Hey everybody, thanks for logging on today. Hope all is well. I see some questions already coming in so I'll just get started.

I just wanted to wish a Happy Veteran's Day to my fellow current and former service men and women. Any news on Chris Brooks or Sean Rhyan?

Yes, Happy Veterans Day to all the vets out there. The Packers aren't having a full practice today, just a jog-through, so there's no media access. We'll have to see what the injury report says later today about participation, and then look more closely at tomorrow's practice.

Hi Mike, well I think Mr. Cousins might be in for a rude awakening!

The psyche boost for the Vikings will be significant based on how their last two games went. Cousins' return to this rivalry adds a ton of juice to what was already going to be a big game.

Will Kevin Zeitler start? He opened a nice running hole for Kaleb Johnson.

LaFleur said at his presser, just before I logged on here, that the Packers know what they're doing at guard this week but aren't going to reveal it until Sunday.

After the statement win in New England, what did you see or like best from the offensive line and run blocking that gives you confidence the Packers can establish at least a "reasonable" running game against the Vikings defense?

The negative runs were greatly reduced until the fourth quarter when the Patriots knew the Packers were just trying to run clock. That was a big step in the right direction. I also liked how hard Kaleb Johnson ran. No dancing around, he just attacked. That makes a difference, too.

Here it is November and the Packers showed up right on schedule.

It's a long season. This one has already taken various turns and there are likely more to come.

Corners better be ready for Jefferson. With his old QB back, he's going to be looking to make a statement.

No doubt. Jefferson is going to get the ball. Cousins will make sure of that. The Packers have to make sure to limit the big plays.

Looks like a pretty good Border Battle Sunday. Cousins likely returns to start at Lambeau with the same head coach and offensive coordinator from his last visit in October 2023, but now against a much more experienced Jordan Love w/weapons and substantially different Packers defense. Should be an intriguing matchup, wouldn't you say?

This matchup not only is drastically different from the last Cousins game for the Vikes in '23, it's very different from Week 1 this season given all the changes since for both teams.

With the Vikings defense, do you see Tucker Kraft being used a lot again for pass pro?

Might be necessary. But the Packers will have routes dialed up for him to make some plays downfield, too. I'm sure of that.

Hey Mike! Keys to victory: Kaleb Johnson and the Packer's defense. Run game explodes and JG keeps the Minnesota offense off the field, the Pack win this game… am I close?

I think the Packers have to protect Jordan Love, protect the ball, and finish drives. In the first matchup, the first two items got away from them in the fourth quarter, and in the first three they were settling for too many field goals.

Mike - do you and Wes use recorders for interviews or remain old school and short hand it all. Great hear your voice today and great question.

We use handheld voice recorders and transcribe what we need to for our stories.

What happened with Josh Jacobs?

He go this hand caught in an opponent's facemask and fractured a finger. He needs surgery so he's out this week at least, maybe longer.

Unfortunately, I am having Sam Bradford nightmares from 2016 when he stepped in after being traded to the Vikings and cooked the Packers. Hope the same doesn't happen this weekend.

I believe 2016 was also the year the Vikings started 5-0 and missed the playoffs.

Mike…..in some respects I'd rather face Cousins rather than a healthy Kyler Murray. The D-linemen and blitzers know where he will be, and there's no concern about him escaping the pocket and taking off.

Cousins brings a lot to the table, and he gives the Vikings an offensive boost they weren't going to get from anyone else, but scrambling is not an issue at age 38.

Hi, Mike. How much of an advantage will it be for JL to call out protection changes in 'quiet' Lambeau Field versus a noisy Bank One? Did the noise in week 1 even allow for protection changes?

I think it's a huge difference and I'm going to write about that a little later today. Silent count in noisy places with protection calls and adjustments at a premium ... huge challenge. Nothing will be easier Sunday, but playing at home allows for better communication, and the defenders don't get that extra jump off the silent count. Love can use a cadence to keep them honest.

