Hey everybody, welcome to Week 4's mid-week chat. I see questions coming in already so I'll just get started.

Best wishes to Jayden Reed for a full recovery.

Amen. Tough deal for Bird. Everyone's gonna miss him. Definitely wish him the best.

Kevin Zeitler, I'm intrigued.

You and all of Packer Nation. After all this time, a Wisconsin "kid" gets to play for the Packers.

Do you expect to see two new guards starting this week?

We'll see. I would think Laken Tomlinson has a better chance to start this week than Zeitler, given Tomlinson was on a PS. Zeitler had no training camp or anything. But I wouldn't put it past him.

Hi Mike! Sorry for the news on Jayden Reed, wishing him a speedy recovery…the obvious question is who is first in line to fill his spot?

I would think Skyy Moore would get a lot more snaps at WR. Bo Melton and J. Michael Sturdivant will play more, too.

Have you ever seen this many transactions into week 3? Wowzers.

Yeah, this is different. You just never know what this league will bring.

Perhaps I missed it. What is status of Savion Williams?

He's still on IR, eligible to return after this week's game. But I don't know his medical status.

I'm still flabbergasted that our GM thought we could go into the season with Jacob Monk and Jager Burton as capable back ups.

Sometimes draft and develop doesn't go as planned.

Reed and Zach Bako-Bewele out for the year or longer. Micah Parsons slow to get back to the field. Tucker Kraft and Devonte Wyatt slow to regain form. This is a tough early season for the Pack. A lot of money tied up in players either not playing or performing.

Lotta season left. I'm still willing to be patient.

Is there an indication of when Micah is going to start practicing?

Haven't heard anything. LaFleur said Monday he would not be practicing this week. That's all we know.

Why all the vitriol out there for Anthony Belton? He's a second-year 2nd round pick who moved around all of last year and actually played some decent football at guard. Only three games into the season.

The Packers aren't giving up on anybody by any means, least of all Belton. They're just at a point where they can't afford to let young guys grow into the job if the results aren't there. So they're making moves. This opportunity remains a big one for Belton at RT.

With how everything has been going offensively its kinda crazy the yardage Matthew Golden and Christian Watson have been able to put up. Especially compared to the difference between their amount of receptions compared to other WRs with similar rec yards.

Watson and Golden have been crazy productive thus far. Not sure if the question about them got posted as I clicked on it ...

After the start last year, people were wondering where to hang the banner. This year they've written off the team. Shouldn't we just watch and see how it goes? We've got a certain single digit number guy coming back, some new line help, Kraft is back...

I say every year teams aren't the same in December compared to September. It's a given.

Do you expect any more moves on the offense, either at receiver or in the backfield?

The personnel dept. here never stops looking, I know that. Who else is on their radar? No idea.

Would you expect a rotational situation on O-line between the new vets and existing dudes, or full speed ahead once the vets are ready.

I think once the vets are ready, it's all them.

From this morning's II..."nobody feels great...some just feel less bad." truer words were never typed. Thanks, Mike for the never-ending doses of perspective!!

It's easy from the outside to think other teams are just rolling along. But look at Buffalo ... strong start at 0-3, but they just had 5 turnovers against the Chargers and almost lost. That doesn't sit well with them. It just helps when you win because everyone's just trying to chalk up W's until the season gets to the stretch run.

So MLF takes points off the board and everyone calls him reckless, then a week later he's called ultra conservative. Serenity now?

Nature of the beast

Philly sure didn't help us much against the Bears, lost to a backup quarterback. We've seen that script before.

I talked about that game on yesterday's "Unscripted" episode. The Eagles looked shell-shocked on defense that Keenum was throwing the ball all over the yard.

With Tampa Bay blitzing as much as they do, and the inability of the offense to get the rush going as much as we'd prefer, do you see this being a very short pass attack heavy game? Or are we sticking to "establishing the run"?

