Judy from Brodhead, WI

So cool to see even the website in Rivalry colors! I hope to see a lot of the alabaster in the stands too! And the press box? Are you two dressing for the occasion?

I'll wear an alabaster jacket only if Wes does up his hair like Sting. Then I'll find my servant is my master. Sorry, carry on.

Ethan from Milwaukee, WI

I blame Don McLean for the Star Wars mix-up.

Fair.

Carl from Onalaska, WI

Let's see if this is right. Scoring plays and turnovers auto reviewed, but only if called that way, not a play that could have been a score or turnover. Any play can also have a quick replay assist, but only if they feel like it I guess. A team without a challenge can still get a review with 1:59 left, but not at 2:01 (maybe...they might get a free replay assist...) That all sound right?

LOL.

Shannon from Ovilla, TX

Six flags at once during eight games. Players complaining about all the flags. Refs cursing and yelling at players in response to the complaining. The most accepted penalties through four weeks in 48 years. Fans saying you have to wait after every play to see whether or not a flag was thrown before celebrating the outcome of the play. Yet, the league says nothing as they run to the bank with their piles of cash.

I was waiting for a question.

Scott from Issaquah, WA

I'm not here saying we have a great running game, but yes if you remove the longest two runs from the stat sheet in any game, the yards per carry usually gets quite a bit worse. That's sort of how math works.

We have rules for a reason.

Rue from Waukesha, WI

If the age of each player on the Packers' current roster is represented as x₁ through xₙ, and recent acquisitions have altered both Σx and potentially n, where does the resulting quotient Σx/n place Green Bay within the NFL's current age distribution?

See above.

Robert from Hawkins, TX

When the team wears alternate helmets are they the same helmet just re-covered or do they have multiple helmets? Also, if they have multiple helmets do they wear the alternate in practice that week?

They are different helmets, and they do wear them in practice.

Dick from Sheboygan Falls, WI

Good evening, why is Willie Davis not recognized as the all-time sack leader?

Pro Football Reference has done the research where game film is available to produce sack totals for pre-1982 players ('82 being the year sacks became an official NFL statistic). They've determined Davis had 99½ sacks with the Packers, well ahead of post-'82 team leader Clay Matthews' 83½. But the league still officially recognizes sack totals only since '82.

Bill from Menominee, WI

The Pack have had to weather a nasty storm of injuries. With the recent O-line reinforcements arriving, I feel like they've been in a good position to weather them. Kristian Welch, Ty'Ron Hopper, and Skyy Moore are a couple examples of horses in the stables. What concerns me is, there's a lot of season left to play and injuries are inevitable. Season-ending is exactly that. Micah Parsons will eventually be back but other than that, the tenuous game of replacement has only just begun.

Nature of the beast. You always hope the worst of the injuries is behind you, but you never really know.

Aaron from Monroe, MI

What does Welch bring to the table? Better answer than F/A?

I suspect he's been signed to the active roster not just for depth but to take more special teams snaps now that Isaiah McDuffie and Hopper will be playing more on defense.

Sue from Appleton, WI

I don't really know the Bears' roster. Do they have any instrumental starters on IR like we do?

Starting left tackle Braxton Jones just went on IR recently, and starting safety Coby Bryant went on IR at the end of training camp.

Dana from Bethlehem, PA

I'm curious what your observations are about Trey Smack after his first four games in the NFL. I see he's 6-for-7 overall and 2-for-2 from 50 yards and over. How have his kickoffs been?

For the most part, effective. But he put the Buccaneers on the 35 twice last week with touchbacks, the first time he'd done that since Week 1, I believe.

Garrett from Lake Elmo, MN

Given my current address, I begrudgingly watch a lot of Vikings games. Their kicker is automatic, and I would argue is the best in the league. I see a lot of similarities in the way he and Smack kick a football. Reminded me of the peak Crosby years. Question: In all seriousness, is kicker the 1A most important position in the NFL, considering how slim the margins are? No math, just gut (which is large) feeling, but if the Vikings' kicker was simply "average" they aren't 4-0.

It's the easiest position to take for granted when you've got a good one, and perhaps the most glaring weakness when you don't.

Richard from Ireland

I've been tearing my hair out about the guardian cap since they were first introduced and it now seems the science behind them is in and the logic of a helmet on a helmet seems to be proving them to be nothing but a performative attempt at showing the NFL is taking concussions serious. It's never made sense to me how they could stop the brain rattling inside the skull and I thought this was obvious to everyone. I don't know if there'll ever be any answer to stop concussion to be honest.

From what I've read and heard, the medical community has questioned whether the NFL's research meets accepted standards. Let's see where this goes in the coming years, I guess.

Tom from Elmhurst, IL

Spoff commented the Bears' defense he thinks is better than last year. I would argue it's a small sample size. They gave up 37 points to Carolina and only seven to the Eagles, who are down their best receiver and trying to figure things out, and looked good against the Vikings with a backup QB and a not-so-great Jets team. Jury is still out on their defense. Still heavily reliant on turnovers which is typically not sustainable. Stats don't tell the whole story sometimes. We'll see Sunday right?

