McCarthy regrets two 'game management' decisions

DETROIT, Mich. -- Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy admitted his timeout with 17 seconds left in the first half was a mistake.

The Detroit Lions were content to run out the clock and head to the locker room, but McCarthy made them run another play with 17 seconds left. With the Packers starting the second half with the football, it was an odd decision.

It almost became disastrous when Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford completed a 53-yard pass to receiver Corey Fuller following the timeout, putting Detroit in field goal range.

"That was a poor decision on my part, the time out at 17 seconds," McCarthy said. "There's too much risk in the decision. I was trying to create a long field goal opportunity for Mason (Crosby) because he had an incredible pregame. Wrong decision. Wouldn't do that again."

Lions kicker Nate Freese missed a 41-yard field goal on the half's final play, bailing McCarthy out. It was the second straight week the Packers avoided being hurt by a curious decision near the end of the first half.

Last week, a surprise onside kick almost gave the New York Jets a field goal, but cornerback Tramon Williams' interception kept points off the board.

McCarthy said he also regretted making the Lions retry their kickoff after being offsides in the fourth quarter. On the retry, Packers tight end Brandon Bostick was called for holding, giving Green Bay the football at Detroit's 10-yard line.

Looking back, McCarthy said, he wished he would have tacked on the 5-yard penalty to the end of the kick, setting up the Packers at the 25-yard line.

"Those were two game management decisions I wish I had back," McCarthy said.

-rwood@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @ByRyanWood