Packers’ Matt LaFleur on ‘The Wave,’ Vikings, Christmas, unfinished business

GREEN BAY, Wis. – After beating the New Orleans Saints on Monday, the Green Bay Packers take on the challenge of preparing for the Minnesota Vikings.

Over a short week and with Christmas.

Here are some highlights from coach Matt LaFleur’s press conference after the game.

Could Christian Watson play on Sunday?

“Potentially. We have some good news on him, so more than just a bruise. It was when the guy fell on him on the sidelines. Still need to be able to function. So we’ll see how he does is training this week and where we are.

The wave when the offense had the ball

“Yeah, I wasn’t really happy at the time. I love our fans and we have the best fans. I just wish they would have waited a few minutes until we went on defense and then waved non-stop.

The surge stopped when the defense was on the field

“It’s interesting. It’s an interesting perspective that I guess doesn’t really make sense to me, but I guess they weren’t worried about the outcome of the match. They were just having fun, which is what we want our fans to have fun, and usually when we win, they’re having fun.

On the piece by Zayne Anderson

“Yes, he did a remarkable job. It was a great moment for him. This happened on Saturday. So, Evan (Williams) did the majority of reps all week, and that just shows his ability to go out there and play at a high level, make key plays.

“It was cool to see after our Sunday visit, I’m walking around our CRIC zone and X (avier McKinney) has all the guys there and they’re going through some things, because we had Omar (Brown) there ., too. But it was cool to see.

“That’s what you want – you want to be player-led – so it was cool to see them go through the details that need to happen at that position.” DR [defensive backs coach Ryan Downard] was there too; I said, “RD is trying to steal extra practice time,” and he said, “No, it was all X.” But it’s really cool that it means as much to these guys as ‘They want to go out there and make sure they’re on top of their game, and we certainly were.

Are the Vikings Blitzing from the start of the season?

“Sure, it looks like it is. I haven’t looked at all the numbers, but (Vikings defensive coordinator Brian) Flores has done an outstanding job with this defense. I think it’s one of the toughest games to play in the National Football League.

“The numbers are the numbers. This is an elite defense and they have a lot of great players. They can put pressure on the quarterback and take the ball away from him. If you make a mistake in the passing game, they’ll make you pay because everyone on defense, including guys like (Andrew) Van Ginkel, (Blake) Cashman, all those guys have really good ball skills . That’s certainly the case for the secondary, and they did a great job of getting the ball out and getting a ton of sacks.

“And then you get into their environment, which is one of the toughest buildings to play in the league. So it’s going to be a big challenge for us and, frankly, I think we need it because we’re going to be hitting the road in the playoffs. It’s going to be a playoff atmosphere and a playoff game.

Brenton Cox’s play, which had only one rampage

“It’s a challenge when you have six D ends, and it’s definitely a privileged position that you just don’t want to get rid of. We’ve stayed relatively healthy, so it’s tough having all those guys in the rotation. When we traded P(Reston Smith) to Pittsburgh, it opened up an opportunity for Cox.

“I kept telling him throughout the season, ‘We’re going to get you back up, it’s just a matter of time.’ You have to keep working,” and he stayed with that mindset and continues to work every day and give us great looks whether he’s on the look team or getting a minimum repetitions in training. He always did an excellent job.

“It’s always fun to see him and Sheedo (Rasheed Walker) put in the work every day. It’s like two brothers going at it, but they’re always tackling it, competing and really pushing each other to be better.

Heading to playoffs, but Emanuel Wilson says ‘work isn’t done’

“Well, this game is all about the players and, at the end of the day, if your locker room is leading the way, you’re probably in a better position. These guys take it to heart and they understand. We still have two games ahead of us.

“We have a top team in this league, one of the best teams. They play at a very high level. What did they gain? Like eight in a row or something? This is almost unheard of in this league. We have a big challenge ahead of us.

“I just think it’s very important to stay focused on what’s right in front of you and focus on what you’re doing every day to try to make those incremental improvements that ultimately will make a difference, hopefully long term.”

What is Christmas like at Matt LaFleur’s house?

“I’m sure my boys will be up very early, wake me up.” We’ll open the presents, then I’ll come in here. That’s what we do, right? In years past it has sometimes been great to find that the schedule has become shorter and we have been able to give the guys the opportunity to be with their families at Christmas. Shoot, we played one year in Miami at Christmas.

“Every year is a little different, but we are lucky to be a part of this league and this team. I love the energy and vibe of our team right now, but, ultimately, this is just one step in the journey, and we have to continue to build on this foundation. What a great opportunity to take on one of the toughest environments against one of the toughest teams, knowing that this has to be our path to get to where we would ultimately like to go.

Latest Green Bay Packers News

Snaps, stud, miss, defining moment | Packers-Saints report card | The offense hits stride at the right time | Packers have injury issues with Vikings next | Packers beat Saints: What happened and what lies ahead | Packers beat Saints 34-0 | Stock report after Packers-Saints blowout | Will Toyota extend the Toyotathon? | Luke Musgrave added to 53-man roster | Three reasons why the Packers will beat the Saints | Injuries derail Jordan Morgan, MarShawn Lloyd | Frosty’s father emerges as a potential star | He’s ‘almost like Wolverine’