Noah from Brisbane, Australia
Vic, what must the Packers do better than the Lions to prevail victorious?
They need to win the battle of the line of scrimmage. That'll be No. 1 in this week's 10 things editorial.
Brian from Manitowoc, WI
Have you decided to act professional yet?
No. Merry Christmas.
Zach from Milwaukee, WI
I love watching Marshawn Lynch run. I also enjoy his goofy interviews and media aversion. How would you approach interviewing Lynch if he were on a team you covered?
I'd interview his stool. That's what you do when a player won't talk to you. He gives you license to interview his stool. It goes like this: Stool, why won't Marshawn talk to the media? "Marshawn told me he hates the media," the stool said. Stool, do you like Marshawn? "No," the stool said. What else can you tell us about Marshawn, stool? "Bad things, man, bad things." Talk about a great interview. Hey, this is all about fun, and when someone takes himself too seriously, that's when it really becomes fun.
Robert from Coupeville, WA
How can Lacy not be in the Pro Bowl? Same for Linsley, who I'm afraid won't even be considered for rookie of the year. Is it that political?
You're suffering from Pro Bowl snubitis. You want everyone on the NFC team to be from the Packers. Corey Linsley has had a wonderful rookie season and will certainly be considered for rookie of the year, but the Pro Bowl is an honor reserved for offensive linemen that have played at a high level for a long period of time. The tendency is that once an offensive lineman is elected, he continues to get elected. That's largely a result of laboring in anonymity for most of his career.
Ryan from Schofield Barracks, HI
Vic, I am a displaced Wisconsinite stationed in Hawaii. Where can I get one of those "Get Loud Lambeau" t-shirts?
You can buy one from the Packers Pro Shop.
Bill from Raleigh, NC
Vic, here's the trouble: You can talk about the improved Packers running game all you want, but our heart is not in our running game. We cannot impose our will by running the football. We could not run the ball in from the 1-yard line against Tampa. We often have an empty backfield on third-and-1. We have a great QB, an improving defense and a good running game that keeps defenses honest, but until we can bring in an extra tight end and run the ball on third-and-1 or fourth-and-1, I think we're short of a Super Bowl team.
That's Neanderthal thinking, and I am king of the Neanderthals. Be that as it may, this is a pass-first team built on the skill of the best quarterback in the game. The running game is a complement to what the Packers do, not the feature attraction. I would love to see this team pound the ball on those pound-it downs, but they wouldn't be the Packers if they did. It's not their identity, and I think it's of critical importance that teams play to their identity in the postseason. That's what wins championships.
Justin from Bismarck, ND
Vic, I just broke my hand today and will need surgery on it. I am also due for foot surgery come February. If you can, Vic, some good news from the Packers would help.
This is, by far, the healthiest the Packers have been at this point in the season in the four years I've covered this team.
Lance from Savannah, GA
Vic, if you're Mike McCarthy and you win the coin toss, do you put the offense or defense on the field first? I'd prefer to set the tone early. What better tone than an opening-drive score against the Lions' formidable defense?
How about a three-and-out by the defense, giving the ball to the Packers offense near midfield for its first possession of the game, and knowing the Packers will get the second-half kickoff? Whatever it is you do, make it work and it will have been the right decision.
Mark from Seattle, WA
Vic, perhaps it's a bit of a rhetorical question, but is this by far the healthiest you have ever seen this team this late in the season since you were hired?
"Wonder Bread, that's what I said." We said that when we were kids.
Edward from Canton, SD
I read on lions.com that some Lions fans don't like Buck and Aikman, either.
That clinches it: Buck and Aikman are doing a great job.
Jerry from Orlando, FL
Vic, with Rodgers having a bad calf and not likely to scramble, do the Lions rush more than four or do they stay with their normal game plan and drop seven into coverage?
I would expect the Lions to do exactly what they did in Week 3. Even though the Packers will have had plenty of time to make the adjustments to which Aaron Rodgers referred in the Week 3 postgame press conference, why would you not do something that held the Packers to their lowest points total of the season?
Mitch from Green Bay, WI
It seems as though Mike and Aaron were trying to delicately tell the fans they need to get louder. Is Lambeau a relatively quiet stadium compared to average stadiums? Or does it seem to be quieter this year?
I'm in the press box behind glass, so I'm not capable of judging sound levels. Here's what I know: The Packers, as a franchise, want fans in attendance on Sunday to be louder.
David from Arequipa, Peru
I'm looking forward to the Detroit game. Though impressed by the ranking of the Detroit defense, I just checked the games Detroit played this year and, if I'm not mistaken, they haven't won a game against a team with an over-.500 record (if you count the Packers at their mark in Week 3).
If everyone won a game against a team over .500, would anybody be over .500? I don't know the answer to that question; I'm just asking. Here's what I do know: One of these two teams is going to win a game against a team over .500 this week, and the one that does won't have to defend itself anymore against strength-of-victory criticism.
Herv from Palm Springs, CA
Vic, this is an outrage. How can the Packers only have five players selected to the Pro Bowl? How can Matthews only be selected as an outside linebacker? He's easily the best inside backer in the league, as well. Lacy was screwed, as was Starks. And don't even get me started on all of our defensive backs being overlooked.
How about team website editors? They should have a category for that, too, and we all know who that guy should be. Why does everybody hate the Packers? Why does the media overlook them? Doesn't everyone understand we invented the game?
Jake from Franklin, WI
I find it interesting how Brady is the only Pro Bowl QB not to have one of his receivers elected, as well. Really says something about how good Brady is.
Here's a list of people that should send Tom Brady a very nice Christmas present: Bill Belichick, Bob Kraft, Deion Branch, David Givens, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Troy Brown, Matt Cassel, Charlie Weis, Romeo Crennel, Josh McDaniels, Bill O'Brien, Scott Pioli, every Patriots wide receiver over the last 14 years except Randy Moss and everybody that's been riding Brady's coattails since Belichick made Brady the starting quarterback in the third game of the 2001 season and the Patriots were 0-2.
