"Ask Vic" will publish on Mondays and Thursdays through the offseason.

Gary from Belle Mead, NJ
Anything meaningful to conclude from Lions-Packers?
Nothing. Analysis of the game should be avoided, which is what I said prior to the Jets game. These were meaningless games. Meaning will begin again when the new head coach is selected. It's time to be patient.

Steve from Lake Stevens, WA
Any word on where the upcoming draft is deepest? Also, would you draft a player who skipped his team's bowl game? I don't like players who think of reasons not to play.
The draft is said to be deep in pass rushers. As for players sitting out meaningless bowl games, I have no problem with it.

Augustin from Monterrey, Mexico
Do you believe there’s a realistic chance Tom Coughlin becomes the new coach in Green Bay?
No, but after Coughlin's postgame tirade aimed at Leonard Fournette and T.J. Yeldon, I can't help but think he should be the Jaguars' coach. The Jaguars' lack of discipline this season was disgraceful and every bit as responsible for their poor record as their deficiencies at the quarterback position. I kept waiting for Doug Marrone to call somebody out, but it didn't happen. Yesterday, Coughlin did it. It's about time.

Erik from Woodbridge, VA
I get what happened to the Packers. But please explain to me how that Vikings team misses the playoffs?
They missed the playoffs because their kicker missed in Green Bay. That's how narrow the margin can be. The Steelers had kicker problems, too. Be that as it may, I don't think either one of those teams has what it takes to win in the postseason. It just wasn't their year. Something was missing and now Mike Zimmer and Mike Tomlin will spend the next month in deep reflection, figuring out what went wrong.

Pete from Antigua, WI
My mom knows and cares zero about football but she was aghast this weekend over the horrible quality of college football. We were stuck on a layover in Miami and there were Alabama and Oklahoma fans everywhere. Alabama fans seemed to be the kind of clueless people who tip poorly at TGI Friday’s.
Alabama fans bring to a bowl game a 20-dollar bill and a pair of underwear and don't change either.

Dan from Sebastopol, CA
What surprised you the most about the 2018 season for Green Bay, Pittsburgh and Jacksonville?
Mike McCarthy being fired, Le'Veon Bell walking away from $14.5 million, and the Jaguars thinking they could win with Blake Bortles at quarterback.

Bob from Kennesaw, GA
Wolves chased out McCarthy? I'd believe that to be true for a bunch of other franchises, but I have difficulty believing it to be the case in Green Bay. Our season ticket waiting list stretches generations. We're probably not in danger of having empty seats in the near future. We have good football people running the team. I can't see public sentiment being a factor here. It must have been something else (in my opinion). Was it the wolves, or possibly internal factors?
Yeah, it was probably something else.

Justin from Janesville, WI
Do you think an eight-team playoffs would save college football?
It would provide one more week of meaningful games, and it would almost certainly kill a lot of bad bowl games that need to go, but it wouldn't singlehandedly save college football. As I've written, improving the quality of college football begins with addressing scholarship limits and the process of recruiting.

Justin from Portland, OR
“Who will be the Packers' next coach? I can't overstate how important this decision is.” Or “players, not plays." Which one is it?
You're not getting it. Coaches aren't just about calling plays. A head coach is so much more than plays. He's the personality of your franchise. He decides everything. Will the conditioning program focus on strengthening the core or on building mass? Tom Coughlin loved free weights and squats; Jack Del Rio's program used beach balls. The head coach is about motivating his players, and how the head coach does that sets a tone and creates a personality in the locker room. Chuck Noll believed motivation had to come from within and pep talks were only effective until the first time you got knocked on your butt. He motivated his players by demanding they be professionals. Bill Cowher could fire up his team with the mere set of his jaw. He once stared down his team at halftime and then said, "Go kick their (butt)," and they did. In terms of scheme, most good coaches are astute evaluators of talent who use that skill to create favorable matchups. So, when you hire a head coach, you're also hiring a scout. All you're seeing is the play he calls that wins or loses the game. By then, the issue had already been decided. It's everything that leads up to the big play that decides whether the play succeeds or fails, and good coaches are about identifying, developing and preparing players.

Joe from Bloomington, IN
How good is Pete Carroll?
I think his miss in New England launched him to a higher level of coaching. The years he spent at USC popularized his brand and made him a more demanding coach. Carroll gets the most out of his players. That's his strength. He demands they win the physical battles, and they usually do.

Ron from Boise, ID
Vic, I'm in Green Bay and looking at Lambeau Field as I write this. Took a tour yesterday and we were in the press box and I asked our guide if he knew who you were and he replied, of course. Then he showed me where you sat during games. What do you miss most about those days?
I miss being there. It was a weekly event that defined my life. I miss the out-of-town people I would see; it's unlikely I'll ever see them again. For 45 years, I was permitted to sit and watch football games, and then write about what I saw according to my interests and sensitivities. It's a great freedom for which I will always be appreciative. I miss acting out that privilege.

Greg from Danbury, CT
If McCarthy's choice boils down to the Jets or Cardinals, it seems the team with a quarterback of the future is his best bet. Darnold?
I think the Jets are poised to become the dominant team in the AFC East.

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, what are your top three memories from the 2018 NFL season?
It hasn't been a great season, but memories aren't limited to ones that feel good. Mike McCarthy's dismissal as Packers coach is my No. 1 memory of the 2018 season. The Steelers-Jaguars game is probably No. 2. It was an example of what was wrong with each team this season. The No. 3 memory has yet to happen, I hope.

Dan from Toledo, OH
Four weeks of hype, eight hours of garbage, and the inevitable Clemson-Alabama title match. Why even have the playoffs? Give me the NFL playoffs any day.
Here are the scores from Saturday's college football bowl games: 28-0, 41-15, 30-3 and 45-34 (it wasn't that close). I'm receiving a lot of questions from readers who want to know what my new year's resolution is. I've come to a decision: My new year's resolution is to watch less college football in 2019. I'm wasting entire days of my life watching that crap.

Mike from Somerset, WI
Vic, what are the issues you believe the NFL will address in the offseason?
I think a large segment of the league's ownership has grown disenchanted with the obsession for calling penalties and the degree to which the game has been softened. I think a lot of those owners are wondering why good people such as Dean Blandino and Gene Steratore -- he's even better in his new role -- have left the league for TV. I think we're going to see changes made in the league's football operations department.

Eric from Lansing, MI
Do you think the 2014 Packers team was stronger than the Super Bowl team of 2010?
Yes, and I also think the '14 team was better than the '11 team.

Tim from Madison, WI
If Kyler Murray enters the NFL draft and is available when the Packers pick in the first round, should they take him?
No. Every resource must be committed to surrounding Aaron Rodgers with the talent he needs to win one more title before his career ends. His contract demands it! I'm a big believer in drafting the best available player, but that changed at the quarterback position for the Packers the moment Rodgers signed his new contract. As far as I'm concerned, quarterback is off the board for the Packers.

Today's "Ask Vic" marks the conclusion of the column's three-posts-a-week, regular-season regimen. As of Monday, "Ask Vic" will be published twice a week (Monday and Thursday) through the offseason.

Ethan from Ontario, Canada
News just broke about the Packers interviewing Chuck Pagano and Jim Caldwell. You have spoken highly of them in the past, so what are your thoughts about either of them getting the job?
Pagano is defense and Caldwell is offense. They're both competent and qualified head coach candidates. Here's the problem: I don't think either man would satisfy the wolves that howled Mike McCarthy out of his job. The wolves want the next Sean McVay. The wolves want a play-caller. They want a guy who only calls good plays. They want a wunderkind. As names surface, the wolves might begin regretting their howl.

Sean from Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Is there anyone you would like to see tapped as head coach?
How about Tom Coughlin? He coached in Green Bay. He worships at the altar of Lombardi. Coughlin and Rodgers would be an interesting partnership, don't you think?

Dustin from Seymour, WI
What is your opinion on Joe Philbin as a leader of men?
Joe is a calm, intelligent and measured man who knows how to coach and lead. Again, I ask, would he satisfy the wolves, or would he be viewed as an extension of the man the wolves howled to be fired? The expectations for a new coach might be unrealistic. The wunderkind Packers fans are envisioning might not exist. Maybe that's just what the Packers fan base needs. A dose of reality would go a long way in helping the Packers through their transition period.

Brett from Marietta, GA
A while ago you shared a valuable tip from your days in print I've incorporated into my writing: Don't use the superfluous that. In the same vein, in Wednesday's column I noticed you used the qualifier "I think" several times in various answers. Given this is an opinion column and your opinion as well as the readers' are the result of what one thinks, is using "I think" superfluous as well or is it acceptable writing style?
I'm not writing a legal document or a hard news story. This is an opinion column that needs to convey tone of voice to be effective. Column writing is granted literary license. "I think" is a means for reminding the reader I'm expressing opinion, not fact. It's a way of talking to the reader.

