Rudy from Rugby, ND
Well, we have another backup. He has a big contract. What is the hit on the cap?
At some point in Matt Flynn's recent travels – I'm inclined to believe it was after he was released by the Raiders – his big contract expired and he became a minimum-wage player. He's not a big hit on the Packers' cap.
Brandon from Saint Paul, MN
Your patience dealing with the entitled Packers fans is impressive, but it has to drive you nuts every day, right?
Nope. I love it. I love passion; I hate apathy. Packers fans are passionate and respectful. I think I'm bringing out some playfulness in them they previously didn't possess. I like playfulness. I like cuttin' up a little bit. It was a little stiff and sensitive in this column in my first year here. I think we're starting to loosen up. I love writing this column every day because I love the emails I get to my inbox and I love sparring with fans that can punch and take a punch.
Joe from Bloomington, IN
What's your take on why Ted Thompson put Wallace on injured reserve, rather than waive him? Would waiving him save any money on the cap?
It would not save money on the cap. Since Seneca Wallace is a vested veteran and the Packers were on the hook for his full year's salary, why pay that salary and release him? You could end up playing against him or he might be used for information on the Packers. These guys know what they're doing. There are lots and lots of rules you need to know to effectively manage a roster and a salary cap. You can rest assured Ted Thompson knows what he's doing.
Dale from Kingston, IL
I just read an article on Rodgers on nfl.com saying he would be back before Thanksgiving. Do you have any more information on this?
Aren't those the people that reported last week Aaron Rodgers would be out 4-6 weeks? I'm sorry, I don't have any solid information I could share with you, but I could lie to you if that would make you feel better. The way I figure, if I tell you one thing today and another thing tomorrow, one of them has to be right, right?
David from Laguna Beach, CA
If players (not plays) are the issue, whose fault is it? Does the defensive coordinator only scheme or is it also his job to coach the players in their football skills? Strikes me that you either teach your players how to execute the scheme or else you scheme within their abilities. In either case, the old "scheme was fine, we just didn't execute" line is wearing thin with me.
This is intolerable. Success must be achieved. There is no room for failure. I am David from Laguna Beach and I demand victory. You know, David, that old line is starting to wear thin with me. It's football. It's a game. There isn't one team in the league that doesn't have a weakness. I'm looking at the rankings and there are only two teams in the league, Cincinnati and Houston, that don't have a ranking in the 20's or 30's in the six offense/defense categories. Cincinnati is No. 18 in rushing and Houston is No. 16 against the run. Houston is the only team in the league that doesn't have a ranking in the bottom half of the league, and that could change quickly. The Packers' rankings are Nos. 3, 6, 5, 18, 13, 21; those are some of the best collective rankings in the league. The Chiefs are Nos. 24, 12, 27, 10, 24, 6, but they have the two-best numbers in the league, 9-0. The Chiefs beat the Bills because the Bills threw the ball directly into the hands of a Chiefs defender that returned the interception 100 yards for a touchdown. Lucky? Yeah, it was. The guy was just standing there. The guy he was supposed to be covering ran right by the defender and was all alone in the back of the end zone. The quarterback blew it and the defender got lucky. Great scheme? No. Great play? No. Just luck. It's a game.
Jean from Hartford, WI
Vic, love your column. I'm a nurse that works nights; that's when I read the column and the comments. I wish people would just take a collective deep breath. We all know stuff happens, even to the Packers. It's been great and now it's a little crappy, but I know it will be great again. Like you said, go read a book, go smell the snow. Be happy for the next sunrise and the next football Sunday.
Smell the snow. I love it. It sounds like a book title. I never smelled the snow when I was a kid because it always had a layer of soot on it. I can't wait for it to snow so I can smell it.
Kelvin from Warwick, UK
As an old friend from your Jags days, I still read the column but rarely ask a question, as I appreciate it's a forum ultimately for Packer nation. However, I just had to say I read "Manning (the one-and-done one)" and couldn't stop laughing for the rest of the day.
I wanna retract that. I can't help myself. I try not to do it and then it just happens.
Ben from Milwaukee, WI
I don't think we've talked about how winsome Packers fans are in a while, so here it goes. I was just in Pittsburgh for a few weeks and while I was there I noticed some similarities in the fan bases. They're the only two places I've been where it is completely normal to wear your team's jersey to church on Sunday and, based on callers to sports radio shows in the respective cities, many think they know what's best for the team. The only difference is Steelers fans are not winsome. It must be something in the cheese.
I've seen them in action. They are not winsome. I think they got some bad cheese.
