Jim from Eau Claire, WI

The September preseason is over. It's time to chop wood!

Break out the flannel. It's almost stick season.

Josh from Nicaragua

Yesterday Mike said teams backed off and became "wary" of throwing in the vicinity of X. Let him know it ain't wary, it's wooly...or something like that.

Young QBs, they do get wooly because of all the stress…yeah…

Craig from Brookfield, WI

Like Spoff, I too noticed opposing teams' reluctance to throw deep middle balls with Xavier McKinney lurking back there. It must be tough to evaluate safeties and CBs when there's no stat for "avoidances." The better you are, the fewer opportunities you'll have for PBUs and picks. You can rack up tackles and strips if your front seven are terrible. There may be some chances to blitz. But how can coaches, All-Pro voters, HOF committees truly assess positions where getting no action is the greatest sign of respect?

Like Spoff pointed out, few QBs have been willing to take that gamble. In my opinion, McKinney hasn't been gifted many of the deep flares that the safety in Detroit has been granted (See: Browning, Jake). It's also why I didn't fault McKinney for jumping at the opportunity at the end of the first half in Cleveland. There haven't been many of those moments this year. X has gotta just keep chipping away and he now faces that same QB once again.

Gary from Sheboygan, WI

II, does the addition of Joe Flacco alter how the Pack plans for Cincy? The change may be just enough to inspire the Bengals to play a much better game.

It doesn't change much for the Packers. As Matt LaFleur outlined Wednesday, that narrative tends to play out more in the media than the meeting room. It's still the same Zac Taylor offense Green Bay has been prepping for with a new conductor whom the Packers already scouted once this year. It's a rare and unique redux, but that's all it is.

John from Jupiter, FL

Morning Wes. Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are no picnic. How do you compare them to George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb? Thanks.

They're the face of this offense and really the franchise. As much as Browning's interceptions were an issue, Cincy also has struggled mightily to run the ball this year. In trading for Flacco, it seems the Bengals are fully committing themselves to feeding Chase and Higgins and seeing if that breathes life into the offense. Their season numbers are OK, but most of the receiving production against Detroit came once the things got out of hand.

Richard from Madison, WI

Your answer about how opponents have stopped even TRYING to throw in the direction of Xavier McKinney prompted me to wonder about postseason accolades based on stats. If he ends up with zero passes defensed and zero interceptions because a ball never even comes his way, who'd take him seriously as a candidate for All-Pro?

It's tough because I think – and this is just one man's opinion here – there can be groupthink among voters. Sadly, some with the pen just look at a stat sheet and fill in names accordingly. It's an unfortunate sign of respect, but playmakers can't press. It's simply making the plays when they're there to be, uh, theirs.

Al from Green Bay, WI

Wes, the sting of Dallas dropping 40 on the Packers' D has undoubtedly lasted the full two weeks. With that in mind, I'm expecting the defense from the start of the season to show up Sunday. I'm picking Lukas Van Ness as a guy whose presence will be felt this week. Who is your guy?

Edgerrin Cooper. Cincinnati doesn't have the plethora of skill-position players Dallas possessed. This could be a good game to get Cooper and Quay Walker involved in the pursuit of Flacco.

John from Stevens Point, WI

Which of the following do the Packers need to neutralize to win Sunday: Trey Hendrickson, Higgins, or Chase.

LaFleur talked about the Packers' need to avoid catastrophic plays and the names you mention are the Bengals' biggest conduits to make that happen. GB needs to neutralize all three to an extent, but the offense can't afford a repeat of what happened against Myles Garrett and the Browns. Cleveland has a much better all-around defense, but Hendrickson cannot be permitted to wreck shop.

Tyler from Cornell, WI

Watching the Packers Daily video Tuesday made me wonder. We've been waiting for turnovers to come (and really impact the game not just end first halves). Cincy comes in with 11 giveaways and we have two takeaways. Is it just my "expect the worst" mentality that tells me we won't get any Sunday afternoon? The Joe-led Browns didn't really have impactful turnovers but vs. Baltimore and Detroit they gave it away for fun. So naturally I expect Cincy to stop the gift train now that we're playing them. C'mon D!

Turnovers come in bunches, and the Packers are overdue. I believe it's a tough task asking Flacco to lead a brand-new offense on a short week behind a beleaguered offensive line. He certainly can do it, especially considering how fast he got the ball out against Green Bay in Week 3. For the Packers, this is the defense's shot at retribution after a disappointing fourth quarter in Cleveland.

Ray from Phoenix, AZ

Devonte Wyatt was not placed on IR, but the Packers worked out five D-tackles. Is Wyatt hurt more than they want to admit?

There's no need to place Wyatt on IR with two roster spots already open. The Packers have 13 regular-season games to go and have four candidates to be designated to return from IR (Jayden Reed, Jacob Monk, MarShawn Lloyd, and Brenton Cox Jr.) out of the maximum eight. As far as the workouts, that's the Packers updating the free-agent rolodex. They only have one interior DL (James Ester) on the practice squad right now.

James from Asheville, NC

Just as the addition of Micah Parsons has benefitted Rashan Gary (and the entire defense) is it reasonable to think the return of Christian Watson will open opportunities for Matthew Golden? I can't wait to see them on the field together!

That's been the hope all along, right? Since the day the Packers drafted Golden, we've talked about how dangerous he and Watson could be on the field together. Take it one day at a time, but that hour draws closer.

