Brian from Dunkirk, WI

Hod's mudder was a muddler?

What did Spoff just say?

Jack from Moweaqua, IL

My question is about the upside of the roster. We've had a lot of injuries, but it's good to see Brenton Cox Jr., Jayden Reed, and MarShawn Lloyd all practicing. Down this stretch for a playoff run, which one of those three do you see having the biggest impact in their potential return?

Getting Reed back will be huge for this offense. Before Tucker Kraft, Reed was that guy whom the Packers could consistently count on to move the chains. We're inching closer to seeing Reed, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks and Matthew Golden all available at the same time. Will it be Sunday? I don't know, but that time draws near.

Diane from Hot Springs Village, AR

With defenses taking away deep shots, how does Jordan Love stay aggressive, and what creative ways (like moving Watson) can the offense create big plays?

By feasting on what the defense gives him. Spoff articulated well how Love and the Packers attacked Detroit's man coverage last week. It's going to be 50 degrees cooler on Sunday than it was at Ford Field, but Love won't blink at throwing that pass again if the Bears allow it.

Doug from Union Grove, WI

It'll be interesting to see if/how our run defense holds up against the Bears with Devonte Wyatt out…

It's one of the two biggest keys to this game. The Packers twice showed they can stop one of the game's best running backs in Jahmyr Gibbs this season. The same rules apply defending D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. While Quay Walker isn't a defensive tackle, getting the Packers' "Mike" linebacker back definitely helps that cause, too.

Tom from Columbus, NJ

I'm excited to see Lloyd healthy and what he can bring to this team. Unfortunately, I'm struggling to see how he fits in at this point barring an injury to another RB. Josh Jacobs is the clear cut No. 1, Emanuel Wilson is playing great, and Chris Brooks is a solid third-down/blitz-pickup back. Do you see a scenario where the Packers could carry four RBs on the roster? Especially with other positions getting healthy as well, which will need roster spots (Reed, Cox Jr. and Collin Oliver).

Aside from maybe specialists, you throw roster numbers out the window this time of year. Green Bay will carry as many running backs, receivers, linebackers as necessary to deploy the best gameday roster. Barring injuries, I doubt Lloyd would have a featured role this year. However, a sprinkle of his talent could go a long way for this offense while also giving defenses one more playmaker to consider.

Aaron from Miami, FL

Hola amigos, speaking of the 2010 season finale vs. the Bears, I remember watching the game and thinking that if they scored a touchdown they would have gone for two points and the win. Thank you, Nick, or Jay for keeping that a secret forever.

I guess we'll never know.

Dar from Mansfield, TX

Weston, Joe from Swansea asked Mike what his best memories of the Packers-Bears rivalry are, and I'd love to know yours, too. For me, it was the 2010 NFC Championship, when dear friends Andy, Tracey, and I had two days earlier bought secondary-market Super Bowl tickets and were desperately hoping we'd made a smart investment. Or that time as a kid in border town Kenosha, when I cried because the Packers lost and I knew a snotty Illinois kid would tease me the next day. Memories. Richness indeed.

I didn't cover the Packers yet in 2010, so my favorite memory remains sitting in the Soldier Field press box and seeing Randall Cobb come free down the field during the 2013 finale. The play was coming toward us, and I remember uttering, "Cobb's wide open." Aaron Rodgers delivered the ball and the rest was history.

Steve from Scranton, PA

Wes….one of my all-time favorite NFL clips is of HOF coach Bill Parcells mic'd up on the sideline during a big game, telling his linemen: "Hey fellas, this is why you work all offseason. This is why you lift all them weights." Sunday's game is why we obsess over draft prospects, feel like it's Christmas morning when the schedule is released and read II 12 months out of the year. Hope you enjoy the game!

Best of all, you never know who the hero on any given Sunday might be. I certainly didn't have Dontayvion Wicks down for six receptions, 94 yards, two touchdowns and the game-clinching catch on fourth down.

Lawrence from Lawrenceville, NJ

One overlooked aspect of the Week 4 tie is that it has rendered concerns about various playoff tiebreakers almost moot for this season; the Packers just need to win more than the other teams because they CAN'T finish with the same record unless someone else ties. Would you agree it's less stressful to just root for the Packers to win and the other NFC teams to lose rather than worrying about all those playoff scenarios?

