Matt LaFleur apologizes to Packers fans following win
Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers escaped with a win on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals and it was not pretty. The Packers needed overtime and a bit of luck to overcome the up-and-coming Bengals. Green Bay was finally able to secure the victory after kicker Mason Crosby connected on a 49-yard field goal to win the game.
Because of that overtime debacle, LaFleur felt the need to apologize to his fans who had to endure the twists and turns of the heart-pounding win.
LaFleur apologizes
“And I think that it was just a hard-fought football game,” he said during his post-game press conference. “Apologies to all the Packer fans out there I’m sure there’s some high blood pressure going on throughout the entirety of the game. Especially there at the end, but the bottom line is we are 4-1 and you don’t get style points. So however we find ways to win that’s going to benefit us I think later in the season.”
Despite the errors at the end of the game, LaFleur was proud his team hung in to get a win.
“What a game. You know, you always feel good after a win. I think everybody in that locker room is pretty exhausted right now, including myself and I was out there playing,” he said. “But that was the epitome of resiliency from our football team and I couldn’t be more proud of those guys. It was far from perfect. I think a lot of that you gotta give the Bengals a ton of credit, I got so much respect for their coaches, their players. I think Zacks don’t unbelievable job instilling just a great culture there, and then when you combine that with really good players then you get a chance each and every week.”
The final two minutes
The game was indeed a hard-fought and tight contest between the two teams. But what caused high blood pressure for Packers fans was the back and forth kicking battle to end the game. In the final two minutes of the game, there was a total of three missed field goals. Veteran kicker Mason Crosby started off by missing a 36-yard field goal-wide left. The Bengals then preceded to run the clock down to 26 seconds and send out their kicker Evan McPherson for a 57-yard attempt. He missed doinking the right upright. This left Aaron Rodgers just enough time to set up their kicker Crosby for another potential game-winning field goal, this time from 51 yards. He missed left again.
We’re going into overtime
In overtime, the excitement would continue With the Bengals quarterback Joe Borrow throwing an interception on the very first play of overtime. This set the Packers up in prime position on the Cincinnati 17-yard line. after two plays netting minus five yards, the Packers elected to kick a field goal on third down from Cincinnati’s 22-yard line. This time, it’s set up a 40 yard field goal which Crosby miss wide left for the third time. Not to be outdone, after the bangles drove the ball down to the Packers 32-yard line, McPherson Preceded to miss a 49-yard field goal wide left. What made it worse was the kicker’s celebration that ensued after believing he made the kick.
Finally, on the Packers’ next position Crosby lined up for his own 49-yard field goal and this time connected. The Packers won the game 25-22.
Needless to say, if there were any Packers fans that acquired high blood pressure or any other illnesses from this game, they can treat it with a good night’s rest after getting the victory. It was nice of LaFleur to apologize afterward but Packers fans would appreciate it if they never experience that again.