They’re called investments for a reason

I’m not sure I understand why people want Aaron Rodgers to sit Week 18 and jeopardize the No. 1 seed. Wouldn’t sitting the bye week after getting No. 1 the same amount of time off? Or is that too much math?

Nobody sits. Nobody quits. Not until the No. 1 seed hay is in the barn.

Daniel from Los Angeles, CA

As it stands, despite missing out on three initial seasons, Rodgers is six seasons of stats behind Brady. At the current rate, if he averages 30 TDs per season, which is child’s play for him, Rodgers would be able to surpass Tom Brady’s TD record as long as he plays to whatever age Brady retires at. That’s incredible and I really hope Aaron intends to do just that.

I don’t even look at the age anymore with those two. A few years ago, I raised a Rocky Maivia eyebrow when Brady was talking about his desire to play to 45 and now begin to wonder if 50 is possible for him. With how well Rodgers treats his body, I think he could easily follow in that path.

Love, love, love the “A Few Good Men” reference! It absolutely made my day. That said, I think Lamar Jackson’s ankle sprain is going to lead to some new looks from Baltimore. It will not be the same film for the Pack to review. This is going to be an interesting matchup.

Jackson can beat teams in a variety of ways and John Harbaugh is crafty. The only people who know exactly what Jackson can and can’t do right now are inside the Ravens’ facility. I expect a creative, workable plan for Jackson to execute. The Packers need to be ready for anything.

Somewhat lost in the shuffle of the rash of injuries is Gutey’s ability to use a crystal ball. Case in point is Dennis Kelly. At the time it seemed like a curious move to add a guy who was a 17-game starter elsewhere then leave him on the bench. Now it makes perfect sense. Some kudos thrown his way seem in order.

They’re called investments for a reason, right? Based on how the past few seasons have played out, signing Dennis Kelly on the eve of training camp was a wise investment on Green Bay’s part. In an instant, he’s playing critical snaps for a contender midway through December.

Will the defense have a “spy” for Lamar Jackson? Or is that too simple of a plan? He’s so quick who would you see using in that role?

That’s where De’Vondre Campbell has been valuable this year. Because Campbell can spy the quarterback naturally without shedding any other responsibilities (e.g. Clay Matthews in the past). That’s especially true if Krys Barnes is on the field in a nickel look. The Packers have had ample practice against scrambling quarterbacks. Jackson presents new challenges but there’s also a lot of film on him now.

Morning Wes, I’ve been to about eight Packers games in person, have only seen them win once, at Baltimore in 2013. I’m headed back again this Sunday to a hopeful victory. With Harbaugh a defensive-minded coach, what does the O-line and Aaron Rodgers have to game plan for to win the game? Conversely, if Lamar doesn’t play, what does Joe Barry do with his defense against the Ravens’ backup? Thanks and have a great day!

Harbaugh epitomizes what it means to be an NFL head coach. Much like Bill Belichick, Harbaugh is a special-teams coach by trade but is involved in every phase of the game. Like Cleveland did last week, I think the Packers need to start fast against the Ravens and assert their dominance. If Jackson can’t go, Tyler Huntley is a capable backup with a similar playstyle. Regardless of who starts at QB, the Packers’ defense has to keep the takeaways coming.

Yes, players and coaches have to do the “one game at a time” thing. Not so for Insiders. The Packers will likely need to win out to secure the top seed in the NFC, and they will be favorites in each of the next four games. Forced to pick one, which of these games makes you the most uneasy?

It sort of defeats the purpose of your question but it’s probably this one coming up. I know the Browns beat the Ravens last week but Baltimore is a tough team to plan for. Their scheme, on both sides of the ball, is not easy to replicate.