Brandon from Cherry Hill, NJ
I love the mysterious nature of Marshawn Lynch. Do you think the organization as a whole helped develop that mystery or is it the product of just one man? I think his stomach illness was feigned on Sunday. What do you think?
Jim Brown liked to get up slow, as though he was tired or hurt. Dramatic flair is good for the game.
Tom from Collegeville, MN
I saw on the news that Sunday's game against the Lions is being moved from noon to 3:25. Can you explain why the NFL did this?
I assume it's to maximize TV ratings and fully expose what's best about the NFL's product. You want to feature your best games. It could be worse. The Bengals and Steelers were moved to night.
Jesse from Eagan, MN
Don't get too excited now. As long as Seattle is in the way, nobody has a chance. It's almost unfair.
Oh, boy.
Paul from Merrill, WI
My wife and I are snowbirds in Florida and we attended our first road game in Tampa. In the years to come, I will probably forget most of the details of the game, but I will never forget the sheer numbers of Packers fans in attendance. We expected to see some green and gold, but we were overwhelmed. It was like we were attending a game at Lambeau. The Packers do have the greatest fans in the world, would you agree?
Absolutely. Our greatness is great.
Adam from Charlotte, NC
Aaron was hobbled early with a calf injury and had to deal with residual flu symptoms on Sunday. He still managed a solid performance with a rating over 100. Meanwhile, Stafford struggled against a mediocre Chicago team that's been caught up in a comical QB quagmire. I feel pretty good about the Packers' chances come Sunday. Don't you?
At home, in the cold against a dome team the Packers know inside and out? Yes, I feel good about the Packers' chances, but I don't think we fully appreciate the transformation of the Lions that Coach Caldwell has executed. That's a disciplined team. The days of wild offense and reckless defense are over. These days, the offense complements the defense, and vice versa. The Lions are playing as a team, not as separate units. Get ready for a slugfest. This one isn't going to be that 2011 shootout. This one is going to more closely resemble the Week 3 game in Detroit. The Packers defense peaked just in time for the most important game of the season.
Robert from Madison, WI
Vic, could you explain the playoff picture for the Packers, knowing they and the Lions have both clinched? What is on the line this week?
The NFC North title and the No. 2 playoff seeding position are on the line. In my opinion, the No. 2 spot in the NFC is favorable. I like the Packers on a week of rest and at home against any of the possible round-two opponents. In contrast, as a wild card the Packers could find themselves going to Dallas for the first round of the playoffs, and possibly on a short week. Give me the bye.
Stephan from Green Bay, WI
I don't like the Kuhn run call on third-and-goal; never have. Am I wrong to presume Lacy with a lead blocker is the most effective option in that situation?
Mike McCarthy said he regretted his second-down play call. "I wish I had the second-down play back. You have the best quarterback in the land and I didn't put the ball in his hand," McCarthy said after the game. That comment provides an interesting look inside the mind of the man that calls the Packers' plays. He's a wide open and aggressive play-caller.
Rob from Boulder, CO
It's come down to this. The Packers haven't lost at home all season. The Lions haven't won the division nor won in Green Bay in over 20 years. This will be the only game I attend this year. Win or lose, it's gonna be awesome. I feel blessed.
It's last year's finale in Chicago all over again. It's Roy Hobbs – or I should say Randall Cobb – all over again. I made the comment to Mike Spofford on the plane last night that this has been one of the longest seasons of my life, and I think the reason it's seemed that way is because I knew all along we were headed for this. It's almost as though everything until now has been a rite of passage. We've spent 16 weeks waiting for this. Finally, the season has arrived.
Andy from Belleville, MI
I was at the game yesterday and thought the crowd to be a healthy majority of Packers fans; not the 40 percent you said at halftime. Also, I think the defense had a perfect mix of scheme and execution on Sunday. Your thoughts?
Coach Capers was on fire yesterday. I couldn't call his coverages. I'd watch what I thought was cover two turn into cover one in presnap, and then what I thought was cover one turned into some kind of exotic zone with an accompanying blitz. Poor Josh McCown didn't stand a chance. The important thing is the Packers executed Coach Capers' schemes with precision. Last year at this time, the Packers were so staggered by injuries that they could do little more than play base, nickel and dime. I think the Packers really have something going on defense, and it's happening at the perfect time.
Peter from Seattle, WA
Vic, why is Packer nation scared to play "The Legion of Boom?"
First comes "The Legion of Lions."
Ryan from Wauwatosa, WI
Well, Vic, nice for the Packers to make the playoffs; would be nice to win the division, but it's all hard to enjoy because we all know, barring injury to Russell Wilson, this season ends with another loss in Seattle and another year in Rodgers' prime without a title. It makes everything else hard to look forward to over the next couple of weeks.
Wait a minute, I'll get my violin.
Jon from Lynn, MA
Vic, I would like to formally apologize to Morgan Burnett. He took a lot of grief last year from Packers fans, myself included. He is a heck of a player.
He took a lot of grief this past summer, too. My inbox was full of fans trying to find a way to pair Ha Ha with Micah Hyde. It really bothered me that a player coming into his prime was being treated with such disregard. Burnett has played as well this season as any player on the Packers defense.
Rick from Woodbury, MN
To support your theme of a team peaking at the right time, I did a little analysis. Comparing Green Bay's defensive statistics since the bye week to the other NFL team's year-to-date defensive stats, the Packers' last seven games would rank as follows: rushing 82.9 yards per game (third), passing 230.7 yards per game (11th), total defense 313.6 yards per game (fifth). Merry Christmas!
My inbox wanted to fire Coach Capers after a bad second half in a win that wasn't nearly as close as everyone wanted to believe.
Zahir from London, UK
Vic, it seems like teams going up against Seattle are already beaten psychologically even before taking the field. If Green Bay, and I get that there is a lot of football still to play, ends up going to Seattle for the NFC title game, what can it learn from its Week 1 loss there?
Don't overthink it. Just line up and do what you do best. That's what Seattle does. That's what wins championships.
Brian from Maple Grove, MN
Vic, early in the season you seemed to dismiss the importance of the losses, but now that the road to the Super Bowl runs through Seattle, they seem to loom large, don't they?
No, they don't. It was all there for the taking in Buffalo. Let's not forget that at one point this season, Seattle was 3-3.
