Inbox: That's how this whole thing starts for young players

Phil from Madison, WI

I always try to follow the II advice and watch with no expectations, but it is a hard thing to do as a fan. For the Vikings vs. Packers, I think I truly achieved it. It was kind of nice.

I don't know if I've ever experienced anything quite like that. It felt like walking through a puddle to get to your car.

Eric from Wrightstown, WI

Given being locked into the seventh seed, Week 18 results seem, to me, to be the best we could ask for. The Packers come out of Week 18 without further major injury, most starters having a full week of rest, compared to the slugfest the Bears experienced. The Packers get to play the Bears, who they mostly dominated, leading for 111 of 125 minutes played in their two meetings (ATMR, WCBW). The Pack should go into this game healthy and confident. Thoughts?

This is why I wanted the Bears and why I wanted them on Saturday night. Chicago played a physical, down-to-the-wire game while Green Bay's starters got their first breather since the first week of October. The Bears are on a short week while the Packers were on a quasi-bye. It's as good a position as Green Bay could have asked for given the circumstances.

Gonzalo from Argentina

Who could tell that the division was in play in Week 16? If Packers won that they would be now the division champs … that talk about parity or inconsistency in NFC North?

I mean, that's precisely what I was thinking in Week 16.

Dave from Lake Zurich, IL

It appears the NFC North standings ended in reverse order from last season.

Life comes at you fast in this league, but it was somewhat apropos for the NFC North, which was flat out weird this year. All four teams had a winning record while the champion Bears went 2-4 against the division. That's the first time the NFC North/Central winner has had a losing record within the division since the merger in 1970.

Jake from Regina, Canada

No question, but a prediction. We are blessed with a potent offense where any number of guys can go off, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the Bird will take flight this week. He's been quiet but is healthy and I think due to remind some people. On defense, I think Jeff Hafley will dial up some pressure to unleash Edgerrin Cooper. His athleticism against Caleb Williams can make the difference.

Jayden Reed is a solid pick. He's been steady since his return but still looking for that signature game this year. The Packers' decision to sit Quay Walker and Cooper tells you how important they feel that duo is to this team making a deep postseason run.

JR from East Moline, IL

I do not care what happens after this next game, it is the Super Bowl for me. With Ben Johnson's smugness about beating Matt LaFleur twice a year and Bears wearing cheese shredder hats and acting like the past 20 years didn't happen after beating our backups in the luckiest win of the year, if Green Bay sticks it to the Bears, then this season is a success as far as I'm concerned. GPG!

It's a fitting rubber match to decide which NFC North team moves on, but the rivalry has little to do with that. I think the Bears are a great matchup for Green Bay. Like the Packers, Chicago hasn't been perfect this year despite finishing with the No. 2 seed. The Bears have lost three (and nearly four) of their last five to end the season. The question Saturday night is which team gets it right.

David from Janesville, WI

Gents – I don't see how the defensive performance Sunday can be described as anything less than impressive. Mostly backup players, our offense couldn't stay on the field, so TOP was in the Vikings' favor, new faces all around, and the defense kept the points to a reasonable level. I know the Vikings' offense is no juggernaut, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Inspired is the word that keeps coming to mind when reflecting on that defensive showing in Minnesota. I saw a bunch of hungry guys straining to make an impression.

Sam from Ramsey, MN

I had a chance to go to the game Sunday, but I felt like there really wouldn't be much to watch. That said, I'm really happy with how well Barryn Sorrell performed. That said, what's the chance of him taking reps in the playoffs?

That was the other part of this Week 18 side quest. Like Micah Parsons tweeted before the game, this was a massive opportunity for Sorrell and Collin Oliver to get out there and make plays. That's how this whole thing starts for young players and I thought both guys played with their hair on fire. Sorrell was physical, relentless and got good penetration against that Minnesota front.

Keith from Canada

Hi Mike/Wes: Not trying to get ahead of myself, but who would the winner of GB/Chicago meet in the next round? I was looking on the internet, and it seemed that Seattle would play the winner of the Eagles game.

The NFL reseeds in the playoffs, so the Packers would head to Seattle, the top seed in NFC, with a win. With a win, Chicago will host the highest remaining seed in the divisional round.

James from Appleton, WI

As the game went on, the Packers found some quick-hitting running plays that worked pretty well. Is it possible the offensive coaches to learn something from that anemic performance to carry forward into the playoffs?

Perhaps, but I feel like Josh Jacobs and the starting offensive linemen getting a week off will pay greater dividends in the long run than anything gleaned from that performance Sunday. I tip my cap to Chris Brooks and Emanuel Wilson, though. I thought both ran hard.

Robert from Burke, VA

Kind of like Eric from Keene NH, I only lurked on the blog this time but listened to the radio broadcast. I'm with Mike, that's kind of the game I expected. Sure, I'd hoped for better, but it was as expected. The D played well and lots of in-game experience was had. Hopefully our two knee injuries turn out to be minor. Daniel Whelan, wow. I actually feel more hopeful than last year. Known opponent and a rested team. GPG!

They don't call him "Danny Big Boom" for nothing. Those two single-season marks Whelan set for gross average and net average might not get touched in the Packers' record book for a while unless he does it himself.

Jeffrey from Eveleth, MN

That Vikings defense is really good. They will be a tough out. I don't think any team wants to face them this postseason. (Is that chortling?)

That game should be Brian Flores' curtain call in Minnesota. He should be a head coach in the NFL next season.

Ryan from Carmel, IN

Twenty years and they won't get Spoff a new chair?

Cubicle life ain't for the weak.

Loren from Rhame, ND

They thought highly of defensive lineman James Ester two years ago to place him on the practice squad. Is he ever going to get called up?

