Ken from Boynton Beach, FL

Hi Mike/Wes, I was curious as to your thoughts on this. If there was a team in the NFL named the Sharks and they were playing the Jets, and Wes was covering the Packers game that week. Would it be a Wes Side Story, if he were to cover the Sharks and Jets game as well? Go Pack Go...

You can't see yourself out fast enough.

Jim from Hudsonville, MI

Loved Larry's shout-out the other day to the unsung heroes who work to keep Lambeau looking beautiful! Who (whom?) would you say are the unsung heroes to the players ON the field?

The medical/athletic training staff and the equipment department. The long hours they put in on a daily basis to take care of a roster of 70-plus players (active, PS, IR, etc.) for five-plus months is nearly impossible to fathom, and I've been watching it for 20 years.

Deb from Green Bay, WI

Just a comment after Thursday night's game. I'm glad we got to meet Flacco in his first game with Chase. The chemistry he built by the second game is unreal. Herbstreit couldn't get over it.

I said in a couple different places this week to anyone who would listen – Flacco sorely exposed Browning's shortcomings at QB with those Cincinnati receivers. I'll now add the inadequacy of Cleveland's weapons is also obvious. And Rodgers can still launch a 70-yard Hail Mary. Amazing throw.

Ray from Clark, NJ

And now there are only two teams with just one loss.

Three. I think you forgot Indy.

Kent from Homosassa, FL

Gentlemen. I have found "506Sports.com" to be extremely accurate in showing exactly where each game will be broadcast. Usually posted near midday (Eastern time) on Wednesday. If you follow up later in the week any changes will be noted.

Extremely helpful site.

Ross from Summerville, SC

Gents, gotta say that the continuity on the O-line while a work in progress was definitely a move in the right direction vs. the Bengals.

I thought so, too.

Richard from Santa Ana, CA

Cali kid here celebrating my 50th with a trip out to AZ with hopes for a dub. Is it me or have Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper had relatively quiet games without any splash plays recently? The turnover game needs a jump start with a pick or FF by one of these two.

Sign me up.

Kevin from Ocean Isle Beach, NC

How could Derek from Southpoint leave out "R-E-L-A-X"?

Re-emerging from the tunnel in the second half of the 2014 regular-season finale vs. the Lions to chants of "M-V-P!" and then delivering the division title and first-round bye with that torn calf will always rank way up there for me.

Randy from Raymond, IA

So I see Jordy Nelson was appointed hearing officer by the NFL and Players Association for the Branch hearing. And they upheld his suspension. Has Jordy ever served as hearing officer before? I figured he would be busy on the farm this time of year.

He's held that job for a few years now.

Eric from Wrightstown, WI

I heard the CBS crew mention multiple times that the game against the Bengals was the Packers' first game at home in 51 days. Am I missing something, or is there no math on TV broadcasts either? Seems that they were going all the way back to the Seattle preseason game.

Correctly stated, it's the only Packers home game in a span of 51 days, with two road games plus the bye prior and two more road games after.

George from North Mankato, MN

Which travel scenario do you think is hardest on the team? Go east for an early game? West for a late game? Play on Thursday? Go overseas? Sunday night or Monday night away?

Thursday and overseas games are monsters all their own. In the "normal" realm of things, West Coast night games I believe are the hardest (I know they are on me, anyway). Long flight, too much downtime waiting to play, get back home just before sunrise, and your next couple of days are in a fog. Very glad this trip to Arizona is not a prime-timer.

Jeff from Littlefork, MN

Who is the smartest or highest football IQ player you've ever watched?

Well, quarterbacks are in a category all their own, so my non-QB choice is Charles Woodson, and frankly it's not close.

Brett from Lakewood, CO

I went on the Legends tour on Saturday. When we got to the press box, the tour guide specifically told us, "Don't touch their seats. They don't like it when you touch their seats." Made me think of the "delicate genius" episode from "Seinfeld." Lol

Oh, there's nothing delicate about Wes's genius.

William from New Milford, NJ

Why do the Packers' special teams switch return men on kickoffs and punts so frequently?

Because they're trying to find the right guys, they trust certain guys more than others right now depending on the field position, and they're paying attention to the offense/defense workloads as well.

Caitlin from Nashville, TN

Longtime reader, first-time submitter and avid Jordan Love believer! My husband got me hooked on II and it's a hot topic around home. We were lucky enough to be at Lambeau and I found myself initially frustrated after that interception. But then the thought struck me – with the Packers' defense looking so strong in the league this year, does Love feel more comfortable taking calculated risks downfield knowing he's got a top-tier defense behind him to limit the damage?

I don't think that enters his thinking, and I don't think the coaches want it to. That feels like a dangerous way to live when turnovers can swing games so suddenly.

Tim from Elmhurst, IL

Count me as one who gets frustrated with the absolute worst timing of Love's turnovers. However, review the past three games and you'll see he absolutely responded every time. Position for game-winning field goal in Cleveland. He responded several times in Dallas with drives in regulation and OT and did the same this week after scores from the Bengals. If that's not what a franchise QB does I don't know what is…tried to save the win in Cleveland drove for tie in Dallas and was clutch Sunday.

