Inbox: It's not easy to stick the landing in this league but it must be done

Jeffery from Taylors, SC

If we, the fans, were frustrated by the last game, can you imagine how the players and coaches feel? How do they move on?

It's like any of us after a rough day at the office. You get some rest and keep grinding. The Packers don't have time to stick their heads in the beach right now. You have to be a professional and get back on the horse.

John from Bigfork, MT

I loved what Aaron Rodgers said during his interview about manifesting and words we choose to use. There is no place for "we aren't that good" in a locker room. There is only the thought of moving forward, of resiliency, of getting better. There are fans out there that already want to write the season off. You wouldn't write off a kid that's learning how to walk, then why as adults we choose to throw in the towel so fast? I bleed green and gold.

I get where Jaire Alexander is coming from. It's an emotional game. Rodgers' messaging is on point, though. You have to keep your thoughts and energy positive. Sunday wasn't fun. The second half wasn't fun. But it was one Week 5 game in another country. Just like what happened in Minnesota, the Packers have to learn from their shortcomings and respond against an improving New York Jets team. But, yeah, there's a lot of work to be done this week at 1265.

Paul from Minneapolis, MN

Could it be that GB's defensive woes are due to lackluster play by the interior line? It sure seems like they get gashed too often, leading to big plays.

It always comes back to consistency, Paul. The Packers need to be better in coverage, pressuring the quarterback and defending the run. Sunday's game was peculiar. Because I felt the Packers defended Barkley well out of traditional formations. He broke his big run out of the Wildcat, but give Jones some credit, too. He made some good decisions with the football. While there were times Green Bay had the crossers covered, the defense didn't get it done enough.

Kevin from Whitehall, WI

What had a larger impact on fans' expectations – the explosion of social media, fantasy football, or the volume of talking heads who think they have the answer for your team? Fans expect full consistency week to week. In 2010, the Packers had many performances that left fans disappointed, but at 10-6 they snuck into the playoffs. In 2011, they cruised through the regular season at 15-1 with the No. 1 seed. I'd choose the exhilaration of 2010 over the disappointment of 2011. Enjoy the journey!

Don't know. Don't care. In Green Bay, expectations aren't derived from national narratives or TV talking points. It comes from the "G" on the helmet. That's the standard.

Alan from Hamilton, Canada

Tired of excuses. Matt's response is always that we didn't play well enough, we got our butts kicked, we all have to look in the mirror and it all starts with me. What is going to be different after the next loss?

LaFleur addressed the media for 26 minutes on Monday, even asking if anyone had any further questions at the end. He answered everything he was asked from Bill Huber, Jason Wilde, Tom Silverstein, Kassidy Hill, and Mike Spofford thoroughly and honestly. LaFleur provided a road map for what went wrong in London and the rationale for Green Bay's plan. If you listen closely, you'll learn a few things about the game and strategy, too. I know I did.

Greg from Cherry Valley, IL

The hardest part for me to get over with that game was with the score tied and 10 minutes to go the three straight incompletions. It seemed forced and it seemed like they were panicking. Your defense is clearly gassed. I thought the play-calling in that series could've been different.

This was another topic LaFleur went into about as good of detail as you're going to get out of an NFL head coach on a three-and-out series. You can agree. You can disagree. But LaFleur provided "the why" as far as what they did. The Packers won in recent weeks on all three plays they called. It's not like they just pulled them out of nowhere.

Bret from Hertel, WI

Dear Wes, how can the Packers get more consistency from the defense and offense to have complementary football?

Clean up the penalties and communication. That's the flour and eggs in every recipe for success in this game.

Robert from Winona, MN

Perhaps some have already commented on it, but what do you make of the lack of adjustments? Brian Daboll confessed that the majority of NY's offensive plays were based on bootleg concepts, yet the Packers' defense never seemed to catch on. Regarding the offense, the Packers made the opposite of an adjustment by abandoning the run in critical moments – a common thread that keeps coming up in losses. What will it take for the Packers to be more open to making adjustments in game?

