. A slick play design, in which Jefferson motioned out of the backfield and was covered by Packers linebacker Quay Walker, was wasted when Jefferson slipped on the route and the pass was intercepted.

Jefferson said he switched shoes "because I slipped a lot" in the first half. Tight end T.J. Hockenson said multiple players switched to cleats with more studs after slipping in the first half. Head coach Kevin O'Connell said players were "strongly encouraged" to wear them entering the game; he added he hoped "this was a learning lesson." Equipment manager Dennis Ryan had notices in players' lockers during the week of practices.

"We tested our cleats in pregame," Hockenson said. "Once everybody got out there, it got a little more muddy and a little more divots. I think everybody in here was confident in what they were wearing in pregame. ... As the game went on it got a little worse."

The Packers were physical in coverage while only being flagged three times — once intentionally on a delay of game while trying to draw the Vikings offsides before a short field goal. Walker was called for unnecessary roughness on receiver K.J. Osborn, the seventh penalized hit on a Vikings receiver in the past eight games.

Physical play at the line of scrimmage — from pressure or tipped passes — also disrupted plays for Jefferson, O'Connell said.

"This is not the first time we saw coverage like this or the first time he was essentially doubled most of the football game if not all the game," O'Connell added.

Alexander had more to say after the game.

"Tell Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless to watch what they say about me," Alexander said. "Talking about how he a good corner — I'm a great corner."