Following the Chicago Bears 28-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 13, head coach Matt Eberflus and quarterback Justin Fields took an interesting path in describing the latter’s first of two fourth-quarter interceptions. Both men suggested that wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown should have done more to come back to the ball or break up the interception.
It appears as though, while Eberflus and Fields were correct in their assessment that the pick was on the pass catcher, the situation was much worse than they described.
Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander, who came away with the interception, has weighed in on, not only the interception itself but also on St. Brown, his former teammate in Green Bay for three seasons, as well as the Bears’ other pass catchers.
His assessment has harshly honest.
Packers Star Jaire Alexander Sends Strong Message on Bears WRs
Alexander Roasts Bears WRs
“I knew it was coming,” Alexander said postgame, per Ryan Wood of USA Today. “One thing about the receiver that I got the pick on, you’re going to know when he’s about to breaking down his route. So I already knew it. I envisioned it. I was telepathic because I seen it before it happened.”
Wait, is Alexander saying that St. Brown is tipping his route and/or breaks?
It sure sounds like that may be the case but the truth is much more damning of St. Brown and of the wide receiver position for the Bears as a whole.
“He’s just not as quick as some,” said the outspoken defensive back…He’s real slow. So it was just easy.”
St. Brown was supposed to run a dig route but that was not what happened either. Still, St. Brown did get the best of Alexander on a 56-yard 50/50 ball. Surely that garnered respect from Alexander.
.@justnfields 56 yard bomb to @Equanimeous 😮💨 #ProBowlVote
📺: #GBvsCHI on FOX pic.twitter.com/RFGLCk2F7U
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 4, 2022
Not quite!
“Man, he a scrub,” Alexander said of St. Brown. “I can’t believe I let him catch that on me. But hat’s off to him because he did make a good catch.”
To be fair, no one should expect the 6-foot-5 St. Brown to be the quickest of wideouts. And that back-handed compliment is possibly some good old-fashioned ribbing between former teammates-turned-rival. But Alexander’s critical assessment of the Bears’ de facto top wideout speaks volumes about what kind of work lies ahead this offseason.
Even with Darnell Mooney expected to make a full recovery for next season, the Bears are light on game-breaking playmakers.
Two For One
Alexander also got beaten by N’Keal Harry for a 49-yard pass too, also in the fourth quarter.
The throw 🤌
The catch 🤌📺: #GBvsCHI on FOX pic.twitter.com/aw5fWkCkr5
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 4, 2022
“Man, that guy was lucky. I was getting ready to pick that one too. I was getting ready to pick it but then he held the ball, and he ran somewhere. And, as he’s running, I’m like, ‘Oh, snap’. It was my first time seeing the ball get thrown on the jumbotron while I’m running. It was crazy.”
There is still no love lost between bitter rivals as the Bears lose their eighth straight in the series. They have just four wins against Green Bay since the start of the 2010 season.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
