"Ask Vic" is published M-W-F through the football season.

Here are my all-important Week 17 power rankings:
1. Packers -- They have it all.
2. Chiefs -- Looked a little cheap in beating Falcons.
3. Bills -- Right on the Chiefs' heels.
4. Seahawks -- They can still win top seed.
5. Ravens -- Look out!
6. Saints -- They want no part of that Lambeau snow.
7. Bucs -- This is why they signed Brady.
8. Dolphins -- Playoffs at their fingertips.
9. Steelers -- Big Ben carried them to victory.
10. Colts -- Collapse might've cost them playoff berth.
11. Titans -- Pathetic performance in Green Bay.
12. Browns -- It's Mason Rudolph time.
13. Rams -- More than Goff's thumb is broken.
14. Cardinals -- Rooting for the Packers.
15. Washington -- Beating Eagles a tall order.
16. Bears -- Rivalry? Prove it.
17. Cowboys -- Hot team.
18. Chargers -- Best days are ahead of them.
19. 49ers -- They'll be back next season.
20. Falcons -- They show up every week.
21. Vikings -- You never know if they'll show up.
22. Raiders -- This isn't working.
23. Patriots -- All the wheels have fallen off.
24. Eagles -- Facing big decision at QB.
25. Panthers -- QB away from the top tier.
26. Giants -- Fell apart late in the season.
27. Bengals -- They play in the best division in the NFL.
28. Broncos -- Who are they?
29. Jets -- Maybe they don't need a QB.
30. Texans -- No heart, no soul.
31. Lions -- Who will finally fix this?
32. Jaguars -- OK, you got it.

David from Jacksonville, FL
Vic, I know it's early, but have your scouting friends said much to you about Lawrence? I recall you not exactly being sold on him following the national championship game.
I haven't heard one negative word spoken of Trevor Lawrence.

Barry from Hayward, WI
Vic, what do the Bears have to do to stop the Packers?
Rush Rodgers. It was the only time the Titans were able to get a stop. Dropping seven won't work if you can't get him out of his rocking chair. He's finding open receivers as though they're coming off the sideline during the play. Rush everybody you can. The Bears traded for Khalil Mack for this game. The formula for beating the Packers is stop the run and rush Rodgers. Is there a team in the NFC that can execute that strategy?

Brian from Pleasant Prairie, WI
I'm not going to push Aaron Jones off a cliff after one big game from a rookie. What do your eyes tell you after a full game with Dillon? Is he really a pounder? Or was Tennessee playing soft?
He's a true pounder. Tennessee soft? Yeah, I think the Colts' loss earlier in the day might've softened them. The Titans were listless early and, frankly, I don't think Henry ran hard. The Packers' barrage of points left the Titans wanting a burger and an aisle seat. Jones' dash down the sideline was the big play. The Titans aren't a shootout type of team. Be that as it may, the Packers kicked their butts.

Justin from Riverview, FL
What could the Titans have done to beat the five-man front the Packers showed?
They could've run more of that read option play on which Tannehill scored. The Packers were still tackling Henry as Tannehill ran past them. You would've seen more of that if the Titans could've gotten a stop on defense and turned the game into a tug of war. What the Packers' big early leads do is make opponents one dimensional. That's why I would vote for Rodgers for MVP. His play impacts both sides of the ball more than any other quarterback in the league.

Dave from Chippewa Falls, WI
I pulled a screen shot from "Game Pass" of the overhead shot of the line of scrimmage on the blocked field goal attempt. The three guys on the end are offside. Helmets are over the ball.
Go Pack Go!

Simon from Santa Clara, CA
I was expecting Monday's column to be full of chortling. Did you censor the questions, or are Packers fans learning?
It was the greatest chortling inbox in "Ask Vic" history.

Dallas from Canada
I sent you a question about resting starters before the playoffs. At that time, I was under the (false) impression the Packers had secured the bye. My apologies.
It doesn't matter. You can't rest starters for the most overrated rivalry in professional sports. It's a border war, Keith.

Kate from Green Bay, WI
I love that the Packers gave A.J. his debut in the snow. Big backs with Eddie Lacy-like thighs are tough on a defense that doesn't play in those conditions very often. How will he do on a dry field with better footing and quicker response times from the defense?
In the snow, the Steelers gave the ball to Rocky, not Franco. Horses for courses.