Dave from Madison, WI
What are some out-of-the-box rules changes you’d like the NFL to consider?
I'd like the league to ditch the coach's challenge. It's a ridiculous system that relies on TV to provide replay in a timely fashion, which it doesn't on a consistent basis. Why should the coach and television be responsible for officiating the game? It's also a system that can be defeated by snapping the ball quickly or slowly for the next play, which means offense is in control of the process and defense is a victim of it. And if a coach is out of challenges, a bad call can't be fixed. Hey, if we're going to do this, let's do it right. The replay official needs to have his role expanded. Fix everything or fix nothing.

Nelson from Brazil
Vic, you see something in the Seahawks that most analysts don't, because you keep ranking them in high spots. What do you like about them?
They run the ball. They play football the tough way, and that breeds grit that makes a team tough to beat in the postseason.

Derek from Eau Claire, WI
Give it to me straight. How much influence does the head coach have on a team’s record?
The head coach is the personality of the team he coaches. If he isn't, he should be fired because that would mean he's not an effective leader. When you hire a head coach, the No. 1 question that needs to be answered is: Do I want my team to have this man's personality? How much influence does the head coach have on a team's record? The team becomes him. If he's not a winner, how can the team be expected to win?

Dave from Chippewa Falls, WI
How did you vote, the birth of the franchise or the "Ice Bowl?"
The "Ice Bowl" is the birth of the franchise.

Stern from Cedar Rapids, IA
Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Vince Lombardi say something about winning being a culture? Shouldn't Green Bay focus on being winners?
I remember being a kid and watching a four-win Steelers team beat the Packers at Lambeau Field in the final regular-season game of the 1967 season. Bart Starr was the starting quarterback but was replaced early in the game by Don Horn. I don't think Lombardi was completely focused on winning that day.

Andy from Munich, Germany
Vic, Adams is chasing records. Is this basically a good sign, because not everything/everyone seems to be bad in Green Bay, or is this a bad sign because it indicates lack of balance. Thank you for all your great insights!
It's fine, but it's meaningless. True meaning will begin when the Packers hire a new coach. It's all about that decision. Who will be the Packers' next coach? I can't overstate how important this decision is.

Lee from Marshfield, WI
Regarding the next Packers head coach, isn't the real question how is this next coach going to develop Rodgers' replacement?
This hire is about right now. It's about finding a way to get one more title out of Aaron Rodgers' career before it ends. That's why I favor a veteran coach. I'm not looking for a young coach who'll grow with the team, I'm looking for a guy who knows the tricks of the trade and how to fit players into specific roles so the Packers might close the talent gap that exists between them and teams such as the Vikings, Bears and Rams.

Matt from Georgetown, TX
Vic, I watched the whole Pinstripe Bowl because I'm a Wisconsin fan, but I have to wonder how these things stay in business. Is it possible for them to actually make any money?
Nick Saban said if the playoffs are expanded to eight teams the bowl games will go away. Is that a promise, coach? Hey, the bowls need to go away. The "First Responder Bowl" got it right. The kids don't want to play in them, the fans don't want to go to them, and the schools are losing money participating in them. The only people benefitting from them are the game's directors, who are paid a salary for negotiating a deal with TV and a title sponsor and assembling a staff of volunteer workers. The games are terrible. In this year's "Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl," Army scored a 70-14 win over Houston despite completing only four passes. How do you score 70 points and complete only four passes? Houston, you have a problem. College football is at a low point. I'm stunned at how bad the product has become.

Dustin from North Port, FL
Who is your NFL MVP?
I'm going with Aaron Donald, not only because I believe he's the best player in the game, but because I believe the quarterback position has been made so easy to play it's time to take the award from the position's possession.
​
Steve from New Britain, CT
What are your thoughts about Jake "The Snake" Kumerow's talent level? Did you see the move he made to get open in the end zone against the Jets? He seems to not only have good chemistry with Aaron Rodgers but many Packers fans like him a lot because of his ties to Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Dime a dozen.

​Tristan from Lake Lure, NC
Vic, as of this writing, the betting lines on the college playoff games are 12.5 and 14. Can anything be done to create some semblance of parity in college football?
Yeah, but the power five conferences won't do it. It begins with recruiting. Drop the scholarship limit so there are enough premium players to go around, instead of a few schools hoarding them all. Also, the NCAA needs to achieve a stronger presence in assuring college football programs comply with the rules. Each program needs a "policeman" appointed by the NCAA to find violations, as opposed to allowing schools to blow the whistle on themselves.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Friday and then begin its Monday, Thursday offseason publishing schedule next week.

Here's the "Ask Vic" Week 17 power rankings:
1. Saints -- Got away with one.
2. Rams -- Are they playoff ready?
3. Ravens -- Nobody is playing better.
4. Seahawks -- They have a championship look.
5. Chargers -- Spotlight on Rivers.
6. Chiefs -- Fading.
7. Texans -- Costly loss in Philadelphia.
8. Titans -- Mariota might not be "The Man."
9. Bears -- Trubisky just OK.
10. Colts -- It's all about Luck.
11. Cowboys -- Could be peaking.
12. Eagles -- They might make it.
13. Patriots -- Not that good, but could win it all.
14. Vikings -- Finally, playing to their identity.
15. Browns -- Can make a statement in Baltimore.
16. Steelers -- A good team wasted.
17. Washington -- The little lights aren't twinkling.
18. Packers -- Happily moving down the draft order.
19. Broncos -- Change is in the air, again.
20. Panthers -- Newton's arm is the issue.
21. Giants -- Just draft, baby.
22. Dolphins -- Not what their record says they are.
23. Lions -- They got a lip fungus they ain't identified yet.
24. Bucs -- Sadly respectable.
25. Falcons -- Can't run, can't stop the run.
26. Bengals -- Not a good quality item.
27. 49ers -- It's best just to let them finish.
28. Bills -- Frozen from the waist down.
29. Jaguars -- Fell down a well, eyes went crossed.
30. Jets -- Members of the jelly of the month club.
31. Raiders -- Need a crunch enhancer.
32. Cardinals -- Get the hammer, Russ.

Ryan from Greenville, SC
Who are or were your favorite athletes to watch? Mine are Michael Jordan, Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, in that order.
Johnny Unitas, Willie Mays, Bobby Layne and Roberto Clemente immediately come to mind.

Eric from Keene, NH
Mike McCarthy to the desert? I could root for the Cardinals, especially if they went back to the 1960s uniforms.
I would advise Coach McCarthy to wait for another job. I don't think the Cardinals have the quarterback to compete in the tough NFC West before the next coach's seat gets hot.

Steve from Minocqua, WI
Vic, why does the NFL make certain rules a point of emphasis for the officiating crews? Such a point of emphasis is the reason the Vikings got the chance to tie the Packers long ago, and ultimately created the difference in the current playoff standings. This past week, the rule du juor was pass interference. Wouldn’t consistent officiating simply be better?
At least we had an offseason to digest the new emphasis on roughing the passer. None of us liked it but we knew it was coming. The Week 16 witch hunt on pass interference had huge impact on the playoffs and homefield advantage races. The PI calls on Joe Haden were insane. The first one was on a fourth-down desperation heave that put the ball at the 1-yard line. There was no contact I could see and the ball sailed far over the receiver's head. I'm not blaming the officials, I'm blaming the people in the league office who are directing the officials. What's the problem? There aren't enough points being scored? The NFL is the best in pro sports at marketing and presentation, but they're doing a poor job of managing their game. It's become soft and cheesy.

Marty from Grafton, WI
Vic, in "Insider Inbox," their take is the Packers are better off winning the rest of the season to bring momentum into next season. Do you feel there is any validity to that?
Before next season begins, the Packers will have a new coach, a new philosophy, new schemes, new ways, a greatly changed roster, new challenges and an all-new feeling. When training camp begins next summer, no one will be thinking about how the 2018 season ended. All of the thoughts will be forward.

Anthony from Milwaukee, WI
I sense you have angst the Packers will be picking from the middle of the pack in the draft. What’s your take that the Packers will also have almost $40 million in cap to spend, but will also have to decide what to do with Matthews and Cobb.
The Packers have the cap space to make a big splash in free agency. Should they? Let's think on that question over the next couple of months. As far as Matthews and Cobb, I think it's time to move on.

Leo from Dallas, TX
Besides the Patriots game, the Steelers seemed to lose or tie every other close game this season. If they miss the playoffs, do you think Le'eVon Bell might have lifted them over in one of those games? Or do you think this year was for the defense to regroup and next year the extra cap space will put them in the AFC top two?
Bell's absence wasn't the problem, but the $14.5 million they had to commit to him on their cap was a big problem. The Steelers made a bad decision in franchising Bell, and it cost them on defense. They could've spent the Bell money on the defensive side of the ball and I think it almost surely would've made a difference. The tie and four of their losses are the result of the defense not being able to protect a lead late in the game. Defense was the problem when last season ended and it still is the problem. AFC top two next season? I don't see that happening. I think drafting at the bottom of the order has caught up to the Steelers and they've got some repair work to do. I see them taking a step back for a year or two. In their defense, I think they're accumulating young talent for the future. Watt, Smith-Schuster, Hargrave, Conner, Samuels, Okorafor and several other young players have a good look to them. Ultimately, it might be Mason Rudolph, the rookie quarterback for whom the Steelers traded up to draft, who'll decide when the Steelers re-emerge. Roethlisberger has enjoyed one of his best seasons but, at 36, he's nearing the end of a great career.

Bill from Sheboygan, WI
Vic, where do you stand on playing to win meaningless games that would drop the Packers in the draft order?
Play reserves and play to win. That's my position.

Gladdys from Rolling Meadows, IL
Vic, did you get a chainsaw for Christmas?
No, I got a fashionable coat and scarf. "Now you can wear something that doesn't have a logo on it," I was told.

Jim from Stevens Point, WI
How does the number of penalties and yardage compare with past years?
The yardage is consistent with recent years; this isn't something new. So, I went back a decade, to the 2008 season, to see how then compares to now. The increase is dramatic; it's about 7,000 yards, a 25 percent increase. It's the player safety movement that's caused the penalty explosion, and I think reasonable fans agree the game needs to become safer to play. Be that as it may, it's not the total number of penalties that's troubling me as much as it is the number of game-changing, pass-interference penalties. A 50-yard penalty on an overthrown pass? If the league is going to rule so sensitively against pass interference, I think the league should adopt the 15-yard rule for pass interference violations. The Saints did nothing on that play to deserve having the ball placed on the 1-yard line. They were handed a touchdown on a play in which their quarterback was chased out of the pocket and was, in effect, trying to throw the ball away.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the football season.

Sean-Luc from Oceanside, CA
Aaron Rodgers finally building a rapport with his wide receivers or finally got what he wanted? Outside of the Bears game, he looks like a different QB since McCarthy was fired.
This is exactly what I meant when I wrote of wanting to avoid "Rodgers analysis angst." It's over the top. It was a meaningless game, except for how it will impact the draft order. The Packers rallied from a 15-point deficit to beat a 4-11 team. It's a feel-good win in a feel-bad season. Attaching greater meaning to it is an exercise in futility.

Dan from Toledo, OH
Rodgers throwing for over 400 yards and a couple of scores, the Packers putting up 40-plus points and not having to spend an entire offseason listening to the 0-8 on the road chatter: These are a few of the reasons that win was worth the loss of a few draft slots.
A few? The wins over the Falcons and Jets have dropped the Packers nearly 10 spots in the draft order.

Rick from Pine Mountain, GA
Is Ron Zook a good special teams coach? As bad as the offense and defense have been this year, the special teams have been worse.
Zook is one of the game's most respected special teams coaches. His wedge-busting strategy in the '90s caused the league to change the rules. In my opinion, kick-coverage failures often say something about a team's roster depth.

Paul from Hartland, WI
You said you liked the Ravens' pick of Lamar Jackson in the draft and they're winning with him. Is this the start of the transition away from the pocket passer toward the dime-a-dozen running QBs being churned out from college?
Yes, I believe the game is shifting toward running quarterbacks. Why shouldn't it? They can run and slide and you can't touch them. Jackson is the latest version of the new age quarterback. I thought he was a great pick for the Ravens and if I was a GM I'd be looking for a new age guy, and I don't think you have to spend a first-round pick on one. Their ranks are plentiful and they don't require as much grooming as a pocket passer. Drop back and run is a good play.

John from Jacksonville Beach, FL
What are your thoughts on Marvin Harrison and his overall career. He was elected to the Hall of Fame, but I always remember he underwhelmed in the postseason. Playing with Manning in all of those regular season games helped his stats, I’m just not sure they tell the whole story. Boy, those Colts teams were a different team when the playoffs rolled around.
I'm a big believer in Hall of Fame players having a defining postseason moment. I think it completes their resume. Harrison's body of work is apparently too great to ignore. So, what do we do with all of the wide receivers who have the body of work and a defining postseason moment, such as Hines Ward and Larry Fitzgerald? Maybe we should have a separate Hall of Fame of Wide Receivers.

Nick from Annapolis, MD
Regardless of whether or not the Jaguars' 2017 campaign was a fluke, they were very close to making the Super Bowl, and probably would have had a legitimate shot at holding the Eagles to under 17 points and winning that game. Given that this was a real possibility last season, where does this season's Jaguars rank on the all-time list of disappointing teams?
They're not on that list because, given their situation at quarterback, I don't think anyone was shocked by the Jaguars' fall this season. The style of today's game doesn't suit teams with underperforming quarterbacks. It can happen that a team can get so hot on defense it can overcome an underperforming quarterback, but it's nearly impossible to sustain that formula for winning.

Holger from Guayaquil, Ecuador
Regarding your comment about Big Ben's performance against the Patriots in the last four minutes of the game, back in the Packers-Seahawks NFC title game, Aaron Rodgers had the same opportunity and he didn't do it. What does that say of him?
Roethlisberger converted a third down at the start of that drive. Rodgers had a third-down pass dropped by Andrew Quarless. Had Quarless caught the pass, the Packers would've gained a first down that probably would've sealed the victory. Rodgers can't do it all; he needs help. I think that's what we learned this season.

Bill from Sheboygan, WI
Name one thing you don't like about the way football is being played today.
I'm exasperated by the league's emphasis on calling penalties, and yesterday was the worst example of it this season. There was an obvious and ridiculous emphasis on calling pass interference. I watched several games and they all had examples of head-scratching pass interference penalties, and they were game-changing. The Packers-Jets game was a flag fest. John Parry's crew turned in an embarrassing performance in the Texans-Eagles game. The Saints were handed a victory by two absurd PI calls against Joe Haden. So far this season, 3,244 penalties for 27,719 yards have been assessed, and that doesn't include another 600 penalties that have been declined or were offsetting. This is good for the game?

Joe from Bloomington, IN
The Colts drafted well without focusing too much on the premier positions. What do you make of that?
The Colts' resurgence is mostly about Andrew Luck. The Colts played hard last season, but they didn't have Luck. Chuck Pagano was fired for no good reason, other than somebody has to take the fall for losing.

Barry from Hayward, WI
Vic, I really enjoy a good running game and defenses that generate lots of turnovers. Of the teams still in contention, which would you suggest I watch next Sunday?
The Ravens are your kind of team. They're playing old-school football and I think it's fun to watch.

Joe from Germanton, IN
I’ve heard McCarthy is stepping out of coaching for a little while. If he decides to coach again, what kind of team is he looking for?
One with a horn?

Doug from St. Louis, MO
Vic, I still don't know what to make of the Packers' WR group. I know what Davante Adams is, but I'm not sold on any of of the other guys. From what you've watched this year, how would you move forward if you were the GM? Draft another wide receiver or try to find a good fit in free agency?
I think you got it right: Adams is the star and everybody else is replaceable. I like signing wide receivers in cheap free agency. Dime a dozen. Find the guys who know how to play and use them to address specific roles on your team. In addition, always draft a wide receiver. That's where you get young speed.

Marty from Grafton, WI
What did you mean by your comment "once upon a time, there was an extreme prejudice against power runners that didn't play behind their pads."
"Play behind their pads" is scoutspeak for dropping the shoulder pads and initiating contact. In the head-banger era, power backs were battering rams. Pads-down runners were the rule; upright runners were the exception. Franco Harris, for example, was a high-cut, cutback runner, which was rare for a guy 6-2, 230 (I had seen him listed as high as 241). Franco ran behind his hips, not his shoulder pads, and that caused a divergence of opinion of Harris as a power back. Chuck Noll even favored drafting Robert Newhouse instead of Franco. Newhouse was a short, squat, pads-down runner. Franco was ahead of his time. He was perfectly suited for today's game, which fits the high-cut runners in a game that demands its players keep their heads up.

Mike from Fort Wayne, IN
Vic, what do you want for Christmas?
I have repeatedly asked for a chainsaw, as mine broke this past fall, and I have repeatedly been told I will not get a chainsaw as a Christmas gift.

Mark from Bettendorf, IA
Vic, I see a lot of comments about players who "can't stay healthy." Do talent evaluators really take this into account? I can see being worried about a lingering injury, but a guy like Aaron Jones may never get injured again.
I think everything needs to be taken into account when grading a draft prospect. Why draft a guy higher than necessary? Curtis Martin is the perfect example. He couldn't stay healthy in college, and it caused him to fall to the third round. As a pro, he became one of the most durable backs in NFL history. The draft is a crap shoot; you need to get lucky. If a GM needs to get one thing right, it's where players fit in the order. Drafting players that get hurt and underperform can be forgiven, but overdrafting them is unforgivable.

Nick from Owego, NY
Can you tell me a good Christmas football story?
It's from Christmas Eve, 1994. I was covering the Steelers, who had just lost in San Diego, 37-34, to finish the regular season. The game was meaningless, as the Steelers had already clinched homefield advantage. Bill Cowher flooded the field with reserves in the second half and got into an up-tempo passing contest that exploded yardage totals. I was writing my story on the bus outside Jack Murphy Stadium when Dom Capers asked to see my stats pack. Capers was the Steelers' defensive coordinator and he wanted to finish the season as the league's No. 1 defense. "You're not gonna like it," I said as I handed him the stats pack. He studied it briefly, then handed it back to me. "Merry Christmas to me," he said, sarcastically. The Steelers finished No. 2 in total defense.

David from Madison, WI
Is there a career you’ve once romanticized about and also felt you could have developed the skills and attributes necessary for success?
No, I pretty much knew it was this or the sintering plant.

R.J. from Plymouth, WI
With the offseason talk heating up, what is your take on Le'Veon Bell to the Packers? I feel like that would be a risky investment after the Jimmy Graham experiment.
Risky? Let me put it this way: The best thing that happened to the Steelers this season is Bell not signing the contract he was offered. They got lucky. They almost screwed that up, too.

Derek from Eau Claire, WI
What is your recap of 2018 and your wish for 2019?
The 2018 season is about what I expected for the Packers. There was work that needed to be done and I think a large measure of that work has been accomplished. My hope is the team will hire a sensible head coach and the team will pursue a reasonable course of continued repair. Merry Christmas to everybody.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the football season.

Matt from Georgetown, TX
Vic, I saw an article detailing how Rodgers' passer rating when throwing to Adams, Cobb and Allison is 115. When throwing to Graham, St. Brown and Valdez-Scantling, it is 83. Assuming that's accurate, what does it tell you about the offseason and next year?
I'm not surprised Aaron Rodgers has been more successful throwing to veteran receivers with whom he has a rapport, than he is throwing to raw, low-round draft picks. His lack of success with Jimmy Graham is the surprise. Graham is a high-dollar free agent. He was supposed to be a game-changer. The rookies are learning their craft; Graham is supposed to be a skilled craftsman. What does Graham's lackluster season tell me? It tells me the Packers have a big decision to make on whether or not to pay Graham a big roster bonus in March.

Adam from Wausau, WI
What skill do you wish you would have spent more time mastering throughout your life?
I'm OK with being a sportswriter. I think I got the most out of my limited intelligence.

Mike from Berlin, WI
Does GM Vic try to sign Bashaud Breeland to a new contract?
Yeah, as long as he can be signed at a No. 2 corner pay grade. Alexander is a No. 1 and he's going to cost a lot of money to re-sign in a few years. The problem with signing No. 2 corners opposite stars such as Alexander is the No. 2 guy tends to get a lot of interceptions and passes-defensed because teams avoid the star corner, and the stats inflate the No. 2 corner's value. This might be a good time to lock up Breeland.

Cliff from Washington, DC
I'm tired of this either/or crap about the Packers' next head coach. Will they pick an offensive mind? Will they pick a defensive mind? I say bologna. I refuse to think great coaches privilege one over the other.
This bologna stuff needs to end. It's not bologna, it's baloney. Look it up, if you don't believe me. You wouldn't say someone is full of meat, you'd say they were full of something else, right?

Kevin from Greenacres, WA
I'm of the opinion if your franchise QB is healthy, he plays. Can you imagine the offseason baloney if Rodgers did sit and the Packers won their last two games?
Well done.

Isaac from Nashville, TN
Vic, is Derrick Henry as good as he's looked the last few weeks, and can you still build an offense around an outstanding power back?
Henry is an upright power runner. So was Eric Dickerson. Once upon a time, there was an extreme prejudice against power runners that didn't play behind their pads. Today's game fits them, because of head-injury awareness and the emphasis on not lowering the helmet. I see more of them coming into the league every year. James Conner is an upright power runner. Can you still build an offense around a power runner? The Titans are No. 5 in rushing but No. 27 in total offense. I guess the answer is no.

Blake from Normal, IL
Vic, what will it take for you to believe in the Bears? Week after week, the offense improves and the defense continues to do its thing. Do you need a Super Bowl to finally believe?
I need to know they can put the game in Trubisky's hands at crunch time and feel confident he'll deliver. For example, the Steelers had the ball deep in their territory midway through the fourth quarter with a four-point lead over the Patriots. The Steelers needed to kill time and score points to win; everyone knew it and the pressure was on Roethlisberger to get it done. He did. I don't get the sense the Bears can do that with Trubisky. I still think they try to play around him, protect him from those situations. Elite teams don't do that.

Margo from Chicago, IL
And why do we have a losing record, Vic?
I don't know, Margo. Actually, that's not true. I do know, Margo. The Packers have a losing record because they don't have enough good players and Aaron Rodgers didn't play well enough this season to overcome the Packers' deficiencies.

Tim from Lancaster, PA
Did the Rams and Chiefs peak too soon?
I don't know the answer to that question. What I can tell you is some coaches put a priority on developing plays, and some make it a priority to develop players. The ones who develop players are usually the ones whose team plays its best football late in the season.

Jerry from Savannah, GA
Vic, who you got Sunday night? Chiefs or Seahawks?
Seahawks. Pete Carroll develops players.

Jillaine from Star Valley Ranch, WY
What is your opinion? Should Aaron Rodgers sit out the last games to insure he does not get hurt again before the next season, thereby protecting the expensive contract? Or should he play, since the young team members need all the practice with the real QB to help them improve, especially since he just got an expensive contract that should keep him here for the foreseeable future?
A few weeks ago, I was against the idea, but since then the remaining games have become meaningless to the Packers and to their opponents, so I've changed my mind: Shut him down. A big part of my reason for not wanting him to play is we need a break from the Rodgers analysis angst. I think we need to let this season go gentle into that good night.

Roger from Auburn, CA
Aaron Jones has shown flashes but I don't think he can stay healthy. If you were the Packers' GM, would you use one of those top 50 picks on a stud running back?
If one is at the top of their board, pick him.

Aaron from Wausau, WI
You talk about not cutting a player who has a large cap hit or a lot of dead money. I'd say it's better to err on the side of releasing players whose performance doesn't match their price. Are you falling to the sunk cost fallacy?
If a team is convinced a player lacks useful talent, then cut him. If they think he has useful talent but it's not the equal of his contract, then try to re-do his contract. Maybe the Packers should try to do that with Jimmy Graham, but I doubt he would agree to a lesser deal. He'd probably welcome another tour of free agency and a chance to sting another team. Are you willing to let that happen? Are we sure Graham can't play to the equal of his contract? That's a big question to answer. It's what the Packers have to decide.

Neil from Cheddar, UK
How do you feel about the fact NFL.com had to close their comments section but yours is getting bigger and with sensible conversations in it. Makes you think there is still some humanity out on the worldwide web and it likes to read Vic!
I'm intensely proud of the "Ask Vic" comments section, and I hope it is, too.

Steven from Jacksonville, FL
After following football for so many years, do you ever get tired or bored of it? What keeps your interest after all of these years?
It's the confrontation. That's why I like football. I think football features confrontation more than any other sport I've known. Everything is a competition, from the scouting combine to the Super Bowl.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the football season.

Here's the "Ask Vic" Week 16 power rankings:
1. Saints -- Hanging on.
2. Chargers -- Might have to settle for wild card.
3. Rams -- Slumping.
4. Chiefs -- Can they hold on?
5. Texans -- They run the ball and stop the run.
6. Titans -- Muscle team.
7. Ravens -- No. 1 defense.
8. Bears -- 3-2-10 on defense.
9. Colts -- Peaking!
10. Cowboys -- Inconsistent.
11. Eagles -- Here they come.
12. Seahawks -- Rally halted by 49ers.
13. Patriots -- Brady beginning to look mortal.
14. Vikings -- Sack mania.
15. Browns -- Defense on the rise, too.
16. Steelers -- Chargers may hold their fate.
17. Dolphins -- No. 29 on offense, No. 30 on defense. Yuk!
18. Broncos -- Keenum is just a guy.
19. Panthers -- Complete collapse.
20. Washington -- Injury ruined their season.
21. Packers -- It's all about the next coach.
22. Giants -- Manning is the problem.
23. Lions -- Stafford not getting it done.
24. Bucs -- No. 1 passing attack.
25. Falcons -- Major decisions lurking.
26. Bengals -- They should be better than this.
27. 49ers -- Still playing hard.
28. Bills -- Holding their head high.
29. Jets -- Darnold is for real.
30. Jaguars -- Coughlin time?
31. Raiders -- No words.
32. Cardinals -- Rosen isn't the answer.

Matthew from Oshkosh, WI
Vic, Green Bay has two first-round picks in the upcoming draft. Would GM Vic take a QB in the first round?
That decision was made the day the Packers signed Aaron Rodgers to a new contract.

T.J. from Tampa, FL
The offensive fumble into the end zone has got to be about the dumbest rule in the book, no?
I don't like it, either, but if it's changed to give the ball back to the offense, I don't think the offense should be allowed to take possession at the one-yard line. I think giving the ball to the offense at the one-yard line would result in guys "throwing" the ball at the pylon. I favor penalizing the offense for fumbling the ball through the end zone; assess a 10-yard penalty from the original line of scrimmage.

Matt from New York, NY
The scheme-crazy folks aren't looking so hot right now, huh? Teams catch up throughout the year. Players, not plays.
Schemes win early, players win late.

Joshua from Mankato, MN
Live with hope, not expectancy,
And allow perspective to set you free,
For expectation, evil sister of hope,
Morphs man into lycanthrope,
While hope keeps us going,
When all is lost.
I’m Joshua from Mankato,
Did you expect Robert Frost?
When the season is done,
We'll know who's No. 1,
And offseason predictions,
will become contradictions.

Malcolm from Ossian, IA
If the Jaguars can get a first and second for Ramsey, what do you think the Packers can get for Rodgers, if they want to trade him?
They might get two ones. Remember, Rodgers' bonus amortization would stay with the Packers, which would make him very attractive in a trade. A team trading for Rodgers could even restructure his contract, push money out and make room on their cap to use in free agency. The Packers have too much invested in Rodgers, in cap room and in real money, to bail on his contract after just one season. The bonus money acceleration on the Packers' cap would be devastating.

Curt from York, PA
Vic, here’s another Bill Fralic story. Penn Hills High School just played in the 5A state title game on Dec. 7 in Hershey, a long drive from Pittsburgh. It was reported Fralic had the team travel on 12/6, then he paid for all the hotel rooms for the team that night so they would be fresh for the game on 12/7. A class act to the end! By the way, Penn Hills won.
That's a wonderful story about a great player and the game we love. It's a game of the heart.

Randy from Medicine Hat, AB
If there was such a thing as a time machine that transported today's starting quarterbacks to a season in, say, the sixties, which ones would excel in that era? Could any of the sixties' quarterbacks thrive in today's game?
All of the sixties top quarterbacks would excel in today's game, but not all of today's top quarterbacks would excel in the sixties.

Jonathan from St. Joseph, MO
As of now, who is your league MVP? I feel Brees' struggles on the road hurt his chances.
Brees and Mahomes are the easy picks. I'd like to see Aaron Donald get it because I'm tired of the MVP award going to quarterbacks.

Mike from Rochester, MN
If you could build a team around one QB/coach combination (past or present), who would you choose? Can't say Belichick/Brady or Noll/Bradshaw.
Walsh/Montana.

Shawn from Kissimmee, FL
Do you think Jimmy Graham will be on the Packers' roster next fall?
His dead money isn't the issue because his cap hit spikes next year and he'd become a cap savings cut (don't pay roster bonus). There are two main issues: 1) Do you walk away from the $11 million signing bonus paid to him after just one season? 2) Or do you pay him the $5.3 million roster bonus he's due on 3/15/19 and risk wasting more money on a bad signing? I think I'd go one more season with him. His cap structure makes 2020 his out year.

​Zahir from London, UK
Perhaps I misunderstood but I thought you always said teams that didn't abuse the cap by going all in on free agency did not have periods when they went dark? That was supposed to be the upside to Ted's philosophy of draft and develop. But if consistently drafting at the bottom catches up with you, why wouldn't you take a few shots in free agency/trades?
First of all, there's a big difference between "all in" and a "few shots." I'm all for a few shots in free agency and/or trading. I've been a strong advocate of patching. What I don't like is expensive free agency, and too much of it will absolutely turn you dark. You think this is dark? Zahir, this isn't dark. Going dark is defined as a long non-playoffs run and period of hopelessness. Going dark is what the Broncos are doing. They went all in on free agency, got a title and killed their cap. Now, in their desperation to avoid going dark, they're trying to catch lightning in a bottle. They signed Case Keenum, whose salary spikes to $18 million next season and will likely force the Broncos to find another answer at quarterback. The Broncos are in the kill-the-cap death spiral, which is defined by pie-in-the-sky change: coaches, quarterbacks, philosophy, etc. The Packers have a healthy cap and I expect them to clear more room in the offseason. They have young talent on the rise and I have no reason to believe they're going dark. Take care of your cap and your cap will take care of you. You'll never be without hope.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the football season.

Brad from Jacksonville, FL
Vic, after the game, when asked about the job security of Doug Marrone, Jalen Ramsey replied, “I ain’t worried about nobody but myself.” Adversity draws out true character, and this reinforces what we knew. Would you keep him on your team? If they decide he isn’t worth the headache, what do you think his trade value would be?
I think the Jaguars could get a one and a two for Ramsey, despite the double negative. They should consider it; it might help them find the quarterback they need to take them into their future. That's the Jaguars' No. 1 concern. It's ridiculous for a team with Bortles' contract to be as bad offensively as the Jaguars are. Fifty-seven yards passing? The Jaguars need to do whatever it takes to fix the quarterback situation.

Braden from Milwaukee, WI
It will be an interesting offseason. I'll be excited to see what else Gutekunst does to this roster. To me, the biggest question is Rodgers. Does a better supporting cast get him back to the level we expect? Does a new coach?
It's not the coach, but it could be the supporting cast. Let's hope it is.

Isaac from Abiquiu, NM
I listened to the game on the radio, and it sounded like Rodgers missed some open receivers. What did your eyes tell you?
My eyes suggest Aaron Rodgers isn't on the same page with his young receivers. Let's hope that's it.

Lane from Orlando, FL
Vic, will Tom Coughlin be back on the sidelines again next season for the Jaguars?
I'd love to see it happen: the concentration line, two feet on the floor, no sunglasses, ties tight to the collar, Coughlin time, the whole bit. Who will be the first to file a grievance?

Mark from Eau Claire, WI
I thought the Bears/Packers game was an enjoyable watch, even though my team ended up losing. You?
It was just OK. It didn't give me that border war feeling I expected of this game when I began covering the Packers. A big part of the reason for that is the Packers and Bears have been two ships passing in the night. When the Packers were on the way up, the Bears' arrow was pointing down. Now, the Bears are on the way up and the Packers are in a transition that'll determine how quickly their arrow will begin pointing upward again.

Phil from Madison, WI
Vic, I don't like watching Rodgers miss throws. I don't like watching the Bears run over our offensive line. I don't like watching our pass rushers miss Trubisky time and time again. However, I do like turning off the game, going on a beautiful evening walk with my fiance and enjoying a delicious supper, all things I can control. Thank you for helping us achieve proper perspective over the years; you prepared us well.
Fretting isn't the solution. Winning caused the problem. Losing will fix it. It's the life cycle of an NFL team.

Roger from Auburn, CA
Hopefully, this will end the questions about the Philbin era. I guess McCarthy wasn't the problem after all.
One loss and it's over? Coach Noll said when you win you're great and when you lose you stink. I guess he was right. Seriously, let's all try to calm down and achieve a greater sense of where the Packers are and where they're headed. The Bears game was meaningless to the big picture. Please, stop seeking immediate solutions.

George from Manassas, VA
Vic, you were right. It wasn't a mutiny.
It wasn't a mutiny, it's a team in transition. The moment Packers fans accept the transition, the Packers' arrow will begin pointing upward. It's all about perception and expectation. Hanging on is a killer.

Nate from Plymouth, MN
I see the Packers always beat the Bears the same way the Jaguars always beat the Steelers. What do your eyes tell you when you watch Aaron Rodgers? He hasn't looked the same this season.
I'm not skilled enough to know what's wrong. Ultimately, it comes down to the production. Did you watch Tom Brady last night? Ten points, against a defense that was just scorched by the Raiders? Arm strength is a big thing with me. Can the quarterback still hit the honey hole? If he begins living between the numbers, I get suspicious. If he can't hit the honey hole, he's done. Brady is beginning to live in the middle of the field. With Rodgers, I worry about the 13 screws. Are they costing him some accuracy?

Justin from Titonka, IA
Nagy almost cost his team the game with his creativity. How should Packers fans watch the rest of the season?
The fourth-and-2 go-for-it was ridiculous. It was wild and reckless. It was a coach trying too hard to be the star. I'm not sold on Matt Nagy. He was handed a team that was ready to go. I get the sense he's just a play-caller. If he had hair, I think he'd probably comb it the same way Sean McVay combs his. Packers fans the rest of the season? Does it matter? Enjoy the two games left. Eat a pizza while you watch. Whatever it takes.

Patrick from Indianapolis, IN
Vic, in your opinion, is there a team with a fan base that's more ignorantly entitled than Green Bay's? I can't believe how many of them don't seem to understand what's happening. It's about to go dark for quite a while.
At least they didn't steal their team from another city.

Randy from Billings, MT
I watched Mike Pettine's interview this week and his body language says a lot. Are all the coaches putting out feelers about now?
Yes, of course. Major change is on the way. Traditionally, when you fire the head coach, you fire everybody.

Adam from Wausau, WI
I would imagine teams sign their top player with the assumption the cap will go up every year. What happens when it goes down?
There's no reason to believe we'll find out soon. The NFL updates its teams on revenue projections. If the league thought revenue was headed for a decline, it would alert its teams to that fact. I know of no such alert.

Karl from Carmichael, CA
Vic, tell us a story about Mr. Fralic.
I was a young sportswriter when word began to spread of a 300-pound killer lineman at Penn Hills. I went to see him play in a playoff game. I was expecting a fat kid who couldn't move his feet. What I saw was a powerful and athletic high school lineman. He dominated the line of scrimmage. Fralic went on to a great college career, which included a blocking term created for him to promote him for individual awards. The term "pancake block" was created by the Pitt SID, and after each game Fralic's pancakes total was updated and trumpeted. He played on those great Pitt lines that included Jimbo Covert, Russ Grimm and Mark May, and were coached by the legendary Joe Moore. I got a cold feeling when I heard the news of Fralic's passing. It seems like only yesterday I was on my way to see the killer lineman from Penn Hills.

Tyler from Red Deer, AB
Your response of what if McCarthy was hired as the Vikings' head coach really got me thinking. If that happens, what do you think of a coach swap? I think Zimmer is also a great coach. I salivate as to what that would do to ramp up what is, in my opinion, the Packers' current biggest rivalry.
I can't see Mike Zimmer coaching the Packers, but I can see Mike McCarthy coaching the Vikings, not right away because I think Coach Zimmer is safe for at least another year but, after that, you never know. McCarthy coaching the Vikings could make life a living hell for Packers fans.

Glen from Eugene, OR
Is that stubble?
I call it retirement.

Elizabeth from Madison, WI
The Patriots have drafted at the bottom of the order for a long time. Why hasn’t it caught up with them?
How many times do I have to answer this question? The Patriots have Tom Brady. That's why. He's the GOAT. He's tilted the field so dramatically not even Bert Bell could beat him. He can take his and beat yours, and then he can take yours and beat his. I don't know how much longer he can do that because I see signs of aging, but he's done it since 2001 and it won't surprise me if he does it again this season.

Zach from Jacksonville, FL
Vic, what's better for the Packers, winning or losing these last few games?
Losing, but you play to win. Nuts, huh?

Adam from Chicago, IL
What does “always buy, never sell” really mean?
Philosophically, it means addition is better than subtraction.

Nick from Owego, NY
Do you think McCarthy would ever coach college? I think he could be a real positive influence to young men.
He began his career on the college level and I get the sense he enjoyed it. He's got the kind of honest, caring personality that appeals to a recruit's parents. I have no doubt he'd be a success on the college level, but I think it's too much of a step down for a coach who will be in great demand on the NFL level.

Dimitris from Athens, Greece
Vic, I'm so excited to read your opinion because here in Greece we are not many that we are watching NFL. I'm a Jets fan and 29 years old. Do you think I will see them starring?
Based on what I saw of Sam Darnold on Saturday night, I think you will soon see the Jets starring.

Chris from Minneapolis, MN
I just saw the league has updated the Rooney Rule. Do you feel teams take the rule seriously, or is it just an administrative hurdle?
Prior to the Rooney Rule (2003), only six percent of the NFL's head coaches were of minority descent. Currently, it's 22 percent. I think the Rooney Rule has been successful in promoting and identifying minority coaches.

Stephen from Jacksonville
I read the story this week where Stephen Curry and several other NBA basketball players claimed man had never been to the moon and, frankly, I’m angry. Astronauts are among the bravest men and women in the world. In order to do their job and voyage into space to conduct scientific research, experimentation and exploration, they have to sit upon giant missiles that could explode before they ever get off the ground. Mankind’s greatest technological accomplishment of sending astronauts to our natural satellite and returning them safely to Earth deserves greater respect and admiration. Curry’s comments are an affront to the sacrifices of all astronauts, including those who perished in the Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia disasters. What do you make of Curry’s recent moon landing comments?
Stephen, the stock market is in free fall, our president could be facing impeachment proceedings, we're involved in a trade war with China that's casting doubt on the future of our global economy, and the Jaguars stink. The moon landing? Really? Why would you even read a story about men who play basketball for a living making commentary about outer space travel? Most of those guys are taking so many drugs they spend their lives in outer space without having to leave Earth. You need a hobby.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the football season.

Tony from Onalaska, WI
Despite having the goofiest throwing motion, I've come to respect Rivers. He plays with a lot of heart and bravery. What do you make of the Chargers after that win?
I wrote in this column we'd get a feel for the Chargers in December, when they play games at Pittsburgh and at Kansas City. They're 2-0 in those games and I think the feeling now is the Chargers might be the best team in the AFC.

Gunars from Iowa
So what is the issue with Atlanta? Is it a talent issue or coaching or some other disconnect?
They're soft on defense and getting old on offense. Matt Ryan is showing some age and Julio Jones can't stay healthy.

Jason from West Concord, MN
Vic, In the last two seasons, the pitchfork fan base has chased off our GM, defensive coordinator and now the head coach, all three of which have demonstrated the ultimate levels of winning in the past. Our new free agency philosophy has netted the team its first miss of the playoffs with a healthy Rodgers since his first year as a starter. I'm worried we're running out of people to blame. Who should we blame next?
Bert Bell.

Mark from St. Charles, IL
If "lack of creativity" is one of the seven deadly football sins, what are the other six?
1. Predictable play-calling. 2. Taking your foot off the gas. 3. Bad time management. 4. Trusting your defense to get the ball back. 5. Not utilizing the tight end. 6. Wasting a timeout. Any one of the seven deadly football sins is reason to fire the coach.

Jim from Maple Grove, MN
Vic, it sounds like Bruce Arians isn't interested in the Packers job. In the past, you have expressed respect for Jim Caldwell, a former QB coach and offensive coordinator and a Wisconsin native. What could he bring to the table as the head coach of the Packers?
I have high regard for Caldwell. He coached under Joe Paterno, Tony Dungy and John Harbaugh, a trio of coaches who give Caldwell a well-rounded background. Caldwell is a calm and measured man who brings stability to a franchise and expertise to the quarterback room. I think the Lions made a big mistake firing him. Be that as it may, I don't think he's a good fit for the Packers, and it's because I don't think he'd be enthusiastically received by the Packers fan base. The next Packers coach must be perceived to be an upgrade from Mike McCarthy, and that might limit the Packers to a young, exciting coach with a reputation for being a play-calling and game-planning wizard. Packers fans love plays as much as they love players.

Dan from Silver Spring, MD
Vic, would you expand on "Dark days have begun" for the Steelers? Do you mean the next couple of weeks and the playoffs likely slipping away, or are you thinking bigger picture?
Drafting at the bottom of the order has caught up to the Steelers. They haven't been able to fix their defense and Ben Roethlisberger is reaching the age that he won't be able to cover the Steelers' weaknesses. Sound familiar? I expect the Steelers to go dark for a few years, as the Browns take their turn at the top of the AFC North. I'm describing the life cycle of a team with a great quarterback.

Derek from Eau Claire, WI
What do you currently think of Kirk Cousins? Can he lead the Vikings to a Super Bowl?
I hesitate to say yes, but I can't say no, and that's why Cousins got the big deal in the offseason. He's a tease. He turns it on and looks great, but he doesn't seem to be able to sustain that high level of play. The Vikings signed him to be an upgrade over Case Keenum, which I think Cousins is. Cousins has a 97.4 passer rating with 24 touchdown passes and nine interceptions; Keenum is 84.3, 15 and 10. The Vikings knew they were overpaying, but they were willing to do it in pursuit of a Super Bowl title. As Wayne Weaver once said, the Super Bowl is a powerful opiate.

Billy from Verona (wherever that is)
Do you have a favorite NFL Films episode?
"The Violent World of Bill Saul." He was the first player NFL Films wired for sound in a game.

Nathan from New York, NY
Should the Vikings hire McCarthy as offensive coordinator?
What if they hire him as head coach? Uh oh.

Jerry from Savannah, GA
Vic, what do you think happened to the Vikings?
They ate the pizza.

Ben from Hilo, HI
Which NFL rosters are built for December?
If the AFC road to the Super Bowl goes through Kansas City and New England, the Titans and/or Ravens could be tough to beat. They can run the ball and play defense. The NFC road to the Super Bowl will go through New Orleans and Los Angeles, which renders weather meaningless and favors nobody.

Elten from Pleasant Lake, IN
Would you be comfortable with the Packers hiring a head coach, Pat Fitzgerald or anyone else, who had no NFL coaching experience?
I think the world of Fitzgerald, but college football is a very different game than pro football. I think it would be best for the Packers to find a coach with a strong pro football background.

Jon from Bloomfield, NJ
Vic, a while ago you said only cretins eat fast food in their car. Is that because it's dangerous to eat and drive? Or is it because of the mess it makes in your car? It's been bugging me off and on for a few months now. Please lay this to rest for me.
It's because of the mess it makes of your soul.

Maggie from Kenosha, WI
Now that we're 14 weeks into the season, which team would you say has surprised you the most?
In a good way, I'd say it's probably the Colts. Andrew Luck's career was in jeopardy and in every other way the Colts were ordinary to subpar. Frank Reich is a candidate for coach of the year. If the Colts can win at home against the Cowboys and Giants, the Colts' season will be defined by their Week 17 game in Tennessee. I can't help but wonder what Josh McDaniels would've accomplished with this Colts team.

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, what are your expectations for the Packers/Bears game?
I'm not surprised by what the Bears have accomplished this season, but I don't think they're an elite team. They're a cut above the Packers, but not unbeatable. I expect Aaron Rodgers to torture them, as he's seemingly always done, and I expect the Packers to win because the Packers always beat the Bears. Even Brett Hundley beat the Bears. It's the most one-sided, overrated rivalry in the NFL. Until the Bears beat the Packers, I'm not going to change my mind so, please, don't barrage my inbox with tear-stained emails about Lombardi, Ditka, Chester Marcol, etc. Since I began covering the Packers, they're 13-2 against the Bears, and would be 14-1 if Rodgers hadn't broken his collarbone in 2013. That's not a rivalry, it's a ritual.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the football season.

Here's the "Ask Vic" Week 15 power rankings:
1. Saints -- Back in the top spot.
2. Rams -- Not playing their best football.
3. Chiefs -- Mahomes masks soft defense.
4. Chargers -- Rivers' best chance.
5. Cowboys -- It's all coming together.
6. Seahawks -- The team you don't want to face.
7. Bears -- But can they beat the Packers?
8. Patriots -- Finding ways to lose.
9. Texans -- Not so fast, my friend.
10. Titans -- It's all up to Mariota.
11. Colts -- Don't count them out.
12. Browns -- Best team in the AFC North.
13. Ravens -- Saving Harbaugh's job.
14. Vikings -- Clinging to sixth seed.
15. Steelers -- Dark days have begun.
16. Eagles -- Tough to repeat.
17. Dolphins -- Worst 7-6 team in the league.
18. Broncos -- Respectable.
19. Panthers -- The wheels have fallen off.
20. Packers -- Spirit will be tested in Chicago.
21. Giants -- Barkley might be the best back in the league.
22. Washington -- All is lost.
23. Lions -- Non-descript season.
24. Bucs -- Could make a move next season.
25. Falcons -- They quit.
26. Bengals -- Change soon to happen.
27. Jets -- Darnold gives them hope.
29. Bills -- Allen going through growing pains.
29. Jaguars -- Lack discipline.
30. 49ers -- Really not that far off.
31. Raiders -- X-ray machine gets a game ball.
32. Cardinals -- Three points? Really?

Chad from Kansas City, MO
What does it all mean, Vic? I can't wait for Sunday.
Don't seek meaning, seek entertainment. There is no meaning until a new head coach is hired. That's when change begins and change is the team's future.

Ben from Indianapolis, IN
If the Browns and Packers both get a Christmas miracle, will in-season coaching changes become more popular?
I think we're headed for more of it either way. The fans love to fire the coach. It's a mania and it fuels interest and creates positive energy. It doesn't matter who the coach is. Belichick? I wonder how many Patriots fans said "Belichick should be fired" following that final play in Miami last Sunday. McVay? The boy genius couldn't even score a touchdown against the Bears. What if McVay fails again to win a playoff game? Should he be fired? John DeFilippo? His name was floated as a possible successor to Mike McCarthy. Yesterday, he was fired from his job as Vikings offensive coordinator. Fire the coach is the hottest trend in football. It's the music that soothes the savage soul. Steelers legend Rocky Bleier has even gotten into the act. He wants the kicker cut and the defensive coordinator and Mike Tomlin fired. If you can stand back from all of this and maintain a sense of balance, this flurry of childish, irrational behavior is comical to observe.

Mike from Des Moines, IA
Is the Bears defense that good? Was it the cold? Both?
No, McVay spilled hair tonic on his play-call sheet.
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Joshua from Mankato, MN
I’m sure Philbin is a good coach, but you can’t argue with history. I can’t recall an instance when replacing a fired coach with one of his assistants has succeeded. Teams just end up with a simulacrum of the head coach they just fired. Better to start fresh, don’t you think?
The Bengals tried it with Dick LeBeau, but LeBeau wasn't a simulacrum. It looked like it was going to work, but then it didn't work. You could probably say that about 90 percent of the coaches hired: It looked like it was going to work, but then it didn't work.

Jason from Austin, TX
Vic, what was your reaction when you saw how the Miami game ended?
It didn't surprise me. That's today's game: 99-yard touchdown runs and wild open-field runs on the final play of the game. The Steelers did the same lateral thing in Oakland -- sometimes I think the NFL distributes a uni-playbook -- but then the kicker slipped and fell on a shortish field goal try. Drama is off the charts. Roethlisberger rose from the dead to lead a potential game-winning, 75-yard touchdown drive, but he made the mistake of scoring too quickly. I guess he wasn't hurt enough. Nothing surprises me anymore. A few weeks ago, Carolina looked like a killer, now it looks like road kill. The Jaguars went from shutting out the Colts to being trampled by the Titans; the Colts went from being shutout to beating the hottest team in the AFC. FULL CONSISTENCY? How about FULL INSANITY? The best advice I can give fans are three words I learned from the late, great Frank Gansz: "Come to balance!" Seriously, for your own sake, don't become so emotionally invested in today's NFL that losing causes you to become unhinged. Today's NFL is a wild game meant to attract and entertain casual fans. Maintain a safe emotional distance from it. No game is worth despair.

Rik from Santa Fe, NM
What do you think of the way the Saints are using Taysom Hill this season? He actually blocked a punt this past weekend! In a nutshell, the fact the Packers cut him seems indicative of their lack of creativity on offense.
Hill will long be remembered as the player who took down the House of Thompson. Who would've thought? Thompson, McCarthy, Capers: They're all gone now. Hill did it. Of the seven deadly football sins, lack of creativity is the greatest.

Matt from Philadelphia, PA
Vic, you’re on a roll with metaphors lately.
I know, Matt, and thanks for noticing.

Hans from Virginia
Vic, I still remember the gist of the first question you ever answered of mine on packers.com back in 2011. It made me laugh at myself, and then think more deeply. I appreciate the unique perspective you have added to my football fan experience over the years. All the best.
I knew a kid named Hans. He was anorexic. He ate the apple turnover I was saving for breakfast and then threw it up on my powder room wall. In the morning, my apple turnover was gone and I had to clean up the powder room. I hate that name.

Craig from Twentynine Palms, CA
Now that Mike McCarthy is gone, that leaves three head coaches still in their same positions since he was hired: Bill Belichick (2000), Marvin Lewis (2003) and Sean Payton (2006). Let's stretch one more year to include Mike Tomlin (2007) in this list. Obviously, Belichick's success speaks for itself and Payton's Saints are retooled and resurgent. Tomlin has a Super Bowl win, never has had a below-.500 season and, besides, as you explained recently, there isn't a hot seat in Pittsburgh anyway. In my mind, that leaves Coach Lewis as the odd man out. To me, the Bengals are the very definition of an average team. Some good seasons with immediate playoff losses in the wild card round, mixed in with mediocre and downright poor seasons. Why is he still there?
Maybe Mike Brown believes Lewis is a good coach and wanted to give him every opportunity to succeed. It's unfortunate Brown's faith and patience have gone unrewarded. I think this season's collapse will be too much for Brown to endure.

Ryan from Green Bay, WI
Reggie McKenzie out. A guy who drafts Derek Carr, Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper. Football is a funny thing, Vic. What do you think?
It's the new NFL. Somebody has to take the fall for losing and it wasn't going to be Gruden with the money he's owed. Fans want someone to be fired because it's a way for them to release their anger. In that sense, it's probably healthy. Maybe I should stop resisting the trend.

Aaron from White Hall, AR
I agree with your statements on the Cleveland Browns and I've been telling people with the way that division is going, Cleveland will be top dogs in that division for the next 5-10 years. Who should they hire as head coach if they can't get Mike McCarthy?
Why would they be unable to get McCarthy? I can't imagine a better fit for McCarthy or for the Browns. Fate arranged this.

