Hey everybody, thanks for adjusting to the earlier time on this short/different week. Hope all is well. I see questions coming in already so I'll just jump in.

VIBE CHECK: You doing okay, Mike? The unforeseen events from last Sunday have put you in the unenviable position of trying to respond to 1,000 unanswerable questions. That can't be any fun. Thanks for showing up today. Hopefully, we'll all take it easy on you.

Hey, it's all part of the gig. Last Sunday wasn't fun on a number of levels, but there are still games to play and things to accomplish. Onward and forward.

How the narrative changes if Surtain does not make the interception on the Christian Watson deep ball and X makes the interception on the Bronco deep ball. The game may go down to the 4th quarter but the journey to the 4th quarter is just as impactful.

No doubt. Those were two plays that both could've ended very differently. As I always say, the margins are forever small in this league.

What should we think going into this week's game about the structure of the defense?

I don't think the structure of the defense is going to change, but I could see Hafley using the LBs like Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker more in the pass rush with Micah Parsons out. Last year the Packers did a lot of simulated pressures, with a bunch of guys up at the line and only four would rush, but the offense couldn't be sure which four. Might see some more of that again.

Reasons to believe the Packers can pull out a win against the Bears on Saturday?

Plenty. If the Packers protect the ball, this offense can score a bunch on anybody, and they put up 28 on the Bears last time with a couple three and outs in the second half. There was more out there. The defense needs to contain Williams, which also starts with containing the run better. They know what they need to do to win.

Happy Bears Week, Mike. Is there a reason that Devonte Wyatt stayed on the active roster for as long as he did following his season ending injury? Did it help Wyatt make a roster bonus, or was there somehow advantageous to the Packers? Can we expect that Micah Parsons will also spend additional time on the active roster?

They usually just wait to put the player on IR until they're actually filling the roster spot or making other moves. Nothing more to it than that.

What is Watson's status at?

I just got back from the media portion of practice and he was out there today.

Hi Mike, I am tired of people always comparing back to the 2010 season. The past doesn't predict the future in especially when how quickly things change in the NFL, let alone 15 years ago.

I get it that fans want to have something to hang onto when bad (stuff) happens, but yeah, it really doesn't mean anything in the here and now.

To me it seemed like the team faded as the game progressed---possibly due to the altitude? Don't see that happening in Chicago on Sunday!

You mean Saturday, but I will say this is a huge task for the Packers. Coming off a long road trip, a 60-minute, knock-down, drag-out game against one of the AFC's best, getting home at midnight Sunday and then a short week with a long injury list. Meanwhile the Bears were at home last week, played a struggling team that quit after the first quarter, and they were all home by 4 p.m. watching other games.

How do you think they need to incorporate Matthew Golden?

We saw more of it on Sunday in Denver. He had three receptions and drew a DPI on a deep ball. He's going to keep getting incorporated more and more now that his health is back on track.

What do you think Hafley's emphasis will be on this week? He's replacing at least one impact starter, and going to have to move people around. So, run defense, or tightening up the corners? Generating pass rush with odd fronts? Tackling? He's got a big job ahead of him this week.

The focus has to be slowing down that Bears run game and rushing to contain Williams, not to sack him. He's so elusive back there, keep him in the pocket, flood the passing lanes and make it difficult. One thing I know about Hafley, he's always changing up man vs. zone throughout a game, and I expect that to continue.

Looks like we're not gonna get any true football weather this weekend

There's still time.

Any "Altitude incidents" for you, Wes, or others ?

I had no issues, but I also slept a lot.

I like the Packers chances of beating the bears on the road. We beat them already this season and the Bears will have the added pressure of needing to won at home to stay atop the division standings. What do you think?

I expect this game to go right down to the wire like the last one. Be the better team at crunch time. The Packers have done that a lot this year. So have the Bears. GB didn't do that in Denver.

One part of me says we can go in and beat the Bears the other part of me says we won't win any of our last 3 games. Is there a scenario in which at 9-7-1 we'd be in albeit even as a 7 seed?