Craig from Weare, NH
Thank you for turning the comments back on, however, I'm still banned. I know I misbehaved, but that was a very long time ago and I didn't do anything nearly as bad as some people. If possible could you un-ban me?
I told you, I don't know how to do it. I banned you by mistake but I don't know how to un-ban you. You're screwed. I'm sorry.

Larry from Milton, WI
Thank you for this venue. I am wondering what makes a great receiver. I know they are a dime a dozen, yet, they get paid so much more. What traits would drive you to keep one and pay him? Great hands? Speed? Agility? What? Thanks and have a great New Year!
I'll pay a guy who can run after the catch.

Erik from Minneapolis, MN
Has the lack of crowd noise this year resulted in higher quality play?
You have asked a great question. Thank you for being a thinker. Yes, I think it has resulted in a higher quality of play.

Clay from Council Bluffs, IA
How has college football changed over the last 10 years?
Liberty wanted to not score. Coastal Carolina was literally pulling the Liberty ball-carrier into the end zone when he decided to drop the ball before it crossed the goal line. Have we reached the point of having to practice how to not score? Too much strategy, not enough blocking and tackling.

Eric from Colorado Springs, CO
Is there a division with more young quarterback talent than the AFC West?
It's good. Mahomes is the best young talent in the NFL. Herbert reminds me of Marino. Carr might just need a better team around him. Lock has a great arm, but he reminds me of Jay Cutler. I direct your attention to the AFC North, where Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield and Joe Burrow appear to be good young quarterbacks.

Rik from Santa Fe, NM
As the Titans left the field for halftime, I wondered if the NFL has regulations regarding visitors' locker rooms. Maybe the heat isn't turned up quite as high as it could be? I believe Iowa still has Coach Fry's pink visitors' locker room. Any similar pranks still happening in the NFL?
As players leave the visitors' locker room at the new Mile High Stadium, the wall in front of them reminds them of the altitude at which they'll be playing. Coach McCarthy had the snow-removal people pile up the snow where the visiting team buses would unload. The Steelers were always "too late" for pregame introductions and the scoreboard at Riverfront Stadium would often go dark late in the game if the Steelers were trailing and had the ball. The Raiders turned off the hot water in the Jaguars' locker room following a game and the Jaguars had to go back to the hotel to take a shower. The Steelers' PA guy introduced Jerry Glanville as Gary Grandview, which means that was the name the PA guy was handed by the Steelers. The Patriots, of course, have been the kings of dirty tricks.

Morgan from Little Chute, WI
What would it take to stop Aaron Rodgers? Are Tampa Bay and Washington two defenses that could in the playoffs?
I don't see a defense in the NFC built to stop Rodgers. The Ravens are built to beat Rodgers.

Mark from Wausau, WI
Vic, I know it’s a small sample size and it’s difficult to compare eras, but is A.J. Dillon the best running back in the history of the NFL?
There's talk of a movement to waive the mandatory five-year wait and induct Dillon to the Hall of Fame immediately. By the way, why are most of the questions in my inbox spelling his name "Dillion?" Did I miss something?

Scott from Alaska
Did you hear Aaron Rodgers compare Davante Adams to Charles Woodson? Was Rodgers signaling belief Adams may eventually join Woodson in the Hall of Fame? If and insofar as Adams is special, what is it that sets him apart?
He's the only wide receiver who wears a crown.

Jamie from Dillon (or Dillion), CO
I’m not on board with trashing players’ styles of warming up, celebrating and getting attention. I realize the game wasn’t always this way, and I seldom find joy in watching it, but these men show off the way they do because that’s who they are and that’s what they do. I see plenty of downside to it, but I’ve never made it to the NFL. I don’t know what it takes. Neither does anyone who’s criticizing them. They alone know how they got there, and they’re choosing to dance. Are we really saying he shouldn’t dance for a warm up? Strikes me as old and out of touch.
OK.

Dillon (or Dillion) from Melbourne, FL
So, is it official it was Brady, not Belichick?
One more year like this and Belichick will be on the hot seat. I'm not kidding. That's today's game. The wolves will howl.