I know there is familiarity with Cousins and the Vikings, but has the offense changed enough that he will be limited in what he can run?

I would imagine KOC is going to dig back into a lot of concepts Cousins is familiar with and likes, and turn to those on short notice. JJ, Addison, Hockenson all know that stuff, too.

What is Micah Parsons doing in practice this week?

LaFleur said he can hopefully do some 11-on-11 starting tomorrow. Apparently he has an illness today.

How long do you think it will be before a team just says, okay, you're not going to beat us deep and we're just dropping everyone into coverage because the running game is not there.

I've been waiting for that for a while. There are answers to that with underneath routes and quick throws, but nobody has really forced the Packers to play that way. Tampa Bay was probably the one who tried it the most, and the Packers didn't protect the ball well enough on some long drives, so the point production wasn't as good as it should've been.

Who is the officiating crew for Sunday?

John Hussey's crew. Not one of my favorites, but that's a short list these days.

I asked this week about Kraft and lack of targets. Is he ok?

Kraft is fine. Stenavich mentioned at the podium yesterday they had some plays dialed up for Kraft where he was the primary, but his route was covered so Love progressed to other targets. The seam ball off his fingertips was super close to a TD.

Being away from an offense for 8 years, I can't believe Cousins' timing will be good. I guess we'll see.

8 years? Cousins played for the Vikings three years ago.

Kraft as pass pro, why not play 2 man TE set and let the other block? Or have they tried that and I haven't noticed?

They've done that as well. The Packers have used a lot of different protection looks to get that all settled down from earlier in the year.

Who's going to be the starting running back for the game?

I'm expecting it to be Kaleb Johnson, but we'll see if Chris Brooks comes off IR this week.

I think the Min D has stayed pretty healthy this year. Makes a difference. Imagine our D all healthy.

Part of the game.

How do you feel about John Williams at Center with how much the Vikings overload the A gaps?

This is another big challenge for Williams, but he's answered the bell at every point so far. And this game is at home, which is a big plus for him and his duty.

For one player on offense and defense who would you pick to have a big game?

If I'm choosing outside the usual suspects from the last few weeks, I'll say Kraft and LVN

How difficult will it be for Kirk Cousins to get up to speed. I would imagine there has been a lot of changes to the offense since he left.

Sure, but the stuff he ran before can be pulled out and repped on short notice.

Will Ty'Ron Hopper be back this week?

The hope is yes, but again, no access to practice today.

If you had the volume up for the announcers during the Packers game, it was fun to hear Brady's reactions to the Love aerial assault. It sounded like he was falling out of his chair.

I watched the TV highlights with the calls. I know some people aren't crazy about Brady in the booth, but I do think he brings some energy to the broadcast.

Hoping Maye has a bounce back game against Detroit this Sunday.

That would be good, yes.

Cousins will provide a spark for the Vikings but if Lambeau is hositle, it could help a lot couldn't it?

The Packers need their home crowd to really bring it Sunday. Like, really bring it.

Were you surprised they didn't look at adding any running back like a Tony Pollard?

I don't know that they didn't look into it. Maybe they just didn't find the asking price(s) acceptable.

It was cool when MLF awarded a game ball to every Packers player after Sunday's win over the Patriots. From your vantage point, what feels unique or different about this year's team chemistry compared with recent past seasons, and who and/or what have been the key enablers?

Honestly, I've never felt the team chemistry around here has been much of an issue. Not in any recent years anyway. The locker room is pretty cohesive. When new players come in, they seem to fit in pretty well right away, and the leaders welcome them to the fray.

We shall see if Cousins can not telegraph his targets. If he doesn't do that it could be a long day for the Pack. What do you think about this comeback?

Cousins was playing pretty well for the Raiders. He's still a very effective quarterback. I think it's a good thing the Packers are playing him this week, when his assignment is tougher with just arriving there.

