Eric from Madison, WI
Though far from flawless in an unnatural, unfamiliar position, Lane Taylor has held his own while surrounded by inexperienced players. When can we start the Pro Bowl campaign?
Let me tell you a little story. It's a tale of a four-year starting guard who wasn't drafted despite his 2013 class having a record number of players at his position taken. Talk about putting a chip on your shoulder. What I like about the move to left tackle is it's allowed Taylor to show more of his athleticism, which is something I don't feel he gets enough credit for. Taylor has been revelation.
Joe from Asbury, IA
If the Packers' O-line is at full strength this week, I don't believe we'll need any sort of magical comeback. I know the Vikings' defense is legit, but as Coach says, "If we have the ball we can't be stopped," and Case Keenum won't be able to keep pace. Should I temper expectations? Just win baby!
I think Taylor, Corey Linsley and Jahri Evans are off to a great start. Watch out once the Packers get that starting five together. The fact the Packers are seventh in scoring and 11th in passing without Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga for seven combined games is impressive. The run game also jumped six spots with that showing in Dallas.
Gary from Wrightwood, CA
The run blocking of our offensive linemen, tight ends, and wide receivers during the Dallas game was the best I've seen in a long time. Do you think this is because the Pack is doing less zone blocking in favor of blocking schemes? Or are the guys simply jelling this season?
I agree the Packers have been pretty stout in their run blocking over the past two weeks. I think it was a product of getting their starting right tackle back and guys growing more comfortable with each other.
Dennis from Naples, FL
It's awesome to see Aaron Jones looking like a true pro. What I am looking forward to is seeing our "big back" Devante Mays make a few plays! Maybe this week?
Remember a few Inboxes ago when I mentioned how "you can't predict those moments"? Nobody could've foreseen the Packers losing both Ty Montgomery and Jamaal Williams against the Bears, and Aaron Jones making the impact he's made over the past two weeks. There are no hands on this clock, but you have to be ready whenever the alarm sounds.
Rich from De Pere, WI
Has anyone asked why Montravius Adams has been a healthy scratch two games in a row? Anxious to see him play and as a third-round pick, he should be helping us in the trenches.
The Packers have depth on the defensive line and Adams has a lot of catching up to do after missing nearly all of training camp. He'll get his opportunities. They're just not rushing him along, either.
Vinny from Arlington, VA
From watching on TV, there seemed to be significant sunlight coming into the Dallas stadium. I can only imagine what it was like for the players on the field trying to contend with it directly in their eyes. My question is do the Packers have fitted helmets with visors available to their players, if needed?
Yes. You guys may have noticed last year when Jake Ryan occasionally was using a dark visor in games. I talked with Justin Vogel a little about it after the game. That sunlight was pretty wicked.
Joseph from East Moline, IL
Pretend they were both either Week 5 games or both playoff games. Which of the past two Packers-Cowboys games do you think was better? For me it is a tough one because I like pick-sixes, and a TD is better than a field goal. But I also feel GB was the underdog last year and that Dallas was considered top three in the league.
I think that Packers-Cowboys playoff game will be hard to top regardless of whether it was a Week 5 or playoff game. It had so many iconic moments wrapped in a 60-minute game. It was drama at its finest.
Lincoln from Eau Claire, WI
Do you foresee Davante Adams having a similar statistical numbers jump as Nelson ages, much like Jordy's career took off after Driver and Jennings got older?
I don't know what the stats will look like, but Adams clearly is a young receiver who's coming into his own. His athleticism and leaping ability are out of this world. You guys get to see it on Sundays, but it's something to behold in training camp and practice.
Tom from Two Rivers, WI
The Packers have just 11 sacks in five games but are ranked sixth in pass defense. What happens to this defense if the pass rush starts to get home more?
The Packers' pass rushers have been fingertips away on a few sacks this season, especially with Dak Prescott this past Sunday. I think you'll see the inside pressure ramp up with Mike Daniels back in the middle of the defense.
Jason from Park Falls, WI
I've seen a couple people mention how the Cowboys didn't have film on Aaron Jones, but my question is, what good is film on an individual RB? Wouldn't the opposition be more focused on studying running formations, O-line weaknesses, etc.? I mean, if you recognize a look, and you know where the RB is going, go there, and tackle him.
This is just my two cents, but I think unscouted looks often get blown out of proportion. As I said Tuesday, nothing Aaron Jones did against the Cowboys surprised me because I saw it in the preseason and it was on film in the second half against Chicago. The biggest surprise I've encountered during my time covering the Packers was the first time Ty Montgomery started against the Bears last year. That was the true definition of an unscouted look.
Bill from Levittown, NY
I think slowing the Vikings' pass rush will be the key to victory on Sunday. Do you think Coach McCarthy will use any sets with three tight ends or any other different formations to achieve the goal?
As Brian Angelichio said a few weeks ago, that package is always in play. It's not something teams typically will live out of, but I think the Packers have shown they're comfortable using it anywhere on the field.
Josh from Dodgeville, WI
If Aaron Jones keeps producing and Ty gets back healthy, could this be the best group of offensive skill players Aaron Rodgers has ever had? The depth is crazy.
The Packers have had some pretty talented skill positions over the years. How this year's group stacks up probably is a better question for after the season, but I agree the potential is there.
Kirk from Laguna Beach, CA
Not a question, but I am still grinning ear to ear over Vogel's amazing punt and Janis' flying punt-coverage tackle to flip the field, setting up the pick-six series. Janis earns his paycheck every Sunday.
He certainly does. Outside of Mason Crosby, he's been arguably the Packers' MVP on special teams for the past two or three seasons, which is funny considering he hardly ever played special teams at Saginaw Valley State. What else can you say? Speed kills.