Matt from Schofield, WI
Aaron Jones did nothing wrong, but football fans can't help themselves. We get emotionally tied to players despite our best intentions. The writing is on the wall and Aaron Jones most likely won't be a Packer next year. So, despite your multiple pleas to just watch, we can't do that. If he's going to leave, we will try to prepare ourselves by falling in love with his replacement to make the breakup a little less jarring. It may not be rational, but fan is short for fanatic.
You're inviting disappointment. My inbox is full of hurt waiting to happen.

Justin from Canton, NC
You may have told it before but what was your favorite snow game you covered and why?
Steelers at Bengals, Nov. 28, 1976. It was a warm snow, a surprise snow. The first flake fell as the last helmet left the field for halftime. Then the skies exploded with white; the flakes sparkled in the lights. Riverfront Stadium was a snow globe. Within seconds the field was covered. When the players came out of the tunnel for the second half, they were in disbelief. Joe Greene said he thought he was in the wrong place. What followed was one of the most memorable halves of football I ever covered. It ended with Kenny Anderson pumping his arm and Dwight White pulling on Kenny's leg and Kenny launching a weak pass that fell harmlessly short of a wide open Isaac Curtis in the back-left corner of the end zone. I can see it as though it was yesterday. It was art. It was a writer's delight. It wasn't something you reported, it was something you painted on paper with a Royal portable. I am rich.

"Ask Vic" is published M-W-F through the football season.

Bob from Houston, TX
The Packers caught some lucky breaks with the nullified FG block and Jones stepping out of bounds, but did they really just do what I thought I just watched them do?
They played to their identity. They got a big early lead and took the Titans out of what they do best. Aaron Rodgers is playing a style of quarterback I had never seen previously. He almost never needs to make a tight-window throw. He's playing lob ball to receivers who are wide open. It's as though he's playing a video game. He's beating teams with his brains.

Larry from Syracuse, NY
Vic, hope you had a good Christmas! I was worried about this Packers team being a scheme football team, but this looked like it was just the Packers doing whatever they wanted, and against a good, well-coached Titans team. Maybe they can play December/January football after all.
We will have a new No. 1 on Wednesday.

Michael from Eau Claire, WI
Vic, who does Aaron Jones play for next year? I like what A.J. Dillon brings to that backfield.
That's why the Packers drafted him. It's a game of replacement. In the salary cap era, you have to be willing to let players leave.

Ray from Clark, NJ
How about A.J. Dillon being a difference-maker in January?
Did Aaron Jones do something wrong?

Allison from Sioux City, IA
What are the repercussions for officials on blown calls? For instance, the highly questionable offsides penalty on Tennessee before the blocked kick. Do they re-watch tape, determine which calls they missed, which calls they got wrong, etc.?
Officials are reviewed and graded. The linesman who blew the offsides call will be downgraded, and I have a feeling he's the same guy who missed the call on Aaron Jones stepping out of bounds.

Travis from Stratford, WI
The crown made me cringe.
He looked like King Friday.

Justin from Canton, NC
When they ran Dillon up the gut on third and three in the red zone, in the snow, how did that make you feel? It was like a late Christmas present.
I peed my pants and forgot who I was for half an hour.

Dale from Lodi, WI
Does A.J. Dillon have light feet?
He's Peter Pan in cleats.

Nicholas from Owego, NY
Has the new playoff format affected the number of late-season meaningful games?
Whatever the NFL is doing, they should keep doing it. Week 16 might've been the best week of the season. Colts-Steelers, Browns-Jets, Falcons-Chiefs were great games, and those weren't the only ones.

Stern from Cedar Rapids, IA
Should the Steelers have drafted A.J. Dillon instead of Chase Claypool?
Fifty-seven catches, 772 yards, eight touchdowns; that's not good enough for you? Are you chortling?

Aidan from Jacksonville, FL
Do you think Trevor Lawrence is the clear best option for the Jaguars with the now-clinched first overall pick, or do you think they could look at their options and possibly trade away for more picks?
Does this question have to be answered now? What's the rush?

Jonathan from Southern Pines, NC
Vic, "Shade Man" here. I'll admit, I was getting way too high on the horse through 11-0. Steelers have been served some big humble pie the last few weeks. The line and Ben looked old and done. The offense looked horrid. The defense looked gassed. But then that second half comeback against the Colts was like a new team. What do you make of it?
It is one of the greatest comebacks of Ben Roethlisberger's career. He threw for nearly 250 yards in the second half. He put that lousy offense on his shoulders and carried it to victory. He made the know-nothing, click-bait website reporters who clamored for his retirement look like fools. If they knew anything about football they would've known Roethlisberger wasn't the problem, his offensive line was. He needs time to throw. All of those short passes shrunk the field and he needed to get the ball downfield to back defenders away from the line of scrimmage. The deep ball touchdown to Johnson changed the game. Following that play, the Colts had no answer for Roethlisberger. A very good defense was brought to its knees by one man, and without the help of a running game. He's not the Big Ben of old. He can't extend plays as he once did, but he still throws one of the most beautiful deep balls I've ever seen. The second one, the game-winner, was picturesque. He pump faked and then dropped a dead-armed throw softly into the receiver's waiting hands. "Shade Man," I hope you enjoyed the win because I think it'll be the last for the Steelers this season, but I also think it was a defining win for a team that over-achieved and for one of the great fourth-quarter quarterbacks in NFL history.

Brent from Nova Scotia, Canada
"This is a bad defense. The worst one I've ever had." How do you feel about Zimmer's comment?
It's either a parting shot or it's something an angry coach says when he knows his job is safe.

Dan from Rapid City, SD
What does Aaron Jones do that you don't like? Don't you mean Jamal Williams?
A backup running back? TV is now showing the pregame dance routine of a backup running back? You're probably right. I avert my eyes as soon as I see that stuff.

Darren from Alice Springs, Australia
Is Anthony Lynn the right head coach to lead Herbert and the arrow-pointing-up Chargers in the years to come?
I know Coach Lynn from my years in Jacksonville, where I came to regard him as a friendly man with a strong football acumen and leadership qualities. Why would you fire the coach of a team on the rise?

Dan from Varna, Bulgaria
In your honest opinion, do you believe spending billions on a new stadium will make any difference in Jacksonville if the product on the field doesn't change? The second part is building that new shiny stadium will cause price increases across the board. Do you think the market in the Jacksonville area is ready for that, given that even with the lowest ticket prices in the league the Jaguars are still having issues selling out?
The product on the field is about to change, so we're going to get an answer to your question in the next few years. In my opinion, Jacksonville is ready to blossom as an NFL market.

Paul from New Mexico
It seems pro scouts are vital to a team’s success, yet, we rarely hear of them. Do they prefer to work in the background, does the team prefer that they do, or am I misunderstanding this?
It all begins with scouting. How could any football fan not know that? Good teams have good scouts who provide solid information. It begins with that. The second phase of building a good football team is using that information to massage the draft and collect talent. Scouting isn't picking. Picking requires a distinctly different skill. A good scouting department relies on a GM who knows how to pick and move within the order. The Steelers' Kevin Colbert is expert at picking and moving. Brian Gutekunst is in the process of establishing a reputation for the same. The Jaguars haven't picked well, and that's why they're interviewing GM candidates.

Aaron from White Hall, AR
Vic, I understand about the Jaguars needing to take their time to figure out the difference between Lawrence and the rest of the quarterbacks. I’ve always believed in having as many picks as possible because you never know who that extra pick might become. My thing is the Jags have passed on so many guys that became someone, I would rather risk it with Lawrence and whiff than trade out and he live up to the hype.
You're drafting scared. You're not afraid of passing on the next Patrick Mahomes?

Braden from Milwaukee, WI
The college football playoffs are a joke. Two of these three have been in the playoffs for the last seven years: Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State. How exciting. How do you name a bowl game the Duke's Mayo Bowl and expect people to take your organization seriously? The money grab makes me sick.
College football TV ratings were down 30 percent over last year, in a Covid year when it was believed Americans were so starved for sports on TV ratings would spike. It was just the opposite and that's alarming for college football. The worst part is the majority of games that drew an audience of at least four million viewers were in minor league markets that don't offer the dollar reward major markets do. College football is dead where it counts. It lives where people don't.

Vincent from Seattle, WA
Vic, did you get to see any of the PGA father-son tournament? Charlie Woods looks like a natural.
Yeah. He's 11 years old and I'm already tired of him.

Morgan from Little Chute, WI
Is it a travesty the Lions have had a once-in-a-generation talent but literally nothing to show for it?
Stafford is not a generational talent. You're chortling. Be careful.

