Troy from Westminster, CO

What if the cows never come back from Sobieski? Maybe they like it there.

I'm gone for less than a week …

Julie from Oconomowoc, WI

Why do you think LaFleur passed on Jim Leonhard for the DC job? Seems like he would have been the perfect fit!

Perhaps he would've been, but it's important to remember LaFleur reportedly discussed the job with Leonhard extensively five years ago. Reading the tea leaves, my best guess is he would've loved to talk to Leonhard again this week, but Gannon had the edge as well as interest from other clubs, and LaFleur wasn't going to risk losing him by waiting. Another candidate LaFleur reportedly interviewed was Christian Parker, a member of his original staff in 2019 who was scooped up by the Cowboys. Plus, if Denver DC Vance Joseph were to land a head job, Leonhard could be in line to take that spot anyway. There's always a lot going on.

David from Janesville, WI

Green Bay Packers. Dallas Cowboys. Pittsburgh Steelers. Has any other coach ever led three such iconic franchises as Mike McCarthy?

It's remarkable, isn't it? I think it's incredibly cool, and no one else's collection of teams really compares. Bill Parcells coached the Giants, Patriots, Jets and Cowboys, but I'd still lean toward McCarthy's list in terms of history and stature. I hope somebody re-creates Joe McCarthy's Bar & Grill in the stadium neighborhood in Pittsburgh.

Betsy from Waupaca, WI

How fun is it that both Super Bowl GMs came up through Green Bay? Do you have any insights into how their experiences with the Packers formed their philosophies that helped them build Super Bowl teams?

Not only came up through the Packers but grew up here. They learned a process for evaluating player talent from a number of sharp, shrewd folks, but each individual adds his own lens to the frame along the way. Regarding philosophy, I don't sense either Schneider or Wolf copied anybody's. They've seen what's worked and what hasn't, and I've heard aspiring GMs frequently file away the times they disagreed with their bosses, and then track who turned out to be right or wrong. Eventually, the library's stacks are full enough to stand on their own.

Alan from Saugerties, NY

How happy should we as Packers fans be that Sam Darnold is no longer in the NFC North? What were the Vikings thinking?

It's a break for the division certainly, but the more I've read about it, the better I understand what unfolded. Darnold was looking for a long-term commitment as a starting QB, and the Vikings weren't willing to give that having just spent a first-round draft pick on a QB. Then they thought their hedge for J.J. McCarthy was Daniel Jones, but he unexpectedly signed with the Colts. That aside, short of trading McCarthy, which wasn't going to happen, I don't know if the Vikings could've offered Darnold anything that would've enticed him to stay. He wanted no part of that "starter in waiting" behind him and found a situation that best suited him.

John from Stevens Point, WI

I have to admit, now that Sam Darnold is with the Seahawks, and not the Vikings, I am very happy for him. Amazing that in the loaded 2018 draft QB class that he got to a Super Bowl before Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson. To what do you attribute his turnaround from his early days in the NFL? Can you remember any story that mirrors Darnold's?

Rich Gannon and Jim Plunkett come to mind.

Bill from Burbank, CA

Guys, not a question, but a prediction: We see a LOT less fourth-down attempts next year. I can't count how many times I said to myself during DEN/NE second half – "I bet Denver wishes they took that field goal in the first half." It's a trendy, trendy league and everybody fell in love with uber-aggressive offensive mindsets the last few years. But there's a reason teams mostly kicked on fourth down for the last hundred years.

Usually I'm of the mind that fourth-and-ones are tossups, but I failed to understand Sean Payton's fateful second-quarter decision for numerous reasons. First, on the three downs leading up to fourth, the Broncos had nothing going for them – a stuffed run and two QB scrambles to avoid sacks. New England clearly was taking control up front. Second, this wasn't fourth-and-goal from the 1. They would've still needed another dozen yards for a TD if they converted. Third, you're playing with a backup QB and have a chance to give your defense, which has controlled the Patriots to that point, a two-score lead at home with bad weather on the way. The football gods were screaming take the points.

Steven from Wilmington, NC

So, do the analytics consider the second-half weather report?

Apparently not, but the other piece to this storyline getting surprisingly little attention is Denver kicker Will Lutz's admission the snow-covered field may have shortened the Broncos' alignment on the blocked kick. The official gamebook lists a 45-yard attempt from the 28-yard line, meaning a snap of seven yards, not the usual eight. The snow prevented them from seeing the yard markers and they lined up too tight. From a yard farther back, does Lutz's kick clear Leonard Taylor's hand?

Etienne from St. Joachim de Tourelle, Canada

Good morning II. Wes, you made my day last Friday with the input on the Seagulls having the most field goals and less fourth-down tries of all teams. Play the field, play the clock.

That was an enlightening statistic. The Rams' decision on fourth-and-4 from the 6-yard line was really tough. No clear-cut answer in my book. Five minutes and three timeouts is a lot of opportunity to get the ball back needing only a field goal to win, so that's probably my call there. But it's also a lot harder to live with that decision if you never get the ball back.

Jeffrey from Taylors, SC

Without considering free agents, what do you think is the Packers' biggest draft need?

Corner.

Benjamin from Bear, DE

No first-round pick for the next two years and limited cap space, unless some moves are made to reduce that cap. With that said, what do you think is more important, hitting on at least three or four draft picks in the middle rounds, or reducing the cap and taking another flyer on a quality free agent or two?

