Inbox: The Packers need to play their game

Mikie from Florence, MT

I agree with Grant from Janesville, the II is the best in the league. The number of submissions per day. I am surprised with the submissions from all over the world. I like to Goggle Earth their location to see where the heck they are from. Love you guys.

What I learned is Insider Inbox is the best in the league – if not in quality, then definitely quantity.

Bob from Emmaus, PA

Good morning II. As we pass the halfway point of the season, are the Packers over the hump or is the journey going to get harder?

The journey is whatever the Packers wish to make it.

Al from Green Bay, WI

Another divisional game with huge ramifications is upon us. The Bears loom, and a cornered bear is a dangerous one. But the Packers will prevail. Reasons to believe: 1) The Packers come off the bye rested and healthy. A healthy Packers team is even more dangerous than a cornered bear. 2) Coaching. The Packers have stability while the Bears have upheaval. 3) Past success doesn't guarantee future success. But 10 in a row is a thing. 4) A struggling Bears O faces an ascending Packers D. GPG!

Mike and I have waxed poetic all week about the rivalry, matchup and everything else revolving around this game. Simply put, the Packers need to play their game. Be explosive, play disciplined and improve to 7-3.

Dan from Libertyville, IL

Key to this game is for the Packers to start out hot and these "Bears fans" will turn on their home team and demoralize them. Yeah, I realize you want to start every game hot. However, with this rivalry it is even more important.

Another mantra I've trumpeted all week is to give Chicago no reason for hope. The Bears haven't scored a touchdown in 23 offensive drives and I highly doubt fans at Soldier Field will take kindly to that streak lasting another quarter or two. Psychologically, Green Bay could gain a major advantage if it gets off to a fast start.

Gary from Marion, IA

Bears fans I know ("friends," cousins, son-in-law) are gearing up for their Super Bowl this Sunday. Any words of wisdom from either of you sages that I might pass on to them?

Be careful with how many eggs you place into that green-and-gold basket. Win or lose, there's a full season left to be played.

Greg from Downers Grove, IL

There is a lot of unusual circumstances going into Sunday vs. the Bears. The Bears are spiraling down. Yet they have a good level of talent. Caleb Williams has awful stats from the past few games and has a completion rate on 15-plus yards that would not scare anyone. New OC too. On our side, Jordan Love is recovering and not 100%, And crazy as it is, Matt LaFleur is 2-3 following a bye. Throw in the rivalry and the Packers owning the Bears and being six-point favs. Is there any reason for concern?

There's good reason for concern. The Bears haven't played well but they aren't a bad football team. Chicago's defense is solid, which means Green Bay can ill afford to fall behind the sticks with penalties and mental errors. If the Bears get you in third-and-long, they will be hunting for takeaways.

Donald from Big Flats, WI

Hi II, I don't know all the stats, but will this be one of, if not the best overall defense we face? Seems to me this would be a great place for our offense to make a statement of where they want to be the rest of this season?

Outside of its 24th-ranked run defense, Chicago is top 10 in most defensive categories. The Bears boast the league's top red-zone defense, which has contributed to holding their opponents under 20 points in seven of nine games this year. Now, that secondary takes a major hit with the loss of Jaquan Brisker, but Jaylon Johnson and T.J. Edwards are two of the top players at their positions.

TK from Grafton, WI

Why do fans say, "We can't go in overconfident against the Bears"? I'd wager that fans' confidence level has no influence on the game tomorrow!

I've found overconfidence has a strange way of overwhelming one's psyche.

Mark from Madison, WI

The running back position has been devalued these past years but with the success of the teams with a good run game, do you see a change? The importance of the run game by Detroit's two-headed monster backfield, CMC in San Fran, the Eagles, Ravens and our own running backs seem to point to this. Your thoughts?

I feel like running backs and safeties are one in the same boat. As much as the league tries to devalue those positions, we're constantly reminded how critical they are to their respective phase. San Francisco was extremely fortunate Jordan Mason was as productive and durable as he was during Christian McCaffrey's absence. It doesn't always work that way. I was highly critical of Detroit for letting Jamaal Williams walk in favor of David Montgomery, but it was a prudent move. In Green Bay, I feel like LaFleur has done a superb job of getting all his backs involved while still featuring Josh Jacobs.

Ross from Hudson, WI

Remember the impact James Starks had in the Super Bowl season? It was immediate and deep. Who has the opportunity to be this season's No. 44 and be the Stark Spark this season?

Luke Musgrave. People forget Musgrave nearly broke Bubba Franks' team record for most receptions by a rookie tight end last year. I feel like nobody can perfectly replicate his skill set in this offense. We all know what Musgrave and Tucker Kraft are capable of when used in tandem.

Jim from Prairie du Chien, WI

Good morning, all! Two things: Josh Jacobs showing his value/leadership in taking MarShawn Lloyd under his wing, riding to practice together, giving advice, saying Lloyd is going to be great. Great leaders step up daily and Jacobs is doing just that. Two, Lloyd just can't catch a break. Any idea as to the timeline for how long he'll be out now?