I'd have to study it, but I think the only way in that scenario is if the Cowboys lose one more and the Lions lose twice.

How much can we expect from the possible IR returns, Mike?

The one I'm most curious about at this point is Brenton Cox Jr., if indeed he gets activated. He could be a situational edge rusher and maybe bring some juice to the pass rush. But MarShawn Lloyd was back on the injury report, and Collin Oliver literally hasn't played any NFL snaps yet (not even preseason), so I wouldn't count on a whole lot there.

Will Jordan Morgan make an appearance on the line next game?

Based on what we saw at practice, it looks like it'll be Darian Kinnard or Morgan at RT if Zach Tom can't go. Tom wasn't practicing today, but it's only Wednesday.

Good day, Mike. I see that since Wyatt went down, Hafley is depending on his defensive ends vs. the DTs as far as snap counts. Early in the season Nazir Stackhouse was getting some production but has been inactive recently. Is he injured or is it a developmental situation?

They've had one of the new DTs, Jordon Riley, active on game day over Stackhouse the last two contests. They're just going with the guy they feel can help the most right now, and that's not a spot where guys play a lot on ST. We'll see if anything changes for the rematch vs. this Bears run game.

I agree with your comment that sacks are less important over the next few games rather than containing the QBs we are facing---I am concerned that there have been too many wide open receivers despite pressure on opposing QBs over the past few weeks---we need to cover better!

That's true, and it's also harder to cover when the QB gets out of the pocket and extends the play. It all works hand in hand.

Mike, did losing Josh Whyle alter MLF game plan regarding TE passes, and FB run blocking use in Denver ?

I think it took away some of the extra blocker stuff they like for the run game, because Whyle had been handling those duties more than Luke Musgrave or John FitzPatrick.

Been thinking about GB's chances of making a run. Even without Parsons, it's a similar defense we put out there in Philadelphia last year and played well enough to win on that side of the ball. It's the same offense, but we subtract Tucker Kraft and (potentially) add Christian Watson. Perhaps Matthew Golden gets more involved too. There's reason to believe, regardless of seed, that this team can still be a contender. We saw it last year, and there's more experience in that locker room now.

There are a lot of good teams in the NFC and not much separates them, honestly. Losing Parsons is a huge blow, but I don't think it puts the Packers on a totally different level from the rest of the NFC contenders. Just keep playing and see what happens.

Have you seen Brenton Cox Jr. practicing? Will be be ready on Saturday? He seems to have potential, and we sure could use him.

He has been practicing, and his activation decision is this week.

The Packers beat the Bears Saturday night if…

They don't turn the ball over. The Bears have 30 takeaways this season, got one from Jordan Love early in the first game. Make it zero and I'll take my chances.

Any thoughts on the lots of missed interception opportunities in Denver?

They played a huge factor in the Broncos scoring 34 points. Denver had two INTs on tough plays, the only ones that they really had a shot at the turnovers. The Packers had more opportunities and only got the one early fumble. Those plays have to be made.

If we can go to Detroit and win on a Thursday, we can go to Chicago and win on a Saturday.

Oh I don't doubt it. I just think this is the team's toughest task of the season given all the circumstances.

I would like to know that with our receivers and O-Line banged up how are we going to adjust on Saturday Night. Definitely a must win here and how will we adjust defensively as our main man who opens up opportunities for others is going to be missed.

Like I said in Inbox this morning, I don't see the Packers reinventing themselves on offense. If you need to give a sub on the O-line more pass pro help with chips and thumps, etc., then do that. But otherwise, be who you are. Defensively, Hafley may have to get creative and revert to some packages and calls from last year. We'll see.

Mike, we were a top 10 defense before Micah but we had KC and Wyatt. To me that is what gives me heartburn. Can we shore up the run without them?

