Inbox: It makes him harder to keep tabs on

Mike from Cashton, WI

I don't know what to say, but it's the bye week and we're all in misery.

Bruv, you ain't the one responsible for writing the Saturday Inbox during the bye week.

Noel from Norwalk, CA

Greetings II! What changes do you think the Packers will make coming out of the bye? I remember they moved Clay Matthews to another position out of the bye one year. Do you feel they will make a change at the linebacker position? Edgerrin Cooper has been playing well and Quay Walker has not. Cooper seems to shoot through the holes quicker than Walker. Which one do you think has played better given the opportunity? Say hello to your old friend, the couch, Sunday.

The Packers need to get healthy at some critical spots, but I don't foresee massive changes coming out of the bye. As far as inside linebacker, it's a lot to ask a rookie to play the "Mike." Krys Barnes did it in 2020, but it's a massive undertaking. Personally, I like the way the Packers are using Cooper in Year 1. This utilization allows the rookie second-round pick to play fast and free without being saddled with having to communicate the defense. It makes him harder to keep tabs on for the offense, too.

Jack from Chicago, IL

I loved Mike's response to Kemp's question. I was reviewing the play-by-play of the Detroit game and implore others to do the same. It really allowed me to see how short the game is despite how long it appears in the broadcast. When you say good or great players play great, you're talking about just a handful of extraordinary plays or key mistakes that can make a team look outstanding or hapless. One pick-six can be a 12-point swing. That's nearly 30% of all the points scored in a game on average.

That's what I was referring to in my Jared Goff response, which Spoff hit the nail on. I should have avoided the "M" word because I wasn't calling Goff a game manager. My point was he allowed the Lions to keep the advantage with his efficiency. Detroit takes the air out of the game and drains clock, which was the recipe Tom Brady and Co. perfected for so many years in New England.

Rick from Trempealeau, WI

Not sure if this qualifies as math, which is verboten, but how much younger is the youngest team in the NFL after Preston Smith's exit?

It probably went down a few decimal points, but one 31-year-old pass rusher on a 53-man roster isn't gonna drastically shift the numbers.

Rick from Caledonia, WI

Don't you think Preston Smith was worth more than a seventh-round future draft pick?

It's bigger than that, Rick. You gotta factor in Smith's contract, too.

Paul from Ledgeview, WI

Wes, I did not realize how special Ahman Green was relative to all other RBs who have suited up for the green and gold. How would he perform in the current NFL?

He'd be even better in today's NFL. Green and Mike Sherman were well ahead of the curve with using an All-Pro running back as a weapon in the passing game.

Jon from Brookville, NY

MarShawn Lloyd has been out a long time with an ankle injury. It seems usually players can recover quickly with that injury. How much of him not being on the roster is due to recovering vs. the player "numbers game"? With Chris Brooks being better than expected, has having a healthy Josh Jacobs, Brooks and Emanuel Wilson not necessitated bringing Lloyd back? Did keeping Lloyd on IR help them avoid exposing a guy like Brooks to be possibly picked up by another team?

The Packers aren't keeping their rookie third-round pick on IR because of a "numbers" game. Lloyd is hurt. Now, I wasn't in the MRI machine with him to know the full extent of his injury, but the guy is hurt. Based on what Brian Gutekunst said Tuesday, however, it sounds like Lloyd is nearing a return. He'll be back on the 53 when cleared.

Mike from New Orleans, LA

BG was asked about the open roster spot and said something about waiting to see how Lloyd was doing. Is there a requirement for every team to field a full 53? Hypothetically, could a team in serious cap trouble only have 52? 45?

I don't believe there's any requirement to be at 53 anymore, but it's to a team's detriment not to use all its roster spots. A few base-minimum salaries at the bottom of the 53 have a marginal effect on the salary cap. I remember there used to be a rule pre-COVID that stipulated a team couldn't have a veteran-exempt player on its practice squad if there was an open spot on the active roster.

Brandon from Imperial, MO

Good morning, Bill from Clive, IA asked about the average rushing yards per game to better quantify eras with different season lengths. I'm too young to have seen JT play (he was my dad's favorite player) but I would also mention that the NFL was a much different place in the '60s. Everyone knew the Packers were going to run, but they couldn't stop it. Compared to the play-action and misdirection of the modern NFL, it was much more difficult to get the yards when the D is waiting for you.

Yes and no. While the proliferation of passing offense in today's NFL wasn't present back then, teams still varied their looks to keep defenses off-balance. For example, it's not like the Packers just lined up in I-form 25 times and ran it up the gut for three hours. They mixed it up, too.

Tom from Rochester, NY

Jared Goff has completed 30 passes in a row to Amon-Ra St. Brown. First, is that a record? Second, it seems to me like many of his receptions are on wide open crossing patterns. As good as Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson are, I hope some of the self-scout is to use Jayden Reed more in the second half, because I believe he has a similar skill set to St. Brown. Am I way off-base here?

