Inbox: It's go time and these two teams are ready to sprint

Dwight from Brooklyn, NY

Hey Wes, you might want to keep an eye out on Spoff. Hey just made one heck of a Freudian slip there with his answer to Jack from Moweaqua. He revealed that you were going to "take the con" on II. Now, "taking the conn" (as in conning tower) means taking charge. As for what Spoff seems to suggest is something quite different.

Spoff knows English inside and out, so I can only assume he's calling me a con artist in the Mikest way possible.

Jessi from Sterling, KS

Gotta be honest. Haven't been paying attention to Seattle this year. Other than them coming off a win, what should I know about this team our Packers are about to play?

The Seahawks aren't just coming off a win. They're coming off four wins. Offensively, they have a lot of firepower and a quarterback in Geno Smith who isn't afraid to sling it (for better or worse). It's go time and these two teams are ready to sprint.

Chad from Germantown Hills, IL

Do the Packers treat this game any differently knowing it could be a playoff game preview?

I don't think much changes in terms of Xs and Os, but mentally there's a definite shift. NFL teams are in a quest for legacy this time of year. I can think of no better test for this Packers team at this moment than going to Seattle and facing a streaking Seahawks team coming off two big division wins over Arizona over the past three weeks.

Mike from Baraboo, WI

Winning in Seattle is always a challenge. What can the Packers do to play a full game on offense and defense?

Protect the ball and generate takeaways. While Smith has been better at protecting the ball in recent weeks, he's thrown 12 interceptions this year while Seattle is tied for 22nd in turnover differential (minus-four). The Seahawks have made an offensive metamorphosis from a run-based scheme with Russell Wilson under center to a pass-centered approach. That said, Seattle showed it can still pound the rock after Zach Charbonnet ran all over the Cards.

Dave from Germantown, TN

The Seahawks are coming off a big win, have their eyes on a division championship and are playing at home. To me they will be very "up" for this game. How do the Packers match their likely intensity?

By bringing the same intensity they took with them to Detroit but playing with more discipline. The Packers had the right mentality last Thursday but need to rein in the rest.

Kent from Lewiston, ID

Good morning II. Have any 2024 rostered Packers played in Seattle to your knowledge? Hopefully this will be a fresh start in what will be a very rambunctious environment. GPG!

Bo Melton was drafted in the seventh round by Seattle in 2022 and spent most of his rookie year on the Seahawks' practice squad. Seattle has two former Packers: Jarran Reed and Kenneth Odumegwu, who's on the Seahawks' practice squad under the International Player Pathway exemption.

Scott from Holly Springs, NC

In your mind, who has been the best Green Bay selection from the 2024 draft?

I don't think there's a Packers draft pick I've been more excited about than Edgerrin Cooper. Go back and re-watch any of our coverage leading up to the draft. I had Green Bay taking him in the first round. I've always felt Cooper is more than just his listed position. He brings something different to the party and the Packers have missed that the last three games.

James from Appleton, WI

I wouldn't mind starting the Seahawks game with Chris Brooks in the backfield with Josh Jacobs. Add Tucker Kraft and that's a solid power rushing setup. Who would normally be the receivers in a two-receiver formation? Seems like Jayden Reed and Christian Watson would provide the greatest flexibility.

Brooks is something else, man. We talk so much about his pass protection, but the Packers also have had no reservations using Brooks as a lead blocker for Jacobs. The more I watch Brooks, the more I wonder if this is the role Green Bay envisioned for AJ Dillon prior to his stinger.

Al from Green Bay, WI

Tucker Kraft is becoming something of a Packers folk hero. Hopefully Luke Musgrave will be returning soon. How do you envision the roles between these two talented TEs to evolve down the stretch?

Folk hero is a better label for Kraft than the one offered in Saturday's Inbox. We haven't talked much about Musgrave lately, but his absence has been felt. While Kraft is a more traditional in-line tight end, Musgrave is a 6-foot-6 gazelle defenses must adjust to in the middle of the field.

Paula from Apple Valley, MN

I don't know what the specific question was regarding something one of the Lions must have done pregame, but loved the way Kraft stopped his response mid-sentence and said he was not going to go there and talk about his opponent and stoop to that level. His focus was on his locker room. That young man is wise beyond his years.

That he is.

Robert from Verona, WI

What current player gets the most love in the Inbox these days? I'm guessing it's Tucker Kraft but really there are a ton of guys on this team to love for a lot of different reasons.

Kraft is up there. I'd put Xavier McKinney, Josh Jacobs, Jayden Reed and Evan Williams on that list, too. All five have balled out this year, but I also think "newness" factors into popularity. Fans love being part of the come up.

Clem from La Crosse, WI

I seem to recall Mike McCarthy saying the plan for the Packer upcoming season was to run 75 plays per game. Given the much smaller number the past few games, I'm wondering if 75 offensive plays per game is even possible. When was the last time we ran that many in a single game?

The Packers ran a season-high 74 plays against Minnesota in Week 4 because they threw a lot in the second half. McCarthy voiced his intention to run 75 plays per game at the peak of the Packers wanting to run a no-huddle, pass-heavy offense. That metric is harder to hit when you favor the run, which leads to more running clock.

Pete from Babylon, NY

Third in our division and fourth in the entire conference. How crazy is that?

