GREEN BAY \u2014 The good news for Xavier McKinney was that his coach was much angrier with the officiating crew than he was at McKinney.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, the Green Bay Packers first-team All-Pro safety was fortunate that his 15-yard penalty for taunting \u2014 no matter how much Packers head coach Matt LaFleur vehemently disagreed with referee Clete Blakeman\u2019s crew on how the adjudicated it \u2014 wound up not costing his team dearly in a game the Packers wound up winning, 27-13, at Lambeau Field on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I\u2019m sure it might change when we\u2019re watching the film,\u201d McKinney said of LaFleur\u2019s anger being directed at Blakeman\u2019s crew. \u201cIt\u2019s all right though.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the NFL having put an emphasis on reducing players\u2019 trash-talking and taunting this season, McKinney\u2019s second-quarter taunting penalty came after he\u2019d pancaked wide receiver Kalif Raymond on a play and stood over Raymond in a very brief celebration.<\/p>\n
Raymond got up and head-butted McKinney, smacking McKinney in the facemask with the crown of his helmet, but only McKinney was flagged, leaving LaFleur irate.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorst case scenario, they should\u2019ve been offsetting,\u201d LaFleur said. \u201cBut they saw it differently.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the same time, both LaFleur and McKinney eventually acknowledged that given the NFL\u2019s focus on unsportsmanlike conduct, players have to be more cautious no matter how difficult it may be.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll definitely address that again. We can\u2019t do that,\u201d LaFleur said. \u2018We\u2019ve got to be better than that. Football is an emotional game, and I understand. I love these guys getting excited about playing. There\u2019s a lot of stuff that goes on on the field, but you\u2019ve got to keep your composure and your poise, especially when you\u2019re playing a really good football team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Added McKinney: \u201cGoing forward, I\u2019m going to toe the line. If I get a flag, I\u2019ll learn from it, but I\u2019m going to toe that line. Obviously, I\u2019m a smart player so I understand when I can and can\u2019t do it, but this type of game, I had to set the tone and that\u2019s just what it was. And we\u2019ll live with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tom, Banks injured | Before losing 40% of their starting group during the second half Sunday, the Packers offensive line was outstanding in pass protection, making sure quarterback Jordan Love had ample time in the pocket (zero sacks) and didn\u2019t put his surgically-repaired left thumb in any danger.<\/p>\n
\u201cMan, they were just dominant up front today. They did a great job,\u201d Love said. \u201cI don\u2019t think there were too many pressures early on, and they just did a great job of stopping their D-line.\u201d<\/p>\n
But then came Love\u2019s third-quarter interception, which Brian Branch returned for a touchdown only to have it wiped out by a Lions holding penalty. During Branch\u2019s return, Lions defensive end Aiden Hutchinson lit up Love, and Tom dove over his quarterback and landed awkwardly on his hip.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously I was getting smacked, so I don\u2019t even know what happened,\u201d Love said. \u201cZach, I think he said he tried \u00a0jumping over me and avoiding me or something like that but I didn\u2019t get to see what happened. I just got up and saw him down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Darian Kinnard initially took over for Tom, but later, rookie second-round pick Anthony Belton was at right tackle. Meanwhile, Banks injured his ankle at some point during the fourth quarter and was replaced by Jordan Morgan, who\u2019d been sharing time with Sean Rhyan at right guard earlier in the game.<\/p>\n
Asked if he was concerned about not having Tom or Banks for Thursday\u2019s game against the Washington Commanders, LaFleur replied, \u201cA short week is always tough. They\u2019re in there getting treatment right now. Everybody\u2019s in there doing some sort of recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jacobs gets going in second half | At halftime, Josh Jacobs had just 8 yards on six carries. But the Lions defense clearly wore down in the second half, and Jacobs wound up with 66 yards (including a 3-yard touchdown) on 19 attempts.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, we knew. They said it all week: \u2018Stop 8,\u2019\u201d Jacobs said of the Lions\u2019 defensive approach. \u201cTheir goal was to stop 8. They had eight, nine in the box all game. I told the receivers, \u2018Take it personal.\u2019 They were basically saying if they stopped me, then they win the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jacobs is one of the Packers\u2019 seven season-long captains who had C patches on their jerseys on Sunday, along with Love, McKinney, Isaiah McDuffie, Quay Walker, Tucker Kraft and Rashan Gary.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know you guys saw the C\u2019s on the jerseys, and that\u2019s a reason why [Jacobs is a captain],\u201d LaFleur said. \u201cHe told me even after the game, \u2018Hey, I just want to win, period.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cCredit to the Lions, we knew going into this game, they were going to load the box, play man coverage and try to take Josh Jacobs away, and so you have to combat that somehow some way, and we had to do that through the passing game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spreading the wealth | Although Love completed only 16 passes on the day, they went to an eye-popping 10 different pass-catchers. Jayden Reed (three catches, 45 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown) and Romeo Doubs (two catches, 68 yards, including a 48-yard deep ball to set up Reed\u2019s TD) led the way while Dontayvion Wicks, Tucker Kraft and Matthew Golden also had two catches apiece.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it just goes to show you the depth we have at receiver, tight end and running back,\u201d Love said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got playmakers all around and guys who can come in here and catch the rock and make plays. I think that\u2019s what you want as an offense, be able to spread the wealth around, and keep the defense on their heels on who we\u2019re going to be targeting.\u201d<\/p>\n
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