The Packers made one part of their offensive plan clear right out of the gate on Thursday night.
On their opening possession, quarterback Jordan Love completed a pair of passes to receivers being covered by Marson Lattimore and then picked up five more yards on a holding penalty by the veteran corner. That approach would continue throughout the night with a particular emphasis on motioning the receiver Lattimore was covering before throwing the ball to him and Lattimore picked up another holding penalty later in the game.
Lattimore gave up a long completion to Malik Heath later in the game and complained about the lack of a flag on Heath after the 27-18 loss while also taking issue with the penalties that were called on him.
“No, they were not [penalties]. And they missed one on the deep ball when he pushed off,” Lattimore said, via longtime Commanders reporter Ben Standig. “Go look at the film. There’s no way he read that much separation if I’m right there. They missed calls, they called calls that weren’t supposed to be calls. I don’t really think it was fair. It is what it is. Live to fight another day.”
Lattimore has now played seven games since being traded to the Commanders last season and Thursday’s penalties were the ninth and 10th he’s picked up since joining the team. He may quibble with those calls, but it seems that he needs to make some adjustments to his playing style if he wants the flags to stop flying.