You can't help but feel for Lloyd, who was nearing a return from the ankle/hamstring injuries. I don't want to put any timelines out there, but all I know is David Bakhtiari missed a month when he had his appendicitis in 2022. I also don't know what that means for Lloyd after he was designated to return earlier this week, opening his 21-day window to be activated to the 53-man roster.

Troy from McKinney, TX

I'm hoping to see Brenton Cox Jr. active and playing with Preston Smith gone, as his pedigree from Florida was top tier. It hasn't translated in the NFL but curious what you see?

I covered this in the story I wrote earlier this week on the defensive ends, but Cox was in a tough spot because he plays one of the healthiest positions on the roster. That not only affects his defensive opportunities but also his special-teams snaps because Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare and Arron Mosby play on that phase, too. I expect Cox to get his chance on Sunday. Like Mosby did against Detroit, Cox needs to make the most of it.

Brian from Madison, WI

Across the NFL, have more kickers been injured/benched/cut than usual this year? It seems that way to me, but maybe I'm just paying more attention to other teams' kicking situations since the Packers have gone through several this season.

I don't know about benching/cuts, but it definitely seems like there have been more injuries among kickers this season.

Mike from New Orleans, LA

Maybe it's recency bias, but it seems like Jeff Hafley's press conferences are much longer than any other position coach. Do y'all just have more questions for him? Does he like to talk more? What's going on there? I do like listening to him to be fair.

One plays into the other. As Spoff and I both said, Hafley is a very engaging, articulate guy. That often leads to more questions and discussion.

Randall from Grand Junction, CO

Mike/Wes, I noticed four late primetime games in a row. That's a little much, you think?

I prophesy you will have a pair of cranky columnists after the Sunday night game in Seattle.

Terry from Elroy, WI

Your response to Jim from Yorktown, VA, reminded me of a basketball referee who once told me he would moderate his calls in the early part of a game in an effort to be consistent with the other referees' calls so that the calls would be consistent on both ends of the court. The idea of consistency amongst referees had not occurred to me prior to hearing that comment. Have you ever heard if NFL referees moderate their calls throughout a game in an effort to be consistent as a team of referees?

I have not, but that's not to say that doesn't happen. Overall, I agree with Mike's summation. I prefer officials call the obvious penalties rather than looking for a reason to throw a flag regardless of whether it impacted the play.

John from Belleview, FL

In response to Paul from Nevada City: Not quite that easy. A chip in the ball might help in short-yardage circumstances with a leap over the pile, but for all else you would need a chip in each knee and elbow for each player to determine where the ball was when the body part touched the ground. I do think the technology would help in measuring for first downs (along with sideline electronics). Thanks for all you do, II.

I wouldn't call it reluctance like Paul did. We saw in the preseason that technology isn't quite where it needs to be on measurements. The NFL wants to get it right before making a significant change. There's plenty of reasons to get after the league at times, but I don't blame it for that.

Margeaux from Tallahassee, FL

Wow! I read the results of the Grant from Janesville, WI, research. Just add another benefit to the uniqueness of being a Green Bay Packers fan. Now just beat Da Bears!

Just imagine how upset some of you would be if you could only insult us once a month.

Jessi from Sterling, KS

Diddly-poo? That was a first for me! I'm with Mike, I grew up on diddly-squat. Of course, I had to look it up, and according to the "trusty internet" … diddly-squat wins as the original, dating back to 1934, and is four times more popular in print. Diddly-poo is more "urban dictionary" with Jim Mora in 1996 describing the play on offense of the Saints. You both get to be right, but I lean more with Mike in going back to what dates first. Not that anyone cares about my opinion *wink*.

Like any legend…before Jim Mora Sr. gave us "Playoffs? You want to talk about playoffs?" he gave us the "Diddly-poo."

Kevin from New Milford, CT

Any chance you might meet up with the Big Dog on Sunday?

I messaged 'Cedes earlier this week and hoping to catch him before the game. Otherwise definitely the regular-season finale at Lambeau.

Larry from Carney, MI

"The original lives on" on front and Insider Inbox logo on back, T-shirt worthy?

I think so.

Josh from Seattle, WA

I am excited to watch more games in primetime the rest of the year, because without it I lose the ability to watch to the local team. I have empathy for you on the late nights though because I used to work in the industry for college games. How did you decide to stick with the long hours while raising a family?

"Find what you love and let it kill you. Let it drain you of your all. Let it cling onto your back and weigh you down into eventual nothingness. Let it kill you and let it devour your remains. For all things will kill you, both slowly and fastly, but it's much better to be killed by a lover." – Charles Bukowski.

Robert from Georgetown, TX

Spoff, when you drop a "Caddyshack" reference right at the beginning of II, it makes my day! Thank you to you and Wes for all you do! I am headed to Nicaragua to serve on a mission trip on Monday and get back in time to come to the Thanksgiving game! See you all there!

Bring the cranberry sauce! Wait, does that qualify as looking ahead? I mean, enjoy the game directly in front of you and nothing that may ever happen in the future.