GREEN BAY – As the Green Bay Packers begin the NFC North portion of their schedule this week against the Minnesota Vikings, coach Matt LaFleur met with the media Nov. 19. Here are some highlights.

Matt LaFleur shares what ‘chaps my ass’ about drops

After the Packers dropped several passes in last week’s win against the New York Giants, LaFleur said there should “100%” be accountability for not catching the ball. It’s how that accountability is served that LaFleur said is most important.

“I think absolutely that’s part of your job responsibility,” LaFleur said. “My biggest concern, because there’s nothing that chaps my ass more than when somebody yells at a player, ‘Catch the ball.’ Like, no, give them a coaching point. It’s one thing if a, whether it’s a receiver, tight end, back, whatever it is – DB, for that matter – if you’re using poor technique when catching a ball in regards to you’re not being aggressive with your hands, you’re letting it cross your eyes, you’re letting it get into your body. It’s another thing when you’re aggressively attacking the ball.

“When I see guys that are kind of passive and allow it to get into their body, then you go coach them up, and they’ve got to show that improvement. You’ll never hear me say anything to a player out on the practice field as long as they’re using that aggressive mindset in going to attack the football. It’s when they allow it to get into their body.

“Even when they catch it, we will as a staff remind the guys, ‘Hey, go attack that ball. Use aggressive hands.’ I think it’s a mindset, a mentality, but in order to see that on Sundays, you better see it throughout the course of the week. Otherwise it’s not going to happen.”

LaFleur was reticent to blame the wind gusts of more than 30 mph in New York for the increased drops against the Giants.

“It was windy,” LaFleur said, “but it’s still, like, I never want to say that. Because it’s an excuse. Bottom line is, you’ve got to try to focus through the catch. Unfortunately, we had far too many drops. That’s just the way it was. Trust me, we’ll be working hard at it not to allow that to happen again.”

LaFleur knows difficult schedule awaits with critical division games

The Packers have let too many opportunities pass them by at this point in the season. Their three losses have each come by a field goal. In two, they were double-digit favorites to win.

It’s worth remembering as they begin a stretch of three straight games against NFC North opponents, and close their season with five division games in their final seven weeks. All offseason, the Packers’ priority was to prevent a repeat of last season’s 1-5 record against the division. They started well in Week 1 with a blowout win against the Detroit Lions but haven’t played a divisional opponent since.

The NFC North might not have the gaudy records of the NFC West, but it’s a high-floor division with no perceived easy weeks. Their home matchup against the 4-6 Vikings might be the closest they get. They’re 6.5-point favorites this week, but LaFleur knows his team can take nobody lightly.

“I think you can speak to the strength of the league in terms of the competitiveness,” LaFleur said of the NFC North’s depth. “It’s like every week somebody that is perceived shouldn’t win ends up winning a game. I think it’s a great lesson for all of us involved in this thing is, you can’t rest for one second. I mean, you’ve got to attack, and it’s not just every game. It’s every single moment when you’re on the field. Every play is so critical because the margins are, in my opinion, as slim as I can ever remember it.”

This article originally appeared on Packers News: Packers Matt LaFleur shares what bothers him most about dropped passes