That's the biggest question this week with the Bears, and probably next with Henry and Lamar Jackson's running. But one game at a time. Chicago can't be allowed to control the LOS with that run the way they did in the second half at Lambeau two weeks ago. The first half, the Packers were the one in control.

It's anyone's year. I feel like we are all waiting on the Rams and Seahawks to trip up again and someone else to be the favorite.

It is anyone's year. The Rams and Seahawks play tomorrow night. Then the Rams have two sub-.500 opponents and the Seahawks have a much tougher schedule. Still a lot to sort out.

What is your prediction on how the NFC shakes out for the playoffs?

I think the winner Thursday night has the obvious inside track to the 1 seed and bye, but other than that and the NFC South winner getting the 4 seed, it's anything goes out there.

If I could clean up any one thing from last week, it would be the offensive penalties. How can coaches get this through to players? It seems to be fixed and then popup at the worst times (I will say, though, I read somewhere that last Sunday's crew had one of the most home-away penalty ratios of any crew this season)

The penalties were frustrating last week. The presnap miscues on offense returned, and the personal fouls on D/ST really hurt. The Packers have to play cleaner, regardless of the crew.

I thought the two players you could not lose in order to win a SB were Parsons or Love. I hope I'm wrong and this team can recover but watching Parsons go down felt like the team losing a playoff game ending the season.

A lot of fans feel the same way, but the Packers are still in decent position and there are games to win out there. I say just keep plugging away, just like the players will, and see what happens.

Will we see more Josh Jacobs with uncertainty with Watson?

It's hard to gauge with Jacobs right now because he's so banged up. That knee injury is not fun for him. He's a real warrior, man.

The offense will have to be really efficient in the red zone going forward. Going to have to score TD's to help the defense out. A lot more will be on #10 shoulders the rest of the way.

The Packers have been pretty good in the RZ most of the season, but I thought the penalties really hampered those efforts last week.

If Evan Williams can't go would you expect Javon Bullard back at safety or leave him in the slot and have Zayne Anderson play safety?

I'm not sure which way they'll go. Could go either way honestly.

Although there is pressure on both teams, with all the Packers injuries, I think there is added pressure on the Bears because if they don't beat the Packers at home this week, they might never beat the Packers.

I don't look at anything big picture that way. This is the biggest game at Soldier Field since the double doink in the playoffs seven years ago. Chicago is going to bring it in all facets and the Packers have to be ready for that.

I agree with the importance of containing Williams. If you do try to force him to the left as he looks very pedestrian when he does.

Folks with all this "force him left" stuff are conveniently forgetting he threw a 30-yard TD to Kmet rolling to his left on Black Friday in Philly. He can hurt you that way too. He just underthrew the ball that Keisean Nixon picked off and I doubt he'll underthrow another one.

I used to read Peter King's column religiously and have a few writers that I still follow outside of the local guys at Gannett and this website. Are there any columnists that you look forward to reading to get their take? Either NFL or MLB?

I'm a big reader of baseball stuff and Tom Verducci is my favorite writer.

When you play a team is never more evident when it comes to the Bears. We played Cleveland in their stadium with a veteran quarterback they played the Browns who were long out of the playoff race with a rookie quarterback. They played the Eagles who were struggling and now they face an injured Packers team.

There's a lot of truth to the "it's not whom you play, it's when you play 'em." It's a long season for everybody. Just the nature of it.

Comparing this team to past teams that faced adversity can be a stretch, but I am reminded that the 2010 team had so many injuries and were facing elimination if they did not win their final 2 games---and that final game against the Bears was a close one! I am looking forward to how this team moves forward and believe they are tested enough to do well in the playoffs if they get there.

I think so too, but they gotta get there, and winning the North to get a home game would be preferable to the scenarios of the last two years.

Have games involving the Packers resulted in the least number of turnovers this year? They don't give many and don't get many. Seem to average about 1.5 per game for both teams. Do you have a stat for this?

Without checking through the long list of games, I don't have that for you. But three total turnovers in this last game did feel like a lot.