Everybody focused on Cousins but the Vikings' D was on the field for 40+ minutes/80 plays AND is coming off a short week. Hopefully by the 2nd half we'll see some fatigue setting in.

I mentioned that exact issue in Inbox this morning. I'm wondering the same.

Mike, we saw how the Vikings D stood tall against Gibbs and Cook through 3 quarters before the holes got bigger for them in the 4th, likely due to lopsided TOP thanks to their offense not getting anything going. Do you think LaFleur will have the same patience with the running game if things get stuffed early on, or will he air it out and hope protection checks keep Love upright?

I'm sure the Packers would love to be in a position where they have a lead in the fourth quarter and can run late in the game to win. But you can't just try to copy what someone else did if that's not the strength of your team. The Packers had 22 points on the board early in the fourth quarter (25 actually) in Week 1 before things went sideways. They know what it takes to make plays against this defense.

Hopefully there is a plan for protecting against Van Ginkel. That guy seems to be everywhere.

Very impressive player. Beware of the WR screens against him. He's picked off several of those in his career, and he's one of the league leaders in sacks this season.

It was motioned that there were some adjustments made to improve Trey Smack's kicking last week. Do you have any details on what was addressed?

Achord said they just worked with him on his process of taking the field before each kick, how he gets himself set up. It was more about that than anything mechanical with his kicking.

Can JG watch film of Cousins' tendencies in Las Vegas to see how he's adapting his game to his older body?

I'm sure they're doing that. They're also looking at Cousins' previous MN work with those receiving targets.

I like giving Kaleb Johnson a chance to be the lead back, hopefully he can make the most of this chance

The Packers are going to need him Sunday.

Very happy that the networks were not able to flex the game Sunday. We are undefeated in all our 12 noon central time games this year.

Ha. I'm glad too, because selfishly I like noon games, and my sister is coming to this one, so the early start allows her to drive back home before it gets too late.

Every team in the division is strong. What sets the Packers apart, and how do they match up against the NFC competition?

I think the Packers have the best QB in the NFC North, and they're about to get back one of the best defensive players in the league. I'll take my chances with that.

Will Zaire Franklin be available after the bye week?

LaFleur mentioned he might be able to practice this week, so I think the hope is the answer to your question is yes.

At 6-3 and already 1-2 in the division, is Sunday about as close to a "must-win" game as you can have in mid November if the Packers want to win the NFC North rather than spend the rest of the season chasing a wild card?

Also mentioned this in Inbox this morning and will probably write more later in the week. If the Packers want a realistic chance to win the division, they have to win this game. You can't fall two games behind the Vikings with them sweeping you and sit at 6-4 in this division in order to win it. That feels like too much of an uphill climb to me.

I'm hoping for very little purple in the stadium seats.

Me too.

What does O-line needs to do to protect Jordan Love?

Just stay on the same page. Know the protection calls and assignments and execute them. Just like JG does with GB's blitzes, the Vikings like to create confusion with their blitz looks, and you can't get confused or there's a free runner at the QB.

Will Cousins definitely start or is there a chance we will see on of the other QBs?

I don't think there's any doubt he's starting.

Mike….I'm interested to read your thoughts on the dome-field advantage. I've attended Packers games in DET and MIN in the past few years and told my son I'd never see them in an away dome again. Watching on TV simply doesn't do it justice….I literally felt nauseated and had a headache by the 2nd quarter. Can't imagine how the offense even functions in that setting.

Yeah, if you haven't actually been to one of those venues as a road fan, it's hard to appreciate just how difficult it is to play the game.

When's the last time one of the TEs lined up as FB? Would love to see Johnson cut behind a strong lead block. Those Mark Redman led blocks seemed to work well.

I haven't charted how much the Packers have used that look this year, but it's definitely in the playbook.

No trade for RB. Keep calm. In Gute we trust, eh?

This team has come a long way from the 1-2 mark after Week 3. Arrow still points up.

Speaking of John Williams, is there a chance he overtakes Sean Rhyan at C?