Given all the changes and all the struggles to date, I don't know how LaFleur and the coaches want to approach this from a game-plan standpoint. It's just about getting back in the win column right now, whatever it takes.

Is Aaron Banks still in the mix at OG?

Yes, but he didn't practice today.

Did you say a wow when Golden snatched that TD pass? Great hands.

That was a heck of a catch. The fact it was only his second-best catch of the game said even more.

Anyone else have an undefeated Raiders and Vikings on their bingo card?

No kidding, right? This league is crazy. Always is.

What do you think the ceiling of this team could be this year?

I'm only concerned about them getting to 2-2 right now.

In many games it seems if one play changes the momentum complely. We know about the Packers games, but in the Eagles/Bears game Hurts gets knocked out of the game for a short time as they are driving to score and then Dalton throws an interception. That seemed to take the air out of the Eagles.

I agree, though when the Eagles cut it to 10-7 with the TD on the last play of the first half, I thought they'd be OK. Didn't see them going 3 and out on 3 straight drives to start the second half. Generally, I'm just not a believer that any moment in the first half really changes a game for good. Games are long and when they're close the team that handles crunch time the best comes out on top.

Special teams are looking a lot better this year. Kicker, punter, returner are all in place. How do our guys compare on special teams penalties and return yards given up relative to the rest of the league?

I haven't looked at it, but it still feels like there have been too many flags on ST. The blocked FG is also a black mark on the ledger. The return game is vastly improved with Moore back there, and Melton is a nice second option on kickoffs.

I don't particularly like playing another winless team this week.

Tampa's off to a rough start and now it's an undrafted rookie QB taking over for the injured Mayfield. The Packers have to be ready for anything.

It seems that the NFL doesn't appreciate the oldest rivalry in the league to be worthy of a late game although the noon kickoffs are always tolerable.

As I mentioned in Inbox this morning, I think the league would've stuck with that game at 3:25 if there was word it would be Parsons' return game. But the slim to nonexistent chance of that now, combined with the Packers not playing well, the Bears losing their QB, and a SF-SEA game that can go nationwide in the same time slot, the decision makes sense.

Living in Minnesota, I'll be looking forward to the live chat against the Bears. (Not pleased with the NFL on that schedule change)

Yeah, that one is bumming out a lot of GBP fans around the country. Tough break, honestly.

I'm wondering when we'll see Kraft reemerge?

Only a matter of time. I didn't expect him to be all the way back to form right away. That was a serious injury and long recovery.

Teams might understandably be inclined to blitz a bit more on us, so I would think that draw plays would be very effective…providing they don't bring EVERYBODY at once!

The Packers will have to prove their protection can hold up and they can make teams pay for compromising their coverage with blitzes for teams to back off. It's really that simple.

Does the sense for Micah's return still feel like it'll be around week 6? i know its about getting to 2-2 right now but you've got to believe that just having him back on the field is going to light a spark under this team like it did last year.

I think he will provide a spark, absolutely, but I can't speak to where he is medically.

Probably impossible to tell, but do you think with the new O-line moves (and new possible configurations) the run game will improve more or the pass game will improve more?

The hope is both improve. The Packers need to run the ball better to keep defenses honest, better run production sets up play action and helps protect the QB, and better protection can produce big plays in the passing game. It all ties together.

Hi Mike, how did the team go so wrong with the offensive line evaluation? You deserve a raise if you can answer this.

I don't know. Like I said before, sometimes draft and develop doesn't work out as intended with all players.

If I may ask a question off NFL, who would you rather see playing the Brewers at Am Fam Field on Saturday?

The Padres are very dangerous and I don't want the Cubs to get a shot to knock out the Brewers after the Crew proved its superiority in the division. How's that for an answer?

Mike, do you expect Kaleb Johnson to get more playing time this week?

