Ryan from Plymouth, MN
Well, this sucks.
Yeah, it does. There's no way around it. This time the plane ride home wasn't as long. That's about all I've got.
Eric from St. Paul, MN
Rodgers just doesn't seem the same. Injuries and penalties haven't helped the team this season for sure, but the most troubling part is we don't seem to be playing with urgency. I'm no expert but seems like we continue making self-defeating mistakes in all phases. What's the cure?
If only it were that easy, to just pick something new and do it, magically fixing everything. I don't question the urgency being there, but I agree Rodgers hasn't been the same player we're used to. I've been saying that all season. The self-inflicted stuff has been ongoing as well, and that's not on one but many. The Packers play well in stretches but can't sustain it long enough on the road to get a win. Third-down results haven't changed. The special-teams miscues haven't diminished. The defense has had a stretch in each of the last four road games, I believe, when it's given up back-to-back TDs (though that phase was what gave the Packers a chance to win this one). The same play will produce the same results.
Aaron from Forest Grove, OR
Am I accurate in saying missing two of our top three receivers for most of the year, especially facing veteran teams on the road, has been a significant reason for the inconsistencies on offense?
It's definitely a factor, but this was Game 11. That's a lot of practice time for everybody who's healthy. The lull on offense is an every-game thing, and this time it lasted almost the entire final three quarters. The Packers went six straight possessions without crossing the Minnesota 40-yard line, and none of those drives started worse than Green Bay's own 25. The Vikings' defense is good, but the Packers' extended struggles just never did anything to pick up their own defense, or the team, for that matter.
Jeff from Cambridge, WI
Not much any team can do with so many starters limping around on the sidelines, right?
The personnel shuffling in this game was extensive, and we all know the Packers were banged up coming in. But the defense had plenty of opportunities to get off the field on third down, and the offense had plenty to stay on it. The Vikings converted 50 percent on third down, the Packers 20 percent. In a nutshell, that was the game.
Tim from Hales Corners, WI
Well, that was it!
It very well could be. It's a significant loss. Mathematically, it's not over, but the math is pretty simple. As soon as two second-place teams in the NFC get to 10 wins, that's it. Then it's officially over. But the top wild-card teams all have six wins right now, so nobody's even close to clinching anything. Keep playing and watch scoreboards. That's where the Packers are.
Jake from Athens, GA
I know you guys hate the "What do you wish people would ask?" questions. But four out of the past five weeks, we've been asking and hearing the same stuff every day. Does it get boring for you guys? What's new about this loss that nobody's talking about?
I'm not trying to be a smart-aleck, but I can't think of anything. Let's see what Ian thinks.
Ian from Sherman Oaks, CA
At halftime I texted my dad the following prediction, "The Packers will only score three more points, Aaron Jones will get four touches, and there will be a huge special-teams blunder." I was wrong on Aaron Jones but exactly right on the other two because watching this team is the football equivalent of Groundhog Day. Is there a pitch to continue to watch the Packers play this year?
Well, as I continue to say, I don't give up hope until it's mathematically over. That's just the way I am. But if you don't want to take that approach, Davante Adams is having one of the best seasons by a receiver in team history. I'm very curious to see how it finishes and where it ranks when it's all said and done.
Vic from Edisto Beach, SC
Thanks for letting me know when you are getting home. I'll make sure I'm gone by 1 a.m.
Hope you found the directions I left to the full-service gas station.
Drew from Round Lake, IL
Not so much a question, but I get sick of people wishing we had Mack. The reason is simple...The Bears mortgaged their future for a modicum of success in the present. The draft capital they gave up for Trubisky and Mack will cripple this team in the future. They only have one or two picks in the first three rounds of the next two drafts combined. This, along with them devoting nearly a third of their cap space to three players (when Mitch gets his deal), doesn't bode well for their future.
I believe there's a distinct possibility it could play out that way, but we'll just have to wait and see.
Jeff from South Grafton, MA
With the new onside kick rules, wouldn't it be worth a shot for the kicker to just aim for one of the opposing players and kick it as hard as they can at them? They're not going to catch it no matter how good their hands are and that's seemingly the only way to get a favorable bounce. And even if he misses and the kick goes down field or out of bounds, it's only a 9 percent success rate. They're not giving up much.
It's not the craziest idea I've heard.
Mike from St. Louis, MO
On Monday, I watched the teams with the best record in the NFL combine for 105 points. On Friday, I watched two college teams in the top 15 produce 115 points (the losing team had 700 yards of offense). How much is too much?
When you stop watching.
Kyle from Eden Prairie, MN
I realize we are talking about real people with real lives, families, etc. In any realm outside of professional sports, this could all be chalked up to a "bad year," improved by a "performance plan" or something of that sort. However, this is perhaps the most demanding of environments, and we have six points combined in the third/fourth quarters of the last two games. In terms of halftime adjustments, Vic would call that a pencil whipping. So, what is next?
