Brian from Adel, IA

Can we rename Friday's II Overreaction Inbox?

I said weeks ago the reaction to this game would be over the top, no matter the result. Easiest prediction ever. I'll zero in on the serenity amidst the insanity.

Eric from Brooklyn, NY

Don't tell me to relax. This is incontrovertible proof that they're winning the Super Bowl this year!

Or not.

Joe from Las Vegas, NV

That'll do!

I said to Wes as we were waiting to board the plane that the game was Exhibit A as to never knowing what you're going to get in Week 1.

Brian from Alta Vista, IA

The Bears decided to stick with their guy at kicker but didn't trust him to make a 50-yard field goal?

It would have been from 51, and while I don't think it was a total head-scratcher in a game where field position was paramount and scoring opportunities were at a premium, you can't spend all season going for it from between the 30 and 35. At least I don't think you can.

Sal from Hailey, ID

This will probably be 80% of II Qs today, but I have to ask it anyway. The defense (on both sides) played to win. Gute and Pettine (and ML) knew what they were building. But...our offense isn't that bad, right? Or is it my green-and-gold glasses clouding my view?

The offense still has Aaron Rodgers and doesn't have to face the Bears' defense again until mid-December. It wasn't good enough Thursday, but I'm not drawing any grand conclusions after one game, on the road, against a top-flight defense.

Jeremy from Evansville

Did we just watch a showdown between two of the best defenses in the league? I think there's a lot more to come from both of these clubs.

I need to see more of Green Bay's defense, too, because I expected better from Trubisky to start Year 3, but he rarely looked comfortable and the Packers had a lot to do with that. I agree with your concluding sentiment.

Drew from Oakdale, MN

If the season ended today, JK Scott would be NFL MVP.

Scott is a popular choice for game MVP, and certainly a viable one, but if I were to pick another, I'd go with Preston Smith. I thought he played a great all-around game against run and pass.

Ed from Appleton, WI

"JK Scott, up way past his bedtime on a school night, cranks another 63-yard punt." Brilliant Weston, loved this blog entry! LOL, as the kids text (and I, as an old guy, actually laughed out loud).

Wes heard me, so he heard you, too.

Jonnie from Garden City, MI

I think we finally saw what happens when the defensive backs and the pass rush complement each other's work. I'm excited to see what kind of progress the offense can make in the coming weeks, too. What do the Packers need to do to get the ground game rolling, or will that area improve because they won't be playing the Bears' defense every week?

That Chicago front is impressive, and all it takes is one to wreck any given play. The Packers' offensive line did not have its best night, but it's a veteran group that knows how to shore things up. It's also got a lot of pride, and I say that in a respectful way. They'll make this coming week tough on themselves.

Brent from Raleigh, NC

I know that offensive holding is a "point of emphasis" this year, but if tonight is any indication, we're in for loooonnng games and a long season, don't you think?

That's how it was called in the preseason. Everyone was warned.

Tim from Reno, NV

The old adage rings true again. If you're going to win one stat, make it turnover differential. It felt like it was coming, and what a good time for it!

I figured the Packers would get one at some point against Trubisky, and yes, the timing was perfect. Not turning the ball over against that Bears' defense was the bigger accomplishment. I still wonder if that ball off Graham's foot would have been a pick had Roquan Smith held on. I never got a good look at a replay.

Michael from Camden, SC

Not a question but more of an observation. The last two NFL games played have combined for 23 offensive points. The losing team combined six points. I may be old school but it sure is fun to see defenses take control of games.

The previous one because polished defenses had two weeks to prepare. This latest one because Week 1 is inherently unpredictable.

Tim from Lino Lakes, MN

I thought Savage switched to 21. What happened? Is he wearing 26 all year now?

Apparently, but Greene is sticking with 24.

Sue from Tomah, WI

With players like Antonio Brown who causes (in my opinion) more trouble than he is worth, does there ever come a time when a team/manager/owner just says "Enough...you're fired!" Assuming a suspension that voids the contract, is there a point of no return? No employer would put up with antics like his in the "real" world.

