Rodgers preaches patience after Packers’ skid grows to 4 | WGN 720 Radio

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers’ frustration after his fourth straight loss was familiarly evident. This time, the Packers quarterback was more careful with his words.

A week after suggesting some players should be benched and citing too many mental lapses after a 23-21 loss to Washington, Rodgers was more understated Sunday night. He preached patience after a 27-17 loss to the AFC-leading Buffalo Bills that dropped the Packers to 3-5, their worst eight-game start since Rodgers took over in 2008.

“The most important thing is to get into a rhythm,” Rogers said. “After such a disappointment, the last thing you want is to respond with emotion. So take a hit. Let him sit. There’s nothing to say after the game that can really excite the team.”

Rodgers snapped a 13-game winning streak in primetime and the Packers lost four straight for the first time since 2016. Rodgers responded to that midseason slump by saying the Packers could “run the table.”

They won their next eight en route to the NFC Championship Game.

Rodgers said Sunday night that the Packers just need to find a way to get one win.

“I feel like if we just get one, our whole momentum changes,” Rodgers said.

The Packers haven’t lost five of their first eight games since 2006, when Brett Favre was the team’s starter. Their third double-digit loss of the year is tied for the most all season with Rodgers at quarterback. The five losses are the most in a single season under coach Matt LaFleur in 2019 and the most since a 6-9-1 finish in 2018.

Now, the three-time NFC North champions face a tough climb in the division standings after falling behind the Minnesota Vikings (6-1) three times.

What encouraged Rodgers was the energy he felt from his teammates leading up to the game, noting that it “felt like the Packers again.” The only problem was how it didn’t carry over into the outing, which saw Green Bay trail 24-7 at halftime.

After Buffalo’s first 3-and-out in the season opener, the Packers defense allowed touchdowns on three straight possessions and field goals on the next two before rallying to intercept Josh Allen twice in the fourth quarters.

Lafleur said the Packers need to play with more discipline.

Green Bay had eight penalties for 58 yards, including a pass interference penalty on tight end Robert Tonian that spoiled a touchdown on the first series of the second half.

“We’re getting hammered with penalties,” Lafleur said. “It takes points off the board. It expands the discs.’

LaFleur was especially displeased when linebacker Quay Walker was ejected in the second quarter for shoving an inactive Bills player on the sideline, further weakening a defense that also lost leading cornerback De’Vondra Campbell to a knee injury.

“When it gets rough, you have to keep your composure,” Lafleur said. “There will be mistakes in this game. But to lose my composure, to lose my composure, to put the team at risk, I don’t tolerate that.”

Walker regretted his emotional reaction, saying it was triggered after he was pushed from behind after he tackled running back James Cook.

“I probably misinterpreted what it was,” Walker said. “I just felt the push and I’m on their side. Feelings just flow. I’m very hyped and stuff like that. And I just let it out out of emotion. As soon as I did it, I regretted it. But it’s something I’m going to have to live with and I’m going to have to face it.”

Emotions ran high before the game, with Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander and Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs exchanging words in the tunnel before and after pregame warmups.

While Green Bay’s running attack combined for a season-best 208 yards, the Rodgers-led passing attack was limited by an injury-depleted receiving group. Christian Watson left the game with a concussion in the first quarter, further depleting a receiving group already missing Allen Lazard (shoulder) and Randall Cobb (ankle).

“We know we have everything in the locker room. We just didn’t put it together, said running back Aaron Jones, who rushed for 143 yards. “I feel like we did a great job in the running game. We just have to keep going, keep digging.”

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