Mark from Madison, WI
Is there enough credit being given to the Green Bay defense? Most football analysts say Minnesota's defense is stout and Green Bay's is mediocre-to-bad. Check the overall stats and you'd see Green Bay has given up only 60 more yards than the Vikings this year. The defensive players and coaches have done a great job so far considering the injuries.
*Some fans only look for specific examples to prove their hypothesis to be true, especially when it comes to defense. I'm not saying that's just in Green Bay – it's prevalent throughout the NFL. It's a thankless profession. Have a good game? On to the next one. Have a rough outing? You never live it down. That's life in an offensive league. *
Alex from Las Vegas, NV
Just listened to the podcast and was thinking more about the Elliott fourth-and-1 and how him pulling the ball back on his own should spot the ball back where he tucked it back in. The refs called it right on the play before, if my memory is correct, on the Beasley third-down catch when Beasley jumped to catch the ball right at the sticks but then tucked the ball back a yard or so to protect the ball and himself from the ensuing hit. Not very consistent in these calls IMO. Thanks for entertaining and informing us all six days a week. Keep up the good work.
I'm going to proceed through the remainder of the season confused on the play, but plan to keep it in my back pocket until next year's rules seminar with officials.
Dan from Leland, NC
Detroit's signing of Datone Jones has me wondering what an injury settlement is. Jones signed one with Minnesota, I believe, so now he's healthy enough to play for another team? What are the rules in this regard?
An injury settlement is an agreement between a player and team to compensate the player for however long it's estimated he'll be out due to injury. Once he's cleared, he's free to sign anywhere other than the team that released him. If he returns to that original team, he must wait six weeks after the settlement expires to re-sign. The Packers did this with Joe Thomas and Rajion Neal in 2014.
Jonnie from Detroit, MI
To answer the question from Bill from Seattle, the reasoning behind possession change on a fumble through the end zone follows the same reasoning as punts and kicks that go through the end zone. Basically, when the offense loses possession in the field of play resulting in the ball going past the line of scrimmage and continuing through the end zone out of bounds, whether the defense recovers or not is a moot point. It is the offense yielding possession.
Fair enough.
Tom from Groton, SD
With Aaron Jones being so productive against the Cowboys, do you think Ty Montgomery will feel the need to come back before he is fully healed, worried about losing his role? Follow-up to this, if Jones continues looking good, does Montgomery ever get moved back to a RB/WR combo role?
No and no.
Jesse from Ham Lake, MN
Time and again Rodgers is the difference. What is it gonna take for Thompson to make the move that will propel us to another Super Bowl? Let's go get Patrick Peterson.
If fans were in charge of personnel decisions, the Packers wouldn't have a draft pick for the next five years.
Matt from Cedar Rapids, IA
Reading all the questions and hearing the narrative of Aaron Rodgers and his (in)ability to lead fourth-quarter comebacks or game-winning drives, I can only focus on a quote from a radio interview from Sept. 12, 2012, from Rodgers himself: "Yeah, I don't really care about that. I've had a lot of game-winning drives in the second and in the third quarters. There hasn't been a ton of situations for those comeback opportunities in the last couple of years. If you play well in the first three quarters there's not going to be those situations, so I like playing well in the first three quarters."
And as the small size has grown over the years, Rodgers has proven he can win in all four quarters (and overtime).
Josh from Chicago, IL
Which Vikings QB are you hoping we face on Sunday? I could make a case for both Keenum and Bradford but would like to hear your opinion. Either way, I hope whoever it is turns the ball over multiple times!
I hope the Packers face Case Keenum Sunday because Sam Bradford did not look healthy to me in that game against the Bears. Keenum is an NFL-caliber quarterback who has protected the football in his three starts. He doesn't have Bradford's size or arm talent, but he's a gamer.
Sean from Portland, ME
More of a thought than a question. Assigning comeback wins to QBs, like many stats, is misleading. I have watched A-Rod's whole career and he has many times taken leads in the final two minutes and still ended up on the losing end of the game. Similar to what Dak just did on Sunday.
That's a great point. Dak Prescott did everything in his power to put the Cowboys in a position to win that game. It's not his fault Rodgers was standing on the opposite sideline.
Amanda from Villa Rica, GA
How about the men's national soccer team not qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1986? Not to mention, they haven't competed in the past two Olympic games either.
I don't want to talk about it. I'm devastated. That is the worst loss of my lifetime. Even after watching it live, I cannot comprehend how you lose that game. USMNT has a lot to think about and consider. You can't put this all on Klinsmann anymore.
Darby from Mesa, AZ
What's the update on Vince Biegel? Is he going to be able to play anytime soon?
I believe he and Demetri Goodson are eligible to practice again next week. Stay tuned.
Morgan from Minneapolis, MN
Regarding the Vikings' end-zone celebration, folks raised in MN call that game "Duck-Duck-Gray Duck." The controversy is very real. Don't you think it's more fun to goose a friend?
There was no gray duck in the Hod household.
Lori from Brookfield, WI
Thanks for the bobsled touchdown celebration article. It was great to get the background story and know there may be many future creative celebrations to enjoy. Do you think AR will participate?
Nelson and Adams seemed to indicate the offense has plenty of celebrations up their sleeves, so who knows? If you would've told me last Friday I'd be writing a story about bobsled celebrations, I would've never believed you. I guess we'll have to wait and see what's in store.
Ryan from Sturgeon Bay, WI
So Vic pulled a Brett Favre and unretired. Which one of you is going to step up and be our Aaron Rodgers?
Spoff is Rodgers. I consider myself Todd Bouman.
Hunter from Oceanside, CA
What do you think the team's biggest problem is?
To quote Craig Counsell when asked to talk about the 2010 Milwaukee Brewers, "You're going to have to do better than that."