I don't want to get into a whole discussion about Antonio Brown, but I'll just say two things. First, there's a lengthy list of reasons both sides sign a contract, and this is on it. Second, Mike Tomlin's well-heralded abilities as a leader of men have risen immensely in my humble estimation.

Jim from Bluffton, SC

It has been reported that Curtis Bolton has a torn ACL. If not for this injury, he might have been a starter today. What is the status of Bolton and Green Bay?

Tough break for Bolton, and I wish him the best in his recovery. He is on the Packers' injured reserve list. He will stay there unless both sides decide to do an injury settlement.

Packer 1919 from Cedar Rapids, IA

I looked at Elliott's contract and it seems like the guaranteed money is including "roster bonuses." I thought these are only paid if a player is on the team at the start of the season, so not guaranteed? If not guaranteed then I would think the Cowboys got a great deal regarding the contract salary cap hits in the future if Elliott is not on the team for whatever reason.

The Cowboys protected themselves if Elliott's career or health go awry. My understanding is he has future salaries that become guaranteed if he's on the roster on certain offseason dates. So Dallas has a couple of outs if needed.

Aaron from Forest Grove, OR

If you or the readers are need of a good story, check out Mike Silver's article on D. Adams. He's had quite an incredible journey to get to where he is today as I'm sure you know. It's refreshing how humble he has remained throughout all of it. Hard not to pull for a guy like him.

Adams and James Jones got to know each other before Adams was ever drafted, and there's some kinship in the rough moments of their upbringings. I remember noticing, and writing, in 2015 when J.J. came back how close those two were.

Jon from Baraboo, WI

How often was Mike able to fit "indubitably" into the Packers Yearbook?

It's exclusive to II.

Mike from Mount Prospect, IL

Gentlemen, last year the Bears suffered fewer injuries than most other teams and played an "easier" schedule because of their weak finish in 2017. How much did those two factors play into their remarkable success in 2018?

Not as much as 36 takeaways on defense did. The 2018 Bears beat two NFC playoff teams, the Rams and Seahawks, and lost to the eventual Super Bowl-champion Patriots by seven. Of their other three regular-season losses, two were in overtime and one was by one point at Lambeau Field. There was nothing undeserved about their division title. As I said in the offseason, the draft capital and money spent on Mack has laid all of the team's improvement on Trubisky, because they have no high draft picks and no cap room. After that opening performance, the scrutiny is only going to heighten, because if he doesn't get better, they won't.

Markus from Aurora, CO

Insiders, I saw the Bears/Chicago unveiled a couple of statues (Halas and Payton). It only took them 16 years to follow suit with the Packers (Lambeau and Lombardi). Then again, they probably wanted to time it for their founding anniversary. I'm glad they finally got around to it! Even if we are archrivals, Halas has his place also in Packers history. Is it the same artist who did the Packers' statues?

No. Different sculptor/studio for Halas and Payton, one that had done several of sports figures in Philadelphia I believe.

Dave from Lake Zurich, IL

Any idea why Allen Lazard wasn't drafted last year? The draft guide I read pegged him as a fourth or fifth round selection. It's interesting how the undrafted receiver makes the roster and the drafted one (J'Mon Moore) doesn't. As it's said, the draft is a crapshoot.

And development isn't necessarily linear.

Lori from Heredia, Costa Rica

Hey Spoff, if teams run plain vanilla schemes in the preseason, what do you call their schemes in regular season games? Tutti frutti? Don't say Rocky Road!

I'm not sure. Spumoni?

Nick from Denver, CO

NFL turning point: Matt LaFleur challenges for offensive PI. Clearly no penalty. Halts the Bears' momentum. Game, set, match.

Interesting theory, one shared by others. But I don't think he challenges unless he thinks he saw something. Those two challenges are precious commodities. I think the back-to-back penalties on the offensive line killed their momentum more than the challenge.

