Inbox: They've devised a tough code to crack

Mitch from Pflugerville, TX

Packers 2-1 with those wins coming from a backup QB. Vikings 3-0, the latest in dominant fashion. Exactly what everyone thought going into Week 4, right?

Sh'yeah … right … as if.

Dean from Leavenworth, IN

For Randy from Oregon and whether this is a must-win game? In 2016 the Vikings started 5-0. They finished 8-8!

Much like the year before the Packers started 6-0 and without a Miracle in Motown would've finished 9-7. Nobody's immune.

Chris from Ontario, CA

Hello II, a bit taken back by how well the Vikes have been playing?

Not much surprises me in this league, but I admit their strong start does. Kevin O'Connell proved last year he can explore ways to win with other QBs, like Josh Dobbs, who won three games before the shine wore off. Then Nick Mullens came very close against both the Bengals and Lions late last season but was too reckless with the ball. I think the difference with Sam Darnold compared to those others is he's a first-round talent, giving O'Connell that much more to work with. Defensively, Brian Flores has them playing incredibly fast and furious with very few household names, predicated on disguise and creating confusion. They've devised a tough code to crack.

Alex from Salt Lake City, UT

What are the keys to stopping 33, and do we have an advantage compared to other teams because of practice reps and building game plans around him?

I don't think there's any advantage. Jones is running the ball in Minnesota's offense now. The key is to take good angles and stay balanced as a tackler. Jones is masterful at exploiting defenders taking bad angles and getting themselves off-kilter.

William from Scranton, PA

Hello Insiders, I read that despite how good Darnold has been, he's statistically worse than Levis while under duress. Do you think they can get home with four or will the pressure packages increase?

A lot depends on the game situation, as well as down-and-distance. You can have all the blitzes in your plan you want, but the right circumstances must arise to call them. Removing a defender from coverage is always a risk with a receiver like Jefferson out there. When the 49ers rushed five at Darnold back by the goal line, then sent a sixth after the snap, and then a seventh as Darnold set up in the pocket … he hit Jefferson for a 97-yard TD.

Connor from Sunrise, FL

Do you think the two wins in a row gives the Pack "house money" to let Love sit one more week against a tough and aggressive Vikes defense? Or is it a matter of if he's cleared he's in?

Surely you can't be serious.

Dave from Edina, MN

I KNOW you've received submissions suggesting we keep starting Malik Willis over Jordan Love when he's able to return. There's no way that hasn't been suggested in II, but I appreciate you didn't actually post any of them on Monday. I just need to know, how many submissions is it? A lot or just a few?

The vast majority are sent in jest, thankfully. But I know whenever Love does return, and as soon as he loses a game, many suggestions will be (sigh) entirely sincere.

Carl from Jacksonville, FL

If penalties prevent peak performance from Packers, will foul-free football finally fend off future failure?

Not bad. Lots of folks asking about the penalties and Rasheed Walker's repeated fouls. First, let it be known including declined and offsetting penalties, 15 different players have been flagged for the Packers thus far, seven of them multiple times. Regarding Walker and his four holding calls, as well as he played down the stretch last year, he's still a young player who knows he's got work to do. He's more than capable of getting his game back to where it was.

Dale from Owatonna, MN

The coaching staff I trust will emphasize eliminating penalties. Is there any analytics that translates how many points for or against it cost? In light of many positives it is a negative that shows up in each game so far. The next opponent, Minnesota, was continuously aided by Houston penalties.

I haven't heard of any specific analytical measure, but your note prompted me to look more closely at the Houston-Minnesota play-by-play. The Texans were flagged 11 times for 88 yards. A holding call on the first snap of the game set up first-and-20, and the Vikings intercepted on the next play, setting up a short field and early TD. In the second quarter, down 14-0, Houston had a third-and-4 at the Minnesota 25, got called for three straight false starts (!) to make it third-and-19, and ended up punting. Later, an illegal formation call created a third-and-15. Then DPI and RPT flags contributed to 10 Minnesota points. It was brutal for the Texans. Which brings me to my stat of the week: The Packers have been flagged 26 times for 196 yards. The Vikings' opponents have been flagged 24 times for 213 yards. No better time for Green Bay to clean up its penalty issues than this week.

Scott from Palos Park, IL

Still a long road ahead but after three games the numbers that jump out to me: Third-down conversions: GB 18 of 42, Opponents 9 of 32. Please sir may I have some more?

Minnesota's numbers are 16 of 35 and 13 of 42. Buckle up.

Dan from Richmond, VA

Just to go a bit off topic...I always have, and always will, root for GB and GB only. But Monday night, I think we saw the start of an exciting new chapter for the favorite team of many fans here in VA. While the Commanders still have many holes to fill, they seem to have found their man at QB. After finally getting rid of a toxic owner, it's heartening to see a once-proud franchise turning it around. The NFL is better off for it, too.

Agreed.

George from Green Bay, WI

How much did the fans play a role in the Titans head coach going for it on fourth down in the early third quarter on their side of the field?

I don't know if the crowd talked Callahan into it or not, but I went into this sequence at length in our latest "Unscripted." I think the Titans having run only 18 offensive plays in the first half – in part thanks to the Packers killing the last six minutes of the half by converting a pair of third-and-forevers (14, 18) – created a measure of anxiety about punting right away in the third quarter. That whole sequence surrounding halftime really swung the game.

Chuck from Richfield, WI

I was driving out of state and had to catch the Titans' broadcast. It was great to hear their announcer, Mike Heath, opine that Matt LaFleur was THE most creative offensive mind in the game today! He was quite critical of the crushing (to them) defensive holding call during Narveson's missed field goal. Can you explain this penalty? I can't see how a defense can be flagged for holding on a FG attempt unless it is a fake and they grab a receiver.

