Penalties have caused problems all season for the Green Bay Packers, who have been flagged more times per game than any other NFL team.
The Packers (4-3) were penalized seven times for 76 yards in the second half of a 20-17 loss at Detroit that came down to Jake Bates’ 22-yard field goal as time expired on Sunday. Some Green Bay players believe they weren’t treated fairly.
“I feel like the refs were on their side the whole day, if you ask me," defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt said after the game.
Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur could be seen on the sideline expressing frustration over what the Packers perceived as questionable calls.
Defensive lineman Karl Brooks was called for roughing the passer on the drive that led to Detroit’s winning field goal.
“That’s teach-tape tackle. That’s not roughing the passer,” Dean Blandino, a Fox rules analyst and former NFL vice president of officiating, said during the telecast.
In the third quarter, Detroit's Amon-Ra St. Brown got tackled after catching a pass, then started running again before Wyatt brought him down. Wyatt was called for unnecessary roughness, and Jared Goff threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Williams two plays later.
LaFleur and Wyatt said after the game that they didn’t hear a whistle before St. Brown got up.
“We ruled the play was over,” referee Alex Moore told a pool reporter. “I can’t honestly hear if there was a whistle or not, but the tackler made the tackle, the play was over. Then, there was an additional action, and he basically tackled him again with force after the play was over.”
On Detroit’s next series, Brenton Cox was called for roughing the passer to nullify a third-and-10 incompletion and Brandon Cisse was penalized for pass interference to wipe out his interception. That series ended with the Lions losing the ball on downs at the Green Bay 6-yard line.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love was called for intentional grounding on the first play of the fourth quarter after he threw the ball in the area of tight end Tucker Kraft. Love threw a third-and-21 interception two plays later.
Moore said the ball couldn’t merely be in the direction of Kraft and that “it has to actually reach where he is if it doesn’t get to the line of scrimmage” to avoid an intentional grounding penalty.
“That is not grounding,” Blandino said on the telecast.
Green Bay has been penalized a league-high 9.3 times per game. The Packers have 78 penalty yards per game for the NFL’s second-highest average, below the Carolina Panthers' 79.2.
“You got to play above it,” LaFleur said. “I thought there were some tough calls, but it is what it is.”
Packers safety Xavier McKinney says he wants other defenses to get the same treatment from officials that Green Bay’s defense is receiving. According to Sportradar, the Packers have committed an NFL-high eight roughing-the-passer penalties, while their opponents haven't been called for that a single time this season.
“Sometimes we’re not seeing the same calls for our quarterback,” McKinney said. “We’re not seeing the same calls for our offensive guys. I just don’t really understand.”
What’s working
Green Bay’s defense limited Detroit’s high-powered offense to its lowest point total of the season. The Packers stopped Detroit on each of its fourth-down attempts. Goff threw an incompletion on fourth-and-goal from the 5, and Keisean Nixon stuffed Jahmyr Gibbs for a 2-yard loss on fourth-and-1 from the Detroit 24 with the score tied in the fourth quarter. … Green Bay’s offense went 3 of 4 on fourth down.
What needs work
The Packers didn’t score at all in three of their four red-zone possessions. Two of those series ended in missed field-goal attempts. Green Bay also went for it on fourth-and-4 from the Detroit and lost the ball on downs. … Even with Josh Jacobs back on the field, the Packers didn’t get much from a rushing attack that ranks last in the NFL. Green Bay gained 60 yards on 19 carries. … Dropped passes remain a major issue. Jacobs had a potential 17-yard tiebreaking touchdown pass go off his hands with 3 1/2 minutes left.
Stock up
Nixon’s fourth-down stop of Gibbs in the fourth quarter could have been the play of the game if Green Bay’s offense had capitalized. … Cisse had a pass interference penalty to nullify his interception, but he had quality coverage on Detroit’s last two plays of that series to thwart a Lions scoring opportunity.
Stock down
K Trey Smack sent a 26-yard field goal wide right on Green Bay’s first series and had a 35-yarder blocked when the score was tied with 3:21 remaining.
Injuries
C Sean Rhyan left with an ankle injury in the first quarter. Jacob Monk took over for him and hurt his quadriceps shortly afterward. Monk was placed on injured reserve Monday, meaning he must miss at least the next four games. Those injuries forced the Packers to turn to John Williams, whose only previous career action came on special teams.
Key number
1 — The number of field goals from 35 yards or closer missed by any NFL kicker other than Smack this season.
Next steps
Green Bay gets right back at it Thursday night by hosting Carolina. The Panthers won 16-13 at Lambeau Field last season. The Panthers (3-3) are coming off a 43-13 home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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