The Green Bay Packers could have David Bakhtiari, Jaire Alexander and Za’Darius Smith on the field for their divisional-round matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday. It would not only be the first time all three played together this season, but the first time the three have played together since Week 16 of the 2020 season.
Head coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday that he is “hopeful” Smith and Alexander will be able to play. There is very little concern for Bakhtiari, who was held out of Tuesday’s practice for load management purposes after his successful debut in the regular-season finale.
It would certainly be notable if the Packers have their three former All-Pros available for Saturday’s game. San Francisco is a tough team that would have escaped with a win over Green Bay in Week 3 if not for some late-game heroics from Aaron Rodgers. Despite having no timeouts and only 37 remaining in the game, Rodgers set up a game-winning 51-yard field goal for Mason Crosby to clinch an improbable win.
Neither team was at full health or played their best game in the first matchup. The 49ers are currently playing some of their best football, however, the Packers will be much healthier and will also be hosting San Francisco in below-freezing temperatures rather than traveling out west.
All three of Green Bay’s key returnees could be shaking off some rust when they take the field later this week. To get a better idea of what to expect from Bakhtiari, Alexander, and Smith entering the fold simultaneously, let’s look back at all three of their previous performances against the 49ers.
LT David Bakhtiari: 2019 NFC Championship Game
(AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Stat line: No sacks or pressures allowed, per PFF
The Packers’ starting left tackle will be the freshest of the three. He showed very little rust against the Detroit Lions in Week 18 as he didn’t surrender a single sack or pressure in 27 snaps. Unfortunately, the last time Bakhtiari faced San Francisco was during the 2019 NFC Championship Game. Green Bay obviously had a dismal showing, but Bakhtiari at least did his part in protecting the quarterback. The 49ers pass rush sacked Rodgers three times and pressured him on 12 different occasions, however, Bakhtiari was a brick wall at left tackle. According to Pro Football Focus, he logged a pass-blocking efficiency of 100 percent against a pass rush that included the Defensive Rookie of the Year in Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead, who was coming off the best season of his career. The Packers should have very little concern for Bakhtiari, especially given how successful third-string left tackle Yosh Nijman was against Bosa earlier in the year.
CB Jaire Alexander: Week 3, 2021
(AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)
Stat line: five tackles, one interception, three pass defenses
Alexander played 100 percent of the defensive snaps against San Francisco earlier this season. It was one of the last times we Green Bay’s shutdown corner after he suffered a should injury the following week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers will be looking forward to Alexander’s return, considering he will likely draw San Francisco’s hottest receiver in Deebo Samuel. Per PFF, Alexander played his best of four games against the 49ers. He received his highest defensive grade of the season and also came away with his only interception of the season. During the second quarter, Alexander made one of the defense’s best plays of all season when he ran halfway across the field to pick off a Jimmy Garoppolo deep ball intended for George Kittle. And when he was specifically covering Samuel, Alexander was targeted three times with only one catch allowed. He also came away with a pass breakup.
.@JaireAlexander with the INT! 💪#GBvsSF | #GoPackGo
📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/08Y63bDw46
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 27, 2021
OLB Za'Darius Smith: Week 8, 2020
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Stat line: two tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery
Of the three, Smith is the most likely to be limited. Nothing is more fragile than a back injury that required surgery, and Green Bay has two other premier edge rushers they can lean on if Smith isn’t at 100 percent. Smith tried to play through the injury in Week 1 against the New Orleans Saints, but it did more harm than good as he was hardly the same player. Hopefully, he can provide the defense with meaningful snaps, even in a limited capacity. Smith last faced San Francisco in Week 8 of last season. He managed a strip-sack against quarterback Nick Mullens, which he himself recovered. Smith’s playmaking, which included the turnover, sack, and four total pressures, helped the Packers come away with a blowout victory. Of course, Smith is not expected to have the same impact coming off an injury, but the fact that he has a good history against the 49ers is encouraging.