The Packers have to find some answers for why they're having such strange swings in production. I felt Green Bay was doing a good job of adjusting in its wins to come back from some slow starts. On Sunday, the Packers started fast in front of a friendly crowd but stumbled rounding the final turn.

John from Palmdale, CA

It seems to me that this season is looking like the one where they won Super Bowl XLV. Lots of adversity and possibly having to win out to qualify for the playoffs. I'm hoping this team is a diamond needing more pressure to form.

The part everyone gets wrong about the 2010 Packers isn't just the injuries they overcame – it's all the players who stepped up over the course of the season. Because of that, Green Bay reached its ultimate form in the postseason.

Chuck from Plano, TX

Is anyone beginning to think that our defense looked so good in training camp was because it was playing against our offense?

I don't think that's it. The Packers' defense had two dominant joint practices with the New Orleans Saints, too. All is not lost, folks. As much as we're dogging on the defense right now, Green Bay's defense still is a top-10 unit in most categories. Situationally, the Packers have to defend the middle of the field better and create more takeaways.

Gary from Cross Plains, WI

Going back a game (trying to forget this last one), the answer to the refs missing the play clock running out is the fans. Just need to be like basketball and start counting down (very loudly) the last two or three seconds and a big buzz noise at zero. Just need to not start too soon to alert the offense to snap the ball quick to avoid the penalty.

Also, notice how Preston Smith used his situational awareness to jump the snap when the clock reached zero against the Giants. Conversely, that's happened to the Packers a few times in the past on the other end of the equation because you got nothing to lose there.

Gavin from Albuquerque, NM

In a league that has achieved great parity, these things happen. Onto the next one!

LaFleur was right. The team that handled its preparation and the trip overseas better would be victorious. The Packers got off to a promising start, but 30 minutes does not make a football game. It's not easy to stick the landing in this league but it must be done. These other 31 clubs are too talented. They will make you pay.

Bill from Wilmington, DE

Wes, I thought we had a defense…I was wrong! Too many good athletes out there, is it zone coverage that is killing us?

Every defensive coordinator is going to mix their coverages. You can't live in one look. At the end of the day, the Packers are giving up too many explosive plays, especially across the middle of the field, and not taking the ball away enough. Execution, execution, execution.

Frank from Lake Zurich, IL

From the "glass is half full" file...we are seeing the warts early enough in the season to correct. Close wins tend to gloss over issues but losses like this don't. Expectations this year were based upon overall talent level, HOF QB, and a coach with a great regular-season track record. Assuming the talent level is still a plus, where should we expect more: coaching game plan or on-field adjustments, need for rookies to mature, or for the "talent" to show itself?

Just doing a better job of riding the waves of a momentum naturally woven into this sport, and that goes for both the coaches and the players. Again, when you get a team down like the Packers did, you have to finish the job.

Jim from St Pete Beach, FL

Wes, Mike mentioned this being one of the most disappointing regular-season losses he's witnessed. I agree – it felt almost as low as some of our awful playoff performances in the past. Do you think that is at least partly because this inaugural Packers London trip was so hyped?

Mayhap. The stadium was electric. Among fans with a rooting interest, it was probably an 80/20 split in favor of the Packers. The most frustrating thing about the loss is how good Green Bay looked early. The defense finally got a stop on the opening drive and the Packers were moving the ball efficiently. But once the faucet was turned off, that was it.

Steve from Halifax, Canada

Very disappointed. Something about this team doesn't fit the mold. They went absolutely flat on both offense and defense. Is it time to call it on David Bakhtiari? He's either healthy and in or not healthy and back on IR for four more games. Is it time to give up on Amari Rodgers if he can't do the sweep that Christian Watson does and is too risky on punt returns? And finally I think we thought that Quay Walker might be a disrupter. That doesn't seem to be happening. Perhaps our expectations were too high.