I don't see many similarities between the two. They're both good football players, but St. Brown is more of a possession receiver – at least in the Lions' offense. Meanwhile, Reed is an explosive football player outside of just his position. His 17.2-yards per catch are nearly twice as many as St. Brown's 9.7 this season. Don't get me wrong – St. Brown has his own strengths, including a nearly 70% catch percentage, but they're just different receivers.

Benjamin from Burlington, VT

Appreciate the reference points for past Pack rushers. According to my multitasking math (WCBW), Jacobs is just below 85 yards rushing per game at the moment, so he needs to finish the season with more games past the century mark to hit 100 yards/game average. He looks built for cold-weather running to me. Do you think he's got a good shot to get there?

I don't know. Frankly, all I care about is that Jacobs is out there, and the offense is producing in sun, rain, wind, snow or sleet. Jacobs running the ball well is a critical part of the offensive equation, but I couldn't care less what his final stats read at the end of the year as long as the Packers are winning games.

Eric from Green Bay, WI

I would feel better about the 6-3 record if the three weren't the most important games of the season. This team has tons of potential, but we have to start winning the biggest games if that potential is going to be realized.

The Packers need to beat elite teams like the Lions to get where they want this year, but there is no "Eric from Green Bay" power meter on wins. Yes, the Packers came up short against Detroit, but a victory next week over the 5-4/4-5 Bears is just as important. Whom the Packers beat and how they beat them is for fans to debate. Did you make the playoffs or not is the only thing that matters, at least to me.

Jeremy from Brookfield, WI

The Packers completed a three-game sweep of the Buccaneers in the '97 season and the Titans even did it to the Jaguars with the playoff game on the road in '99. Plenty of other trifectas, I'm sure. Doubtless many season splits with a rubber match in the playoffs. Has a team ever lost both regular-season games to a division opponent, but won the playoff game against that same team?

I'm sure it's happened more times than we realize, but the only one that comes to mind is the 2004 Vikings, who lost both regular-season games to the Packers by identical scores (34-31) and then came into Lambeau and won in the first round of the playoffs (31-17). I'm also publishing this because my fruitless search to find other examples led me to the curious case of the 2010 Oakland Raiders, who missed the playoffs with an 8-8 record but went 6-0 in the AFC West.

Paul from Barnsley, UK

Just a comment on Jordan Love being interception prone. I know things are much more complex than simple numbers would indicate. but Favre led the Packers to 11 playoffs with two Super Bowl games and the one victory. Aaron Rodgers' more considered approach also led to 11 playoff seasons but just the one Super Bowl game and victory. I suppose a fan's feeling towards Love may depend on how they judge the enjoyability and ultimate success of a season.

Just win turnover margin. Xavier McKinney wasn't lamenting offensive turnovers against Detroit. He was disappointed the defense didn't generate any of its own.

Jeff from Indian Lake, NY

One last comment on the Detroit Lions as we head into the weekend. They are playing amazing ball right now and the top of the organization on down they deserve a lot of credit. Their players are awfully confident right now as they should be. But I've seen some comments they've made after the game that sure seem to fall into the chortling section. My soccer coach always used to tell us when we scored to act like we'd done it before. Anger the football gods at your own risk I say.

The Lions have earned the right to their swagger.

Jeff from Ogden, UT

Go-for-it mania has hit the NFL. With a chance to tie, or go for the win, the Bengals went for the two-point conversion. They lost. This year the two-point conversion is successful 31% of the time. Sure, game script and momentum are part of the decision, but you lose 69% of the time with the two-point try. Seems to me in the era of analytics this one is a no-brainer. What am I missing?

Any of the 35 facemask/illegal hands to face/unnecessary roughness penalties on the two-point play? Oh wait, you said what you're missing? I thought you said the officials. My bad.

Daryl from Helena, MT

The Packers are at a respectable 6-3 even with their play being erratic and sloppy at times. But I will take that over where Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys are at especially with their QB1 and WR1 injuries. What are your thoughts?

They're in a tight spot and it's only gonna get tighter without Dak Prescott. I know several good people down in Dallas with Mike. I'm hoping for the best for them.

Lawrence from Green Valley, AZ

I have been following the pity party comments about poor Jenkins and the wet conditions under center. They knew the forecast – practice with wet balls to acclimate yourself! Funny how the climate-controlled Lions were unaffected! Nice to see MLF call out his players for there undisciplined stupidity. Comments?

No, but it seems you're pretty happy with yours.

CJ from Marshfield, WI

Wes, I believe II has been here before. I must ask how many submissions were received attempting to correct the Germans bombing Pearl Harbor?

Way too many for the Saturday Inbox during the bye week.

Dave from Waterford, OH

Would we love for the Packers to be 9-0, or maybe 8-1, right now? Heck yes! And, considering the disappointing losses, the reality is this; the Packers are 6-3 with eight games to go. If we go 5-3, or even not ideally 4-4, we probably make the tournament. It would be great to go 8-0 the rest of the way, but if we improve moving forward, our chances are far better than most!

Thank goodness I can end the bye week on a positive note. Enjoy your Packers-less weekend, everyone.