Aaron Rodgers: Packers Need To 'Dig Deep' After Latest Loss
The Green Bay Packers quarterback spoke without hesitation following Sunday's humiliating 15-9 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.
"I had some s—-ty throws," Rodgers said of his season-high three interceptions.
It took him far longer to come up with a reason why he feels his club can turn around a 3-6 season that has now been marred by five straight defeats, including Sunday's setback to a squad that had previously won one game and was surrendering a league-high 32.1 points per game.
Thirteen seconds of thought before his response.
"I've been counted out a lot in my life."
"I've been counted out many times in my life, as have many of my teammates," Rodgers said. "I just hope we dig deep and find a solution." "We will be true underdogs in many games going forward." Hopefully, we can accept that. "We've got to go win those two games in a week, and then this thing will look a little different."
Rodgers was alluding to the upcoming games against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday and the Tennessee Titans the following Thursday. With the following game against the unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles, the Packers' next three opponents had a collective record of 19-4.
As bad as the Packers have been this season, Rodgers set a new low against the Lions. His three interceptions all occurred within 25 yards of the Lions' 25-yard line, with two of them coming in the red zone. Prior to Sunday, he had never thrown two red zone interceptions in his career.
"They dared us to pass the football," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said of the red zone possessions. "Obviously, we need to do something new because we're not throwing and catching at a level suited to winning football."
It says a lot about the Packers' offensive that a team daring Rodgers to defeat it with his arm.
He threw the first interception off Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes' helmet. It landed in the clutches of safety Kerby Joseph, who also intercepted Rodgers' third pass of the game when he undercut a shot down the middle intended for tight end Robert Tonyan. In the interim, Rodgers fumbled a tackle-eligible ball intended for left tackle David Bakhtiari, and Lions defensive end Aiden Hutchinson intercepted it in the end zone.
"I was an s—-ty player, but I never gave up," Rodgers stated.
"In the first half, we moved the ball nicely, and I threw a few interceptions in the end zone, which knocked points off the board," he continued. "That clearly came back to bite us in the end."
During the game, Rodgers lost two receivers (Romeo Doubs, ankle, and Christian Watson, tested for a concussion) and running back Aaron Jones (ankle), and he was already missing Randall Cobb. On Sunday, he completed only 10 of 23 throws to receivers, a 43.5% completion rate that was his lowest since Week 5 of 2019. That has been a pattern during the Packers' five-game losing run, during which he has completed 51% of his wide receiver throws, compared to 74% during the Packers' 3-1 start.
"You can live with that if you come out and execute to the best of your abilities as a team and you just fall short because the other team made more plays, right?" "But what else can you say about it if you come out and leave points on the field and the chance is squandered?" Packers tight end Marcedes Lewis said. As I have stated, this league is merciless. It will swiftly humble you, and the margin for error is limited. "We didn't make enough plays today, and that's what happened."
Rodgers seemed upset many times on Sunday, either during or immediately after a poor offensive series.
"I'm sure he's as frustrated as we are," LaFleur added. "I don't believe we've ever been in this [position]." I know we haven't been in this circumstance throughout my time here. And, clearly, I don't believe he's been in this circumstance too much in his career. It's depressing and annoying. But, yes, I believe that we all need to do a better job of regulating our frustration.
As outspoken as Rodgers has been, he has denied being unhappy and has stated that he does not wish he had retired last offseason, as he previously claimed.
"I believe that is an exaggeration," Rodgers stated. "Frustration and misery are two distinct feelings." So, when I chose to return, I went all-in, and I don't make decisions and then have regrets about them. So I went all-in, and this year has certainly taught me a lot of life lessons, but thankfully, they aren't done. "We'll be counted out, possibly by many, and we'll see how we respond," says the coach.
