Pettine chews out defense over mistakes

GREEN BAY – As Green Bay Packers players saw Monday, more than scheme separates defensive coordinator Mike

Pettine from predecessor Dom Capers. Capers, a quiet, analytical mind, was always calm through nine seasons orchestrating the Packers’ defense. If something was amiss, defensive tackle

Kenny Clark said, Capers often relied on his veteran leadership to address teammates.

Pettine, with his bald head, dark shades and “Blunt Force Trauma” nickname, has an intensity that matches his demeanor. He also has a reputation for not shying from confrontation when warranted.

So it was Monday.

Almost a third of the way through a 30-minute walkthrough to close the final open organized team activities session, Pettine, unhappy with his players’ attention to detail, stopped the drill. He called them into a huddle on the field, resetting their focus for the final 20 minutes.

“Two different personalities,” veteran cornerback Tramon Williams said, laughing.

Clark, the third-year defensive tackle who is gaining familiarity with Pettine’s coaching style, also laughed when asked if he could imagine Capers stopping a drill to deliver a fiery message.

“No,” he said finally. “Dom was more quiet. We had a lot of older guys. I would say our defense is more younger. So Julius (Peppers) and Mike (Daniels) and

Clay (Matthews) and all those guys, if we did get one of those situations, I think Dom would let the leaders do that.”

Rookie linebacker Oren Burks said Pettine addressed “sloppy mistakes” he was noticing during the walkthrough, particularly with on-field communication. Clark and Williams said Pettine demanded more focus.

“Just not wasting the day,” Williams said. “We didn’t have the energy that we normally have.”

Clark said it was the first time Pettine has paused practice for admonishment. It may not be the last.

Williams played under Pettine for one season with the Cleveland Browns. He said Pettine carries his intensity onto the practice field.

“Coach Pettine believes in football stuff, not schematics stuff,” Williams said. “As a player, that’s what you love in a coach. If he tells you to go out there and do what you do, that’s what you love to hear from a coach. That’s what coach Pettine is really about.”

Rodgers on ‘conjecture’: Aaron Rodgers addressed an NFL Network report from over the weekend that he was seeking opt-out options in his contract-extension talks.

“I don’t talk about it to the media and I don’t think my agent (David Dunn) is, either,” Rodgers said his contract negotiations. “A lot of it is just conjecture and stories that aren’t really based in factual interactions or misrepresented actions. I think that’s just part of it.

“It’s kind of a slow period for football right now and we’re heading into the summer, when there’s not much to talk about unless somebody gets arrested or injured in the off-season or something happens on the Fourth of July. That’s usually stories you get from now until training camp.”

Asked whether he had a deadline in mind for getting the deal done, Rodgers said, “No. That’s why I’ve got my agent. He’s handling the conversations. I’ve got two years left on my deal so I don’t have a drop-dead date.”

No long-term impact: Maintaining his support for the Packers charity softball game that’s been held for 25 years, coach Mike McCarthy said he won’t overreact to Matthews’ broken nose.

Matthews suffered the injury Saturday when offensive lineman Lucas Patrick smacked a liner up the middle, hitting his teammate in the face. McCarthy said the plan is for Matthews to have surgery by the middle of this week. It isn’t expected to affect Matthews’ long term.

What could have been a serious injury developed into a more lighthearted situation 48 hours later.

“I think he needs to work on his offhand, mitt side, on the release of the ball,” McCarthy quipped Monday. “That’s what the tape showed me.”

After being knocked to the ground, Matthews covered his face with his glove and immediately walked off the field at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute. He was later taken to a local hospital. Receiver Davante Adams, Matthews’ co-captain, began pitching from behind a batting practice screen after the unfortunate play.

McCarthy said he won’t pull out of the game because of the fluke accident.

“I think it’s great on a number of fronts,” McCarthy said. “Anytime your players give back (to) charity, involved in the community, it’s a great day for the fans. I mean, they sell out every year. It’s on its fourth player identity with the softball game. So, yeah, I’m not going to overreact to this.”

Patrick said he has talked frequently with Matthews since the incident, including Monday. The backup guard was clearly shaken by the unfortunate incident, saying he felt terrible. He wishes the batting practice net had been inserted sooner.

“It’s one of those fluke things,” Patrick said. “Looking back, after they put the net out, it just took one guy like me to hit the face of the franchise to realize we need a net.”

There was no ill will between Matthews and Patrick after the incident, Patrick said. Instead, he credited Matthews for helping him feel better.

“I went up, and he was as calm and cool as could be,” Patrick said. “He’s a tough guy to hop up like he did. He

helped settle my nerves.”

Staying away: Randall Cobb and Mason Crosby practiced Monday after missing last week’s voluntary open OTA session, but one uninjured player remained absent.

Safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix continued to stay away from the Packers’ from the Packers’ voluntary workouts. It’s unclear whether the fifth-year safety will attend next week’s mandatory minicamp. McCarthy said he’s considering excusing veterans from minicamp – as he has done in the past – so perhaps Clinton-Dix won’t be required to attend.

Regardless, Clinton-Dix isn’t required to attend OTAs, even though most Packers players usually participate. McCarthy said he isn’t worried about Clinton-Dix’s ongoing absence.

“There’s really no need to get into attendance,” McCarthy said. “We’re having a really good off-season. Ha Ha, just like a number of veterans, when we start the off-season program, we go through everybody’s individual schedule. Things do come up. So he’s had a personal situation that he’s attended to, so I have no concerns.”