Simon from Santa Clara, CA

I think it was smart for LaFleur to call all the plays that didn't work in the first quarter and save the ones that did for later.

There's one in every crowd.

Marcus from Glenwood City, WI

A win is a win, and a lot will change from Week 1 to the next, but for a team that wants to run the ball, I was in question of the drive following the interception. A nice 5-yard run followed by a questionable pass play and then a run for no gain? It seemed advantageous to run on second down then pass on third if need be to secure the first down, being under two minutes. Again, a gutty win tonight (JK Scott & Amos were my MVPs) but hope that sequence gets examined by coach as we move forward.

It's hard to tell if the pass on second down was called, or something Rodgers checked to. Either way, it's a safe, simple throw, and Rodgers just has to make a better one.

Mitch from Las Vegas, NV

We all want to know anything and everything about the Rodgers-Pettine-LaFleur end-of-game shove-shake-celebration exchange. Please and thank you.

Sorry, didn't see it because I was on my way down from the press box. Rodgers said after the final kneel-down, he made sure to hold the ball to give to LaFleur. That's all I know.

Michiel from Brussels, Belgium

Wow! We really do have a defense. Best thing about it? The new additions showed up big. The Smiths putting the pressure on as advertised, Amos with the crucial INT and Savage being savage towards any balls coming within his territory. This defense has me excited. The offense will gel in time, I'm sure.

I was impressed with Savage's speed. He can really cover some ground and break on the ball in a hurry. Amos got the pick, and Clinton-Dix stripped Rodgers but couldn't quite recover, and Rodgers got it back. Close but not quite was the story of the game for the Bears – Robinson's sideline catch (but shoved out smartly by Williams), the replay reversal on Gabriel, illegal contact on Fuller after Rodgers got sacked on third down, which would have taken the Packers out of field-goal range. The margins in the NFL are always slim.

Jessi from Sterling, KS

A year ago would we have won that game with our defense? Hmmm. I think not. That's something exciting to celebrate. Looks like AR thinks so too :)

Last year? The Packers hadn't won a game by scoring 10 or fewer points since 2010, when they did it twice. I saw a stat on the flight home that only twice all of last year did the winning team in an NFL game score 10 points or less.

Josh from Nicholasville, KY

That whole game just felt like a game we weren't supposed to win. Even though we had the lead most of the night it just seemed like the odds were constantly stacked against us. That was how I felt all the way till the Amos interception. I feel like coming out and winning the game like that has the potential to kick-start some great things. Do you think that winning in that fashion, in that kind of environment will be a benefit or serve as motivation down the road?

Any road win in this league can serve as a catalyst. The Packers didn't win away from Lambeau last year until their final road trip. The burden got heavier and heavier as the year wore on. Now that hurdle for this year already has been cleared.

Matt from Kula, HI

My only comment: Savage, Amos, and the Smiths all are the real deal!

The Packers revamped their outside linebacker and safety positions, and all the newcomers showed up in their Green Bay debut. It looks to me like Pettine has the personnel he wants and needs.

Brian from Reno, NV

In my opinion, the most underrated play of the game was AR taking the delay of game in the fourth quarter instead of calling our last timeout. That let ML challenge the completed pass that was overturned. Without a timeout, there is no challenge and maybe a momentum swing. Great heads-up play.

Excellent point. You could tell Rodgers was frustrated, but he did the smart thing. He has razor-sharp awareness of every situation as it occurs.

Jordan from Chicago, IL

Rodgers' postgame grin while saying, "We've got a defense," may be my favorite moment of the "game." What moment from the game would you point to that signals this team's potential?

The start of a late third-quarter drive. Jones for 9, Jones for 6, Jones for 2. It had been a tough slog on the ground against Chicago's outstanding run defense, but finally some small seams started to emerge. Jones just missed breaking the 6-yarder, too, and he knew it. Stick with this running game and it can get there.

Chuck from Sun Prairie, WI

Game Summary: Big D, Little O, Huge Kicks, Got W.

Just win, baby. Happy Friday.

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