What’s the best playoff game to watch this…

I was rooting for the Ravens-Steelers game to come down to the last play of overtime and see if they would play rugby until someone scored…

That was a heck of a fourth-and-8 conversion by Big Ben to get in position to win that game. The number of down-to-the-wire games the Ravens lost this year is mind-boggling.

Any insight on how the Associated Press became the authority on the MVP (and other) award? Any thought on who else could establish such an award? I always enjoyed the All Madden Team announcement, and I wonder what players would hold in more esteem. Many players spend a significant amount of energy “ripping the media” that I’m surprised that these awards come from the media.

The NFL established that a media panel, coordinated by the AP, would vote for all the major postseason awards decades ago. The MVP goes back to the 1950s and Jim Brown’s three trophies. It’s only 50 voters, so it’s not like every media member that covers the NFL to some degree gets a vote.

Cardinals losing an away game would be an upset. 🙂

Yeah, how weird is that? Arizona won every road game it played this year … except at Detroit. Go figure.

If Mike McCarthy ends up coming to GB for a playoff game I wonder if he’s ever seen the inside of the visitors locker room. I wouldn’t think he’d ever need to go in there as the coach.

I would bet he’s seen it.

Will the team practice outdoors at all these next two weeks?

Oh yes. They were outside today, and they’ll practice outside as much as they can the rest of the way.

One under the radar guy for Green Bay in terms of draft + develop appears to be Dean Lowry. He’s affecting the offense with more regularity and I am here for it.

This has been Lowry’s best season, no doubt about it. He got off to a bit of a slow start in September, but then he started to come on in October and hasn’t stopped. I get a kick out of how Kenny Clark always tells us that he’s constantly reminding Dean Lowry how strong he is, as in, how tough he is to handle with that bull rush. Lowry has been a big-time presence up front for this defense this year.

Do the Packers have any control over where their coaches go? Can we keep them from signing with the Bears or Vikings?

No. Assistant coaches being interviewed for head jobs can’t be blocked. If they get the job offer, it’s up to them whether or not to take it.

Did you see Charles Woodson’s comments last week about how Packers really don’t have home field advantage? He said other coaches can easily fire up their teams about coming to Lambeau, The Frozen Tundra, Home of the Ice Bowl. They come in ready to play their best game and we are oh its just another home game…

I can see how he feels that way, having been on teams that suffered two of the most devastating home playoff losses in team history, both to the Giants (’07, ’11). But after the Niners beat the Packers here in the wild-card game in ’13, GB won four in a row in the postseason at home until the Bucs loss last January.

Who came first? You or Vic? I remember reading your columns on Packers.com before his.

Yes, I got here in 2006. Vic came in 2011. The website is a lot different than it was 15 years ago, though. For the better. Lots of evolution and Vic was a big part of that, but this business is constantly changing. I’ve had the same job, and what feels like a million different jobs, over the course of 16 seasons.

Mike, I’m an out of state fan so I hadn’t noticed until recently. Those decorations (?) on the field for the players to run through during intros never used to be there. Who makes that call to add/change that stuff?

I don’t know whose purview that falls under, but those were a new addition this year. I’m all fine with it as long as Lambeau doesn’t go to raging flamethrowers and ridiculous inflated stuff like so many other stadiums.

I thought the Vikings looked miserable playing here in the cold. Demoralized, even

Couldn’t agree more. I would say a lot of that had to do with the fact that they were forced to play a backup QB with almost no NFL experience with their season on the line.

I think the Lambeau Field mystique was shattered by Michael Vick and the Falcons.

Obviously, that was the franchise’s first postseason loss at Lambeau Field. Ever. The Giants winning here in sub-zero temps for the NFC title in ’07 was a stunner, too. Stuff happens. I still say, on balance, getting teams coming here not as familiar with the conditions is a plus for GB.

Reasonably healthy, MVP, possible COY, homefield advantage, cold weather on the horizon, odds on favorites to win it all, team chemistry. They have it all right in front of them. I think I speak for all Packer fans when I say the ONLY thing that might stop us is the black and whites. Please NFL, can we get some fair officiating?

The system is the system, which guarantees nothing other than that at least one playoff game this year will create an officiating controversy. It’s practically inevitable.

All right folks, I’d better get going. I think Wes and Larry are waiting for me in the studio. Thanks for all the questions and we’ll talk again soon. Enjoy wild-card weekend. Take care, Mike