No. They didn't pay Rhyan what they did to bring him back to lose his job due to injury. He's the guy at center once healthy.

What's the best way for our offense to take advantage of that worn out Viking D?

Get a lead. Don't let them play with one.

Kirk Cousins case needs to be in books. Such a smart man. All the guaranteed money, always in the conversation as a starter, as soon as the convo goes to maybe they should start a rookie, he becomes the savior for another team.

It's been an amazing career in that regard.

In terms of a division game, this seems like the biggest one so far.

Yeah, the Packers really needed to beat the Bears when GB was 2-2 and Chicago had a backup QB playing. But this one has grown in importance, especially after that tough loss in Detroit.

In the first matchup, did the Vikings have so much success in the 4th quarter rushing the Packers because of missed blocking assignments or did they just overpower GB?

There were multiple missed assignments. The protection fell apart and the Vikes had free runners coming at Love constantly.

I'm actually glad Gute' didn't go overboard at the deadline; last year's draft class looks great so far, and next year's draft is supposedly loaded. We have the guys who can win, IMO, just need to settle on an OL

And I think they will, along with figuring out who can help them most at RB.

Who needs step up this week for the Packers to get the win?

The guys up front on the O-line. Lots of changes since Week 1.

Need to grind to tire their defense. Big plays are nice, but don't wear you down.

Get a lead, whatever it takes to do so. Play from in front. If the Packers do that, I think they'll finish this one.

That TOP difference in that Bills-Vikings game was crazy. I would love to see the same from the Packers offense. Are they capable of it?

I doubt it. They don't have the running game. But the Packers can beat the Vikings their way. They had them on the ropes in Week 1.

I think I'd hit the Vikes with an early does of quick TE hitters, and see if they can cause them to back off a bit in the early going.

I don't think you're going to get Flores to back off regardless. They've blitzed (more than 4 rushers) on 72% of pass plays this season. That's who they are, situations be darned.

Word on the street was to get Taylor would have taken giving up a 2, for starters. Didn't think Gute would have bitten on that.

I'm guessing it was a 2 along with another couple of picks.

I wish I was 38!

Preaching to the choir, Bones.

Protect the football. Repeat.

Exactly.

They say this 2027 draft is generational. How do they know?

That's the scouting world. Not my wheelhouse.

Who would you say is Green Bay's number 3 receiver?

Right now it's Savion Williams, and he's becoming a bigger and bigger part of things.

Is this a Milwaukee crowd? Want as few Vikings fans in crowd as possible.

It is a gold package game, yes.

No way they'd flex Dallas out of the doubleheader game…..they could be 0-13 and it wouldn't matter!

Probably true. And Pitt at Cincy on SNF, Rodgers vs. Burrow, wasn't going anywhere either.

Cousins has historically liked his TE's as his best friend. I would expect TJ Hockenson to get his fair share of targets

Agreed.

The Vikings seem to always be searching for The Man….I think we've been extremely fortunate that Green Bay drafts and develops.

It's the preferred way for sustained success. Then again, Seattle just won a Super Bowl last season with a FA QB, so there are other ways.

I know it is just beat the Vikings but I am eager to see how this defense with Parsons handles Caleb because he certainly is the most mobile QB they will play.

Long way to go to get to Christmas.

I think Jordan Love deserves all the "love" he is getting for MVP, but having two players like Matthew Golden and Christian Watson sure does help.

Has there ever been an MVP quarterback where people said his receivers stink?

Can I give a shout out to all the other Packers fans at Gillette on Sunday? My wife and I were across from England and spoke to and got GPGs, smiles, hellos and nods off so many Packers fans, it really felt like being part of a perfect family where everyone gets along!!

Glad you enjoyed your trip.

At least we don't have that obnoxious Viking horn blowing for 60 minutes!

Amen.

We all know how Flores lives and dies by the blitz. What does he do with his secondary that causes so many quarterbacks to hesitate and not find their primary read?

