Shane from Philadelphia, PA

It seems obvious the next big jelly flavor would have to be Kristian "Welches" or Trey "Smackers?" Here's to hoping Trey doesn't become an "Untrustable."

Oh Vince, what have I done?

Mike from Stevens Point, WI

What do you think the over/under is on number of Googles on "sturm und drang" after you posted II today? I was one of them.

Ich auch.

Derek from Iowa Falls, IA

I don't care what anyone anywhere says. I'm extremely proud and happy to have a human like Jordan Love to root for. I know there are many great people in the NFL, but I can't get enough of Love.

I thoroughly enjoyed sitting down with Love this summer and talking about his journey from a rookie first-round pick with the weight of Green Bay on his shoulders to the face of the Packers' franchise. The coolest thing about that ascent is Love has not changed one iota. What you see is what you get, and I loved his perspective on that approach, which he credits to his parents, sisters and wife Ronika. "I want to be the same person every day and not let money or being the starting quarterback of the Green Bay Packers or any of that stuff change me. Just keep my head down, keep working and go from there."

Gabo from El Paso, TX

I think Love is underrated right now. I agree he's not at an elite level, but if we compare his first years with Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre, we can see he's up there. What do you think?

Echoing Matt LaFleur's comments from Wednesday, I'm befuddled by the whole "elite" narrative as it relates to Love. He's already one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL whether the pundits want to admit it or not. On the day Love finally starts drawing more attention, I hope the apology is as loud as the disrespect. And when that day arrives, Packers fans, just remember the breakout happened well before the national narrative said it did.

George from Lacey, WA

Do you think our RB group can produce a complementary offensive weapon for Love?

If MarShawn Lloyd stays healthy, I think the sky's the limit for the Packers' backfield. And the better Green Bay is on the ground, the better Love will be through the air.

Sandy from Green Bay, WI

As a refresher to me, as I'm sure this question has been asked and answered numerous times, any idea why the NFL schedule has had the Packers start the season on the road seven out of the eight last years? For a sport seemingly moving toward equity league wide, this strikes me as a huge inequity. Regardless, cheers to the long-anticipated kickoff! Go Pack Go!

Road openers have been the plight of the Packers in the Matt LaFleur era. A couple times have been via request by either the opponent or the Packers. Obviously, the organization wanted to give Lambeau Field time to recover after the Notre Dame-Wisconsin game. Alas, that opener last year against Detroit remains the only Week 1 game at Lambeau since LaFleur was hired in 2019.

Tim from Fayetteville, NC

Who was the Packers' first opponent at Lambeau Field?

Fittingly, the Chicago Bears. Big W for Liz and the boys, 21-17.

Richard from Santa Ana, CA

With all the angst surrounding the lack of a pass rush with Micah Parsons out or the lack of continuity on the O-line during camp, wouldn't this column go crazy if Trey Smack were to drill a 45-54 yard walk-off to claim the first dub?

That would be a fun debut. At the end of Sunday, however, I just want to see the Packers play well in all three phases out of the gate. Based on what I saw in training camp and the preseason, I think this team could get off to a fast start if it plays with discipline and resolve.

Amy from Hudson, WI

When discussing Zaire Franklin, Jonathan Gannon said he labels defenders as tacklers or hitters. I know exactly what he means. You can see and feel the difference in intensity. I'm excited to see if Franklin infuses a bit of the nastiness you see in dominant defenses into our defensive character. Oh, and by the way, we have a hitter in the center of our offense that can do the same thing. His name is Tucker Kraft.

Both Franklin and Kraft play with controlled aggression. They know the limit and keep right on that line, like fighters who time the last punch before the bell sounds. That's an important distinction to draw for NFL players because you don't want it to have a negative impact on your team in the form of penalties or unsportsmanlike conduct. Franklin doesn't just run full speed to the fray. He brings defenders with him and that's why he's already a team captain here.

James from South Bend, IN

Longtime reader. First-time submitter. Not really a question but I want to say I'm excited to see our receiver and tight end room this year. In my opinion, we are loaded. Each one of these guys has their own talent and explosive ability. I'm anticipating an exciting year for them. I believe Love has all the tools to light up defenses with any of them. Go! Pack! Go!

Thanks for following, James. There's a lot to be excited about right now, especially at the skill positions.

Mark from Winona, MN

Excellent article on Micah Parsons. It seemed to me a little disconcerting (sad?) that he spoke of "his burden." I would argue the burden falls heavily on those players and coaches who let five games get away at the end of the year. Most are there again to begin this year and here's to hoping they can alleviate some of the burden that Micah wants to carry. Starting this Sunday. As one of many Packer fans living in MN just beat the Vikes!

That's the mindset of the 1% of the 1%. Parsons knows he's one of the game's best players, regardless of position. As much as we talk about "next man up," it's really "next men up" when you lose a player of Parsons' All-Pro caliber. Like Kraft on the offensive side of the ball, Parsons knows his value to the defense. He's irreplaceable when injured and undeniable when healthy.

Tom from Herndon, VA

During my time in the Army, we had two sayings. The commander is responsible for everything that happens or fails to happen in his unit, and the unit reflects the personality of the commander. After reading your article on Parsons, I surely hope the Green Bay is able to reflect his personality and that his total acceptance of responsibility flows down to the whole team. If it does, Green Bay is going a long way. From your viewpoint, how is the team embracing that spirit?