Dan from Algonquin, IL

Wes, I watched a fun video of the longest runs of each season since 2000. Ahman Green had two of them (98 and 90 yards). Josh Jacobs had one (86 yards as a Raider). Two QBs (Marcus Mariota, 87, and Terrelle Pryor, 93). Only one run did not go for a TD (Breece Hall, 83). Derrick Henry's 99-yarder was the most impressive. He battled would-be tacklers the entire length of the field. Any personal thoughts? Will Jacobs get his second?

I cannot wait for it and hopefully it happens at Lambeau Field because the stadium will come unglued. Jacobs has home-run potential, but he and the Packers' offensive line are still trying to find that right formula to spring him.

Scott from Sauk City, WI

I just wanted to say that I very much appreciate both the question from Mike in Fort Myers, and your answer to it. It is an astute question that I was tossing around in my head without the actual stats. Emanuel Wilson (from the eye test) is having more success than JJ, but I think we'd all agree that JJ is "the guy." The definition of "success" changes, and rightly so as your answer explains. Defenses (can) stop what they key on, so maybe soon Wilson will get more respect from opposing defenses!

Respect to Wilson, who's earned every snap he's taken with the offense. But teams defend Jacobs differently. There's good reason he was the first player Kenny Clark identified when discussing the Packers' offense two weeks ago. As the Packers make more plays through the air, that should create more opps for Jacobs in the trenches.

Andrew from Richmond, VA

In response to Rich from Manitou Springs yesterday, what makes it harder to play 13 straight games now compared to back in the day is that players are bigger and faster now than they were back then. Physics tells us this will result in more violent collisions and a higher risk of injury to the human body.

Harder, easier, All-Madden…football is a grueling sport, and significant injuries are omnipresent in any era. Lynn Dickey missed more than a year with a broken leg. Bye weeks were added for a reason.

Randy from Lebanon, KY

Now with the Packers having a tie on their record, it got me wondering have the Packers ever won a championship with a tie on their record? If not, have they made the playoffs when having a tie and if so when was the last occurrence?

There were ties all the time in the early years. Thrice, in fact, the Packers finished with three ties (1922, 1926 and 1928). They won three of the first four world championships with ties on their record (1929-30, 1936), and they made the playoffs in strike-shortened 1982 with a tie (5-3-1). The most recent Green Bay team to make the playoffs with a tie on its record was 2013 (8-7-1).

Steven from San Diego, CA

Everyone is high on Jordan Love, they have been since he was drafted, I think he hasn't played but maybe six really good games since he's been the starter. The team gave him superstar money, but I haven't seen him provide superstar play. I'd love to see him come through and produce and hit receivers in stride and not hang on to the ball until he's sacked. My question is, am I the only one who sees this or am I wrong?

You're not the only who sees/says this…but you are wrong.

Roger from Key West, FL

I'm also going to comment on the quip about the NFL doing anything to make a buck and combine it with Johnny's answer that if refs are scrutinized after every game, why is there such inconsistency in calls from different crews?

Because the NFL treats officials like that child in elementary school whose parents say they can do no wrong.

Rick from North Rose, NY

Is it just me or are more teams winning the coin toss deferring to receive second half kickoff?

It's you. That's become common practice in today's NFL. LaFleur was more the one going against the grain when electing to receive the past two years.

Mike from Baraboo, WI

Which remaining home and away games are you most looking forward to analyzing and why?

Away would be Pittsburgh. Need I say more? The home game I'm looking forward to most is Philly. Eagles fans were none too kind to the Packers (or Rob Demovsky) last year. It's also the first time I've ever been mooned on the bus ride to a stadium. So, I'm excited to have this one at Lambeau.

Richard from Telford, TN

A semi-football baseball comment. I enjoy both sports and am avidly watching the Brewers playoffs here in Tennessee. I can see most GB games this year because so many are primetime, and I record and keep wins for rewatching. I think the difference between football and baseball is you can rewatch football and see new aspects. Not so with baseball.

I don't think I've ever rewatched a baseball game in my life, even when I was a massive Brewers fan in the 1990s and 2000s. While there are nuances within the game of baseball, it's nothing like football. You could rewatch one snap of an NFL game on All-22 a dozen times and never see the same thing twice.

Kurt from Imperial, MO

I couldn't resist the bait… and came for the TED Talk. I loved the Cardinals' Darren Urban mailbag and his TED Talk–style answer after a truly awful game, where he said he can't see the action through a fan's prism and still do his job. After years reading Insider Inbox, I've noticed the same balance – sharp analysis without emotion, while still letting fans vent. Do you keep a TED Talk handy for brutal postgame mornings? P.S. I won't show up with a laser pointer … unless you really want me to.

I've recalled this story before, but I consulted Darren heavily during my interview process for this job back in 2015-16. He gave me some of the best advice I've ever received while recalling the time the Cardinals lost 58-0 in Seattle back in 2012. He was the writer for a team that just got blown out of CenturyLink Field. What do you do? You speak honestly and earnestly in reporting what happened and allow fans to respond how they see fit.

Jari from Finland

This is not a question. This is a statement. Me and my son are fans. The history, the ownership and the community. We travelled to GB three years ago. Patriots game. From Finland: You are second to none! Can't wait to be at Lambeau again.

And we can't wait to have you.

Robert from Saginaw, MI

With bonuses being popular in NFL contracts, how many clicks does an article need to get for you to get a bonus? Or are clicks only a team stat and you receive nothing?

If I'm a good senior writer, Spoff lets me go up twice for lunch on Fridays.

Kevin from Wantagh, NY

Quite a coincidence for the Packers that the last two seasons where there were no more unbeaten teams heading into Week 6 were 2010 and 2014. Not sure whether that bodes well for this season, so I guess we'll just call it a tie?

Hopefully that's a good omen.

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