The receivers need to recognize the blitzes too and adjust to help out the QB. If the timing of that is off, even just slightly, it can leave the QB out to dry.

This is a different Packers team from week one so I think they will handle the Vikings and move to 7-3.

That's the plan, Stan. I mean, Joe.

Aside the way the ball bounces, to what do you attribute the 180 on takeaways this season?

JG's blitz looks are leading QBs into mistakes, and the guys are catching the ball this year, for the most part. I still think the Packers win at Detroit if Evan Williams doesn't drop that pick from Goff. That was one of the few they've let get away this year.

If Williams works out well at center would there be any advantage to moving Rhyan back to guard?

I think Rhyan is a better center than guard.

What is it about Jordan Love that makes people not believe their eyes? A postseason run will change all of that, but he's been top tier for a while now, and often overlooked.

Like I've said, to the outside it all comes down to team success. If your team doesn't win enough, nobody cares.

Guess featuring your two top receivers worked, huh?

What those two are doing is insane. Fun to watch.

Brandon Cisse following Jefferson, he seems to have the confidence to challenge?

I'm sure he would, but that's not how I would expect the Packers to play it.

How do their corners rate?

Murphy has 4 INTs this year. He's their best one.

How are Jordan Morgan and Anthony Belton progressing?

They seem to be coming along. Morgan especially looks like he's really settling in at his natural position.

The noise factor should help out the O-line.

Agreed.

We seem to have cleaned up a lot of our penalty issues from earlier in the season, but it also seems like the number of called penalties overall has dropped over the last few weeks. Do you think the pitiful performance in Detroit on national TV prompted to league to make some 'suggestions ' to the ref crews?

Who knows? So much stuff goes on behind the scenes it's impossible to be certain of anything.

Do the Vikings have a "block this guy or else" defender?

Van Ginkel is the main one who comes to mind, but that front can get after you from many angles.

Just how large are Watsons hands to make that catch?

The hand size combined with those sticky gloves can do amazing things.

Seeing the hits Josh Allen took in that game makes me a bit happy J Love does not run as much. It's such a long season and those kinds of hits wear on you

Love has to pick his spots, and he does. The Bills do a lot of things different with Allen, and he's got the size to withstand more punishment. But there's always risk.

Think the Vikes will try to isolate Jefferson on Keisean Nixon? Nixon's having a good year, but Cisse's a bigger CB and improving weekly, and JJ gets a lot of mileage out of high pointing the ball.

They'll try to scheme up single coverage on Jefferson from whomever. If Cousins sees Jefferson singled up, that's where the ball is going.

The way the Vikings stack the LOS, you'd think that a runner that gets beyond it would be off to the races.

But that's the hard part.

Can this be a year that both of GB safeties are first team All Pros?

That would be unprecedented, I would imagine. But both should and will get due consideration.

The Vikings rattled the Bills early with their rush but with their offense so bad the Bills were able to withstand it. I don't think the Pack will have that luxury.

The Packers will have to weather a storm at some point in Sunday's game. It didn't come until the fourth quarter in Week 1, and it was too late to recover from it.

We forget some of our younger skill guys like Savion and Kaleb are 3rd round picks…..obviously the athleticism was evident to get drafted in that spot.

They were drafted where they were for a reason.

How do you compare the Minnesota's DBs to New England?

There's not much to compare because the Pats play a lot of man coverage and the Vikes play a lot more zone behind their blitzes.

Seeing Aaron Jones in purple is still odd to me. What kind of year is he having?

What he's doing at 31 at that position is impressive. All the respect in the world to Jonesy.

The Vikings also tackle very well.

You don't rank where they do defensively otherwise.

Still say this is a must win to capture the division.

Asked and answered. And with that, I'm going to call it a chat. Thanks for all the participation today folks, and I'll be back on this platform for Sunday's game. Enjoy the rest of your week. Best, Spoff