Why did Matt LaFleur apologize to a Packers reporter?

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was in a much calmer mood when he spoke to reporters on Friday.

He was understandably frustrated immediately following the Packers' loss to the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football and didn't appreciate some of the questions put to him.

LaFleur started and finished his press conference on Friday by apologizing to longtime Packers reporter Pete Dougherty. It was a classy move from the Packers' head coach.

Why did Matt LaFleur apologize to Packers reporter in press conference?

LaFleur didn't take too kindly to a question put to him by Dougherty in the moments following Thursday's defeat to the Lions.

Dougherty asked LaFleur what caused the Packers' first-half performance.

"You saw, Pete. We got our a** kicked. If I knew, it wouldn't have happened," said LaFleur. He followed by calling it "a B.S. question."

However, LaFleur took a moment to apologize to Dougherty on Friday. They had a laugh about it at the start of the press conference, and then LaFleur had one final comment as he left the podium.

"Thanks, guys. Have a good one," said LaFleur. Then, before leaving, he moved back toward the microphone: "Sorry, Pete."

It was a fun moment.

LaFleur wasn't in the mood on Thursday following the game, and it's hard to blame him. His team was humiliated in the first half, falling behind 27-3 in the opening two quarters. To get outplayed so convincingly in front of a national audience is never fun. It was easily the Packers' worst first-half performance under LaFleur.

He now has 10 full days to learn from the Packers' opening four performances and improve. It also gives injured players additional time to get healthy. Green Bay received a reality check from Detroit, but this team is still 2-2 with plenty of room to grow.

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