By Wes Long | Published | No Comments
Jaire Alexander will be a key absence from the Packers next game against the Minnesota Vikings. The team has announced a one game suspension for Alexander, due to a bizarre coin toss blunder that occurred this past weekend as the Packers were set to face the Carolina Panthers.
Alexander, not an official captain for the Packers, nonetheless made his way out to middle field during the pre game coin toss
The Packers won the coin toss, but Alexander told the officials that his team wanted to be on defense. Alexander meant to say that his team wished to defer their possession to start the third quarter, but his proclamation that his team wished to be on defense, does not constitute an official “deferment”.
Had the official taken Alexander at his word, Green Bay would have forfeited their rights to possess the ball, either at the start of the game or at the start of the third quarter. The official would have then awarded the right to deferment to the Carolin Panthers team captains. Carolina could have, at that point if they so desired, claimed their own deferment to posses the ball at the start of the second half, and then, because Alexander said his team wanted to be on defense, Carolina would have taken the first possession of the game as well.
It was indeed a bizarre moment, that is not often seen much in the NFL. In this case the official clarified with the rest of the Packers captains as to whether they wished to defer, or actually wanted to give up their deferment and just play defense. The Packers captains, eventually, properly deferred. The Panthers started the game on offense, with the Packers getting the ball to start the second half.
Obviously this did not sit well with the Packers. So now Jaire Alexander will sit on the bench for what becomes a key game next week against the Minnesota Vikings; as both teams are fighting to make the playoffs.