Wouldn't surprise me. Stenavich suggested at the podium yesterday they might look at trying to get one RB into a rhythm instead of the committee approach. Whether that means MarShawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks or Johnson I'm not sure.

When Kraft catches the ball with some running room - we will see the return of the beast.

Hope so.

I would like to see the Packers roll Jordan Love out more to get away form the A-Gap blitzes.

Sure, but the pass pro still needs to hold up to give him a chance to make a play.

Everything starts with a solid offensive line. The run game will improve, Kraft will see more opportunities instead of helping out on the line, an improved running game opens the field to the receivers, and longer drives keep the defense fresh.

That's the idea.

TNF is always a huge crap shoot. I expect a nice rebound from GB.

Hope so. Feels like Sunday's game is another crap shoot with all the changes up front and the new QB for TB.

Did you think the hit on Jalen Hurts was dirty or just a football play? Was it worthy of a penalty?

It drew a flag because it looked bad, but I wasn't convinced he was out of bounds yet.

Hello Mike, will the Packers be ready to play in almost 100 degrees Tampa and very high humidity?

That's always a challenge with these games, lasting for 4 quarters in that climate. Never easy.

Being out in Vegas, won't be getting the Packers game this Sunday. Just want to say thank you for doing the Live Chat on game days.

No problem. I would expect these next two games to have a pretty big live audience given the TV situation for both.

How big is communication when it comes to the new OL? Or the biggest adjustment for J Love etc.

The new guys just need to know the line calls and their teammates have to make sure they're communicated effectively. They're vets who aren't going to be thrown off by much, but they have to be on the same page.

Should the expectation be for the new o-line signings to start against Chicago so they can learn the playbook especially with how much penalties have hurt this team.

As I said before, I expect them to play as soon as they're ready. If that's Sunday in Tampa, so be it.

The OL acquisitions does have an ancillary issue of talent assessment to a group with a long history of success. What went awry?

That's a question that'll have to be explored. This league moves so fast it's probably not going to get the investigative time needed until the offseason.

I have a newly found appreciation for a quality offensive line after these 3 games, I'll say that. We've been spoiled the past 30 or so years.

O-lines don't have to be perfect. A guy can get beat on a play here or there and it doesn't wreck everything. The other guys get paid, too. But when multiple guys up front are getting beat on the same play, that's tough on everybody, and all it takes is one negative play to ruin a drive.

If the quarterback wants to be protected, then slide feet first. Otherwise, you're a runner. And if you slide late, as long as the defender tries to let up, no penalty. Fake slide is unsportsmanlike conduct. Why is this so hard?

I also think there should be a rule that once a QB gets within a full stride of the sideline, he can't cut upfield anymore and defenders simply have to back off. If they're heading out of bounds, once they get close enough, they don't get to change direction anymore if they want protection.

Would like to see more 1st down quick slants for an easy 5-8 yards. No pressure on lineman on those quick passes.

It's never that easy. If your pass pro is suspect, then defenders squat on the short routes and make those throws much tougher.

What's your assessment of Keisean Nixon at CB so far this season?

Up and down, like any corner in this league who's not an All-Pro. I thought he was solid vs. Minnesota, had a couple rough moments against the Jets, and seemed fine vs. Atlanta. The GB defense was put on its heels last Thursday by its inability to tackle Robinson.

Re RBs, which back brings the best combination of pass pro, receiving, and short-mid run gain? Seems like the best approach given the current situation vs seeking the big gainer of the plan is to feature one back right now.

There's always risks to that because the position is so brutal, but we'll see what they decide.

You mentioned this morning in II inbox "Watson and Golden were really good" I might add that Trey Smack has been phenomenal with his kickoff landing between the 5 and GL and most often at the 1-2 yardline. Did you all see this in training camp?

Smack's been great. Off to a strong start. Can't have a missed PAT though. That was a huge factor in Week 1, despite his other good moments.