I'm glad you asked. The Packers have invested two years into Ester's development but he's more of a three-tech interior defensive lineman than a nose tackle. The Packers have been looking for a run-stuffer, which is why they've churned through Jordon Riley, Quinton Bohanna and now Jonathan Ford.

Mark from Austin, TX

If there is a year to prove that the NFL MVP award is actually for the most valuable player in the league and not the QB with the highest rating, this is it! And, the MVP doesn't have to even play on a winning team. Tell me one team that can say "No, we don't need Myles Garrett."

I appreciate the enthusiasm, but the MVP absolutely needs to be on a winning team. Garrett fashioned one the best defensive seasons we've ever seen, and his team still finished 5-12. Drake Maye is the NFL MVP.

Doug from Green Bay, WI

I had such high hopes for him, but Matthew Golden's season certainly didn't live up to anyone's expectations. In cases like this, is there anything the coaching staff can do in the offseason to help him progress or are they barred by the CBA from working with him?

The Packers will have a plan for Golden this offseason, but the guy just needs rest. It's been a long year. To fans, my advice is to be patient. The kid's gonna be all right. A reminder Jordy Nelson had 366 yards as a rookie while playing behind Donald Driver, Greg Jennings and James Jones in 2008. I remain high on Golden's ability and long-term potential.

Trevor from Arvada, CO

I was about to feel really, really bad for Aaron Rodgers. He has had so many bad breaks in the "postseason." I found myself rooting for him like the old days! That was fun!

That game was the NFL's equivalent to "Uncut Gems," just an anxiety-ridden roller coaster in the fourth quarter. I hate the way it ended for Tyler Loop, who seems like a great dude, but Rodgers deserved to win with how he played late. He also seemed resigned to his fate when Loop lined up for the 44-yarder and then everything changed in the blink of an eye. It was an imperfect evening for the Steelers, but they edged Baltimore in all three phases to pull out the win.

Joe from Pittsburgh, PA

How about Josh Allen handing the ball off at the beginning of the game Sunday, then racing to the sideline to enjoy the rest of the game. A laughable cheap way to preserve his ongoing consecutive start streak. Favre must still be laughing.

I had no problem with it considering everything that man has played through.

Gary from Davenport, IA

I heard that the NY Jets went the entire 17-game season without recording an interception on defense. How is that even possible? Have you ever heard of a statistic like that, especially for a team that hired a defensive coordinator to be their head coach?

Mitchell Trubisky threw four touchdowns on Sunday, as New York finished with 36 TDs allowed to opposing quarterbacks this year without catching a single interception off them for a 110.9 passer rating. Rough.

John from Jupiter, FL

Morning Wes. Yesterday Mike was asked what one-word best describes this season. I think "youth" is about right. You?

Micah.

Mike from Algoma, WI

OK Wes! Will you tell us an interesting Cole Van Lanen story from his time at Bay Port?

My former colleague, Andrew Pekarek, probably has better stories than I do. I only covered Van Lanen while assisting the Press-Gazette's track and field coverage in the spring (Cole was a multiple-time shot and discus titlist). Van Lanen is an awesome kid who comes from a great family and I'm not just saying that because he went to Bay Port. He goes about his business the right way. It didn't work out in Green Bay, but Van Lanen fell into a good situation with Jacksonville in 2022. He sat for pretty much four years in the NFL before opportunity knocked this season, and he broke the door down. I couldn't be happier for him.

Ray from Phoenix, AZ

Jeff Hafley is being mentioned as one of the favorites for the Giants HC job. Can he or any coach interview for another job while their current team is still alive in the playoffs?

If I'm understanding the rules correctly, Hafley is not permitted to interview virtually until three days after the wild-card game against Chicago and before the end of the divisional round. Once the divisional round is over, teams may start conducting in-person interviews with candidates whose teams' seasons are over. Candidates whose teams advance to championship games may not interview until after that weekend ends; same goes for the Super Bowl.

David from Oak Hills, CA

Hey II, I was curious as to the process as to how the NFL goes about selecting what time slot each playoff game gets. Is the playoff schedule done by only a handful of NFL officials? Is there a committee that decides when the games will be played? Do the TV networks even have a say as to which network gets which game with FOX, NBC, CBS, ESPN and Amazon all showing games this weekend? Should be a great Wild Card weekend of football.

I'm sure the NFL and its broadcast partners have fancy analytics that tell them which games will perform the best in the ratings and metrics, but honestly, I think any of us could predict with a certain degree of accuracy how the NFL Wild Card weekend lineup would lay out. I had the Packers-Bears and Patriots-Chargers switched around but otherwise the slate was what I expected.

Joe from Liberty Township, OH

I started reading II when it first started out as Ask Vic. I wonder what Vic thinks about all three of his former teams making the playoffs, the Packers, Jaguars and Steelers. I also have no doubt he's as irritated as I am that the Packers-Bears playoff game is limited to Prime Video subscribers.

It would have been fun to read an Ask Vic column in the age of streaming. It's an unfortunate reality of live sports in 2026.

Pat from Indian Land, SC

Being a Wisconsin native, I just wanted to give a shout out to UW-River Falls for their D3 championship, beating a North Central Illinois team that had lost one game in four years. River Falls QB is pretty darn good and their linebacker will be a pro someday soon.

Shout out to the Falcons and proud alumnus Nate LoCascio.

Mark from Shoreview, MN

Do you suppose we have to be worried that the Pope is from Chicago?

Only if he starts sprinkling holy water on the field pre-game.

Randy from Fort Myers, FL

I think the Packers are and were in an ideal situation for the last two weeks. We basically knew our playoff opponent, both games were essentially meaningless, our starters got a one- and two-week rest as the Bears gave it all. I would much rather play the Bears than Philly. To me this is a great position entering the playoffs.

Now, it's time to make it count.

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