They’ve taken different paths to contention

This feels like a very huge game given the loss to the Vikings and at a very unfortunate time with all the injuries and the bye week next week. How hard do you think it is for a team to focus on just this game at this moment?

It’s not hard. It’s what they do.

Thank you for always providing us with factual information rather than slimy disinformation.

I don’t want to do any mudslinging. I grew up in newspapers and pull for them every day. But that Wall Street Journal story left a lot to be desired. Original reporting is one thing. But aggregating what Rodgers said on “The Pat McAfee Show” and presenting it the way WSJ did is regrettable. That’s not the industry I was brought up in.

Karen from South Beloit, IL

Just as I’m recovering from his fiancée’s description of AR12’s “feet, ahem,” we’re all treated to a photo of his ACTUAL bare foot amid even more COVID drama. Can you think of another team with more entertainment value this year? ANY year?

Entertainment is one way to put it. Listen, I went nearly 10 years on the Packers without seeing Aaron Rodgers’ feet. I look forward to building a new streak.

How do our DBs improve at tracking footballs? There are still gaps, but overall, our coverage and tackling are improved. However, we remain poor with the football in the air. Kevin King and Darnell Savage both struggled with this in big moments last year, and Eric Stokes seems to be following their lead. Pass defense is tough but c’mon, 50:50 and even 70:30 balls can’t be complete every time. QBs throw semi-prayers against us on third down and it works, it’s like a bail out for their offense!

They’re tracking the ball fine. The Packers have 42 passes defensed and rank eighth in the NFL with 11 interceptions. But there’s still more out there for them. You can emphasize and practice taking the ball away all you want but ultimately the player must execute in that split-second. The Packers had a few balls bounce their way late this season. On Sunday, it didn’t. On to the next one.

Are NFL teams allowed to advocate or campaign for past players’ HOF worthiness? It seems there are several Packers that have been looked over and could use some help going forward, maybe most notably LeRoy Butler.

Mike from Franksville, WI

Time for us to continue banging the drum for LeRoy Butler’s induction into the Hall of Fame! Of the first-year nominees, I really only see DeMarcus Ware getting in this year. With a hypothetically open field, do you think this will be the year where we see the call for a lot of guys who have waited, like Butler, Tony Boselli, Darren Woodson, and others?

I sure hope this is the year. Enough with the games. The guy deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. He belongs in Canton and this is a green-and-golden opportunity to right that wrong. I agree with your assessment of the first-year guys and even then, I don’t think I’d categorize Ware as a first-ballot HOFer. I look at Butler, Zach Thomas and Boselli (under the Terrell Davis rule) as three who should definitely get in. I’d also put in one of the defensive linemen among Jared Allen, Richard Seymour or Ware.

Last season the offense seemed much crisper and much more attacking than this season. How do the stats compare, and why does it feel different this year? Is it as simple as injuries? Is Bak that much of a difference-maker that is starts there?

The offense just hasn’t been able to get into the same kind of groove this year. The Packers are saying all the right things as it relates to the roster but they’ve played all season without their franchise left tackle. David Bakhtiari is the best in the business in pass protection but he doesn’t get nearly enough credit for what he adds in the run game. I think there’s a trickle-down effect there. What’s more, Davante Adams, Aaron Jones, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard and Rodgers have all missed time and dealt with injuries.

Is Aaron Jones’ relationship with AJ Dillon as solid as it was with Jamaal Williams? I just miss watching them together.

Jones has a great relationship with Dillon but theirs is more like big brother/little brother. Jones and Williams were like twins. They had different personalities but both are really selfless people, which made the arrangement work. But Dillon fit right in with that room last year.