Never understood the importance of a top O-line until this season. Should the problems have been addressed during training camp? Maybe, but give the front office some credit for getting these three players in here to hopefully help the younger guys.

As I said on Unscripted yesterday, it's easier to let perimeter players learn on the job. A wrong route doesn't necessarily destroy a play. But it's harder to work through on-the-job training in the trenches, especially when it's more than one, which is what the injury situation created.

Of the 3 new OL players which is most likely to play tackle? Seems they are players that played guard mostly.

They have been guards. Mekhi Becton Sr. played tackle earlier in his career.

If you had to guess, how long does it take for Parsons to get back in form when he touches the field?

No idea, but he's not going out and playing 50 snaps in his first game. There will be a ramp up to full duty.

Which coach will make the call on who gets the start?

That's ultimately the head coach's call, but I'm sure he'll seek input from others as well.

I think the training camp rules (no real blocking and tackling initially at least) make it difficult to evaluate young OL talent.

There's definitely some truth to that. It's also yet another indication that preseason football isn't real football.

If I may ... I'm a sports physical therapist. Everyone wants to know how long until Kraft is back to form, and how long until Parsons is back and back to form. There's a big difference between being cleared to practice/play and being back to the physical capacity that these athletes are used to operating at. Patience is required.

Agreed, and I'm not a sports physical therapist but I know a few in the building.

I checked the Packers job fair listing for "editor "… you're safe.

Good to know.

I still feel that if a QB pulls the ball down and runs, he's now a runner, and should be afforded the same protections as a RB, TE, or WR. No special treatment.

That'll never happen. But the protection rules need to come with the caveat that they can't also be trying to get every last yard.

What happened on the blocked kick against 10 defenders? ST has been a bright point but still feels on edge.

Looked like a mixup with how to handle the one overloaded side there.

How is MLF handling the pressure and negativity? He's a good coach but this kind of chatter can wear you down some!

It comes with the territory. He said at his presser today he feels as a coach you're always a problem solver. He's as good as anyone at blocking out the noise and focusing on the work that's needed.

Oh, I know it will never happen. That's like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube. But the way the current situation plays out within the current application of the rules is just impossible for a defensive player to do anything right.

Yup, and frankly the league doesn't care. 15-yard penalties help offenses and promote scoring.

How do you provide hope to those keyboard warriors that are all doom and gloom about this season already?

I don't look at my job as having to provide hope. I try to keep it real and assess what's going on, knowing 14 games is a lotta football left to be played. I've seen way too many seasons change. Nothing's guaranteed, but it happens all the time.

Are we close to just saying QBs can only be pushed really hard with two hands to get a sack?

Probably sometime after I retire, they're just going to put flags on QBs and they'll never be tackled again.

The 15-yard penalty ended up hurting the Eagles. I'd hate to stop the game any more but if a QB has to be evaluated for a concussion, thoughts if the game waits so they don't have an Andy Dalton endzone pick?

Can't do that. Having him come off the bench cold for a tight goal line throw was a dicey call. Even if Barkley gets stuffed again, you've got 3 points and you play on.

Two early games you got to like that for getting home eariler.

Ha, something like that.

What record surprises you the most, Raiders at 3-0 or Chargers at 0-3?

Both, but Raiders more probably. Kirk Cousins can still win games, man.

How big of an issue is the unbalanced time of possession becoming?

It's certainly an issue within games because it's hard for the defense to stay fresh. But it still comes down to scoring points rather than just running clock. If the offense scores enough points, TOP matters a lot less.

So instant replay will clearly show the velcro separated from the belt before the ball left his hand?

Now we're going off the rails a bit, ha.

2 upcoming games may be against backup QBs. 2 wins then get Micah back and fans will be on the up and up once again.

Works for me, but just beat the Bucs. With that, I'm going to call it a chat folks. Practice will be over shortly and I'll need to get to the locker room for interviews. Thanks for all the questions and we'll talk again soon. Best, Spoff