Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has reason to be disappointed after their 20-17 loss to the Detroit Lions. Regardless of how the green and gold played, one cannot ignore the controversial officiating calls levied against the Packers, which FOX’s Tom Brady said “killed” their game.

Here’s what head coach Matt LaFleur’s has to say about it all:

“I don’t think officiating in this league is very easy. I really don’t,” LaFleur said, via USA Today’s Ryan Wood on October 27. “I think things happen quickly, and there’s some bang-bang decisions they have to make. So I don’t think they have an easy job. All you want as a coach is consistency.”

Though LaFleur’s take was measured, a recap of the game will show instances of a visibly frustrated LaFleur. By all means, penalties held back the Packers from slowing the Lions down. At one point, the Detroit Lions didn’t even hold back from celebrating a penalty on the Packers.

Facing a third-and-five with the scores tied at 17 in the fourth quarter, the Lions were able to draw a neutral zone infraction on Packers defensive tackle Karl Brooks. Nearly everyone on that Lions offense was pulling some sort of celebratory jig to drive the knife deeper into Green Bay’s wound.

One key instance that drew criticism was late in the fourth quarter was when Brooks got flagged for roughing the passer.

Packers defensive end Brenton Cox Jr. was also flagged for roughing the passer on an incomplete pass by Goff. Lions center Cade Mays was already holding on to Cox’s lower body, causing him to lose balance. He landed both his hands on Goff, who was seen tumbling over.

Probably the instances the Packers found most outrageous also came in the game’s third quarter. Right after Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown caught a short pass from Goff, he was tackled by Packers linebacker Isaiah McDuffie and went down. But hearing no whistle, he assumed the play was still alive and started running again, prompting DT Devonte Wyatt to tackle him again.

St. Brown collided with umpire Terry Killens Jr. in the process, who proceeded to throw a flag against Wyatt before he was even off his back on the ground. McDuffie and Wyatt both claimed they didn’t hear a whistle that confirmed the play was dead the first time St. Brown fell.

Head referee Alex Moore also said he couldn’t hear a whistle. But the play was ruled to be dead as St. Brown had already been tackled.

During the post-game media availability, LaFleur kept his comments brief and chose to not blame the officials for their Week 7 loss, despite being clearly displeased.

“I don’t even want to comment on any of the penalties,” LaFleur said. “I just — it is what it is. You got to play above it, and I thought there were some tough calls, but it is what it is.” 

Matt LaFleur may have chosen to temper his comments, but the Packers locker room seemed to have no such qualms. One of the loudest to criticize the rulings was safety Xavier McKinney, who went as far as to suggest that the referees calling out penalties, which McKinney claimed did not fall within the scope of penalties, ruined their momentum.

“I don’t know how the NFL’s going to treat it, but I’m not a big fan of the refs right now,” McKinney said. “I don’t think it’s great officiating, if I’m being completely honest. I think it’s b******* a lot of the times.” 

Cox also had an explanation for himself on the flag he earned:

“Maybe like stop in my tracks and like, I don’t know, I’m trying to give you a good answer but it’s disappointing that these are veteran guys — I’m not trying to go after the refs — well-informed guys, and I feel like you’ve got to know the difference between what’s intentional and what’s not,” he said after the game.

The Packers are now 4-3, and some believe Matt LaFleur’s job might also be threatened after the loss to the Lions. However, with his back against the wall in this game, he could perhaps get some breathing room.