Randy from Portage, WI
I must say I was more than a little jealous when you mentioned being there for Favre's first start. Wow! I recall watching that game in Kansas, of all places. Any sense of the greatness to come in him?
I didn't sense greatness, but I remember saying to one of the other reporters that Green Bay's quarterback is pretty good. You could see it. I even think the Falcons saw it; they drafted him, right? He had a wild side to him that had to be tamed. Mike Holmgren found a way to work with it and, ultimately, live and win with it.
Jeff from Scranton, PA
Vic, is Lambeau electric today?
I looked out my kitchen window this morning when it was still dark. With the leaves having fallen, I could see between the houses a greenish light in the distance. I wondered to myself what is that light? No, it wasn't from the sewage treatment plant. Then I figured it out. It's the north end zone scoreboard at Lambeau Field. So, yes, Lambeau is electric today.
Steve from Minocqua, WI
Vic, the Bears and Vikings were dreadful in their first games under coaches Fox and Zimmer, and now are pretty good. The Packers were 4-8 in Coach McCarthy's first year before finishing 8-8. Does it take that long for a team to buy into a new coach's system? What else is at play?
Chuck Noll was 1-13, Bill Walsh was 2-14 and Jimmy Johnson was 1-15. That's a combined 4-42 in the first seasons of three of the greatest dynasties in NFL history. Yes, it takes time for a coach, even a great coach, to root his system. You have to convince your players to buy into it, you have to teach them how to execute it, and in most cases you have to find some new players, too. One more thing: You need the belief and support of your owner and the team's fans.
John from Mequon, WI
Vic, regarding kicking walk-off field goals on third down, have you ever seen an instance when a botched third-down try resulted in a fourth-down kick? I can't remember any.
It happened a few years ago in a Browns-Steelers game.
Chad from Tarpon Springs, FL
In huge rivalry games, and this is a huge one, do the players want to pain the other?
Not anymore. I sincerely hope and believe those days are over.
Luke from Edgar, WI
When the offensive line is healthy, do you think the Packers will run the ball more?
I think we're going to see some serious run the ball tonight, by both teams.
Aidan from Manchester, UK
Vic, another London announcement day and another disappointment, as Green Bay isn't heading over here for a road game in 2016. Word is the Jaguars decided against giving up their 2016 game, instead surrendering a divisional game against the Colts. Short of some arm-twisting by the league, are the Packers simply too hot a ticket for teams to give up?
Yes, for teams with tickets to sell. It'll take the right combination of a non-division team on the Packers' schedule with no tickets to sell and willing to surrender a home game and make the trip to London.
Mark from Great Meadows, NJ
I read your comment last week about reinstating the rule of not allowing the offensive players to assist the ball carrier. I got the chance to meet Chuck Mercein when my son played football at Yale and he told me that in the famous photograph of the Starr sneak, Mercein can be seen at top of the pile with his hands raised. While most people believe he was signaling touchdown, he told me he raised his arms to show the refs he was not helping Starr across the goal line. Your comment reminded me of this conversation.
I'd like to go back to enforcement of that rule. The wording of the rule has been strategically and somewhat sneakily tweaked to allow blockers to assist the runner. I think it's a major player-safety issue. Ball carriers are getting caught in a human vice. The force on the ball carrier has to be crushing.