It's bonkers, though not unprecedented. The 1953 Los Angeles Rams hold the NFL record for best winning percentage while finishing third in their division (8-3-1, .727). Green Bay would need to win its last four regular-season games to beat that while Minnesota can't lose more than two.

Charles from Boyle, MS

Do we want Detroit again in the playoffs?

If you don't, hand in the shoulder pads and schedule vacation. Because that's the only team the Packers should absolutely want to face.

Julian from Gastonia, NC

Can you think of another Packers draft class that has missed more playing time than this one? I'm not referring to healthy picks that didn't break the lineup; I'm referring to players such as Jordan Morgan, Edgerrin Cooper, Javon Bullard, MarShawn Lloyd and Evan Williams. It's a big story in defining the 2024 team that hasn't really been talked about much.

The Packers got hit hard in 2010. Bryan Bulaga played in all 16 games (with 12 starts), but Mike Neal played in just two games, James Starks played in three before the postseason and Morgan Burnett tore his anterior cruciate ligament. Andrew Quarless also missed a few games, too.

Mark from Big Bear City, CA

Not a question but an observation. Maybe the Packers defenders need to do a BIG windmill motion and fall backwards when getting pushed by the offense. Seems to work even when the guy doing the pushing is a lot smaller. And just for fun maybe they should put a new category in the ESPYs for Best Flop by a Big Man.

It's not the worst idea.

Steve from Hurricane, UT

When Christian Watson collided with the defender on the goal line for OPI, it looked just as much the defender's fault. Neither saw the other. Shouldn't that have been ruled inadvertent contact as when a receiver and defender get their legs tangled?

I don't want to belabor officiating any longer. As Spoff and I discussed on Tuesday’s “Unscripted," it's all about consistency and I felt that it was lacking in Detroit. That was my No. 1 gripe with how the 2020-21 NFC title game was officiated. Clete Blakeman and his crew called the game one way (few flags, allowing a lot of contact between both teams) until they didn't in the final minutes.

Richard from Caledonia, WI

How does the NFL monitor officiating performance? There again appears to be a lot of missed calls especially with refs covering Packers games – what if anything happens with poor performance by members of officiating crews?

Every game is reviewed, charted and graded. The top-graded referees and officials earn playoff assignments. Contracts are on a year-to-year basis, too. So, the league has the option to excuse poorly performing officials once the season is over.

Bob from Abilene, TX

As a retired official (HS and Division III college), I take exception to the constant blasting of NFL officiating. True there have been some really bad calls but until you have been on the field in a game situation you cannot understand the speed that is involved. Each official has specific duties and focus on each play and there are times the speed can cause a call to be missed or mis-called. They are humans and they will make mistakes. That is the nature of the beast in all sports officiating.

And every time I talk about officiating, Bob, I mention the speed of today's game makes the game virtually impossible to officiate by traditional means.

Chuck from Sun Prairie, WI

The Packers of the '60s were more of a "this is what we do, see if you can stop us" offense than a team that game plans by opponent. Is this just because the game has evolved so much, along with technology? Which team today is closet today to "old school," at least in philosophy of "We're going to do X, you can't stop us" attitude? I think it's Detroit. What are the Packers going to do to stop the Lions on fourth down early in 2025?

It's absolutely the Lions. They sprinkle an occasional wrinkle, but a majority of Detroit's offense is running the ball down your throat, living in third-and-manageable and connecting with receivers on intermediate routes. How do you beat them on fourth down? Keeping them out of plus territory and making them live in second- and third-and-long.

Chase from Carmichael, CA

Regarding the success of fourth-down attempts, you can't just take a blanket stat and apply it. Not only is it up to the capabilities of your team, but also how they match up with the opponent. There's a ton to consider in terms of situation. Not only that but also the positive and negative consequences. When you understand all that, you can bat with a higher percentage. Still, going for it on their 31-yard line almost undid the other three, and they had to try a fifth time to lock it up. That said, they may have lost without it.

At the end of the day, Detroit did what was needed to win that game. That's life on the razor's edge.

Margeaux from Tallahassee, FL

If ever there is a feel-good story of never giving up, certainly Patrick Taylor is in the mix. With all the injuries in the SF backfield he may now be their No. 1 back. Any interactions with Patrick that you wish to spotlight, Wes?

Nothing extraordinary. I just always enjoyed Taylor as a person. I wish no ill will towards Isaac Guerendo, but it was great to see Taylor get his shot Sunday. Taylor has been so incredibly patient waiting for his opportunity, even spending a portion of this season on the 49ers' practice squad. It doesn't sound like Guerendo's foot sprain is anything too serious, but Taylor should still get more looks with both Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason out for at least three more games.

Thomas from Oviedo, FL

Watching games this weekend made me sad for all the fans whose teams are already out of the playoff hunt. I survived the Packers of the '70s and '80s so I know the pain. We are blessed with 30-plus years of playoff-caliber teams, but we shouldn't let it spoil us. As a Packers fan who lived through it all, I suggest less complaining and more enjoying the moments. Remember, one-and-done is better than none-and-done.

Aside from player safety, my other argument against a 17th game. With a month left in the regular season, seven teams already have been eliminated from postseason contention. That's a lotta running with no carrot in front of you.

Josh from Easton, PA

I believe the rest of our schedule will greatly benefit us for the playoffs. With us most likely getting a wild card spot, we are going to have to play in hostile environments. What better way to get prepared than to play at Seattle and Minnesota.

Giddy up.