Douglas from Johnson Creek, WI

Two-word answers?

Indubitably.

Zak from Huntington Beach, CA

For my money, the best smell on the planet is freshly cut grass (or hay, which is technically grass). Can you smell the grass from the stands on gameday, or does it get lost in the cacophony of olfactory sensations from all the tailgating and concessions?

Grass is nice and all, but I can smell freshly cut grass in my backyard. For me, the walk into the stadium is the best part of gameday. We only get a handful of days a year to enjoy the smell of brats in the air on a pleasant late-summer or fall afternoon. That's what football is all about.

Samuel from Skokie, IL

Aidan Hutchinson scares me. So do the backs. I think the difference-makers for the Pack are Tucker Kraft and Edgerrin Cooper. Can't wait to see.

I get it, but the Packers have plenty of players for the Lions to fear, as well. That's what happens when good teams meet.

Jeremy from Dacula, GA

With all the attention and discussions to who has the best set of edge rushers in the league following the addition of Micah Parsons, is it safe to say that not enough attention and/or credit has been given to Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper as one of the best LB tandems in the league if health and maturity prevail? I think there is a tremendous amount of upside here. Go Pack Go!

I think everyone has that on their mind right about now. Rashan Gary talked about how offenses will need to pick their poison with Parsons on the Packers' roster and it's not just with the defensive line. Cooper and Walker can get after it on any down, too. One of the most dangerous aspects of this defense is primed to hit another gear.

Bill from Raleigh, NC

Hi II, Sam LaPorta, caught 60 balls in 16 games in the 2024. Sorry for the math, but that's 3.75 per game (it turns out if you say, "Sorry for the math," then you can include the math). Parsons is faster than every TE that's ever played in the NFL. Do you ever see Parsons being assigned to shut down an exceptional TE for the game rather than rushing the passer? I know he's made a lot of sacks. Does he have cover ability, too?

While Parsons has played off-ball linebacker in the NFL before, the Packers brought him here to rush the quarterback and cause disruption. So, I highly doubt Parsons covers anyone exclusively this season, but he already told Hafley he's cool dropping into coverage if certain packages are dialed up to rush Walker and/or Cooper to throw off the opposing offense.

Dave from Gwinn, MI

Out of Lukas Van Ness, Parsons and Rashan Gary, in a passing down who'd line up best inside? I'm assuming Gary, as he did some of that in Michigan. But he hasn't done much of that with GB yet, has he?

Gary has done the most of it, but Van Ness and Kingsley Enagbare have that in their tool belt, too. Devonte Wyatt and Karl Brooks aren't a bad one-two on third down, either, if Green Bay wants to use a true nickel.

Jacob from Morris, IL

What kind of impact does sending Kenny Clark to Dallas pose for GB?

No one loves Kenny Clark more than I do, but the Packers are gonna be OK. Those young D-linemen are ready for this challenge. We've already seen what a healthy Wyatt can do, but I also think Brooks could be in for a breakout year. Plus, they have the most athletic inside linebacker unit the Packers maybe have ever fielded at the second level.

Paul from Ledgeview, WI

Wes, do we have a clear best 11 on offense or defense, or is it situation-dependent? I wonder what the lineups would look like if you could not make any substitutions during a series.

I think we know who "the guys" are, but the beautiful thing about what the Packers have built is there isn't just a set 11 on offense or defense. Green Bay can roll a lot of personnel in. I always say as talented as those 2014-15 teams were, you had a good idea who the 11 were gonna be on both sides.

Keith from Bakersfield, CA

I'm approaching Sunday's game with cautious optimism. The cautious part stems from Parsons' ramp-up. We most likely won't see him at 100%, whether due to injury, conditioning, or playbook knowledge. Meanwhile, we will see 0% of Kenny Clark. So at least for this game, we're worse off for the trade. I'm optimistic to see how last year's core steps up to this season's challenge. I hope I can retain that perspective no matter what happens. How do you avoid the highs and lows?

You focus on what's gained and not lost. If Parsons plays 10 third-down snaps and gets a strip sack recovered for a touchdown, are the Packers worse off?

Josh from Nicaragua

With the addition of Parsons, do you think we could see the Packers running more 3-3 nickel instead of the usual 4-2 front? Dan Quinn was quoted as saying the best version of Parsons is when the defense doesn't know where he is coming from and moving him off the line would prevent teams from double-teaming him. Plus, his perceived "weakness" against the run seems to be negated when he can read and react instead of trying to hold the edge against the hog mollies. "Penny" for your thoughts?

The Packers and Parsons are on the same page. I think everyone agrees that the best way to utilize Parsons' talent is to move him around the front seven. While the coordinator is different, Matt LaFleur saw the value in that approach with how Mike Pettine utilized Za'Darius Smith in 2019-20. Also, it's 2025. We have 4-3 edge rushers in two-point stances, middle linebackers rushing in the four-man look and safeties playing any position in the secondary.

