Al from Green Bay, WI

Wes, Lambeau Field in November is about as good as it gets in terms of atmosphere with just the right amount of chill in the air. Do you believe that home-field advantage gets stronger the later we get into the season? (If so, look out!)

First and foremost, I'm excited the throwback game is finally here. I can't wait to party like it's 1923 with flappers.

Jason from Boyle, MS

I can't understand why the media will still not give Jordan Love the respect he deserves. Easily a top five QB in the league.

It's a league award, but Love was named the NFC Offensive Player of Week 8 on Wednesday. It's those small bits of recognition that usually build into respect.

John from Stevens Point, WI

What special challenges does Carolina offer on both sides of the ball?

The Panthers' fifth-ranked rushing offense has been their win condition this season. Unlike the Steelers, I fully expect Carolina to run the ball for all four quarters. Chuba Hubbard is healthy again, but it's Rico Dowdle who's set the table for the Panthers this year. We'll see what happens with Bryce Young, but Tet McMillian is a threat regardless of whoever's throwing the football. Defensively, Ejiro Evero is one of the sharpest coordinators in the sport and a Dom Capers disciple. He's gonna mix it up while working to keep a top on the Packers' passing game.

John from Green Bay, WI

How do we make sure that we don't play to our opponent this weekend against the Panthers team that has been struggling?

Play free. Play confident. Be physical.

Jay from Fenton, MI

Watt do you think was wrong with Pittsburgh's pass rush? I'm not seeing much Love for our O-line, but it looks better every week to me. Are they getting healthier or just working better as a unit or is Jordan Love simply getting the ball out faster? What should we expect from Carolina?

I just think you're seeing a healthier offensive line starting to build more chemistry with one another, and that unit is giving Love time to navigate the pocket and find his targets. Carolina doesn't have the most ferocious rush. It's ranked 26th in sacks, but you still can't look past the Panthers.

Nick from Water Mill, NY

OK…so having Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love as QBs in succession is not luck or happenstance. What is it within the organization that has enabled excellent selection at the most critical position, and why do other organizations flounder for so long in this never-ending quest?

Over the past 30-plus years, the Packers have had the good fortune of having skilled and principled general managers lead talented personnel departments. Think about it – Green Bay acquired two Pro Football Hall of Famers and its next franchise quarterback for the cost of three first-round picks and one fourth. Nowadays, teams will trade that draft equity to select a single QB. Why do others struggle to find the guy? A lot plays into that, but the Packers having consistency at the top of their personnel department is a big reason Green Bay landed Favre, Rodgers and Love in succession.

Bill from Marysville, WA

If the NFL is such a copycat league, why aren't more teams copying how they develop QBs? 97 percent of all snaps since 1992. Taken by three guys. Incredible.

…which is why I'm surprised Jon-Eric Sullivan, John Wojciehowski, Milt Hendrickson and Richie Williams are all still Packers employees in 2025.

Doug from Salem, OR

Have you ever seen a 6-foot-5 man ever do "kip-up"? I have. This alone defines Tucker Kraft's athletic ability. And it doesn't measure the heart he has and the reckless abandon with which he plays. What a football player!

There's a ton of athleticism in that South Dakotan's body and now the entire football world is getting to see it.

Brian from Urbana, IL

It seems to me from watching replays that Jordan Love is getting more consistent in his ability to "throw guys open" this season. Would you agree?

Yes, and it's a beautiful thing to watch.

Pat from Hudson, WI

Just a reminder to Harry from Minneapolis that the Chiefs have played in five Super Bowls since 2020, winning three of them, all with the TE as their primary offensive weapon. JL10 completed 29 passes this past Sunday, and Tucker Kraft only caught seven of them for 143, so apparently our other players contributed enough for another 22 completions and 217 yards. 22 for 217 is a career day for some QBs. So, I think we're okay at WR.

Considering how well Love played on Sunday, I'd say this is the wrong week to dissect touches and targets, but here we are…LaFleur was asked for the umpteenth time about targets on Wednesday and did a good job of laying out how that’s all determined. Regardless of outside perception, the Packers have a process that works for them and that's the only opinion that matters.

James from Appleton, WI

Matthew Golden has a bright future but he's finding out that the Packers' offense is complex with variations aplenty and it requires precision. It looks like, as a result, he's dealing with frustration. How is his demeanor these days?

He's been great. Golden is the youngest player on the youngest team in football and already producing. In my opinion, this whole thing has been so overblown. Golden is gonna be a really good player. If you can't already tell that, then you haven't been watching (which I feel most of the outside pundits haven't been).

Carl from Sheboygan, WI

Hi guys. Haven't heard anything about how Jayden Reed's recovery is going. How is he doing? Will we see him back soon? This year? Thanks! GPG!

Reed was wearing a helmet and working on the JUGs machine during practice Wednesday. It's the first time we've seen Reed since he broke his collarbone against Washington six weeks ago. That's a very positive sign that shoulder and foot are healing up for the third-year wideout.

Chuck from Jackson, WI

With all the concern about Packers cornerbacks, can I point out that they are not the only ones with weaknesses? One of the Steelers cornerbacks had, if I remember correctly, three fouls and was beaten for a touchdown. No one is perfect.

It's not easy playing on an island. All your successes and failures are visible, and criticism quickly rains from the nearest couch.

Keith from Bakersfield, CA

I fully support players opting to wear the Guardian caps to reduce the risk of concussion and the attendant long-term health issues. They do look a bit like a mushroom cap, though. Will the Guardian caps for this weekend match the throwback helmet design? If so, I'm afraid that mushroom resemblance will be accentuated.

