Inbox: He needs to be in the conversation

[Cheesehead]

Jesse from Truth or Consequence, NM


Hello, I woke up with a kink in my neck. Should I be concerned about Sunday after this development?


As James Jones used to say, you better get in the training room and get that treatment. Good morning!


Michael from Madison, WI


If he keeps it up, is Corey Linsley this year's AP All-Pro center?


Linsley is criminally underrated. I thought when he came into the league in 2014 he’d be a multiple-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro by now. Coaches, teammates and Aaron Rodgers will tell you how well he’s played and how vital he is to the offense. If that’s not good enough, ESPN analytics also have him rated as one of the game’s best centers. He needs to be in the conversation. Linsley is unassuming with how he handles his job but his praise is long overdue. The same goes for Bryan Bulaga.


Jesse from Bonita Springs, FL


Totally concur with Mike’s sentiment about keeping both running backs fresh as the season wears on. With that being said, when do you suspect we see Dexter Williams getting in there? I’ve always thought a team needs 3-4 RBs to maintain balance and stay fresh into a 20-game season. In my opinion, we need to see him in some game action to know if he has future hope, as I was really impressed with his natural ability to see the field in the preseason.


It’s the Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams show right now and it needs to stay that way. Those two guys are too talented and too essential to the offense to take them off the field. The Packers haven’t played in many blowouts this year, which has reduced Dexter Williams’ opportunities. Unless that happens, Jones and Williams have to be the featured act.


Jeff from Brooklyn, WI


All the sports media don't give the Packers any chance Sunday, I believe this will fuel Rodgers and others to prove them all wrong! The Niners have had trouble with mobile QBs, so do you believe they will make a game plan for Rodgers to do more RPOs this game and also keep it for running?


If you’re writing the Packers off, you haven’t been paying attention. I expect a 60-minute slugfest. Rodgers has reined in his running a little the past two years (2.7 rushes per game) but can still move the chains with his feet.


Josh from Holland, OH


I'm planning on celebrating my birthday and a Packers win on Sunday! How important will it be for us to have a fast start? I think if we can get up by a score or two quickly and force Jimmy G to play catch up it'll work in our favor. Also how do you think we're gonna try and slow down the Niners' pass rush? Looking forward to cake, ice cream, and a great game. GO PACK GO!!


A fast start is critical on both sides of the ball. As a team going on the road against a 9-1 opponent, the Packers have to set the tone early. They didn’t do that in LA and never found rhythm. The key to stopping San Francisco’s pass rush is not complicated. The 49ers will try to get home with four, so the offensive front needs to do its job. The running backs need to stay alert, too. Robert Saleh has a bevy of pass-rushing options and he isn’t afraid to throw them all at you on occasion.


Jason from Austin, TX


The first defensive touchdown for the Packers? A strip-sack by Preston Smith and a pickup returned for a touchdown by Za'Darius Smith. Perfect!


I would call that the ideal fast start.


Lincoln from Eau Claire, WI


An aside to Mike from Ames, the Packers may not have a TD on defense this year but they have forced at least three end-zone INTs I can recall (CHI, MIN, CAR) and Derek Carr’s fumble at the goal line. To me, these are about as good as defensive scores by taking what would appear to be sure points away from the opposing team. Through all the ups and downs, this year's Packers D has been a resilient group to be proud of.


There’s no question the Packers must get the explosive plays cleaned up but points win games, not yards. And Green Bay has succeeded in keeping the opponent out of the end zone this season. That identity endures and gives the Packers a chance to win every time they take the field.


Corey from Richland, WA


What do you make of the lack of touchdowns for Davante Adams thus far this season? I know he missed four games due to injuries, but he has played five complete games and only missed the very end of another. I think the emergence of Davante's touchdown celebrations will be a key down the stretch.


I don’t make much of it. D.J. Moore is having a breakout year and still only has one TD in 10 starts. Adams is the biggest playmaker in this offense. His two catches of 35-plus yards against Carolina came on touchdown-producing drives. Points are points. Now will he have 14 TDs again this year? Probably not, but the Packers are also much better running the ball in the red area than previous years.


Dana from Eau Claire, WI


How does D-Train stop George Kittle and the running game? Do you see them loading the box and playing more man-on-man coverage?


We have to see whether Kittle plays. He hasn’t practiced, let alone played, since gutting it out against Arizona on Halloween. If Kittle plays, Ibraheim Campbell could make a sizable difference for this defense. I felt he played well against the Panthers, especially against the run, and could be an important piece in a hybrid role against a multiple offense.