J.D. from Palm Bay, FL
With the production from Adams and the TD catch by Richard Rodgers, would you say McCarthy won the (strategy) duel? I really thought Mike schemed well with the players with which he has to work.
Coach McCarthy put his players in position to win. He schemed personnel, not schemes, as evidenced by Davante Adams' breakout performance.
Sean from Vermontville, MI
I think you got the story you wanted last night. What I saw were two great teams slugging it out. The Packers were a team possessed and they took what they wanted. They slowed the game down with long, sustained drives, and when the situation dictated, they turned and burned. All cylinders were firing and … we won the game despite being 0-4 in the red zone, against a great shutdown defense that can really tighten up when the field shrinks.
**
I'm glad you enjoyed it. I liked it, but it didn't give me a war-of-the-worlds feeling. That's the worst I've seen Tom Brady play in all of his games I've covered. He's always been one of the most accurate passers I've ever seen, but not yesterday. He was off the mark.**
Mike from Somerset, WI
The story of the game was our line play was good on both sides of the ball. The Packers secondary didn't have to cover too long, as the pressure was getting to Brady. The Packers offensive line held the point while Aaron picked them apart. The Packers played their most complete game of the season.
I agree, the Packers' two lines were the difference in the game. Most complete game of the season? I don't know about that. I think both teams have and are capable of playing better, and they might get the chance to prove they can in a rematch.
Tom from New York, NY
Nice all-around win for the Packers, but it's just one game/one win to reaching our goal, winning the NFC North. Your thoughts?
The Packers stayed one game ahead of the Lions, but how important is that? If the Packers and Lions go into the last game of the season tied, the Packers would likely win the division title with a win over the Lions, based on tiebreakers. If the Packers and Lions go into the last game with the Packers holding a one-game lead, the Lions would win the division with a win over the Packers, based on the head-to-head tiebreaker. Do you see where I'm going with this? I think we built yesterday's game up to be something it really wasn't. It truly was, in my opinion, just another game. The greatest importance of yesterday's win is that it moved the Packers into the lead for a bye week, and it closed the gap on homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.
Jackson from Curitiba, Brazil
Vic, the Patriots wanted to cover the Packers with seven guys, but our offensive line held them for very long. They sure have a great secondary; Rodgers with 5-6 seconds to throw couldn't find anybody open.
Rush or cover. For the most part, the Patriots picked cover.
Sean from El Centro, CA
Vic, I noticed the Packers didn't use Lacy in the screen game at all on Sunday? Why do you think that is?
You screen against teams bent on getting their rushers up the field. The Patriots didn't do that.
Jeff from Port Orange, FL
They chose to cover instead of rush. Pick your poison.
The Patriots did what the Giants did in the 2011 playoffs. The difference is they didn't get the pressure with four as the Giants did.
Adam from Superior, WI
Vic, I am sick to death of the Super Bowl talk. We have to win the division first. With only one game up on the Lions, I still think it's going to take a win in Week 17. Your thoughts?
One game up, one game down or tied, it would take a win over the Lions to win the division title. It appears we're headed for a showdown. The Lions have the Bucs and Vikings at home, and then go to Chicago. They'll be favored in all of those games.
Josh from Dekalb, IL
Vic, even when the Packers were up by 13 early, I knew the Patriots would respond. Did this game live up to your expectations?
Yeah, it was good, but I wasn't as gaga about this game as everyone else seemed to be. I'll tell you this: If these two teams face each other again, I will absolutely be gaga.
Shalom from Austin, TX
Great effort overall by the Packers, but what caused us to be so ineffective in the red zone?
As the field shrinks, the coverage gets tighter. It was already tight. The Patriots have dynamite coverage guys. I think the combination of their coverage guys and Brady make them the top team in the AFC.
Ezra from Frederick, MD
Vic, I absolutely despise the Patriots, so this win feels very good, but let's hope this is not Green Bay's best moment of the season.
Despise a football team? I don't get that. If the two teams had switched uniforms, now who do you despise? This will not have been the Packers' best moment of the season. I feel strongly that moment has yet to come.
Dave from Des Moines, IA
I noticed Bill Belichick purposefully made his way across the field after the game to share some words with Aaron. He also talked with McCarthy longer than I've seen him talk to other coaches after a game. For a guy who is dry and often unemotional in interviews, it was nice to see his human side.
He was impressed. Coach Belichick is a football devotee, and he saw something yesterday that earned his respect. For all of you that think Coach McCarthy is just another coach, think again.
Jim from Fairview Heights, IL
I agree with you that this game wasn't as large as everyone made it out to be, however, the 2014 Packers were being roasted on other sites for not beating a top-notch quarterback. Even though Brady had an off day, do you think we can check that rap off the list?
Why do fans get so worked up about disrespect in the media? It's meaningless. You have to be really out of it to have watched the Packers play and not think this is a quality team. Any website that doesn't agree is either trying to create controversy to gain readership, or doesn't have a clue. Read what you can trust. Don't allow yourself to be used.
Drew from Dubuque, IA
The Packers closed that game out like champions. Now it's December. I love being alive.
I thought the way they closed the game was the most impressive thing about the Packers' performance. They made the big play on defense when the game was on the line, and then they killed what was left of the clock. That's beautiful football.
C.J. from Mt. Prospect, IL
I was watching ESPN and an analysis was hinting how the Patriots played a pretty vanilla defense, possibly holding something back for a future meeting. Did the defense seem pretty basic or was this just another attempt to over-hype a regular-season game?
It's over-analysis. Analysts feel a need to say something nobody else had said.