"Ask Vic" is giving you your Christmas gift early so you can spend tomorrow with kith and kin without interruption.

Dave from Savage, MN
A lot of us are interested in seeing more of A.J. Dillon. How is playing time determined during a game? Doesn’t the running backs coach typically make those decisions?
Play time is largely determined during the days leading up to the game and then plugged into the game plan. It's a decision made collaboratively between the head coach, the coordinator on that side of the ball and the player's position coach. There has to be a plan. If a sideline becomes too fluid it becomes chaotic. Plan and then execute the plan.

Mark from Missouri
Mel Blount made football the scheme-happy, offensive shootout it is today. Want to level the field between offense and defense? Revert.
Bump and run is gone forever. The fans couldn't tolerate 10-7 scores and the player safety movement can't allow a return to bludgeon ball. Everything about the popularity of today's game is built on the explosion of yardage and points. Fantasy football is the perfect example. The kind of leveling I envision is more subtle. Let's start with forbidding offensive players from assisting the runner. Blockers should be in front of the ball carrier, not pushing from behind. Let's also get rid of that stiff-arm-to-the-face privilege offensive players enjoy. Just do those two things and the field will level a little.

Scott from Lawrenceville, IL
There is a photo of Jordan Love (at the 12-23 practice) in wind up mode. His feet appear too far apart and he looks like what you describe as long. What I want to know is what did the GM that picked him see that made him take him?
He saw a big, strong, athletic quarterback who can stress defenses with his feet and be developed as a passer. The second part will determine whether or not Love will become "The Man."

David from Wisconsin
Is it better to commit to a 3-4, 4-3 or play a hybrid system?
I prefer a 3-4 base defense because it deepens the talent pool and the playbook. The Steelers have long been a 3-4 team, but T.J. Watt plays with his hand on the ground, just as Kevin Greene did. So, isn't that a four-man front? Please, don't trap yourself in terminology. Think function, not designation.

Will from Salt Lake City, UT
Who are some individual players you have seen that have been quietly having a good year? Something that may not be on a stat sheet.
I am greatly impressed by the Packers' offensive line. Brian Gutekunst has quietly built a young and ascending group. Not needing to spend a high pick on a left tackle has allowed it to happen. David Bakhtiari is a grossly underrated player.

Casey from Minneapolis, MN
Aaron said he attributes some of his success this year to a renewed emphasis on his footwork, timing his drops with the receivers' routes and playing within the offense. I know that is a staple of the West Coast system. How precise is that timing? Wouldn’t it be easy for a defense to play press man and disrupt the route?
The concept is the quarterback will begin his throwing motion as his back foot reaches the depth of the pocket. In a shotgun, it's positioning the feet to be ready to throw. It's called throwing on rhythm and Rodgers has done a lot of it this year. We often see it as a receiver breaks underneath a receiver who's clearing out the space.

Barry from Hayward, WI
Vic, how do you stop Derrick Henry?
Make him run laterally. That's what the Packers will try to do. They'll play him inside out and that'll put a lot of pressure on the outside linebackers to set the edge.

Steve from San Diego, CA
Why do you think Coach LaFleur never pays homage to the history of the Packers? I get living day to day but it seems to me not to soak the soul of the Packers into your vision is to ignore your DNA.
A little bit of that is OK, but too much becomes smug and nauseating. Coach McCarthy reveled in the Packers' tradition -- he genuinely loved it -- but sometimes I thought it was over the top. There were times I hoped those bikes would wreck.

Brian from Yakima, WA
Does it seem crazy it took almost an entire season to figure out the Steelers' weakness? Are defensive coordinators too conservative, or were the Steelers just good at hiding it?
The Steelers coaching staff did a great job disguising their weakness and playing to their strength, which is to say a quarterback who was willing to change his game. After a career of throwing the ball deep, the script was flipped on Roethlisberger and he willingly accepted his new role. I think he saw it was for his own good. In my high school coach's words, the Steelers can't block a toilet seat. The Cowboys were the first team to see it and attack it. At that point, the word was out and it was just a matter of time before the Steelers would get to where they are now. Can they flip the script back to what it was previously? If they can't, they may not win again. In my opinion, it's blow-it-up time for the Steelers. Time at the bottom of the draft has caught up to them and there's no eluding it any longer. They are old and depleted up front. They need a complete rebuild.