It's like Brandon McManus said after the game in Dallas – it's up to the Packers to decide what that tie means for their season. With two wins over Detroit, Green Bay is in a great spot to tend to its yard while the Lions battle with the Rams (Week 15) and Bears (Week 18). The Packers must take care of business to keep that advantage, though.

James from Appleton, WI

The Bears have been on quite a winning streak. It's better to pop their balloon sooner than later, and Micah Parsons is just the needle to do it. Will Chicago even offer a chance for a first-down sack?

Green Bay probably needs to be a few points ahead to help make that happen. Like Parsons said Thursday afternoon and Spoff wrote on Friday morning, the Packers must earn that right to pursue Caleb Williams.

Austin from Appleton, WI

Ben Johnson is the most insufferable coach in the league. Kudos to him on the early returns, but the press conference shenanigans, the shirt off in the locker room all just scream "I'm the main event here." Count me out. It's also worked for Sirianni, so maybe I am the dinosaur here?

I get that but also kind of like Johnson's theatrics. I said during Thursday’s “Packers Unscripted” that Johnson has brought the most edge to the Packers-Bears rivalry from the coaching side of things since probably Mike Ditka. His team obviously will need to answer for it while the Packers just keep doing their thing.

Kevin from Kirkland, IL

In response to Pat from Cleveland's one stat for deferring the coin toss, I'll provide three stats. In general, in the NFL the team that scores FIRST wins 63% of the time, in Super Bowls it's 68% of the time, and home teams that score first win 72% of the time. Getting and maintaining the lead forces the opponent to change their game plans. One bonus stat, the average NFL team scores on 35-40% of their drives, so "doubling up" is 50/50 at best and not a guarantee, especially with a good defense.

I think it depends on the team and the season. Two years ago, I felt strongly about taking the football when the Packers won the coin toss because it seemed like the defense played better when it had an early lead. I'm a bit more ambivalent these days. If Matt LaFleur prefers to defer, I have no objections.

Martin from Germany

Hi Mike and Wes! Thank you from overseas for all your great coverage of our Packers. My favorite one is "Final Thoughts." Would be great to see more of it outdoors in Lambeau Field. GPG and beat Da Bears!

Thank you for watching. That's something we'll revisit in the offseason, but we no longer have an apparel sponsor and it's a heavy lift on the broadcast department to shoot it outdoors, especially once the temps drop and the facilities department is readying the stadium on Fridays.

Kathryn from Greenville, WI

At what point of the season do you appreciate the press box more, 90 degrees in August or the game this weekend?

Boy, that's quite the quandary you present. I'll channel my inner Robert Frost and say ice is also great and would suffice.

Alex from Lucketts, VA

The league has announced requirements for fields. Are they going to apply these same strict standards to all international games too?

I couldn't find anything definitive, but I would imagine the same standards would apply to international venues since all NFL stadiums will be required to have approved fields by 2028.

Tim from Olathe, KS

Insiders, the Bears fans are chirping again this year like no time since 2018. My question is simple. Is the rivalry more fun when their fans are chirping because they have a good team, or when they are chirping (always) but dejected and deflated with a poor team? I personally like to defeat them when they are good to crush their bravado.

Rivalries are most fun when you win, and all wins are (mostly) weighted the same. I've never understood wanting competitive games with your rivals. That's fine if that's how it all plays out, but I'd rather stomp the opposition to the dirt. It reminds me of that small segment of Packers fans a few years ago who were cheering for Detroit in the playoffs because it'd been bad for so long. Who cares? A wounded lion will rip your throat out once healed. The last three years have proven that.

Raymond from Canada

I just saw the video of Micah Parsons copying Caleb Williams. That seemed a bit bizarre to me. Wouldn't it be better to have Malik Willis do the copying? He is the backup QB and he knows more about the mechanics of the role... I'm not against Parson's doing it but it seems like the better option is Willis. Your thoughts and or reasoning behind it please? Thanks for all you do for us fans.

That was during early individuals, so Willis had his hands full with his usual quarterback/receiver drills. I'm sure he probably played that role during the actual scout-team periods this week. Either way, I'd say Parsons is a good scout QB given the man ran a 4.39 40 less than five years ago.