The caps are brown. The players were wearing them at practice.

Bob from Rome, NY

Wes: Regarding the issue with Emanuel Wilson vs. Josh Jacobs running lanes, it looks like Wilson may be getting to the hole a fraction of a second faster than Jacobs. Kind of reminds me of the game in 2018 at home vs. Buffalo (W 22-0) when Aaron Jones was getting to the hole a little quicker than Ty Montgomery. Just a thought? Your expert view? Thank you.

That is an apples and oceans comparison. That's my only thought on that.

John from Spring Hill, TN

The Panthers gave up a lot on the ground against Buffalo. Do you expect LaFleur to feed Jacobs and Wilson early and often?

I do. I think that's the play against Carolina – not only because it would allow Green Bay to establish an early rhythm but also gives the Panthers more options to consider when defending the run. Fans have gotten used to the Packers featuring a primary running back and Jacobs is one of the best, but Matt LaFleur likes using multiple RBs. As a whole, the Packers have gone that route more often than not in my 14 years covering the team. I'll have more on Wilson this morning.

Brian from Fort Atkinson, WI

Good morning. I know we are on to Carolina, but I didn't really see this mentioned yet about the Steelers game. My biggest worry going into the game wasn't if but how many free plays would Rodgers get from defense offsides penalties. I know Micah Parsons got away with one, but the line judge was sleeping that game. He missed the Steelers' false start by three steps. My point/question is, was Rodgers held to zero free plays? If so, that was a definite step in the right direction for the D.

The Packers didn't get caught sleeping with 12 men on the field at all, which was a big one on the checklist. The Rodgers' deep ball to DK Metcalf that fell incomplete was technically a free play because Keisean Nixon was called for defensive holding.

Dan from Waupun, WI

If AR8's pass to the RB was a throw, why was there no pass interference?

I…don't know.

Mike from Lake Villa, IL

Good afternoon! I think everyone needs to start calling Spoff, "Cy" (sigh). While I do agree with both of you that flagging intentional grounding based on figuring out intent could be a slippery slope, I thought the main reason allowing intentional grounding to occur was so QBs could avoid getting hit when they are out of the pocket. AR was in the grasp and almost down when he flexed his elbow from two feet above the ground. That seems like an easy play for a referee to infer intent.

But isn't the notion of intent also coming into play when New York determines the ball was "intended" for Jaylen Warren's Achilles tendon and the ruling on the field is no longer a fumble? Football is a subjective sport, folks. No matter how much they try to tell you it can be officiated in an objective manner, there's always a level of "Who's Line Is It Anyway?" to this game.

Jennifer from Middleton, WI

Hey Wes, I just saw the news that Marcedes Lewis signed with the Broncos to their practice squad and is likely for gameday elevation. 20 seasons, good for him! If you text him, please tell him his Packer fam wishes him well.

I did and he's grateful for the support. I was ecstatic to hear Wednesday morning that Lewis signed after the workout. It's also somewhat poetic that the 41-year-old tight end makes his first appearance on an NFL practice squad in Year 20. If Lewis is active this season, he'll be the oldest tight end to ever play in an NFL game. It'd be a nice final feather for Lewis to stick in his cap before riding into the sunset.

Michael from Grovetown, GA

The trade deadline confuses me. Unlike baseball where players with expiring contracts leave without compensation to the team they left, the NFL rewards compensatory draft picks. The Packers would have to be crazy to give up any depth unless the offer was substantial. Am I missing something?

Nothing. You get it.

Craig from Brookfield, WI

Per Spoff, "Nothing on two-point plays shows up in the stats." That's interesting…and weird. Does it also apply to defensive stats – tackles, sacks, hurries, PBUs, etc.? Can you shed any light on the reasoning behind not including those stats?

Nope. It only exists in the scoring.

Mark from Fremont, CA

Hey guys, I didn't see any mention of the latest tush-push fiasco. After successfully pushing Jalen Hurts across the line, he was clearly on top of some players when a Giants player pulled the football from his hands. Clearly a turnover, yet for some inexplicable reason the refs ruled the play had been blown dead even though during replays no whistle could be heard. More fuel for the tush-push ban or just another ho-hum day in the NFL?

I guess expedited review and replay assist weren't available on that one.

Jordan from Osterdock, IA

To piggyback on the intentional grounding questions, is there an objective "receiver in the area" measure? Seems like that differs from referee crew to crew.

Yep.

Tim from Clear Lake, IA

Happy Wednesday IIers. So, why don't you have an "II get together" for home games like you do for away games? I'll be in town for the Carolina game bringing a daughter from KC and a grandson from SD and it would be great to have them meet you. It's the grandson's birthday, too! Let me know if you want to have a clandestine meeting in the atrium!

We love you all – well, most of you – but Saturdays during home weekends are literally the only days Spoff and I have off during the season. I hope you all have a great time.

David from Noblesville, IN

Pookie? Silly body? This Packers team has something for everybody, so come get some!

That “Come Get Some” photo of Love is easily my favorite thing we've published on our platform in the last five years.

Dale from the United States, IL

Hi Insiders, one more comment about the crazy stat on a week with only one game decided by one score. This was the first occurrence of such a week since Week 14 of the 1970 NFL season. Isn't it ironic that this was also the last year the Packers won in Pittsburgh?

Maybe it should be party like it's 1970.

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