Packers Morning Buzz: New NFL rules protecting passers cut both ways

Welcome to your Morning Buzz, rounding up news and views regarding the Green Bay Packers from around the web and here at PackersNews.com.

The Packers let an eight-point lead slip away from them late in the fourth quarter Sunday and were fortunate to escape with a 29-29 tie against the Minnesota Vikings in a crucial NFC North showdown at Lambeau Field.

We'll start with Pete Dougherty's look at how the outcome could haunt the Packers all season, and his take on a controversial penalty.

 Pete writes:

Then there’s also the big unnecessary roughness against Clay Matthews in the final 2 minutes that I’m sure has Packers fans apoplectic. It wiped out a game-clinching interception and kept alive Kirk Cousins to take the Vikings to the game-tying score. Referee Tony Corrente said after the game he penalized Matthews because he “lifted (Cousins) up and drove him into the ground.”

That call looked shaky on replay, and no question, it was a big call. But really, the Packers can’t squawk too much or say it cost them the game. They still had their chances to get a stop or prevent the two-point conversation and didn’t come through.

And let’s face it, even if erring on the side of protecting the passer hurt them in this instance, in the long run it works very much in their favor. Rodgers is going to take fewer hard hits, which should help him play both longer and healthier. And by the way, the emphasis for protecting quarterbacks is there in large part because of the shot he took from Anthony Barr last year that broke his collarbone.

The thing the Packers can feel best about is that Rodgers appears to have come out of the game no worse for having played one week after injuring his left knee.

You can read Pete's whole column here:

Tom Silverstein writes about Aaron Rodgers' disappointment with the result after he worked all week to get his injured knee ready to go:

Ryan Wood examines the roughing penalty on linebacker Clay Matthews that incensed players and fans and may have cost the Packers a win:

Pete and Tom offer their three-minute analysis of the game's key elements:

The Packers' defense ran out of gas in the second half, writes Jim Owczarski:

Pete and Ryan went on Facebook Live to answer readers' questions:

And you can fire questions at Ryan on Monday around 1:30 p.m., after Mike McCarthy addresses reporters:

Rookie punter JK Scott put on a show for Packers fans:

Here was the scene at Matthews' locker after the game as he fielded questions about the controversial roughing penalty:

It was another day to savor for Jerry Kramer as the former Packers guard was honored at halftime:

What should have been a memorable day for Mason Crosby (who tied a regular-season career high with five field goals) ended in frustration:

The MMQB offers this take on the tie:

Expect to see a lot of Packers green and gold in the stands next Sunday in Washington:

ESPN's Rob Demovsky writes that the Packers still have much to prove:

And finally, be sure to listen to our Packers Podcast, recapping a wild day: