William from Palmdale, CA
When will we know when your midweek chat is scheduled for?
You’ll know right now. It’s at 11 a.m.
When will Green Bay pick this year’s captains?
Sometime today. Hopefully not right at 11 a.m., or I just lied to William because that’ll make me late to the chat.
Carolina from Olympia, WA
What’s wrong with Allen Lazard?
Also on the docket for today, when the first injury report is released.
Matt from Kolesin, Poland
Hi Insiders! Do you feel the hunger inside the team, and the “unfinished business” thing in the air around Lambeau Field? Are the guys motivated not less than the two previous years? I feel like it was the main plot the last offseason and this year Adams’ deal dominated everything. Thanks for your work and I wish you to have enough energy entering this season. It’s going to be the longest run since years.
I don’t get an “unfinished business” vibe overall. Maybe for some players. But there are a number of new additions at various stages of their careers, plus several key guys coming back from injury, that collectively present a lot of newness and unknowns to a team that knows it’s a contender. To me, it feels more like, “All right, this is what we’ve got now. What can we do with it?”
Connor from Minnetonka, MN
Which NFC team is the biggest threat this year?
Choosing one from a top-of-mind list of four or five right now is impossible. Last year, the Packers in Week 3 beat the team that eventually beat them in the playoffs. They beat the last remaining undefeated team that eventually flamed out in the wild-card round. They also beat the eventual Super Bowl champs in late November. So your guess is as good as mine.
Mike, Vic was often critical about Z’s performance vs. the run. When you review his 2020 snaps per game, his lower numbers were vs. some run-oriented teams. What’s your take? Do you see GB running right at him early and often?
I would expect the Packers to test him in that regard, sure. But I don’t see the entire run plan being focused, as some readers are suggesting, on attacking Smith. LaFleur’s run scheme builds in mis-directions and counters to the inside and outside zone concepts. The Packers will bring it all with them and see where it goes.
Everyone has talked about Za’Darius and his possible impact on the game but how about our two past defensive coordinators now with the Vikings? Obviously a lot has changed but we still have Aaron Rodgers taking the snaps. Do you think their familiarity with No. 12 could be the X-factor giving them an edge? The Vikings really have done a major overhaul since last season so hopefully we’re not looking past them!
First, I guarantee you no one is looking past them. Second, past two DCs? Dom Capers is with Denver and hasn’t been with Minnesota since 2020. Third, I’ve said for years the benefit of familiarity with specific players is overblown, and I’ve never seen anything to convince me otherwise.
When Cousins played at MSU, he had a reputation of being clutch in big moments, but a little undisciplined in footwork and form. Seems like Rashan Gary could cause a great deal of damage with solid pressure and maybe an early QB hit or two. Happy feet turns into bad decisions and poor execution. Do you sense this as a key path to success on Sunday?
Cousins doesn’t make a living with off-schedule plays, so disrupting his timing and rhythm can go a long way, and he definitely scrambled more in his younger years. That said, I think he’s gotten better with age at maneuvering within the pocket and finding outlets. His two Pro Bowl years in Minnesota (2019, ’21) his sack numbers were way down compared to other seasons.