There was not much to be disappointed about from the Green Bay Packers Week 1 performance. They went on the road and defeated an NFC North rival, the Chicago Bears, with relative ease, 38-20.
It was a stiff test for a young Packers squad that they passed with flying colors. The team received major contributions from their rookie class, which made the coaching staff and front office happy.
However, if there was one area where the Packers came up short, it was in discipline. Green Bay committed nine penalties for 90 yards against Chicago, three of which were 15-yard infractions. That doesn’t include an unnecessary roughness call that went against TJ Slaton, which was an offsetting penalty.
Cornerback Rasul Douglas received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for his celebration following the 37-yard interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Quay Walker. Linebacker De’Vondre Campbell was flagged for unnecessary roughness for pulling a Bears player off the pile following Justin Fields’ fumble in the third quarter. Later in the quarter, safety Rudy Ford was flagged for unnecessary roughness for shoving Bears’ running back Roschon Johnson after a run in which Johnson flattened Ford.
While the penalties didn’t hurt the Packers this time around, it was something that head coach Matt LaFleur was not thrilled about. It was something that he revealed was addressed when the team got together on Monday.
“That’s definitely one thing we addressed today,” LaFleur said. “We’ve got to be smarter in those situations because those can really hurt you. I didn’t really see Sul’s until I saw the film today. I’m sure there’s going to be memes to that out there somewhere. You want to try to handle when you win with class and dignity, as well, and we’ve got to make sure that we clean up some of that stuff. We know we can’t pull guys off the pile. I’m not going to ever come to the total defense of Dre in that situation, but the guy was kind of putting his elbow into the neck of one of our guys, which I told him, ‘You’ve just got to go slap his hand away or do whatever you can do to help your teammate out in that situation.’ I couldn’t really see TJ’s, to be honest with you, on tape. I thought that was a legal hit by Jaire on the sideline. They got heated about it, a lineman that we know very well (former Packers OL and Bears center Lucas Patrick) went over and I thought initiated that whole thing. I couldn’t tell if he responded, didn’t respond. It really doesn’t matter. That’s what I told the team is you’ve got to try to keep your poise as best you can in all situations because you just never know how they’re going to rule it.
“And then Rudy, we talked about his, as well. I get it. You’re a competitor and he was bringing it and he had some pretty nasty hits early in that game and, unfortunately, he was on the wrong side of one. You’ve just got to keep your poise. Those are moments that you’ve got to learn and grow from. Thankfully, it didn’t cost us, but you never know when it can.”
This was a good teaching moment for LaFleur, as he wants to hold players accountable for their actions. While it didn’t cost the Packers this time around, it certainly will if these transgressions continue, especially against upper-echelon teams in the league. The good teams take a mile when you give them an inch.
Delivering teaching moments is certainly easier when you come out with a victory as the Packers did. Had they not won, the tone that LaFleur shared with his quote would have certainly been different.
