Packers Beat Bears, But LaFleur Left Frustrated Over Missed Calls on Parsons
The Packers got the win over the Bears, but head coach Matt LaFleur walked off the field with more than a few questions-most of them directed at the officiating crew.
Micah Parsons, Green Bay’s dynamic linebacker and one of the league’s most disruptive pass rushers, was held without a sack on the day. That stat alone raised eyebrows, but LaFleur made it clear postgame that it wasn’t for lack of effort-or opportunity.
“I don’t know. I don’t know,” LaFleur said when asked about the lack of holding calls against Chicago. “I thought there was one that certainly was questionable, to say the least, but apparently the officials disagreed.”
LaFleur didn’t dive into specifics, but the frustration was written all over his face-and his sideline conversations during the game told the same story. He acknowledged having some pointed discussions with the officials but chose not to repeat the details.
“I’m not going to get into what we were talking about,” he said. “Officials, I don’t think their jobs are easy by any stretch - I think it’s a difficult job - but I guess I don’t know what holding is anymore because I thought it was a pretty clear and obvious hold.”
That’s the kind of comment that walks the line between criticism and diplomacy. LaFleur wasn’t out to torch the refs, but he wasn’t hiding his disappointment either.
On another play involving Parsons, LaFleur doubled down on his confusion.
“I thought he got grabbed, and I thought that was a penalty,” he said. “But again, I’m not an official.”
It’s not often you see Parsons kept off the stat sheet in the sack department. His speed off the edge and relentless motor usually force offenses to scheme around him-and even then, he finds a way to make an impact.
That’s what made Sunday’s performance so puzzling. The Bears clearly had their hands full, and according to LaFleur, they might’ve had their hands on Parsons a little too often.
Despite the officiating concerns, the Packers came away with the win. But LaFleur’s postgame tone made one thing clear: just because the scoreboard favored Green Bay doesn’t mean he was satisfied with everything he saw-especially from the guys in stripes.
In a league where inches matter and momentum can swing on a single call, coaches are going to fight for their players. On Sunday, LaFleur was fighting for Micah Parsons. And he’s not convinced the officials were seeing the same game he was.