They called it a "pull and shoot," flagging Jeffrey Simmons in the middle of the line for grabbing Andre Dillard to allow a teammate to fire through the gap. I looked at the film and it wasn't much. Awfully subtle. But the official who called it was standing less than five yards behind Simmons, so he clearly saw something.

Jeff from Woodridge, IL

I watched the TN game live and am now watching it again for the second time. Regarding that phantom "motion" penalty, have the NFL refs explained why the penalty yet? I lost count on how many other plays (from both teams) did exactly the same thing and no flags. The NFL refs can't excuse it by claiming it's a judgment call (like offensive holding or def PI). This is either the refs know the rules or they don't. Anyhow, great game except for the penalties. We better have our A game Sunday. GPG

That's another one I glanced at. Bo Melton was in motion and then paused briefly before circling back, but when he stopped he didn't reset. If he stays in continuous motion, as Reed has done many times when changing directions or circling, he's fine. If he stops and resets for a full second before restarting, he's also fine. But he was in the muddy middle on the double motion and the official took exception.

Ben from Guffey, CO

Watching some of those games...wow. Forget week-to-week – it's a drive-to-drive game. Also, for those who wanna say that momentum doesn't exist? Watch that BAL at DAL game and tell me it doesn't, because you can't.

What happens in any given game is never as important as the response to what happens. The professional athletes who take this to heart are the ones who find a way to stick around.

Mark from Carlsville, WI

I don't want to beat a dead goat here, but why can't the NFL mandate the Guardian caps? I understand the NFLPA and all that, but the NFL is the one getting sued for not doing enough to prevent brain injuries. If there is a proven method to help, why would the NFLPA even try to resist?

I won't speak for the players' union, but the league was sued (and reached the massive concussion settlement) because it had denied, for decades, any connection between playing football and brain injuries, and its behavior reinforced said denial. The league abandoned that legal stance long ago.

Randal from Sebring, FL

Sounds like everyone had low expectations of Willis. But look at him now. The Squealers are 3-0 … So Fields doesn't appear to be the issue. In both cases, their former teams are still bad. The gentlemen are the same people with the same skill sets that they had last year. I guess we all just need the right venue in order to show our full value.

Whether you're talking Geno Smith in Seattle, Sam Darnold in Minnesota, Justin Fields in Pittsburgh, Baker Mayfield in Tampa … not every early flameout can become a successful reclamation project, but situation and environment certainly matter.

Jerry from Ormond Beach, FL

When was the last time an NFL team bought two wins with a seventh-round pick?

Brock Purdy is around 20 wins and counting for the 49ers.

Joe from Pittsburgh, PA

I'm so glad our coaching staff is so rock solid week after week, win or lose. What I see going on in those circuses in Philly, Cincy and Dallas is just unbelievable.

You just named three cities whose head coaches have taken teams to Super Bowls.

Pat from Kennesaw, GA

Not a question, but a roundabout Packer stat. FOX Sports needs to be fact-checked. During the Dallas/Ravens game they put up and also mentioned that Lamar Jackson has only lost to one NFC team, the Giants. He also lost to GB in the 2021 season. Not sure how with today's technology something like that can be missed.

The Packers have never faced Lamar Jackson. When Green Bay won at Baltimore in 2021, Tyler Huntley was the Ravens QB. That Jackson stat is correct and it's rather astounding.

Dave from Gwinn, MI

In the Willis piece, did Malik can the original quick pass or LaFleur? Is a can the same as the QB calling an audible?

A can is a form of an audible, but it's not an out-of-the-blue, change-the-play-completely audible. It's an alternate play built into the play call itself, and it's up to the QB based on the defensive look when he gets to the line whether to run the original play or can it to the alternative. When the QB is surveying the defense and puts both hands up to his ears, he's canning the play for the alternate one.

Arthur from Eau Claire, WI

While running my smoker Sunday and listening to the radio broadcast of the game there were a couple times I heard Wayne talk about a pistol formation. What is that formation and is it a run, pass or read-and-react?

The pistol is just a shorter shotgun, and therefore aptly named, where the snap doesn't travel as far and a running back lines up behind the QB rather than alongside him.

Tim from Olathe, KS

I was in the south end zone seventh row on Sunday with an ideal view of the 22. The player my eyes immediately homed in on was Xavier McKinney. When he moves, he glides. Always in position and part of the action. I feel he is our best safety since Nick Collins and maybe all the way back to LeRoy Butler. Your thoughts?

It's a small sample size to date, but McKinney appears on his way to being the best safety here since Collins. Hopefully he stays on that path.

Chili from Muskego, WI

I always figured that, when one of you calls somebody out on a question, it's not to criticize the person, but rather to make a point to the whole fanbase and try to put a particularly negative or reactionary question to bed that you're seeing repeatedly. The person asking the question was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Thanks, and keep up the great work.

All true, but that's dangerously close to violating the first rule of Inbox there, Chili.

Greg from Conway, SC

Probably asked before: Spoff, how much time do you spend per week reviewing game film to compile WYMM? Thanks.

It takes me a couple hours to go through either the offense or defense, and then a couple more to diagram the clips and write the descriptions, which is why each week's segment usually focuses on just one side of the ball. I don't have time to study both sides thoroughly with the detail required.

Howie from St. Ignace, MI

The Eagles, Colts and Titans are amongst the league leaders turning the ball over on offense. Is this coincidence those were all three Packers opponents or does the Packers' defense deserve the credit?

Chicken and eggs both make for hearty meals. Happy Wednesday.