Packers Looking to Clean Up Costly Penalties Ahead of Chippy NFC North Rematch with Bears
As the Green Bay Packers gear up for a high-stakes rematch with the Chicago Bears, head coach Matt LaFleur isn’t sugarcoating what needs to change. Three days out from the NFC North clash, LaFleur made it clear: if the Packers want to come out on top, they’ve got to tighten up the discipline - especially with a roster that’s already been thinned by injuries.
Against the Denver Broncos last week, the Packers were flagged 10 times - a mix of pre-snap miscues and emotional lapses that proved costly. And with a rivalry game on deck, where tensions are sure to run high, LaFleur is emphasizing one thing above all: composure.
“You’re talking about a rivalry game,” LaFleur said. “An NFC North rival.
It was chippy last time we played. So I would say that’s a pretty good indicator of how it’s going to be.
We’ve just got to make sure we maintain our poise.”
That poise was missing in Denver. The game started with a pregame scuffle and spiraled into three unnecessary roughness calls, highlighting how quickly things can unravel when emotions take the wheel.
LaFleur didn’t excuse the pregame dust-up - he’s seen it before, and while it’s not ideal, it’s part of the emotional fabric of football. But once the game starts, he expects better.
“It’s an emotional game. There’s a lot invested in this, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to keep your poise.”
Targeting Emotional Penalties: ‘That’s Not Winning Football’
The penalties that really stuck with LaFleur were the ones that showed a lack of control - the kind that can flip momentum or kill drives. He pointed to a late hit by second-year nickel back Javon Bullard on Broncos receiver Troy Franklin. Bullard tossed Franklin to the ground after the whistle - a clear flag.
“You can’t dump a guy when his feet are off the ground,” LaFleur said. “I don’t think it was a crazy, egregious penalty, but it’s about awareness.”
But the one that really drew LaFleur’s ire? Kingsley Enagbare’s unnecessary roughness penalty on punter Jeremy Crawshaw. After feeling like he was held and didn’t get the call, Enagbare let his frustration get the better of him - and the team paid the price.
“That’s what I’m talking about - the emotion of the game,” LaFleur said. “He took it out on the punter.
Like, we can’t do that. That’s not winning football.”
LaFleur made it clear that these kinds of emotional outbursts can’t happen - especially in games with playoff implications. He’s not just telling his players to stay calm; he’s challenging them to hold each other accountable when someone starts to lose control.
“If guys see a guy losing his mind, they’ve got to grab him.”
This isn’t just about avoiding flags - it’s about playing smart, situational football. LaFleur referenced a key penalty the last time the Packers faced the Bears, one that was within their control. In a game that could decide the division, those moments matter.
“The unsportsmanlike really bothered me,” LaFleur added. “Football is a game of emotion, but you can’t allow the emotion of the game to put you in a spot where you go out and do something that costs the team.”
Offensive Line Penalties Return at the Worst Time
While the emotional penalties were frustrating, the return of pre-snap issues on offense was just as concerning. The Packers had made strides cleaning up those mistakes earlier in the season, but in Denver, they came roaring back.
Half of Green Bay’s penalties came from the offensive line. Left tackle Rasheed Walker was flagged four times - two false starts, an ineligible man downfield, and an offensive holding call that was declined. Rookie Anthony Belton also had a false start, and tight end John FitzPatrick was penalized for an illegal shift.
LaFleur didn’t hold back when addressing the issue.
“We’ve got to be better than that,” he said. “We’ve got to pay attention, we need urgency out of the huddle.”
He pointed to the timing and rhythm of the offense - or lack thereof - as a root cause. In a hostile road environment, where communication is already a challenge, being late out of the huddle only compounds the problem. That delay leads to rushed execution and, often, flags.
“Those penalties are a byproduct of some of that stuff,” LaFleur explained. “The point of emphasis is the sense of urgency in terms of getting into the huddle, hearing the call, and then getting to the line of scrimmage. And then you better know your plan inside and out.”
One penalty LaFleur was slightly more forgiving about was FitzPatrick’s illegal shift. He noted inconsistency in how those calls are made across the league, but even then, he wasn’t letting it slide.
“Sometimes it’s tighter than others. They had a couple illegal shifts that didn’t get called, so it is what it is.”
No Drama in the Handshake - Just Football Ahead
One thing LaFleur isn’t losing sleep over? The quick postgame handshake with Bears head coach Ben Johnson after Green Bay’s win two weeks ago. When asked about it, LaFleur brushed it off.
“I didn’t think much of it,” he said.
Johnson, who stirred the pot a bit with his comments back in January about enjoying beating LaFleur twice a year, has helped turn the Bears into a surprise NFC North leader. And while the rivalry has gotten a little more fiery, LaFleur is keeping the focus on the field.
“It’s obviously a challenge for both teams involved,” he said. “But that’s what makes this league so great - the competitive balance. Watching two really good teams late in December go at it with a lot at stake.”
The Bottom Line
For the Packers, the margin for error is shrinking. Injuries have tested their depth, and now discipline is under the spotlight. If they want to stay in the hunt and take down a surging Bears team, they’ll need to clean up the mental mistakes and keep their cool in what promises to be a hard-fought, emotional showdown.
Rivalry games always bring intensity. The question for Green Bay is whether they can bring the fire - without getting burned.