Todd from Prairie du Chien, WI
How would you fix college football?
It begins with recruiting. Reduce the number of scholarships and stiffen the rules for rescinding them and there'll be more talent available to the lesser programs. In turn, those programs will get better and that'll attract more fans to their games and grow their fan base, and that's good for college football in general. I would also increase eligibility to five years but eliminate red-shirting.

Connor from Greenville, SC
Justin Herbert is "The Man." What can the Chargers do to finally kick the snakebitten, lovable loser part of their DNA?
They're doing it. Draft good players.

Adrian from Inglewood, CA
Can Trevor Lawrence keep the Jaguars in Jacksonville?
A commitment from ownership is required to keep the Jaguars in Jacksonville. I understand fans' excitement for the potential to have the first overall pick and use it to draft Lawrence, but I don't like that it's become a foregone conclusion. Everybody needs to slow down. This needs to be given deep thought as to how it might be strategized. The first overall pick in a draft that includes Lawrence could yield a treasure trove of draft picks and/or players. Let the phone ring! Do the homework necessary to rank the quarterbacks in a visionary way. Is Lawrence really that much better than every other quarterback in the draft? That's the question that needs to be answered before Lawrence is made the Jaguars' pick.

Bernabe from Monterrey, Mexico
I always wondered why Tom Flores and Jim Plunkett are not in the Hall of Fame. Are they the only two-time Super Bowl-winning HC/QB combo to not be named to the HOF?
They lack body of work. Marty Schottenheimer, for example, has the body of work but lacks championships. I prefer a candidate have both.

Ian from Wisconsin
Why would the Packers not go all in on Rodgers' last few years? If it works, great. If not, you save enough money with a new cheap QB to rebuild fairly quickly.
Wrong. If you go all in you don't rebuild fairly quickly, you deepen your dead money and kill your cap. Unless you get lucky, you're going to go dark for an extended period of time. The Broncos? Do you remember how everybody thought going all in was the right thing for them to do? How's that working for them now? They haven't been to the playoffs since. Imagine the howl if that was to happen to the Packers. Frankly, I was surprised by the Packers' decision not to go all in this year. After spending big in free agency in 2019, I figured they'd do the same this year, but they didn't. If the Packers go all the way this season, I would support going all in and trying to extend the run. Otherwise, I think I'd begin turning my attention to the future and life after Aaron Rodgers.

Ben from Hilo, HI
It's 1970. The Steelers lose the coin flip and the Bears use the first pick to draft Terry Bradshaw of Louisiana Tech. What does the ghost of Christmas yet to come show Vic about how his reporting career turns out?
Those teams helped me launch a career as a sports writer and Bradshaw was a big part of them. They were loaded with great personalities that helped me learn my craft. How would it all have been different? Maybe the Steelers would've drafted Mike Phipps and not realized their destiny. Or maybe they would've drafted Ken Anderson in round three the following year and Anderson would now have four rings and a bust in the Hall of Fame. Isn't the draft wonderful?

Tim from Ottawa, Canada
What are your thoughts on Sean Payton?
He's a great coach. He's not just an offensive coordinator. He knows the importance of defense.

Rafael from Cairo, Egypt
The Jets lost the first overall pick and now keeping Darnold around is an option. I remember at the beginning of his career you were quite excited about his play. What do you think was the reason for this decline and, more importantly, is he still recoverable?
He's a big guy with a great arm. His problem is he came out of college too early and was unprepared to play in the NFL, and the Jets have failed to develop him. What might another team do to reclaim his potential? Darnold would interest me much more than Wentz.

Bill from Forest Park, OH
The Steelers better start looking for a quarterback. Thoughts?
He's 38. You either enjoy stating the obvious or delight in the fact. How many teams can say they're set at quarterback for the long-term future? I got 10, and that's being liberal.

Tom from Bismarck, ND
Are we starting to get a glimpse of what it means to be acting like Pittsburgh people? The Ju-Ju thing is just senseless. Remember, he learned from the masters over the past half dozen years. Honestly, all of the idiotic celebrations for the simplest of football plays is so far out of hand it borders on insanity, not by the players, but for what must be a majority of fans who, apparently, tune in to watch it. Just between you, Ju-Ju and me, I don't know one person who thinks the celebration craze is good for the game.
I hate it. Smith-Schuster made a fool of himself. Aaron Jones' pregame routine is pukey, too. Smith-Schuster is in the final year of his contract; maybe he's trying to draw attention to himself. I doubt he'll be re-signed by the Steelers. Dime a dozen.