Indeed. I talked about this on "Unscripted" a bit, that the Bears' defense last year, statistically speaking, was a different unit on the road vs. at home. Diving into the 2025 numbers, Chicago gave up an average of 18.8 points in 10 games at Soldier Field (including playoffs) and surrendered 30.4 in nine away games. Stark contrast. This year, you mentioned the 37 at Carolina. Since then, three home games, 28 total points. Scheduling does play a part, but also it's a trend worth monitoring.

Tim from Greensboro, NC

Hey Mike, in your article about Kraft, you mentioned his abnormal drops this year. Seems it has affected Christian Watson and Matthew Golden also, as they have had quite a few. Seems to me they have also had a number of missed blocks and penalties on running plays. Have you noticed the same? If so, how much has that affected our production in your opinion?

Everyone's had a hand in it. Nobody's been immune to miscues. It's unfair to expect flawless football, but it's stood out Watson has been flagged twice for holding and Golden has dropped a couple balls because that's unusual for both of them.

Michael from Wildomar, CA

Mike/Wes, when a team keeps finding different ways to make life harder on itself – penalties one week, turnovers or missed assignments the next – how do coaches determine whether it's just normal early-season inconsistency or a sign of a bigger underlying problem? From covering the NFL this long, can you tell the difference?

The penalties are a mixed bag in that context. The pre-snap infractions are an issue showing lack of focus, especially considering only one of the four games (Week 1) was played in what could be termed a hostile environment. I consider the offensive holding and other post-snap penalties partly a product of new and different players stepping in every week. The good news on that front is the defensive flags have been reduced considerably the last couple games. As for ball security, I go back to focus because I know how much they drill it. The ongoing problem is the Packers have been so lax with protecting the ball in the early stages of the season they're inviting every opponent to go out of their way to take shots at the ball. The Bears do so anyway, and they'll be licking their chops.

Ryan from Ripon, WI

What is this year's team missing? Last year, something seemed magical at the beginning of the year and this year, it just feels … flat.

There's been little rhythm to the offense, mostly due to the issues just described, along with the dropped passes and troublesome pass protection the first few games. Playing poorly generates negative emotions, and it feels flat because, on balance, the Packers haven't given their fans much to get excited about. Hopefully that changes Sunday.

Jack from Black Mountain, NC

For the remaining Jordan Love doubters, consider his almost 100 quarterback rating with 40% of his line new players. Love barely knew their names, much less how they would move on any given play. For the most complicated position in an exceptionally complicated game, is this not remarkable performance by Love?

The INT was the last pass Love threw in Tampa. Before that throw, his passer rating for the game was 116.6. And it should be noted that throw came on first-and-15 after a false start on a running back.

John from Gresham, OR

I can't recall a season where three key starters were carted off the field with season-ending injuries in the first four games. Does this team have enough depth to make the playoffs? I think with 13 games left, it's not time to panic yet. But it still feels like we haven't found our mojo. My other concern would be that we won't get there by leading the league in penalties. Hopefully we start finding our groove against the Bears.

This game feels like a potential turning point in the season if the Packers win it. If they don't, we'll still be waiting for it, wondering if it's going to come.

Jim from Escanaba, MI

Having endured decades of futility and decades of excellence, this era of Packers football seems to teeter on the edge of both on a weekly and annual basis. Either climbing out of a losing record to make the playoffs or falling apart while looking like a possible No. 1 seed. Having to scrape out a marginal win against an 0-3 team starting an UDFA rookie at QB doesn't feel encouraging. Losing Edgerrin Cooper is another hurdle for a defense now facing a dominant Bears offense even without Williams at QB.

I don't really get into categorizing different seasons ("climbing out of a hole" or "falling apart"). To me, every year has its challenges, and they come at different times and in different forms and fashions. As challenges go, this is a big one Sunday.

Ray from Phoenix, AZ

I am a strong believer that all division games are must wins. A division loss is like two losses because of tiebreaker implications. I believe after the Lions game on the 25th we will have a pretty good idea if the Packers are in good position or a real deep hole as far as making the playoffs. Agree?

Sure, but just beat the Bears.

Tallon from Castle Rock, CO

Bears vs. Packers, Dodgers vs. Brewers, what a Sunday it will be in Wisconsin. Mike, how are you going to be able to handle the amount of stress and excitement on one day? Are you planning on making it to a Brewers game this series?

My plan is to get the Game Recap and Rapid Reaction written in time to get home for Game 1 and work on Monday's II while I watch the Crew.

Will from Maple Grove, MN

Are we seriously about to have Packers/Cowboys and NLCS Game 6, head-to-head?

Maybe, but gotta take at least two from the Dodgers first.

Jeff from Mesa, AZ

Mike, the MLB team in Milwaukee has an opening for a senior writer to create an Insider Inbox (like Vic). Pay and benefits increase with cost of living in Milwaukee. Do you throw your hat in the ring to wind down your golden years?

Why not? I'd just ask for Sundays off in September and October so I can still live blog Packers games to the masses. Talk to you then, everybody. Happy Friday.

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