Inbox: It was storybook

[Cheesehead]

Thomas from Burlington, WI


What may be overlooked in this Rodgers/MM/MLF conversation is game strategy. Successful and unsuccessful strategies in the first quarter affect play-calling and success in the fourth. If that part of the chess game doesn't develop because of play changes early in the game, you end up stagnant in the fourth with no foundation to build off of. Did you see that in our fourth-quarter troubles last season?


I’m not really interested in revisiting last year. I think I’ve made my point several times this offseason about an overreliance on the analytics surrounding “big plays,” and how that simply wasn’t a viable offensive basis for sustained success. Your point is a valid one, though I’d temper it a tad. With all the substitutions, rotations and packages used on defense these days, there may not be as much of the in-game progression you’re referring to as compared to, say, 20 years ago. But there’s definitely a starting point in every game plan, to see how the opponent will react, and then the adjustments and subsequent counterpunches are brought out from there. I think this whole Rodgers-LaFleur scheme/freedom issue will come down to communication. What are the concepts that need to be run at certain times in certain situations, and when will some change-ups not undermine the overall plan? Communicating in those terms is how you strike the balance I was talking about yesterday.


Jack from Eastleach, UK


Do you have any idea if Danny Vitale has good hands? I think a powerful fullback with soft hands, like Kyle Juszczyk, can be a very useful and productive asset. Any idea if MLF’s system uses the fullback as a potential pass catcher?


Yes and yes. Vitale caught 135 passes over four years at Northwestern.


Brian from Menominee, MI


Other than the obvious “drone dome” and laser uprights, are there any stadium renovations you would like to see at Lambeau, big or small? I would imagine with the amount of stadiums you've seen you must have some ideas.


When I go to other stadiums, I’m more likely to be reminded of all the things I’m glad aren’t at Lambeau. Large, inflatable mascots and raging flamethrowers at the tunnel entrance during player introductions top the list. I hope to never see them in this stadium.


Mike from Lake Mills, WI


This could apply to any sport, but probably best applies to baseball. What’s more difficult: a team playing a day game on the road two or three time zones east, or a team playing a night game two or three time zones west? Playing games that start at 9 or 10 p.m. seems awful.


In football, West Coast night games start at 9 or 10 p.m. CT only in the preseason when they’re not nationally televised. West Coast teams playing an East Coast game at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT is the bigger challenge.


Josh from Rochester, NY


Mike and Wes, longtime reader, first-time submitter; appreciate all of the content. Following up on Mike's answer regarding JK Scott, I've repeatedly seen it mentioned in the Inbox and by Scott that he was not as effective as he'd like his rookie year largely because he didn't properly manage the workload of a full NFL season. Can you provide a little more insight as to what the “grind” is for a player who plays a non-contact role and is only on the field for a small percentage of snaps?


A lot of folks asking about Scott wearing down. Just like a baseball pitcher’s strong arm, a punter’s (or kicker’s) powerful leg can get worn out. Young punters accustomed to a shorter college season are prone to use practice to kick their way through a slump or to fix a mechanical flaw. The length of an NFL season can make that counterproductive. That leg is only going to have so many effective, full-force swings in it over the course of 16-plus games. Scott has a better feel for how to manage his entire workload now.


JR from East Moline, IL


Spoff, crazy how one play (a missed interception) or half a play (broken sack or helmet catch) is the difference between the '07 NE team being the undisputed best ever and maybe being considered for top five (if that's even the NE team you were considering). I sometimes wonder what they would have done in '08, considering they still had Moss and went 11-5 with Cassel. My next question is, have you ever been to a game that you felt the weather epitomized perfect football weather?


Jan. 12, 2008. Thirty-one degrees and snowing. It was storybook.


Scott from Martinez, GA


I realize the number of preseason and regular-season games isn't changing soon, but I for one wish it would. Right now 1/4 (yes, math) of the games played don't mean squat. Sure they're used to evaluate, but surely there has to be a better way to evaluate than giving up a quarter of your hard-pounding, full-speed games every year. I just don't like that four out of 20 games are meaningless.


But you’re clearly fine with math class being rather meaningless, no?


Tom from Omaha, NE


OK, since it is dead zone time, think this might be a good time to get my answer to this. We say a quarterback threw for 300 yards in a game. Well, he doesn't actually throw for 300 yards. Each of his passes may only travel a short distance and then the receiver advances the ball further down the field, but we total the yards up at the end of the game and that's how we get to 300 yards. But is there a stat that shows exactly how far the quarterback actually threw the ball, minus the YAC?


There’s no specific stat I know of, but you could calculate it by taking the total passing yards and subtracting the YAC. Just don’t ask Scott to create the fraction.