You keep striving for that four-quarter game the next two weeks and then try to take it on the road with you. Like I always say to my daughter, there's only one way I know how to get work done and that's to do the work. All you can do is keep after it and get the worm to turn.
Darren from Warrington, Cheshire
This season feels worse than last season. At least there was a genuine excuse last season.
Won't argue.
Brett from Oshkosh, WI
My brother and I have been noticing a lot of QBs starting games with long completion streaks this season, compared to past seasons. Can you think of a reason for this? My best theory would only be that teams are scripting better.
That, and not taking as many deep shots early in games, because those are generally lower-percentage throws.
Jordan from Appleton, WI
It's time for the Packers to be new.
I'm in favor.
Jon from Battle Creek, MI
You know what's funny? The fact that as soon as a player leaves or gets traded to another team, you start downplaying everything they do. Like talking about Ha Ha Clinton-Dix's plays against Dallas on Thursday, and how his plays were all this and that and construable to some as bad-mouthing. Yet if he was on our team still, you would try anything to justify those kinds of bad plays, and make them sound all great and professional.
If you have any evidence of me describing a player's bad game or bad play in a misleading manner, please present it. Otherwise, if that's how you believe I do my job, I don't know why you'd have any interest in anything I have to say.
Zach from Clarkfield, MN
The missed pass to Adams in the fourth seemed like a microcosm of the entire season thus far. Mistakes and missed opportunities.
Pretty much. There's also been a moment in each of these recent road games the Packers lose whatever mojo they had going. In L.A. it was obviously the kickoff-return fumble, in New England it was the Jones fumble, in Seattle it felt to me like the overturned third-down catch, and last night it was the consecutive failed third- and fourth-and-1s. The inability to advance the ball just a couple of inches, or whatever was needed, was just the latest disheartening moment.
Mark from Verona, WI
I'd pay to have access to all-22, in real time. Might the NFL make this offering?
In real time? No. But any fan can get a subscription to **Game Pass** and have access a day or two later.
Geoff from Racine, WI
Is there an easy-to-find link to all the WYMM weekly features? It's almost impossible to find.
There isn't a one-stop shop for them, but if you go to **this schedule page**, the yellow "Game Center" button for each game takes you to where all the content related to each contest is housed. The WYMMs should be in each Game Center.
Nick from Watertown, SD
Tough to think positive right now, but we have two winnable games in a row at Lambeau that are now officially "must wins." Packers can still stay in the wild-card race if they can win these next two home games, which we all expect them to do. Get a win streak going, plus getting healthier could change everything.
Win one game at a time, heal one injury at a time, hope for one other result at a time to go your way.
Mitchell from Edmond, OK
Emmanuel Sanders made a catch on Sunday that I couldn't believe was ruled a catch. While he technically got three steps in after the catch with control of the ball, he lost complete control of the ball when he hit the ground. Both Tony Romo and Jim Nantz seemed to make it sound like under the new catch rule, maintaining control through the ground isn't necessary as long as one gets three steps in with control. Is this true?
Yup. Actually two steps is enough to establish control.
Dan from St. Joseph, MN
Most people in Packerland thought a playoff push and Super Bowl shot were what to expect with the return of Rodgers this year. Is it safe to say, "We aren't who we thought we were"?
I'll admit I missed on this team. I expected the defense to improve, which it has, and I thought the experience at running back and a new tight end would eventually lead to an efficient, rhythm-based offense, which hasn't happened. I think I've said enough over the last three months about the special teams. There are a lot of reasons a season goes wrong, and there are a lot of reasons for this one.
Christine from Madison, WI
So, where do they go from here? How can a team pull itself together while it's falling apart? And how do I mend my broken heart?
I believe this team will stick together, and they'll get some more wins, but even winning out might not be enough. We'll see. I'm not good with broken hearts, but I can tell you that as frustrated and disappointed as the fans are, the frustration and disappointment amongst the players and coaches is far greater. There's so much that goes into each game, but no one in this league is going to feel sorry for you because everyone else has been there at one point or another.
Brandon from Baldwin, WI
I think I'd have preferred a tie.
Thanks for the levity.
Bob from New Britain, CT
Adam Thielen ... why can't the Packers stop this guy? He always has such gaudy statistics against us!
He's had some big games against Green Bay, but it's not like he's picking and choosing. That was his ninth 100-yard game of this season. A Packers game may have been considered one of his breakout performances a couple of years ago, but he's doing that to everybody now.
Philip from Fishers, IN
So, what now?
Kickoff is noon on Sunday.
Tyler from Fargo, ND
Remember Mike, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.
Happy Monday, everyone.