Brandon from Imperial, MO

Good morning, in response to the "scripted" plays narrative, it was Mike Holmgren (he took it from Bill Walsh) and he explained that he scripted the first 15 or 25 plays regardless of situations in the West Coast offense because it will confuse a defense. MH and the QBs in the '90s used to talk about how the O-line loved it because they knew what was coming and only had to listen for changes. From Spoff's response, I guess that isn't how it's done anymore. Cyclical league, do you see it coming back?

I can't speak to how rigid the rules were back then, but echoing Mike's comments, everything is much more flexible now. Variables can change and sometimes you gotta adjust. I mean, look at what happened at the beginning of the Thursday night game between Dallas and Philadelphia.

Bill from Wilmington, DE

Wes, how has Luke Musgrave looked in your chances to watch practice?

Ready. Outside of Jordan Morgan, there may not have been a young player who needed training camp more than Musgrave and he was out there for all of it. I'm excited about No. 88.

Jon from Willmar, MN

Did you see Jayden Reed and Nate Hobbs practice? How did they look?

We only get to see stretching on Fridays, but everyone practiced for Green Bay. Reed's situation with the foot is something to monitor, but he practiced Thursday and Friday. I have a few more questions about Hobbs' availability after he practiced for the first time in a month Thursday. We'll know definitively on Sunday.

Matt from Middleton, WI

A lot has been made of Detroit going for it on fourth down. Maybe other teams should go for it more often. Not every team has Detroit's offensive linemen, perimeter blockers and running backs. Detroit did lose some offensive linemen. It will be interesting to see how their line performs now.

My mantra for a long time has been, "What does the opponent not want you to do? OK, cool. Do that thing." Yes, it's a big gamble to go for it and you gotta be smart about when to press the gas, but fortune favors the bold.

Bill from Forest Park, OH

Piggybacking on the whole expectations discussion – I like to think of it as going on an adventure where we all hope to end up at a certain destination but can't know if we'll make it all the way there. Just try to enjoy each step along the way, knowing there will be good times as well as trials and tribulations. Let's see where we all end up when it's all said and done.

Well said and that's the Packers' hope. Every NFL team goes into the season with the goal of winning the Super Bowl, but there are levels to this. Green Bay has a roster capable of competing for a championship and Parsons' addition only adds to that potential. Flying high comes with the risk of the fall, but that's the only way to reach plateaus few others will ever see.

Jeff from Littlefork, MN

The rain delay was too much for me on a work night, I had to get to bed. Packers games I stay up for, the rest, not so much. I see in the game stats that Kenny Clark lodged five tackles. Would you call that a decent outing? I still wish KC 'Bout That Life continued success. Anything to be gleaned from a sample size that small?

I thought Kenny played well. He had the five tackles but also a half sack. I saw a startling stat between how many yards Saquon Barkley gained when Clark was off the field (6.6 yards per carry) vs. when No. 95 was out there (2.8).

David from Janesville, WI

First No. 1 pick receiver in more than two decades? Cool. Huge trade for a rusher? Great. Specialists extended? Sure. Faux leather helmets for throwbacks coming? Fine. Whatever. The offseason clock is striking zero, the big boy pants are going on and the baloney is screeching to a halt. Just beat the Lions.

As I said on iHeart radio in Milwaukee on Wednesday – eight months of the filibustering is over. Now, we find out how far the Packers have come since the loss in Philadelphia.

Al from Green Bay, WI

Detroit has won six of the last seven vs. the Pack, including the last three at Lambeau. It's time to re-establish control. Reasons to believe: 1) Jordan Love's evolution will be on full display. 2) Josh Jacobs and the O-line will provide a punch and a complement to the passing game. 3) Kraft/Musgrave – healthy and hungry. 4) The disruptive D featuring Cooper, Parsons and X. 5) A Matthew Golden début. 6) Opening game, at Lambeau – are you kidding me? GPG!

LaFleur wasn't giving anything away Friday when asked if the offense or defense will be introduced, but I agree with Love – Can you imagine the ovation for Parsons the first time he runs through that tunnel? It's enough to give you goosebumps.

Henry from De Pere, WI

How do we think Jordan Love is going to do this week with his hand injury?

I feel like this is a big nothingburger, but there's only one way to prove it so – play well with no mistakes.

Dean from Leavenworth, IN

A bright new dawn breaks over Lambeau
A rare week one matchup brings special opportunity
Time to seize the moment Green and Gold

The sandwich is eaten, football is back, and the baloney stops now!

Jennifer from Middleton, WI

Believe but don't assume. Sage advice, as expected. I anticipate repeating that mantra to myself when games have points of angst. OK, Wes, you're up. Care to add any mindset advice for approaching the season as we go into Game 1? As you are the king of analogies, bonus points if it comes in that form.

Is it OK if I quote Daniel Ricciardo (who officially announced his retirement from Formula One on Friday)? "Enjoy the butterflies. Enjoy being naive. Enjoy the nerves, the pressure, people not knowing your name, all that stuff, because that's part of it. I think if you want to stand on the top from Day 1, then there's nothing else to look forward to. So yeah, enjoy the process of making a name for yourself, getting faster and faster with each lap, and meeting some great people along the way." Enjoy the ride this season, folks. I feel like it's gonna be a special one.

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