Inbox: It’s imperative the Packers have a 1-2 punch

[Cheesehead]

Brett from Lakewood, CO


There was a third-down play in the second half of Sunday's game where the cameras were on Green Bay in the defensive huddle. The play was called, and I saw Za'Darius Smith shake his head in disgust. I immediately thought, "He's dropping back into coverage." Then he did. I think he likes rushing the passer better.


Who wouldn’t? But the occasional schematic change-up has value.


Michael from Dover, PA


Why do so many fans seem to get hung up in power rankings, MVP candidates and other white noise? So much of it is nothing more than an opinion and some opinions are proffered simply to agitate (see: Bayless, Skip). Last I checked roughly two-thirds of the way through a season that is moving past far too fast the Pack sits at 8-2, first in the NFC North and currently the No. 2 seed. I couldn’t possibly careless about what Skip Useless has to say. I’m enjoying this season as it is.


Does this mean “serenity now” actually works?


Michael from Madison, WI


Very impressive offseason pickups by Gute! It would appear we have two double-digit Packer sackers this year. When was the last time Green Bay had that? Was it White and Jones?


No, you have to go all the way back to 1993, when White had 13 and Paup had 11. White and Jones came close in ’95 (12 and nine, respectively), and Kampman and KGB almost pulled it off in ’07 (12 and 9½).


Kevin from San Francisco, CA


I, too, was surprised to see the 49ers throw three times and give the ball back to Russell Wilson with time on the clock in overtime. It seemed a mistake in the moment. But I shouldn't have been surprised; this is the same Kyle Shanahan who kept throwing in Super Bowl LI instead of managing the clock. Tom Brady made him pay.


I had the same thought when I woke up Tuesday morning.


Steven from Silver Spring, MD


I have seen several outlets where Jimmy Garoppolo was recently criticized for the amount of INTs he has thrown, and the counterpoint was that a lot of his throws were actually drops or deflections from the intended receiver. Watching the Seattle game I am coming around to this same viewpoint. It seems Jimmy's accuracy is OK and it really is the receiving core that is having issues holding onto passes.


I haven’t watched San Francisco a lot, but I watched enough of Monday’s game to confidently say the Niners win that game if Garoppolo’s receivers catch the ball.


Jack from Chicago, IL


The question about Wes's wife joining him on a road trip got me thinking. Do Mike and Wes share a hotel room on road trips? I imagine if this were true, hilarity would ensue.


Ha. We get our own rooms, and we appreciate them.


Tyler from Stevens Point, WI


In the infancy of replay, two decades ago, I can't recall. I was 10-12, but my question is, what was the perception? What did fans and teams think when it began? Today, we have slow-mo, zoom-in, 4K quality to see blades of grass separate a cleat from the out-of-bounds line. What was it like when low-light projection, and 3500-pound wood-box tube TVs were the technology standard?


The phrase “indisputable video evidence” carried the day. A lot more video was “disputable” then than now, in my opinion, though there were certainly arguments in that regard. But I also think the officials missed fewer obvious calls because they weren’t bogged down by all the safety rules they now must watch for as well.


Rick from Kenosha, WI


Here's a bye-week question for you to ponder...Who makes your all-time undrafted team?


In Packers history? Sorry, I don’t have the energy to put together an entire squad right now, but it would be difficult to build a stronger position group than the secondary I can rattle off the top of my head – Willie Wood, Johnnie Gray, Tramon Williams, Sam Shields. And if you’re talking undrafted but not necessarily homegrown, Eugene Robinson enters the equation, too.


Joe from Sherman, IL


Will the "Lego" Packers make an appearance this year?


Stay tuned.


Shane from Coralville, IA


II, I travel 70-80% of the time for work and despite my experience, I still forget things I need from time to time. Have you ever found yourself forgetting something you need on a road game that makes for a good laugh?


I could laugh at just about anything being forgotten except my computer.


Derek from Norton, KS


Aaron Jones won't be in the MVP conversation as long as the offense continues to utilize Jamaal Williams in its current fashion. I believe Aaron will gladly take a successful season as a team over individual accolades. Do you believe split carries or a "bell-cow back" is more beneficial to a team’s success? When you look at the top teams this year, there are examples of both at or near the top of the league.


It depends on the player and the team. I think given the track record for Jones through his first two years in the league, it’s imperative the Packers have a 1-2 punch for the long haul.