Hey everybody, thanks for logging on today. Hope all is well. Go ahead and start sending in your questions and I'll get rolling here shortly.
Hi Mike, Do you think Flacco will start Sunday?
That's the question on everyone's mind. I haven't heard anything official out of Cincinnati yet, but it wouldn't surprise me based on how this is going.
Good afternoon! I am excited to be coming out to Green Bay this weekend for the game. Are there any key matchups we should look out for this weekend?
Hope you have a great time. The big 3 for the Bengals in my mind are Hendrickson on defense and Chase & Higgins on offense. Limit their impact and I like the Packers' chances.
Aside from those coming back from known injuries, what player do you expect to benefit most from the bye and look forward to seeing progress the rest of the season?
Nate Hobbs. He's getting further removed from his knee procedure during training camp, and he's also back on the practice field after leaving the Dallas game to be evaluated for a concussion. I don't think we've seen the best of Hobbs yet in this defense.
Is Luke Musgrave due for some meaningful pass targets?
In this offense, it depends on the game plan each week. Any of these guys has to be ready at any given moment.
Flacco was named starter
Oh, OK. Thanks. I just got back from the portion of practice the media is permitted to watch and hadn't heard anything yet.
Pass rush looked flat against Dallas. What happened?
Micah Parsons was getting pressures, but Prescott was getting the ball out quickly and the rest of GB's pass rush wasn't doing much. Hafley also didn't blitz much, figuring the 4-man rush could do the job, and he didn't want to compromise the back end with Prescott delivering quickly. It all just didn't work out and Prescott played really, really well.
Avoid penalties and turnovers. Force them to earn points on longer drives. and BTW getting a couple of turnovers won't hurt. :)
That's why the Bengals are making the change at QB, because Browning has thrown 8 INTs. They're counting on Flacco to protect the ball better. The Packers could use a couple takeaways this week.
As fans looking on the outside in, who are the true "locker room guys" of this year's team? Guys who lead vocally or otherwise, guys who actively hold the team accountable, etc.
This locker room has a bunch of those guys. It's honestly too many to list. Not all wear the C's on their jerseys but there are a lot of leaders in this bunch. It's a really good locker room, which is why I don't think the disappointments of the last two games will linger.
I'm most hopeful to see better special teams play after the bye
You and everybody else.
Please comment on Jordan Morgan's development, I believe he has not lived up to his draft position.
I think Morgan's been put in a tough spot, asked to fill in at multiple positions, sometimes within the same game. That's not easy. When he got settled in at Dallas in one spot, he played just fine. His role right now is more difficult than that and I think he'll manage it better as the season goes.
Do you expect a post bye rookie bump out of Matthew Golden?
As I said, it could be anybody. This offense has plenty of guys it can turn to. When Christian Watson gets ramped up to a full workload, things will change, too.
Hi! Flacco is a definite upgrade from Browning, but do you think Joe has lost a step? I've seen the Browns games this year & he just seems off. They say Father Time is undefeated, & maybe he's got a hold on Joe! GPG :)
Flacco is definitely not what he was, but he protected the ball well vs. GB in Cleveland and that's what he'll look to do again. The Packers' offense should have a better day vs. Cinci's D than Cleveland's, though. Two very different units.
Will Watson Play?
I don't know. We may not find out until Friday or 90 minutes before kickoff Sunday.
How important do you think the pass rush will be Sunday to keep their WR's from going off?
It'll be important, but so will tackling, because I could see the Bengals running a lot of quick game, short routes, get the ball out and let them work, and the Packers will have to tackle well to prevent plays from rupturing.
I would like to see us continue with good quick starts and not have to play catch-up
The Packers have started most games well and that never hurts the cause.
Aside from special teams, isn't getting OL healthy the key moving forward?
It's a big part of it. Aaron Banks and Zach Tom were practicing in pads today when I was just out there. Limited I would imagine, but getting that starting five working together on a weekly basis will be important.
From the portion of practice that you were able to watch, who was a go from the offensive line?
Anthony Belton was not back out there, however. Neither was Devonte Wyatt on the D-line.
I love the Bengals' helmets. It will be fun to see them at Lambeau Field!
I remember as a kid when they changed to that helmet design from their old one with just the word "Bengals" sort of curled around the earhole. It was a huge upgrade, and I think they went to the Super Bowl (when Forrest Gregg was coach) the first year they wore them.
Did you answer the question of why field goal kickers don't go back 3 yards to make sure kicks don't get blocked when distance isn't an issue?
I don't think it's allowed, but I'm not up on all those rule specifics.
During his rehab, did Watson work on his hamstrings, overall strength, etc.? Really want that guy to be healthy and get a chance to show what he can do. Not many 6'5" folks with that kind of speed.
I'm sure the hamstring balance issue that he corrected last year was monitored during his rehab. Whenever he gets out there, defenses will change how they line up vs. this offense.
What do the Packers need to do to stop Flacco this time around?
Don't hurt themselves.
Mike, how much of a team's offense can a QB learn in five days, even a vet like Flacco?
LaFleur said earlier today a vet like Flacco can learn a lot in a hurry. He'll be able to go through the playbook and tell Zac Taylor all the stuff he's most comfortable with.