LaFleur also was asked about the identity of his football team, and his goal is for it to show up on Sunday. The Packers have talked for nearly five months about what they want the 2026 team to be. What's more, they knew they were going to be without Parsons in September. If they can rise above that reality, that bodes well for January and beyond. Thank you for your service, Tom.

Dale from West Allis, WI

What rookie will have the biggest impact on the season after Smack?

Brandon Cisse.

Robert from Sayre, PA

If Zach Bako-Bewele can't go on Sunday, how does the protection line up? Do you keep a back in for help or chip with the tight end? I see the deep ball going away because of the lack of time Jordan Love will have.

Hopefully, it doesn't come to that because Bako-Bewele is unequivocally the Packers' best offensive lineman. Last season reiterated how difficult ZBB is to replace on offense. If what you hypothesize happens, though, then it'll be on Anthony Belton to step up at his natural position and the rest of the offense to adjust accordingly.

Billy from Verona, WI

I didn't know teams were limited to eight offensive linemen on game day. Why is that? Are there other position limits for game day?

To clarify, there is no limit on how many offensive linemen a team can activate to its gameday roster. The only rule is that the league allows teams to dress 48 players, instead of 47, if they have eight O-linemen active. The change was enacted to ensure teams don't skimp on keeping reserve O-linemen active in favor of depth elsewhere.

Jeff from Flemington, NJ

Going back to the short-yardage questions, and more specifically the QB sneak, tush push, etc., type plays, do you expect Kraft to get some of those carries as he did before his injury? Or coming off his injury, is it too risky and him to valuable that they'll just leave it to the RBs?

I bet the Kraft sneak stays in the playbook. It was effective, safe in short areas and protected Love from unnecessary contact. Kraft was damn good at it, too.

Gary from Sheboygan, WI

Insiders, I may have misinterpreted what you said when answering a question about evaluating players, but it sounded like you said coaches and scouts evaluate the team's players all season long? Do the scouts participate in in-season eval of team players or are they on the road looking at the college players?

That scouting window never closes. It truly is 365 days a year and also why personnel departments are split between pro and college. The further you go up the chain of command, the more that personnel directors will have a lure in both ponds. But at the grassroots level, scouting departments are split between scouts on college campuses and pro personnel executives grinding film and looking for a needle in the haystack like Anthony Campbell. Pro executives also take a long-term view of veterans, such as Franklin and Javon Hargrave, to sign at a later time.

James from Appleton, WI

The Packers have improved the interior of their defensive line, and the Vikings have slipped in that area. So, the only question is, what will Burger King put on the Hargrave burger, besides aged cheddar?

It sure is cool to have a "Gravedigger" back in Green Bay, isn't it? We've missed him.

James from Canada

What are the chances Kaleb Johnson sits and Pierre Strong Jr. is activated at running back against the Norsemen?

Possible, but it also depends on what Green Bay needs on special teams. You only get two elevations and I assume Arron Mosby will be one of them given the Packers only have four edge rushers on the 53 right now.

Jesse from Winhall, VT

A moment to tip the cap to our friends down in MKE. It seems that Ted Thompson's draft-and-develop strategy works across other sports as well. How impressive are the small-market teams of WI? I am unsure if most fans understand just how hard it is to sustain success in professional sports like the Packers and now the Brewers have. Years ago, during one of those magical seasons for the Packers, Vic reminded us to be in the moment and enjoy what we are experiencing now. Let's all remember that!

I have many gripes about the state of Major League Baseball, but I give the Brewers credit for taking a broken economic model and flipping it on its head. You have to keep drafting, trading and developing well to stay atop MLB as a small-market club, but you also aren't forced to play underperforming, overpaid veterans like big-market teams must often do because of guaranteed contracts. Milwaukee provides opportunity and the system provides the wins.

Steve from Surprise, AZ

Every year the league has a point of emphasis for the referees, resulting in more early-season penalties. Are there any new rules this year that we should expect to see more flags, especially in Week 1?

We didn't get the talking to from the officials this summer, so I assume it's business as usual.

Randal from Suamico, WI

When will the Packers announce the inactive players for Sunday's game?

Ninety minutes before gametime or whenever Mike gets around to it. Approximately 1:55 p.m. CT.

Mark from Shoreview, MN

Can I put everyone's mind at ease? Packers rush for 170 yards in a comfortable 28-17 victory.

Sounds great. Sign me up.

Jesus from El Paso, TX

Before we're officially out of baloney, I want to thank you two and the rest of your team for serving it up fried with lime and lettuce and salt and hot sauce and a slice of American cheese all season long. You all know how to make the best of it. Godspeed through the regular season, gentlemen.

This Inbox is making me thirsty.

John from St. Albert, Canada

Good day II. Wow. Another summer is now officially gone. The excitement and nervousness is starting to build as Sunday approaches. After multiple decades watching multiple leagues, I have reached a simple conclusion – not only is it "how" you're playing in December, it's also "who" is playing. I trust this coaching staff will have whoever is playing to be playing their best. Thus, it will come down to 'who' is playing in December 2026. Win or lose on Sunday (or Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Monday), I pray for health.

There are so many variables hidden inside every NFL season, but you can't win a championship without a talented roster. The Packers must finish stronger this year and have better fortune on the injury front, but this team has everything it needs. The only place to prove it is on the grass…or turf. Have a good Thursday.

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