Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is downplaying a potential facemask penalty that wasn't called on the decisive play of Sunday's overtime playoff loss at Arizona.
There's always going to be one or two plays in the game where you wonder should there be a call, shouldn't there be a call, but those are out of my control," Rodgers told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "The things I worry about are the things I can control. I made some mistakes in the game. Those are the ones I'm thinking about. Not a potential facemask on that."
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With the Packers facing third-and-6 on the first series of overtime, Cardinals cornerback Michael Adams blitzed Rodgers and knocked the ball out of the quarterback's grasp. The ball bounced off Rodgers' foot and into the hands of linebacker Karlos Dansby, who ran in for a touchdown to give Arizona a 51-45 victory.
Adams appeared to grab Rodgers' facemask on the play, but officials didn't throw a flag. Rodgers didn't complain Monday, saying he was more concerned about his own mistakes.
The NFL issued an explanation of the rule, noting that "twisting, turning or pulling" the facemask is a 15-yard penalty, but the penalty for an "incidental" grab of the facemask was eliminated before the 2008 season.
Rodgers believed the Packers had an opportunity to win the game before that. Rodgers had wide receiver Greg Jennings wide open on the first play from scrimmage in overtime, but the quarterback overthrew him.
"The one play I was thinking about laying in bed was the first play of overtime," Rodgers said. "Unfortunately, just missed Greg on that one that could have ended the game. But they made a play in overtime, you have to give them credit for that."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