Bob from Forest Junction, WI

With the NFL saying that now there are new standards for playing surfaces and stadiums must be compliant by 2028, how will that affect the playing surface at Lambeau? Will our beloved grass have to go away?

Never. Grass is here to stay at Lambeau Field. This change is merely a matter of NFL and NFLPA oversight – no different than the clearance needed on player helmets.

Ray from Phoenix, AZ

With the low temps the natural grass fields become really slippery, especially with late afternoon games. Does the equipment staff automatically put longer cleats on all the shoes or is that a player's decision?

It's a joint decision between the player and the equipment staff, who provide their recommendations. Chris Kuehn and his guys do a tremendous job. The Packers will be ready.

Sam from Odenton, MD

To say more about the parity in the league this year, this is the first time since the NFL moved to a 17-game schedule where not only has no team clinched the playoffs entering Week 14, but no team can clinch the playoffs this week either.

There's nobody happier about that than the folks down at 345 Park Ave.

Jon from Eau Claire, WI

I actually had a dream about laser goalposts last night. Now that I have experienced it, the only thing left would be a holographic Lombardi Trophy.

The collapse of NFTs proved people prefer the real thing.

Jeff from Ely, MN

Hi Wes, speaking of laser goal posts and incinerated footballs, I'm all for burning all those "kicking" balls. I read somewhere that they add 5-10 yards to a kick. So now, a team can start on the 35-yard line after a touchback. Most kickers are now in range from the opponent's 40-yard line. Sorry for the math but, that means, in spite of the 100-yard field, an offense only has to gain 25 yards to have a shot at scoring. Phooey! I guess I'm old school (and a little curmudgeonly), huh?

I hear ya but still think NFL leaves field goals alone this offseason given its love of scoring.

Mark from Winona, MN

Wes, when you first rolled into Lambeau did you feel like Stevie to Spoff's Kenny?

More like the Jesse to Spoff's Walter.

Michael from Eagle, ID

So, with Wes's new rule vis a vis laser goal posts, rather than a *doink*, we'd get a *sizzle*? Considering the NFL's marketing strategy, I now consider laser uprights durn near inevitable.

"If you liked NFL Slimetime on Nickelodeon, you're gonna love NFL Scorched Turf on Discovery+."

Craig from currently Italy

So, true story...this is Craig from Laramie but I'm in Rome right now on the trip of a lifetime. Today we toured the Vatican. As we passed a photograph of Pope Leo XIV I muttered "Go Pack Go" under my breath. Shortly thereafter my wife exclaimed, "This feels like when we toured Lambeau!" This Monday Leo will be appearing at the Spanish Steps in Rome and I'm thinking of wearing a Packer sweatshirt. Should I wait to see Sunday's outcome before deciding on my attire?

You ask like there's any doubt in the outcome or my response? I hope you have a wonderful trip!

Austin from Stevens Point, WI

What do you think is considered the Packers' biggest weakness that needs to be addressed before the playoffs?

To me, it's just consistency and playing to their fullest potential. The Packers have the talent on both sides of the ball to win a championship this year. Can you string together the performances week after week to get there?

Al from Green Bay, WI

Here we go! It's not "do or die" for either team, but a win provides a leg up and momentum going into the final four. The Pack will win. Reasons to believe: 1) Jordan Love. Not only a great human being but he's also the better QB. 2) A dominant defense, and it's not just Micah Parsons (but yeah, we have Parsons!) 3) The Packers' receiving corps is as healthy as it's been all season, especially if Reed can go. 4) Lambeau Field – home cookin' in December! Electric! GPG!

I've said it all week and I'll say it once more – this is the most significant game to be played at Lambeau Field between these two teams in 15 years. I hope many of you get to be a part of it. If you are in attendance, make your voice heard.

Graydon from Menomonie, WI

Packers vs. Bears always hits different – flashbacks to the old Black and Blue Division when every game was a street fight and ice packs were part of the uniform. Cold weather, hard hits, no mercy. Tradition, toughness, and total chaos. Go Pack Go!

Makes you wish it was already Sunday. Bundle up and enjoy the ballgame.

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