Adam from Wausau, WI
Can teams over-prepare for a football game?
Yes, they can. I think the 2014 season opener is an example of it. In the postseason, it's unlikely to happen, even for a team on a bye, because teams know who and what they are. As Tom Clements said a few weeks ago, whatever it is your opponent is going to do, it's probably on tape somewhere. I expect the Cardinals to do what they did in the first game: Crowd the line of scrimmage and play man-to-man in the secondary. It's what Denver did. It's what teams with a strong secondary will do when they think they can win the one-on-ones. There's the confrontation in a nutshell. Can the Packers win the one-on-ones in the secondary? The answer to that question will likely decide the outcome of the game.
Tom from Winnipeg, Canada
Is it possible we're getting excited over nothing? The Redskins had the worst record in the playoffs. We beat them and we think we're back to the normal Packers?
If by normal Packers you mean the 2011 Packers, or any of the previous editions that took what they wanted in the passing game, then these are not the normal Packers. This team doesn't move with that ease. It has to play a field-position game and pick its spots to attack, but I think it can win that way because it has the defense to do it. The 2011 team didn't have that kind of defense. It had to attack at all times. It was dominated by one side of the ball, and when that side went cold in the postseason, it was over. I think we need to acknowledge something: For all the points the 2011 team scored, all of the records on offense it broke and for all the praise it received as it marched through a 15-1 season, this team has already gone as deep into the playoffs as that team did.
Chris from Sheboygan, WI
Will the Rams building a massive stadium complex in L.A. without public funds have ramifications on future stadium negotiations? Did the owners set a precedent that might hurt them in the future?
No. Small markets will continue to have to provide stadiums for their teams or they won't have teams. Why? Because they're small and they don't offer the riches a market the size and depth of Los Angeles offers. I'll tell you what the impact of a new stadium in Los Angeles will be: A significantly higher salary cap. Why? Because a new stadium in Los Angeles with two tenants in it is going to drive revenue to previously unimaginable heights.
Mark from Bristol, UK
On the subject of timeouts in the Redskins game, do you think by taking them McCarthy put doubt in the Redskins' heads. For me, that play-calling and execution by the players took the game over and we never looked back.
I think they already knew they were in for a long day. In the second quarter, it quickly became apparent which was the better team.
Jeff from Reedsburg, WI
I believe we can win time of possession while running the no-huddle. Letting Rodgers go no-huddle seems to create a laser-like focus and keeps rhythm flowing and defenses off balance.
There's a difference between going no-huddle with a fast tempo and going no-huddle and milking the play clock. I don't care whether they huddle or not. The clock is my thing. If the Packers go fast tempo, they will be putting a serious burden on their defense. Hey, the Cardinals gained 381 yards in that first meeting, and they lost two offensive possessions to fumble returns for touchdowns. I think we need to be realistic. This is a very strong team the Packers are facing.
Catherine from Vail, CO
Sometimes you hear the announcers say players are getting chippy. I think you're getting a little chippy with some of your responses, and I like it.
A lot of readers don't like me. I like me. I'm glad you do, too.
Wendy from Dubuque, IA
Don't you think a rematch of Super Bowl I (Packers vs. Chiefs) would be a fitting matchup to commemorate Super Bowl 50?
Not really. Any of the four AFC teams would represent a rematch. I'd like to see the Packers play the Steelers so I can answer the question: Who will you be rooting for, Vic?
Travis from Lewisville, NC
I really want to see if this is fixed because I have only ever used the app to post a question and I never got put on your posts so I wrote you off. Now that you say the problem has been addressed, I would love to see this in one of your next posts.
Fixed!
Dan from Rothschild, WI
Vic, do you think Monday night's low ratings may be due to the fact it's mid-January and the NFL playoffs are in full swing? For me, the important bowl games used to be over by New Year's Day. Now, no one outside of the respective teams really care.
College football has no one to blame but itself. I've been saying it for years: If college football created a true playoff season – not just three games – it would own December. It amazes me that college football takes us to the peak of its season, which is the scintillating games played in Thanksgiving rivalry week, and then goes on vacation for a month. It's amazing that anybody watches the bowl games at all.
