Jeff from Stafford, VA
I thought Lee's question about the Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh game and who to root for was a little obvious. I guess you were just trying to let us all know that China has given Hong Kong to Japan.
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! Congratulations, you're the only one that got it. Hong Kong is not in Japan, it's in China, on the good side.
Lance from Green Bay, WI
Hey, Vic, I just got asked to sign a petition to recall Vic Ketchman because of his smugness, arrogance and overall lack of journalistic integrity, but I declined. I figured you're so old you won't be around too much longer anyway.
So you've got that going for you, which is nice.
Libby (wonderful 59 years young) from Batesville, AR
Whose contracts are up next year, meaning which players could the Packers possibly lose in 2012 due to free agency?
Jarrett Bush, Jermichael Finley, Matt Flynn, Ryan Grant, Howard Green, Patrick Lee, Erik Walden and Scott Wells are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents. The Packers have no players scheduled to become restricted free agents.
Matt from Fishkill, NY
Top to bottom, which conference is better this year, NFC or AFC?
I think they're dead even. The Packers are head and shoulders above the crowd, but you can throw a blanket over the other contenders. I think we saw that last night with the Ravens and 49ers. That's a Ravens team that has lost to the Titans, Jaguars and Seahawks, but it "abused" the 49ers, the second-best team in the NFC.
Greg from Waterloo, Ontario
When people ask you a question that is really just a negative comment to a statement you made the day earlier, do you look for those just to give an amazing sarcastic remark? I personally love it and read this daily just for that.
I try to provide entertainment for the whole family.
Chris from Preston, UK
What is your reaction to the Suh incident yesterday?
My first reaction was that I wished he hadn't done it because it was going to make every question in my Friday inbox about what he did, and it nearly did. My second thought was that Suh must not like having money because he's sure gonna lose a lot of money for that little display. To me, it was like watching pro wrestling; it was all for show. The ramifications of that little stomping episode, however, are gonna be very real. They're going to hurt Suh's wallet and, possibly, his team's pursuit of a playoff spot. What he did is going to shine the light even brighter on his actions. Officials will train their eyes on him. He'll get away with nothing, and his teammates will be under closer scrutiny, too. The Lions were penalized 11 times yesterday. As soon as the flags started to fly, I thought to myself, "Suh." The mail in my inbox expresses outrage at what Suh did, and I'd like to be able to feign outrage, but I can't because what he did was laughable.
Rob from Liverpool, UK
You have said the defensive success yesterday was driven by scheme, coupled with the impatience of the Lions. Against other teams, does a whole new scheme need to be developed and, if so, can this latest win and defensive performance mean anything other than a one-game win?
Every week is different because every opponent is different. I covered a playoff game in 2007 when that same defensive game plan was used against Tom Brady. He and Randy Moss were tearing it up that season and Mike Smith, who was a defensive coordinator then, decided that he'd allow Brady to live underneath all night, but nothing deep would be permitted. So what did Brady do? He lived underneath all night. He completed 26 of 28 passes and never lost his patience and forced the ball into coverage. So, the game plan that worked yesterday against the Lions probably wouldn't work against Brady. There's no doubt in my mind that Dom Capers saw a Lions team with quick-strike ability and said, "No way is that gonna happen." I think he decided to test the patience of a young quarterback and a coordinator that doesn't like to run the ball. The interception by Robert Francois is the classic example of what happens when you force the ball into coverage. The receiver was completely surrounded by defenders. The pass would've had to have been dropped from a plane to have been complete. The scheme was simple genius by Capers, but he knows it's not likely to work the next time the two teams play. The Lions will be ready for it.
Zach from Washington, DC
Of the remaining games on the schedule, who do you think is the toughest challenge to the Packers? I think it's next week against the Giants.
