Richard from Eleva, WI
I think this team is beginning to turn it around. They pretty much controlled Carolina in the first, third and fourth quarters. What do you think?
I'm taking a realistic approach. I announced that yesterday, before Coach McCarthy kind of did the same thing at his press conference. I'm neither looking for reasons to feel good nor reasons to feel bad. I'm waiting for the next game to tell me what I should feel, because the Carolina game didn't give me a feel for where this team is. Was the second half the re-birth of the Packers as we've known them to be, or another example of a team with a big lead losing its edge? I don't know. We'll find out on Sunday. I can wait.
Emily from Reading, PA
Cam Newton was protecting his house and won't be punished for tearing down the Packers sign. Could we protect our own house by only allowing Packers fans into Lambeau?
Packers fans can do that by not selling their tickets to fans of the visiting team. I don't believe fans should be accountable for more than their behavior – it's their ticket and they can do as they wish with it – but loyalty is the personality trait I value the most.
Jeff from Green Bay, WI
Vic, what can we take away from the first half of this season?
We take from it a 6-2 team that has positioned itself for a playoff run. That's what I see. I don't see an identity. That's coming. What remains of this season is how history will record this team. I'm tingling with anticipation.
Rudy from Des Moines, IA
Vic, winning fixes everything, right? If the Packers win next week against the Lions, are we back on track?
Not unless the Packers stack success. It begins with one win.
Mani from Hong Kong
Any thoughts on Bannergate?
I don't like it. Professional athletes need to be above that kind of thing. The professional football players I've covered and admired would never do something like that. I include dignity in my definition of a professional athlete.
Dustin from Denver, CO
Vic, I was hoping you could speak to your thoughts on the offensive line lining up in the horseshoe, with the tackles playing back from the line of scrimmage. My impression would be it gives a talented pass rusher an extra step against the protection.
It's just the opposite; it gives the pass blocker an extra step to react. The Giants were major horseshoe offenders in 2011, and then the league cracked down on it with a major point of emphasis. I'm seeing a lot of horseshoe now. I'd hate to see a big play nullified by a horseshoe penalty. Tackles beware! Dean Blandino is watching.
Bryan from La Quinta, CA
I was at Monday Night Football last night and at the Packers vs. Chargers game in which the Packers dominated the stadium; the same of which happened last night with the Bears. It's sad the home team can't fill up a stadium more than the opposing team.
The only way the Chargers could avoid having to go to a silent count at home is if they were playing themselves.
Scott from Memphis, TN
Scheme in the first half, same old stuff in the second. Those of us who read you regularly see your game. I can only imagine your smirk when you wrote that line.
The truth is the pure defense.
Evert from Den Haag, The Netherlands
Vic, I love the column but have to disagree on one thing with you. There is already FULL CONSISTENCY in the NFL; it follows these rules: Your team will not go undefeated; your team will have injuries during the season; in each season, you will have dips in performance; in each season there will be brain freezes, bone-headed mistakes and blunders; the coach or coaches are always wrong; you will not win the Super Bowl every year; fans will second-guess everything; fans live in the now, and perspective and history are lost on them.
Congratulations! You have achieved FULL CONSISTENCY.