Matthew from Shawnee, KS
You say great teams take what they want, which for the Packers would be fast, high-tempo offense. But this weekend you say they will need to play NFC West football. Do you think they will try to merge the two? And how do they attempt this?
I think you're overanalyzing all of this. NFC West football is fast (foot speed), hard-hitting and physical. What team doesn't want to play that kind of football?
Mark from Byron, IL
Vic, I agree that the more time Palmer sits on the bench the better. I believe we can still run the no-huddle, which will provide Rodgers with the tempo he likes, yet, he can still use much of the clock before snapping, which he does a lot anyway. By going no huddle, it allows No. 12 to control personnel on defense.
That's not up-tempo, that's stand around and milk the clock, and I'm fine with that. Control the personnel? The Cardinals played man-to-man exclusively in that Week-16 game. The Cardinals didn't beat the Packers with scheme and sub packages. They just lined up and won the one-on-ones. I think we're really missing the boat on this tempo thing.
Bruce from Alexandria, VA
I hope you are as excited about this game as I am. This is the confrontation we live for. Will you have any special preparation for this game that you wouldn't normally do?
I got a haircut.
Shell from Pittsville, WI
Vic, what are the paychecks for the postseason? Does everyone get the same?
For the wild-card round games, the winners got $25K and the losers got $23K. This weekend, the winners and losers will each get $25K. For the conference title games, the winners and losers will each get $46K. The Super Bowl winner receives $102K and the loser gets $51K. That the Bengals and Steelers played with the fury they did for $25K says something very positive about what football means to these players.
Joey from Marinette, WI
Just watched the rerun of Super Bowl XLV, and when McCarthy held up that Lombardi Trophy, it brought tears to my eyes. It's incredible what football can do to people; gotta love it. When was the last time football brought a tear to Vic's eye?
A football game? Never. As football pertains to life? It was the day I walked out of my office in Jacksonville, got in the car and pulled away forever. You don't spend 16 years somewhere without feeling something deep when you leave. For you, football is a game. For me, it's my life.
Johnny from Amarillo, TX
Your intern lied to you. It may have been fixed for iOS, but the Android platform still doesn't work.
I don't know what that means.
Bill from Bloomfield Hills, MI
Looking forward to watching Super Bowl I on Friday for the second time in my life. Any memories of the game for you?
I remember switching stations to see how the two networks were handling their obvious bias. In those days, that meant getting up and turning the knob. I remember being somewhat disappointed the Packers didn't dominate more completely. I wanted the Packers to win really big. I wanted them to crush the Chiefs and leave no doubt as to which league was superior.
Andrew from Stoughton, WI
Did you actually buy a ticket?
To what, a football game? Andrew, I don't buy tickets to football games. They pay me to watch them, and they give me a free hot dog at halftime. My greatest fear is I won't be allowed in heaven. I'm afraid the Big Guy will say, "Heaven? Vic, you've already been there."
Bob from Green Bay, WI
Vic, you are the man; read you all the time. My sister (Fritzie), formally from Hilton Head, SC, put me on to you big time. Thanks for your straight forward answers to all the doubters in Packerland.
What does Fritzie think, fast pace or milk the clock?
Fabrice from Montreal, Canada
This is a question submitted from the app. Did the intern lie? If you don't publish that question, then I consider the intern lied to you. I will be sad.
The intern didn't lie, but apparently he's an android, and that's a bigger problem.
Paul from Chicago, IL
What would you think about a proposal to ban public funds from being used to build sports stadiums?
A lot of small-market teams would lose their teams.
David from Green Bay, WI
Vic, if you could have four offensive and four defensive players from all-time Packers greats match up with four and four from the Steelers, who would they be and what would the outcome be?
Starr, Lofton, Gregg and Taylor vs. Greene, Lambert, Blount and Woodson, and Bradshaw, Harris, Webster and Swann vs. White, Robinson, Adderley and Woodson. The Packers would win, of course.
