The Green Bay Packers lost a tight division game to the Detroit Lions. With a few close calls and penalties being one of the bigger differences in the game, former All-Pro safety Xavier McKinney did not hold back in what he thought contributed to the loss.
McKinney said that the refs for sure cost the Packers the game in Week 7. He noted that the calls are hurting their chances.
“It’s kinda fucking up the games if I’m being honest,” said McKinney to reporters after the game.
McKinney realized that he was pushing the line of getting fined but did not care. He wanted to go to bat for his team.
“They gonna fine you for anything at this point in this league, so I would rather get fined and try to help my team out because I see what is going on and I see it’s killing us,” stated McKinney. “Everybody sees what’s going on. We see what’s going on when we are out there.”
McKinney said what makes him most disappointed is that he does not feel that quarterback Jordan Love gets the same calls.
Green Bay Packers Safety Xavier McKinney Calls Out Refs in Week 7 Loss
Coming into the game, the Packers had six roughing the passer calls against them, and they have not had one in their favor.
“We’re not seeing the same calls for our quarterback,” stated McKinney.
Detroit got two roughing the passer calls in the win. Green Bay had zero. Earlier in the week, head coach Matt LaFleur joked that his quarterback must not lobby the refs for calls as much as others.
“I think he needs to be more of an A-hole and lobby for those calls,” joked LaFleur.
Packers Disappointed by Refs
When asked his opinion on the refs, LaFleur took a higher route than McKinney.
“I don’t even want to comment on any of the penalties,” said LaFleur after the game. “It is what it is. You’ve got to play above it. I thought there were some tough calls, but it is what it is.”
McKinney added that while he does think the refs made things tougher, the team has to find ways to overcome them. A self-inflicted offsides penalty sealed the game and that penalty was hard to dispute.
“At the end of the day, we still have to find ways to go out there and win the game,” said McKinney. “But it makes it a little bit harder when the officiating is that way. If I’m being honest.”
The Packers have three losses this season. A key roughing-the-passer call impacted a drive against the Minnesota Vikings, giving the team a devastating loss. With the Vikings loss along with this one, the Packers players are starting to feel as though they can beat teams, but cannot beat the refs.
The team has to rebound quickly. They face the NFC South-leading Carolina Panthers on Thursday Night Football next week.
Packers All-Pro Gets Brutally Honest About Refs After Week 7 Loss