It's what I've been trying to point out for a long time, including in another story this week, regarding one of Love's best attributes – he doesn't let a mistake bother him and he keeps getting after it, often very successfully. While he needs to eliminate that one bad play, there's a TON to be said for how he responds.

Jessi from Sterling, KS

Human nature is so fickle. Are you gobsmacked that Packer fans are now bemoaning having TOO MANY offensive targets?! With Rodgers we seemed to complain we never drafted enough. Now JL has an arsenal, and it seems some fans want "one guy" to step up and be the No. 1. I for one am really enjoying the ball being spread around. I get being excited over certain players, but can Packer Nation please cherish this amazing roster? What's something you're grateful about this year's team?

That it's reached the middle of October with just one loss and it hasn't played close to its best football yet.

Mike from Baraboo, WI

Looking back at the Packers' FA acquisition of Josh Jacobs, how great do you rate that move? What are the keys to beating the Cardinals?

The Jacobs acquisition was a no-doubt home run. Statcast has measured it at 400-plus feet. Against Arizona, the offense needs to block Campbell and not give the ball away. The defense must cover McBride and find a way to bounce back when the opponent scores. No more snowball effect on that side of the ball.

Jeff from Mequon, WI

Hi Mike, after the first two weeks of the season I think all of us fans were expecting to be a bit more dominant over the last three. Kudos to those teams who made plays and stayed competitive, but what will you be looking for from this Packers team to show they're starting to trend upwards again? Does it start with turnovers? I feel like when you're not getting them it makes decent defensive play feel worse.

First and foremost, this team starts trending upward again when it gets its first win on the road. That's the top priority, hands down. Breaking it down further, on defense it starts with what I just said above. Turnovers would go a long way toward recovery from rough moments but until they start getting them I'm not counting on them. On offense, they need to take another step toward maximizing their chances. They almost did in Dallas until the final minute of OT. In the three wins with 27 points, there's been more out there for them on the scoreboard each time.

Sean from Palatine, IL

We are supposed to know what a "rip" technique is? When we don't even know what a catch is? Let's learn to crawl before we sprint.

Ha. Saw lots of questions about this. A "rip" technique is a pass rusher using a strong uppercut motion with his arms to try to get the blocker off him. Think of it as the opposite of chopping down with the arms to disengage. The drawback to a rip is if it isn't clean, it can bring an O-lineman's arms up toward the shoulders and neck area and look like holding as the rusher is trying to power through. But it's specifically in the rules that a rip technique can't be used to draw a holding penalty. The blocker gets the benefit of the doubt on those.

Drew from Lake Dallas, TX

I was under the impression that coaches get to meet with refs before the game and discuss things that they would like for refs to keep an eye out for. I assumed they would discuss the holding of Micah Parsons.

LaFleur suggested Thursday that would indeed be happening.

Richard from Ireland

I read Alex Moore, the ref for Sunday, leads the league in penalties, penalty yardage and penalties per game (which seems obvious given the first two categories). Could this finally be the game holding gets called on Parsons?

We'll find out. Parsons addressed the issue at length when he spoke with the media after Thursday's practice. He definitely wants the egregious holds called, like when he gets tackled to the ground, and he's fine ignoring the close ones. I also got the impression he's far more concerned about all the hands to the face he deals with that isn't flagged.

Keith from Bakersfield, CA

Regarding Mike's answer to Al from Rochester, I'd be just fine to go the whole year without finding out how this team responds to a double-digit deficit.

Hard to do, but it worked 15 years ago. That team never trailed in a game by more than seven points all season.

Shawn from Colby, WI

Mornin' Spoff. The Dodger pitching sure knows how to suck the fun out of October, don't they? Sheesh.

The Brewers aren't helping themselves, but I don't have time to get into it. They've just been owned at the plate in this series, plain and simple.

Jeff from Foothill Ranch, CA

Hi Mike, baseball question. I read something that if the Dodgers move on and win it all, that would be the best argument to make a case for a salary cap. I was too young to understand when it came about in the NFL. In your opinion, can it/will it ever be done in MLB, or has that ship sailed?

It sounds like the owners are going to take a hard stance in the next CBA negotiations after the '26 season and lock out the players in order to push for a cap. I think that's happening no matter who wins the World Series this year. It's going to get ugly.

Richard from Madison, WI

Mike, I followed your live chat, and thank you for it. Since I have trouble typing more than three consecutive words without needing to edit something, I'm wondering how you do it so quickly and error-free, especially given the idiosyncratic spelling of some of those player names. AI? Spell check? Several years in Miss Legree's business-ed classes? Deadline pressure at the Press-Gazette? Whatever your secret sauce is, I'd like some of it. Could you please share the recipe?

Ha. (Am I supposed to know who Miss Legree is?) The recipe is me, myself and I at the keyboard. I will give credit to growing up in this business under old-school newspaper deadline pressure, though. That has very strongly impacted how I go about this job, for the better. I like to say in the online world your deadline is always 20 minutes ago.

Cathy from O'Fallon, MO

What do the coaches feel is their biggest challenge this season to take the team all the way to the Super Bowl?

Right now it's to just beat the Cardinals.

Mark from Shoreview, MN

Observation really. Opportunity awaits this weekend. We play Arizona, Vikings play Eagles, and Lions play a hot Tampa team. Time to stand tall!

Happy Friday.

HAVE A QUESTION?