I could be wrong but I felt the locker room was deflated after what happened on Sunday. What is your sense of the feel of the locker room now after a few days to process what happened?

I would expect the locker room to be deflated after Sunday. That's part of the challenge on this short week with everything that's happened, to get back in the right mindset with such a big game on tap. These guys are pros, they know what they need to do. But the Bears are also smelling blood in the water, believe me.

Stop the run with more players in the box and contain Williams in the pocket. He seems less accurate when he throws from the pocket which is weird.

I think you have to make him beat you from the pocket. At least try and see if he can. If he can, more power to him.

Hi Mike, on a quick break at the job site. Am I the only one who isn't feeling the doom and gloom after the Denver game? We still have a ton of capable guys!

I think this is still a really good team. They just have to find it and summon what they have very quickly here. Not much time left.

Wondering what your thought are on NFL mandating field standards with the number of ACL and Achilles injuries. Movement back to grass?

Standards are a step in the right direction. Better than nothing for sure.

Just want to say Thank you for doing this mid week chat. It is awesome to be able to chat live with you.

Thanks to everyone for logging on. Lots of questions today. I'll have to cut it a little shorter than normal because practice is going to end soon, but I'll hang on until I get word.

I know these guys are pros and are going to give their best every weekend, but don't they have to feel some major momentum letdown? I mean Parsons has been the heart and soul and engine of this defense all year. I know they'll give their best, but does their best become less, just because they're human and they too see how much harder the road just became?

That's the fear, and that's the question they have to answer. We won't know the answer until we see them play again.

Lukas Van Ness needs to step up this week

He among many.

Good morning Mike. Always sad to see great players go down, but I've learned that the Pack can always bounce back. Still a tremendous amount of talent to be had on this defense. Would you think that this upcoming game against the Bears will be the toughest one for Green Bay this season due to the Parsons injury and also for seeding implications?

I do believe this is a huge task. I'm eager to see if they're up for it.

Your comments about how badly Jacobs was hurt remind me of the days when Brooks could barely stand after games.

I've seen a lot of guys battle through a lot of stuff over the years. Jacobs' warrior mentality is maybe second to none as far as what I've witnessed personally.

It's very hard for the offense to communicate when they don't play at home. Bears fans haven't had anything to cheer for in the last 3 years l. I expect Soldier Field to be loud on Saturday, cold and windy

As I said, those fans are going to bring it. This is a huge game, and the best way for the Bears to put the Lambeau game behind them is to win the rematch. They'll be just one win from clinching the North if they do.

Saturday is such a humongous swing game. A Packers win will put them in the drivers seat for the division and the 2 seed, while a loss may leave them out of playoffs entirely.

The Packers need two wins to get in. If the first one comes this weekend, all the better because of what it means in the division. But two wins gets them in.

Do you see Golden stepping in the role of Watson or do you see Dontayvion Wicks in that spot?

I think there's a decent chance Watson plays.

For ACL recovery, I know 9 months is the earliest a player can usually take to recover. Mine took 18 months, though, and I was very vigilant with recovery. I'm no NFL caliber athlete, and was also older than Parsons at time of injury (34). What is the typical length of recovery for NFL players, on the longer end?

9-12 months is usually the window. Adrian Peterson came back probably the fastest of anyone I can recall, around 8 months.

Jacobs, limited Jacobs or no Jacobs on Saturday we need to run the ball. Take our shots when we get one on ones or single high. Our WRs can win against Bears DBs.

I agree wholeheartedly.

Speaking of penalties there was a lot of criticism for red zone failures with 3 FG's when in fact, two of those Red Zone possessions were ruined by penalties. It's tough to get in the end zone from 2nd and goal at the 15 or the 17 yard line. Clean up the penalties and the rest will take care of itself.

Also agree. That bad penalty game needs to be a blip on the screen based on what the Packers have overcome in that area this season.

Mike, SI just published an in-depth piece on "turf toe". Very well done and gives the average reader a better understanding of what that injury really is. It certainly isn't a stubbed toe.