It's possible the Packers will only play two more road games this season: at Giants and at Chiefs. Of the two, I think the game in New York appears to be a little more daunting. Plus, beating the Giants in New York late in the season would seem to be a rite of passage for undefeated teams. The Dolphins had to do it in the next-to-last game of the 1972 season, and the Patriots had to do it in the final game of the 2007 season. Yeah, winning in New York will be tough, against a Giants team that had its hopes ended in Green Bay last year, but the Packers have three rugged foes remaining on their home schedule, and the Packers win in Detroit yesterday has not blunted my regard for the Lions. The Lions have the talent to be a postseason threat. That's a good secondary that matched up pretty well with the Packers' receivers, until turnovers by the Lions offense turned the game decidedly in the Packers' favor. Don't go to sleep on the Lions.
Cody from Elgin, IA
The last "Ask Vic" was entitled "Suh does not like the Green Bay Packers." Ironic, after his actions. In that article you said you liked his mentality of not liking the Packers. How do you feel about him now?
He's a really good player who needs to refine his game and re-direct his energy. He's not the first player that's needed to calm down. Joe Greene's rookie season began with him spitting on a reporter and included being kicked out of games. Joe was also a helmet-thrower and kicker. He finished his career as the most distinguished professional football player I have ever known.
Wayne from Eau Claire, WI
Vic, I would like to get your take on the Packers deferring when they win the coin toss. I like the strategy. What do you think?
I think the whole coin toss thing is overrated. As long as you get the ball to start one of the game's two halves, what does it matter? It's all about personal preference. Do you want to get the lead or deny the lead? What I do think is important, however, is that you be consistent with your elections. Don't confuse your players. Don't keep them guessing. If you wanna defer, always defer. I think Mike McCarthy has been pretty consistent about his preference to defer. That's all; just be consistent. Don't try to be clairvoyant. Establish a plan for your coin-toss elections and then stick with the plan.
Eric from Fort Atkinson, WI
I know there is a lot of talk about Suh being a dirty player, but do you think Coach Schwartz is the reason Suh and some of the other players come off as dirty?
Coach Schwartz took over a dead-to-the-world football team that desperately needed someone to breathe life into it. No one accused the team Coach Schwartz took over of being dirty because the team Coach Schwartz inherited didn't hit anybody. It does now. Coach Schwartz is a defense-minded coach and the first thing he wanted to establish in Detroit was a hardnosed, punch-you-in-the-mouth attitude. All defensive-minded coaches wanna do that. It would be the foundation of the reconstruction of the Lions and Suh would be the cornerstone of that foundation. From 0-16 to playoff contender in three seasons? I think Coach Schwartz is doing just fine. There are worse things to call a football team than dirty.
Sue from Watertown, WI
If Francois was inactive (according to packers.com, he was), how did he get the pick?
Apparently, Robert Francois was listed incorrectly as being inactive on packers.com's home page. I apologize for the error. I checked the in-game chat Mike Spofford and I do and Mike offered this list of inactives at 10:00 a.m.: 31 CB Davon House, 57 LB Jamari Lattimore, 58 LB Frank Zombo, 73 G/T Ray Dominguez, 76 T Chad Clifton, 84 TE D.J. Williams, 97 LB Vic So'oto. A player that has been designated as "inactive" may not be activated during the game for any reason.
Bob from Cambridge, Ontario
Why is spiking the ball not considered intentional grounding? The QB doesn't leave the tackle box and there are no receivers in the area. What gives?
I get this question a lot and that surprises me because I just assumed that everyone knew the rules permit the ball to be spiked for the purpose of stopping the clock, and that there is a specific process for doing it. Rule 8, Section 2, Article 1, Item 3: Stopping the clock—A player under center is permitted to stop the game clock legally to save time if, immediately upon receiving the snap, he begins a continuous throwing motion and throws the ball directly into the ground. Item 4: Delayed Spike—A passer, after delaying his passing action for strategic purposes, is prohibited from throwing the ball to the ground in front of him, even though he is under no pressure from defensive rushers.
