Inbox: They’ll need their best

By any chance do you know if a QB-WR duo has ever before been first-team All-Pro in back-to-back seasons?

I went back to the league merger in 1970, and according to my research (which could be wrong), this is what I found. Steve Young and Jerry Rice did it three straight seasons (1992-94), while Joe Montana and Rice did it three times in a span of four years (1987, ’89-90). Some other nuggets … the Dolphins had two different combos in the ’70s, Bob Griese with Paul Warfield in ’71 and Griese with Nat Moore in ’77 … the Chargers had two with Dan Fouts and John Jefferson in ’79, then Fouts and Wes Chandler in ’82, while in between Jefferson and Charlie Joiner were the first-team All-Pro WRs in ’80 with Fouts the second-team QB … there were some first-team/second-team combos with Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison in the mix, too … last but not least, Randy Moss did it with two different teams and QBs, the Vikings and Randall Cunningham in ’98, then the Patriots and Tom Brady in ’07.

I call BS on the 1981 AFC Divisional being the best playoff game you ever watched. How old were you then? Your folks graduated college in ’66.

I was 9 and I’ll never forget it. I had grown enamored with those Air Coryell Chargers, who were ahead of their time a few years before Dan Marino was ahead of his time.

Hi Mike, if my math is correct (I know, I’m sorry) each player would receive $295,000 if the Packers win it all. Multiply that by 53 and you get $15,635,000. It’s a fairly significant amount and as Vic used to say, “You pay it, you cap it.” Is this still the case for playoff salary? And if so, it seems like a team that is going “all in” and is already up against the cap could be penalized for going to the playoffs.

Postseason pay is completely separate from the salary cap. The pay comes from the league, not the team, because all the ticket revenue from postseason games goes to the league, which sets the ticket prices.

Gary from Chippewa Falls, WI

Many proponents of the analytics of going for it on fourth down praise the aggressiveness of the coach. If Brandon Staley takes one field goal against KC instead of many failed fourth-down conversions, the Chargers make the playoffs. It seems many proponents won’t lose their job for missed opportunities.

Wes and I were talking the other day about Staley and the Ravens’ Harbaugh being maybe the league’s most aggressive coaches with fourth downs and two-point tries, and both missed the playoffs by one game, coming up short multiple times when their decisions didn’t work out. I realize it’s all hypothetical based on how this or that unfolds, but I’ll stick to feel, flow, situation, etc., helping make a tough call, not adherence to a philosophy.

Seeing teams fire their coaches and GMs underlines how not only are Gutekunst and LaFleur great at what they do, but Gutey grasps LaFleur’s vision of what his team should look like and what kind of players fit that mold. Now that Barry has given a spark to the defense with his scheme, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Packers draft a middle linebacker higher than they have before.

They now see how a top inside linebacker makes this defense work, but in the draft, the player will still have to be worth the pick, based on how the board looks. Chasing another Campbell isn’t going to make one magically fit the same way.

Mike, I don’t know how close you are to retire, but I think you’re going to see an eighth seed added to the playoffs before it happens. This year the NFL added a Monday night game! If the ratings go well, they’re going to want more. I can see them with a tripleheader on Saturday and Sunday, and a doubleheader on Monday or … a Friday night game! I’m not saying it’s a good thing, but I can see it coming. And here’s something to think about. This year it would have been Packers-Saints.

I don’t doubt it’s coming at some point. But the seventh seeds certainly weren’t needed this year.

Douglas from Union Grove, WI

Michael, I understand that there is a fair amount of stress in your job, with covering stories, deadlines, etc. Having said that, do you ever step back and tell yourself how lucky you are, working at Lambeau, especially this year? We go up north almost every week/weekend, and I always smile, crossing the river on 172, and being greeted by the big “G.” We came though at about 11 p.m. last night, and with the crisp clear night, and home-field advantage, it seemed to be shining extra bright.

Trust me, I never take it for granted, and it’s never more exciting than this time of year.

I know with the week off it was fun to talk about a deep playoff run and holding up the Lombardi in a few weeks, but I think we have to refocus now. Just beat the (insert team here).