Uh, no.

A 2 seed or a 3 seed is preferable, but I think the 5 seed is looking much better than 6 or 7, based on Wildcard Round scenarios.

The 5 seed would be a great place to be, because neither the Bucs nor Panthers is playing all that great right now. But I think the second place team in the NFC West is getting the 5.

How did Zayne Anderson look filling in for Williams ? Guessing he is chosen again, and keep Bullard in slot?

It's either that, or move Bullard to deep safety and play Nate Hobbs in the slot. Not sure which way they'll go.

Is your mid-week chat your practice for the live blog and have they perfected talk-to-text so it would be easier for you than typing?

Never tried any talk to text option. Not sure I'd like it, to be honest.

This chat is like II on steroids.

Ha, I like that.

I don't want this season to end just yet.

Same.

Sometimes players respond better to adversity to prove this isn't a one man defense.

These guys have a lot of pride and I expect them to respond. On this particular short week, a second straight road game, etc., it's even harder to respond, but that's the challenge.

Do you think the Packers need to draw first blood? Cause I think that the Packers, and most teams, play better when they score the first touchdown.

It never hurts, but we saw you still have to be able to be the better team in the fourth quarter to win big games in this league. The last two weeks have shown that.

Do you think Jayden Reed is fully incorporated back into the offense at this point? Or are they still ramping him up?

I'd say he's pretty much all the way back, though he wasn't at practice today due to a personal matter, from what we were told.

Who is gonna be the X factor. Considering no one has stepped up yet, I think it will be somebody we least expect?

You never know.

Do you think Parsons will be on the sidelines providing motivation for the guys?

Eventually, perhaps. But not this week. LaFleur said yesterday he's bringing another child into the world momentarily.

My player watch this week is Matthew Golden. Yours?

Edgerrin Cooper.

I'm just glad the Vikings didn't re-sign Darnold. What is your take on their future with McCarthy?

I think they're figuring it out. O'Connell has basically admitted he miscalibrated McCarthy's development this year in terms of how he structured the offense. They're playing pretty well right now and will give the Packers all they can handle in two weeks, but one at a time.

When MLF said Parsons was staying in TX for the birth of a new child...not for his ACL repair, my mind recalibrated. There's more to life than injury reports. I'll never forget how life changes on a dime when one of my children were born. As a dad, did that resonate with you?

Oh for sure.

No way Mr. Perfect Grammar trusts speech to text.

Ha. I don't consider myself perfect. I just like to have fun and keep it light. But yeah, if I'm going to read over everything I say before I publish, then I might as well just type it.

My wife and her family are from the Chicago area. I have outlawed the wearing of Bears jerseys in my living roon this week. I hope that will help.

Good call.

Mike, how do you see the Bears game turning out? High scoring shootout or defensive battle?

I think it'll be similar to the first matchup, unless something goes goofy with the weather.

Sorry Mike I just joined and this may have been asked, is Zach Tom OK ?

It sounds like no long-term injury, but he wasn't practicing today so his availability for Saturday night is definitely a question mark.

As long as the defense keeps flying around at the second level and the pass rush maintains lanes, I think we will be OK. But we've got to "bring it" for 60 minutes.

This will be another 60-minute game. I'm sure of that.

How bout Grandpa Rivers!!

Can't help but be impressed. He almost pulled that game out.

I'm seeing Xavier McKinney with a safety blitz sack/fumble and 1 INT. as rebound to the dropped int last week.

Sign me up.

It took the Packers offense to find its rhythm following Tucker Kraft's injury. Do you think it typically is easier, scheme wise, to find rhythm after a big playmaker loss on offense or defense?

Interesting question and I don't know enough about X's and O's to really answer it. What's paramount now is it's Week 16, so put together the best plan you can on short notice and get after it.

All right folks, just got the message practice ended, so I have to get downstairs for locker room interviews. Thanks for all the participation today and we'll talk again soon. Best, Spoff