While the news of a sideline argument between Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy and quarterback Aaron Rodgers was one of the main storylines heading out of Sunday's slate of NFL Week 3 games, McCarthy didn't acknowledge the drama on Monday. The impression given was that he's more concerned with his team's performances going forward than answering questions about the spat between the two that was caught on camera during Green Bay's 34-30 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday.
The Packers fell to 1-2 with the loss, and according to The Wisconsin State Journal, the team is 21-24 in games decided by eight points or less since 2008 when Rodgers took the reins as a starting quarterback and the Packers are 6-18 in games decided by four points or fewer with McCarthy at the helm and Rodgers at signal caller.
McCarthy, who didn't acknowledge the spat on Monday, told The Journal not to read too much into those types of stats.
"We have examined it. We looked at it in the offseason," McCarthy told The Wisconsin State Journal about the team's trend of losing close games late. "But I think you have to be very careful when you take studies that have a lot of different teams, different circumstances, different variables, players involved. Let's be honest. [Sunday's] game was one of those different games. The way it started, the way the second, third quarter went, some of the officiating, some of the injuries, there's a lot that goes on there."
A video of the spat can be viewed here.
Green Bay fell behind early in the game, going down 14-0 following a Cincinnati touchdown on its opening drive and a fumble by Packers return man Jeremy Ross on the ensuing play that led to another seven points for the Bengals. Ross was cut following the game, a sign of the Packers growing frustration to start the season.
While the Packers loss on the field was a prominent story, especially after the team scored 30 unanswered points but still managed to cough up a 30-14 lead in the game, the noticeable clash on the sidelines between Rodgers and McCarthy was the prevalent story coming out of Sunday.
Following a seven-play drive by Rodgers and the Packers that ended up fizzling out on the Bengals' one-yard line and led to a Mason Crosby field goal, Rodgers was visibly upset at McCarthy on the sideline and seemed to be yelling at him over the play calling. Rodgers chalked it up as frustration and passion after the game, while alluding to the fact that it was a non-issue.
"We're both passionate about the game, and competitive," Rodgers told NFL.com after the loss. "We want to win very badly and, you know, I went over and talked to him after that. Just got on the same page. Needed to talk; we did, and we moved on."
Rodgers had a frustrating day as he threw multiple interceptions in a game for the first time since 2010. Despite the quarterback's insistence that it was just competition engulfing the two men, they were jawing at each other to the point where defensive lineman B.J. Raji had to separate them.
"We're both competitive," Rodgers said per NFL.com Sunday. "I think we were both frustrated all day. We couldn't have a lot of success in the red zone, kicked way too many field goals and turned the ball over."
Throughout the first three games of the season, Rodgers has a completion percentage of 66.4% while going 81-for-122 for 1,057 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions.
While McCarthy didn't speak of the incident Monday, if there is any frustration mounting with the Packers after losing two of the team's first three games, the team will get to simmer this week as it enters a bye week that came at a pretty good time for Green Bay.
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