I'm anticipating moves being made to give the Packers the cap space they need to explore their options in free agency, but they aren't taking a "flyer" in the early, expensive days. It would be somebody they're counting on to step in and play a major role. Finding immediate contributors in the middle rounds of the draft will be vital, too. But all that said, this is the time of year I remind everyone the Packers' biggest improvement for next season – barring another Micah Parsons trade – will come from within. It'll be those guys from the most recent draft classes entering Years 2-3 taking the next steps in their careers, a list that includes but is not limited to Jordan Morgan, Ty'Ron Hopper, Matthew Golden, Anthony Belton, Savion Williams, Barryn Sorrell, Collin Oliver, Warren Brinson and more. Their development will determine how much better this team can be.

Julian from Gastonia, NC

There is only so much the Packers can do to field a significantly different roster for 2026 and that is a humbling thought for this Packer fan. The reality of going 2-5 against teams that made the postseason will stare me in the face during the offseason and tell me how far away the team is from getting to another Super Bowl.

One, see above. Two, the first 1½ of those five losses to playoff teams came when Tucker Kraft went down and the offense struggled to adjust initially, and the last 2½ came without Parsons as well. Three, feeling "far away" or "close" gets muddled with the vagaries of the game. Seattle was playing at home Sunday, and not the Rams, thanks to perhaps the most fortunate two points in the history of two-point conversions. I'll never undersell that a lot of (stuff) has to break your way to get to a Super Bowl.

David from Gainesville, FL

One team is out because of a key injury and another team is out due to a muffed punt. We get in our minds that the champion standing at the end of the day was the most infallible when in actuality the last team standing is there because one of the 32 has to be. It's a game of survival and the odds are always against you. Enjoy the chances you get.

That's another way of putting it.

Josh from Seattle, WA

Which player from the 2022 draft class is the top priority to re-sign? Is it based off their talent or our ability to replace them? Quay Walker should get re-signed but Hopper may step up, Romeo Doubs should get re-signed but we drafted Golden and Williams, Rasheed Walker will get paid but do we think Morgan is ready to take over. I would hate to see them all go, but I do hope Malik Willis gets a HUGE contract for compensatory pick reasons.

The Packers have players in the pipeline. That's how you avoid getting forced into re-signing your own at too high a price. At this point, I'd expect all those guys you mentioned to test the market, and the Packers' decisions will tell us how they feel about their pipeline. As for Willis, every year is different in terms of how the UFA contracts around the league line up, but for some context, Justin Fields ($20M APY) is netting the Steelers a fourth-round pick and Russell Wilson ($10.5M APY) is netting a sixth.

Laurie from Sheboygan, WI

If the NFL does go to an 18th game, will they give players an 18th game check above their already-negotiated contracts for that season, or will they just divide their contract total into more pieces? Also, if they are going to go to an 18th game, it would make sense to add a second bye week as well and have each division all have byes the same week. That would make it so there are eight bye weeks in the middle of the season and allow for more equitable scheduling.

I have no idea how the byes would be worked out in an 18-game schedule, but I expect the revenue split between owners and players will get adjusted by a fraction of a percentage point with the addition of an 18th game. That's what happened with the 17th game five years ago.

Kirsten from Madison, WI

Hello, II! Tossing you what is definitely a "We're out of the Super Bowl hunt" question: I'm thinking about taking my Packers-obsessed son, who turns 15 this summer, to an away game next season. Trying to decide which one. Ultimately, timing may make our decision for us, but until we know that, which place would you suggest: NOLA, Tampa, Boston, NYC or LA? The only city of those he's visited is NOLA. By city, I'd pick Boston, but what stadium offers the best fan experience?

If the Tampa game is later in the season, that'll be a dynamite pick for the weather reprieve and a guaranteed strong GBP fan contingent. As for the others, the stadiums themselves aren't actually in Boston or NYC, but in Foxborough and East Rutherford, respectively. SoFi in LA/Inglewood is quite the visual and wildly modern, and the Superdome is mega-loud.

Jack from Aiken, SC

Just an observation, based on my research, in the last 20 years here is a breakdown of the number of top 10 picks for each team in the NFC North: Lions 10, Bears 7, Vikings 4, Packers 2. When trying to draft a "generational talent" it's nice to have more opportunities! I think GB has done an outstanding job of keeping their team competitive.

And here are the number of postseason victories for each NFC North team over those last 20 years: Packers 13, Bears 4, Vikings 3, Lions 2.

Ben from Indianapolis, IN

Hello Gents! I was thinking about one of Vic's -isms today: A great offense "takes what it wants," rather than what the defense gives it. Which team has had an offense like that this year? Try as I might, I can't think of one...

That's because the game isn't played that way anymore. With liberal substitutions and countless defensive packages, offensive success is predicated on taking what's available. The '70s Steelers and '80s 49ers, who served as the primary sources of that Vic-ism, were playing a different game.

Scotty from Lombard, IL

I saw the press conference with the Bills' owner explaining his decision to fire their head coach. He stated it was based on the atmosphere in the locker room after the game. After all that happened in that game, and all that was at stake it is understandable and expected for the players, and especially Josh Allen to be devastated. That decision the owner made was made for the wrong reason. Any group or person who had experienced such a harsh loss would be very down.

I know this is old news at this point, but I wanted to chime in one last time here. I've been in plenty of postgame locker rooms after devastating defeats. What the Buffalo owner described, to me, was a team that had given absolutely everything it had, and the overwhelming emotion was a result of being physically and mentally drained. A team that truly has emptied its tank strikes me as one with the right leadership in place, not one begging for a change.

Jim from Tucson, AZ

The word "hate" has come up a few times here lately. In my mind, "hate" and "dislike" are similar, except "hate" requires an effort. In sports, it's rarely worth it.

Not just in sports, but maybe that's just me in our current culture. Happy Tuesday.

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