Tony from California
Vic, as a Packers fan, what kind of major change should I prepare myself for next season?
A new head coach usually means a new coaching staff and new ways, all the way down to new training methods, nutrition habits, training camp practice schedules, etc. When Bill Cowher replaced Chuck Noll, Cowher briefly moved the Steelers' bench to the other side of the field. What offense will the new coach run? Ball control, spread, misdirection? Zone blocking or drive blocking? Two tight ends or fullback? How about on defense: 3-4 or 4-3? The time is right to make the move to a 4-3 because the Packers don't have the outside linebackers a 3-4 needs, but if they make that move, they need to start drafting true 4-3 ends. So, you see, a new coach can mean major personnel changes. A new coach can also mean a new media policy. Will he be more or less media friendly? Will he conduct his press conferences at the same or different times? These are all questions Mark Murphy will ask of the candidates. It's not all about what play the coach will run on third-and-two. The Packers want to know they'll be hiring a guy who'll cooperate with the bicycle riding tradition, for example. They want to know he won't try to close training camp to fans. Murphy will seek change while protecting tradition.

Matt from Georgetown, TX
Vic, the Packers have a poll on their site to pick the best moment in their first 100 years. What moment would get your vote and why?
I would go with the victory over the Falcons because everything is fixed now and it looks like the Packers are going to the Super Bowl. That sneak thing is so long ago and the players back then were funny looking.

Anthony from Baraboo, WI
Vic, how did Sean Payton weather three consecutive 7-9 seasons in New Orleans? Why haven’t Saints fans run him out of town for wasting the prime years of his future Hall of Fame quarterback? How did they forgive him for the multiple heartbreaking playoff losses? He even endured the scandal of Bountygate. Are Packers fans less forgiving, or just more spoiled?
Something like Katrina helps you achieve perspective.

Edward from Canton, SD
With 46 seconds to go in the first half, Aaron Rodgers got sacked and so the Falcons coach assumed they would have to punt and he called timeout to give his team a chance for a field goal before halftime. All he did was leave the Packers enough time to try a long field goal after they got the first down. Coach McCarthy made the same mistake too many times, and it's part of the reason l am not sorry he was let go.
OK.

"Ask Vic" will publish on Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the football season.

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, what did the Packers' win yesterday reveal to you about the team and its leadership?
It didn't reveal anything to me because I don't think one game can do that when a team is in the midst of looking for a head coach. The Packers won in the cold at home against a dome team playing out the string. The Packers played well. That's what I got from yesterday's game. I'm not going to feel a sense of real meaning until I know who the next head coach is. Until then, I can't help but feel a sense of uncertainty.

David from Milwaukee, WI
Vic, do you think the Browns will win 10 games next season?
The Browns will be my pick to win the AFC North next season. All of the high picks have finally put the Browns on the right path. I watched yesterday's game and I was greatly impressed by Baker Mayfield. Coming out of college, I wasn't sure he had the arm strength to throw outside the numbers. I do now.

Daniel from Cedar Rapids, IA
Thoughts on the first game of the Philbin era? How many games does he need to win to become the next head coach?
Philbin era? Really? You're ready to refer to an interim head coach as an era? I think you're grossly over-reacting to the euphoria of winning a football game against a bad football team. Joe Philbin is a good football coach, but I think the Packers fan base would react with outrage if he was summarily named the team's next head coach based on a few wins late in a lost season. We'd be right back on the fire-the-coach train the first time the Packers lost next season. I think we all need to calm down and prepare for major change.

Justin from Titonka, IA
What did we learn about the Packers?
We learned they have fans who are really desperate to learn something.

Eric from Hudson, WI
Vic, I don’t think the Packers quit on Mike McCarthy but, after watching yesterday’s game, I certainly believe Aaron Rodgers did. He certainly seemed to be engaged.
I don't want to believe what you're suggesting is true, but I acknowledge Rodgers had a different look about him. He was joyful looking. I'm going to believe his joy was the product of victory, not mutiny.

Jerry from Savannah, GA
Vic, do you think Winston Moss hurt his chances of finding a job with his poor appearance on FOX’s pregame show?
I wish, for his sake, he hadn't done it. I'm not afraid of the truth and I think it's cathartic for all of us that someone with his inside knowledge should share that information with us, but I don't think he helped himself with his expose. A wise man once told me, "Take the high road." Mike McCarthy took the high road. The high road will take you where you want to go.

Dustin from North Port, FL
What do you think of an organization that chooses to add artificial noise (the siren)?
The siren or the train whistle and the PA guy screaming, "It's thirrrrrrd downnnnn!" make me laugh. The NFL treats fans like sheep, but the flock seems to enjoy it. Baaaa!

Mike from Charlotte, NC
Vic, how does a man like McCarthy lose his locker room? Where does a mutiny like the one we apparently saw this year begin? I highly doubt today's plays were any different than last week's plays.
I really, really hope you're wrong about this having been a mutiny. Maybe that's what we're going to learn from what's left of this season. I can accept losing. I will not accept mutiny.

Steve from Lake Stevens, WA
Do you have any thoughts or knowledge as to why things didn't work out for Joe Philbin in Miami?
The Richie Incognito situation made it nearly impossible for Philbin to keep his job.

George from Melon, WI
Vic, if the Packers continue to win games, would it be a no-brainer to hold onto Philbin/Pettine for next season?
As coordinators? I've never known a new coach to retain both coordinators. Again, I think we need to prepare ourselves for major change.

Jason from Austin, TX
You mentioned Jeff Fisher was the coach when Aaron Donald was drafted, but how much of an impact does a coach have on a team's draft board? Maybe it's different for every team, but I would imagine the bulk of the draft board is put together by the scouting department and the GM, especially if you're drafting the best available player.
It's common for the GM to seek the head coach's opinion on a prospect. It's common for the head coach to do film study on the player, and for the head coach to give his opinion on the player's talent, technique and readiness to play in the NFL. It's also common for the coordinator and position coach to study the player and provide their opinions. Also, the GM and head coach would likely meet with the player in an interview session at the combine. The coach has to cook the dinner, and he's usually allowed to make some shopping suggestions.

Karl from Albuquerque, NM
Vic, what do you think about a college player who decides not to play with his team in their bowl game so he can prepare for the draft?
Bowl games are meaningless. I don't blame these guys for not playing in them. College football needs a makeover. I see empty seats at most games I watch. Before the season began, I read a story about declining student attendance at college football games, and I saw strong examples of that this season. I was stunned to see large expanses of empty seats at the South Carolina-Florida game. The Gators? The Swamp? Attendance at bowl games is embarrassing, but it's the TV ratings that speak the loudest. The ratings for college football are horrible. We're heading into another playoffs with teams from states that won't drive TV ratings. Alabama, Clemson and Oklahoma aren't going to turn on TVs in New York and California, and Notre Dame isn't the ratings powerhouse it once was. College football is living off its past.

Joe from Bloomington, IN
The running back stiff arm doesn’t need a rule change. Defense just needs to stop being nice. Grab the extended, vulnerable hand, do a quick torso torque to make the tackle and the accompanying limb dislocations and bone breaks will discourage repetition.
Or the rule could be changed.

John from Austin, TX
You seem to have a very favorable opinion of Jeff Fisher, while he is typically considered to have been a mediocre-at-best head coach by most pundits. Are there any bad head coaches at the NFL level? Who would you currently consider to be the worst head coach? Who do you think is the most overrated head coach?
Those who witnessed Fisher guide the Oilers/Titans through relocation from Houston to Memphis to Nashville have high regard for him. His team played in three cities and called four stadiums home from 1996-99. He oversaw a roster rebuild during that time, and developed Steve McNair from a small-college product to one of the NFL's premier quarterbacks. If Super Bowl XXXIV had lasted one more play, I believe the Titans would've won the game. Fisher kept the Titans on top for a full cycle, before age and attrition demanded a rebuild, and then Vince Young was forced on Fisher. He didn't want him. Fisher is too good an evaluator of talent to have wanted Young. Bud Adams was in love with Young because he led Texas to the national title, and that was the beginning of the end for Fisher and the Titans. The Rams represented another relocation assignment. Fisher oversaw construction of a roster that now includes Donald, Gurley and Goff. If Goff had come first, I think Fisher would still be the Rams' coach. I respect Fisher for the focused and physical brand of football I watched his Titans teams play when I covered the Jaguars. That's my historical perspective. I was there. I have an appreciation for what Fisher achieved in putting the Titans franchise on the football map.

Marcus from Seattle, WA
Vic, I've been wondering: How did you first publicize this site to capture enough questioners to get it started? I heard about it well after its first column.
I wrote a hello column one day and word of mouth provided a growing base of readers. We reached 15,430 unique visitors and 42,376 page views on Saturday, numbers that make me feel happy for the community this column has built through the years. I do this because I like to read and write. This is for fun and I'm happy to know so many people are engaged.

Scott from Lincoln City, OR
Vic, assuming Winston Moss and the si.com story paint an accurate picture, what does one do to hold Aaron Rodgers accountable? Is it even possible?
Accountability shouldn't be the goal. Cooperation is the goal. The new coach should be a person capable of bonding with Rodgers. Rodgers is "The Man." He's holding the Packers hostage with his talent and with his contract. Those are undeniable facts. The goal is to find a coach who can get the most out of what Rodgers has left in his career.