Thanks for taking the time to answer questions. With a few runners letting go of the football just before the goal line, Do you think you may see some guys touch the goal post with the ball? Certainly might solve that problem.
How that happens two weeks in a row is mind-boggling. Normally, when something like that happens in the league, every team is showing the clip in a film session to remind their players of the catastrophic consequences.
Mike, I hope you get to watch the game today. What a perfect day for baseball. Go Brewers!
I have plenty of work to do this afternoon but I'll be keeping an eye on the game as best I can.
Does Trey H always line up in one spot on the line or do they move him around?
I'm not totally sure. I think I've seen him most at right DE, so over the LT, but I'm sure he can rush from both sides. I don't see him on the interior much, though, unless they stunt.
Who is faster, #9 or #0 ?? Inquiring minds want to know.
I'm going to hedge. I think Golden might win in the 40, but Watson in a full 100. I honestly don't know, though.
Very open-ended on here, but what is one or two things that us fans may not be aware of as to how an NFL team operates week to week? Maybe with travel, with game prep, meetings, etc.
Just that players have meetings both before and after practice most days. Wednesday and Thursday are their longest days, but even when there's no media access on Saturdays, they're still doing a walk-through and having meetings.
Going forward will Musgrave get more involved in the passing game. Paired with Tucker Kraft they could be a real dynamic duo.
Plenty of possibilities. As I said, every weapon in this offense has to be ready when his number is called.
I seem to recall a game against the Panthers where they ran out Vinny Testaverde with not so good results. I'd say Flacco is still dangerous but who do you think was oldest QB to start for a visiting team?
I remember the Vinny game, too. He might've been the oldest, at least during my time here.
Who do you expect to step up while Wyatt heals up?
It's more snaps for Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden on the interior. Also Nazir Stackhouse, and Warren Brinson has been a gameday inactive so far but he could get a shot, too. I can see Lukas Van Ness and/or Rashan Gary moving inside in certain pass-rush packages as well.
Special teams played a big role the last time we played Cincinnati. I could do without seeing that again.
Oh my. That was an all-timer.
Who is the one player on the Bengals you'll be watching closely on Sunday to be the most disruptive or impactful?
I mentioned the big 3 already. Iosivas is a big-play guy for them at receiver when he gets going, too.
I thought the running game looked better against Dallas. What are your expectations for the run game moving forward?
More of what we saw in that game. Without Watson and Jayden Reed on the field, it just feels like defenses are more concerned about Josh Jacobs than the passing game. The way the passing game produced in Dallas, maybe that'll change. Maybe not. Either way, I think it's on Jordan Love and the perimeter weapons to lighten the attention on Jacobs.
I can't wait until we get #8, 9, 10, 11 all on the field at the same time (fingers crossed)... Who are you leaving on the bench?
They can cross that bridge when they get to it.
Is there a player at the bottom part of the roster you believe will be a major contributor down the line given the opportunity?
I know the special teams has had its issues thus far, but I think as they keep working through things we're going to see some ST guys emerge in that phase.
Thanks for doing the game day live chat. It must really affect how you watch. Do you have time to eat/snack or are your fingers too busy?
Ha. I usually eat before the game and maybe have a snack at halftime. My fingers don't come off the keyboard while the game is going on.
Is Reed expected back at some point this season?
Yes. That's the hope. But it'll be a while.
Besides his own performance, what impact does Watson coming back have on the field in terms of opening it up?
He's a constant big-play threat who forces safeties to stay back because the defense doesn't want to get beat over the top, and his size makes him a very tough man coverage matchup. Those defensive alignments then become what Love is reading presnap and factoring into checks and calls at the line.
Would a Brewers world series game 7 in Milwaukee be enough for you to call in sick on a Packers game day?
Ha. I don't think I'd get away with that. I need this job.
I'm sure I missed it in some of the other content, but is the starting O-line finally back together this week? Seems like the Pack just hasn't been right since the O-line injuries hit.
It's trending that way based on practice participation but it's still wait and see.
Does Jacob Monk play all 3 Interior spots, or focus on center?
He's played center and both guard spots.
We talk about Watson's speed but have most receivers kept their speed after injuries like his? Losing a step would really make him turn into a different receiver.
Every injury recovery is different, but plenty of fast players have come back from ACLs good as new.
MLB knows people would still watch football instead of a World Series G7
Yeah, I don't remember exactly when MLB switched things up, but they intentionally don't have G7 of the WS on Sunday night anymore. They used to, all the time.
Mike, with Flacco playing with new receivers, I sense some INTs coming. Which DB could capitalize on that most likely?
It might be the LBs more than the DBs if he's playing quick game and making short throws. I don't know.
Do teams do timed 40's every once in a while to gauge player's speed over time?
Not that I know of.
I can't wait to see Watson and Golden on the perimeter, Kraft/Dontayvion Wicks across the middle, and Jacobs out of the backfield ... not sure how you'd defend that.
And you didn't even mention Romeo Doubs. This offense has a ton going for it, but it has to clean up the presnap penalties and the untimely turnovers to really hit its stride. That's the goal.
All right, with that I think I'll call it a chat. Thanks for all the questions and I'll be back on this platform Sunday afternoon for the game. Take care everybody. Best, Mike