Did you see the field, Steve? I had no issue with the Packers choosing to run the rotation again. It wasn't just the field turf at Tottenham. You could see seams. I'm not gonna talk you through the rest. You can draw whatever conclusions you wish, but the Packers aren't the type of organization that just throws out draft picks for the sake of doing something. If that were the case, Davante Adams wouldn't be the franchise's fourth all-time leading receiver.

Steve from Middletown, KY

The deep first-down incomplete passes didn't set us up at all in the second half. I think we went against ball control in order to make a splash play or two to get the momentum back. Do you think the defensive holding on the sack inside the 10 was the turning point? Then, not getting the turnover on the return was the big missed opportunity?

That's what it felt like to me. If Rashan Gary gets the 11-yard sack there, I wonder what direction the game goes in. Listen, defensive holding was a big emphasis this year. If that's how it's going to be called, the Packers will have to make adjustments. Historically, I've felt Alex Kemp's crews are usually pretty consistent. I was thrown off by the amount of defensive holding penalties called on Douglas and Green Bay, while Allen Lazard appeared to be illegally contacted and referees swallowed the whistles. It is what it is.

Bruce from Middleville, MI

Rasul Douglas with three penalties, unnecessary roughness? Really. Tom Brady got the call for far less and what seemed like a proper tackle. Now if you roll the QB it's a penalty? The NFL emphasizes something every year and teams get screwed. The muffed punt getting recovered would have given us great field position. The sack within the 10-yard line that didn't count because of a penalty. There is the game right there. Oh, did I mention, not one screen pass.

Defensive holding penalties are inherently subjective, but I felt the last unnecessary roughness penalty was a bad call. Officials gotta make up their mind. If the play is over, blow the whistles and break the play up. If it's not, then you need to let the defender finish his tackle. Douglas said afterwards he didn't hear a whistle.

Alex from Kentwood, MI

I know so much focus is on what went wrong in the loss, but two people that really stuck out to me were Jarran Reed and T.J. Slaton. Reed just seems to keep making more and more plays each week, and Slayton was routinely in the backfield for what has to be his best game this year. Really awesome to see how well the DL was preforming. Just gotta make it a full game!

The D-line might be the most consistent group on defense so far. Kenny Clark continues to be exceptional, Jarran Reed has made big plays in both the run and pass, and Slaton has solidified himself as that reliable No. 4 behind Clark, Reed and Dean Lowry. The Packers did a good job against Barkley. As Clark said after the game, it doesn't matter if you play 1,000 great snaps. It can all be undone by one explosive play.

Bob from Fredericksburg, VA

Sammy Watkins should be coming off of injured reserve soon. Was wondering if you had any info on how he was doing, and could we expect him back at practice soon.

Watkins was placed on injured reserve on Sept. 24 and is eligible to return after this Sunday's game against the New York Jets. However, there's been no update on his timeline from LaFleur.

Mike from Kalamazoo, MI

I sent this during the game but then remembered Spoff doesn't answer questions until the game is over. Do all departments of the team travel to London, like the field and sound crew? I only ask because the game really seemed to feel like a home game, at least from my living room.

The traveling party consists of players, coaches, personnel department, football tech, the executive committee, doctors, training staff, equipment, security…and us in digital.

Gabor from Budapest, Hungary

Good morning, Wes. So, we don't know why the Packers are so inconsistent, but we know that Mike managed to taste some beers. Is there anything we should know about you and English root beers?

No root beers, but I ate gammon for the first time and am now a fan.

Chris from Edinburgh, UK

Just a quick note to say thank you to the Packers players and staff for taking the time for autographs, selfies, and a quick chat with fans at the airport in London after the game yesterday. They were a real class act even though they were probably hurting on the inside after the loss. Any tips on how to frame a jersey to display on the wall?

It's too bad the result was what it was because otherwise it had the makings of a legendary international debut. Every fan I spoke with loved the experience. I also enjoyed my time in London and the experience at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The stadium is immaculate, and the staff could not have been any more helpful and friendly. It was a trip I won't soon forget. Have a great week, everyone.