Don from Weaverville, CA
In the past you characterized Andy Reid teams as soft. Is that assessment still operative?
Yes, I still see Reid's team as soft. It's a scheme team. The two best teams in the league are scheme teams, which goes to show what can be accomplished with scheme when you have players who can execute it. The two best teams also have the two best players. Is it the scheme, or is it Mahomes and Rodgers?

Mike from Bergen, NJ
If I were Mike Tomlin, I'd take my "bye" in Week 16 and rest my starters, since the result is irrelevant in the larger picture. I would tell my team the playoffs start Week 17 and we would start by beating the Browns for the division title. Do you agree with that strategy?
I like the way you think. Here's another thought: If there's no homefield advantage in a Covid season, take both weeks off. Shut it down. What does it matter? The Steelers don't hang division title banners on their walls.

​"Ask Vic" will publish on M-W-F through the football season.

Here are my all-important Week 16 power rankings:
1. Chiefs -- Best in the best conference.
2. Packers -- Defining game this week.
3. Bills -- They got the feeling.
4. Colts -- This is their chance.
5. Titans -- Do they have the defense?
6. Seahawks -- Nothing special.
7. Ravens -- Getting hot.
8. Browns -- Hoping Steelers lose.
9. Rams -- The Jets?
10. Saints -- Not all that.
11. Bucs -- Where's the beef?
12. Dolphins -- Defense for real.
13. Cardinals -- Don't count them in, yet.
14. Washington -- Best of a bad division.
15. Steelers -- Playing the worst football in the league.
16. Bears -- Too little too late.
17. Patriots -- Signing Newton wasn't genius.
18. Vikings -- Gross under-achievers.
19. Giants -- Looked weak vs. Browns.
20. Raiders -- Autumn wind not a Raider.
21. Eagles -- Stayed with Wentz too long.
22. Cowboys -- Still in the hunt.
23. 49ers -- Need offseason reset.
24. Chargers -- Herbert headed for stardom.
25. Bengals -- Good for them.
26. Broncos -- Is Lock the next Jay Cutler?
27. Panthers -- Change begins.
28. Texans -- Future not bright.
29. Falcons -- Collapses continue.
30. Lions -- They'll screw it up.
31. Jets -- When winning is losing.
32. Jaguars -- He who is last shall be first.

Dustin from Elk Mound, WI
Kevin Greene. Surely I speak on behalf of many of us in asking you to share your thoughts, feelings, memories of both the Hall of Fame football player and the man.
My first impression of Greene came during a preseason game in the year he was signed by the Steelers. I was visiting with Coach Noll in one of his rare returns to Three Rivers Stadium. He had his binoculars on the action when he said, "Ninety-one can play." That's all I needed to hear. Later that season, I was assigned a magazine feature on Greene and Greg Lloyd and their diverse personalities in the Steelers defense. When I interviewed Greene, he was wearing driving gloves. He was a dude, for sure. My last visit with Kevin was in Green Bay. In an "Ask Vic" I was asked how the strong side of the formation is determined and I answered it was usually determined by where the tight end lines up, or in a two-TE set, it's the side to which the true TE is positioned. Shortly after the column was posted, I got a call from Kevin. He asked me to come to his office, where he gave me a tutorial on bunch formations and how they were being used to disguise the strong side of formations. Kevin was a football man. He was a true member of the fraternity of football and I can remember him visiting with tailgating fans in the Three Rivers parking lot. My heart sank when I read of his death.

Robert from Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Assuming the Jaguars hit it out of the park with their QB pick and they get "The Man," how quickly would that change their fortunes? Do you think the level of talent on the rest of the roster is sufficient to compete for a playoff spot right away?
It can happen in year two.

Del from Sterling, IL
How big might that Week 17 matchup be between the Steelers and Browns?
If the Steelers beat the Colts this Sunday, the Steelers will clinch the AFC North title. If they lose to the Colts, the Steelers will limp into Cleveland in such a downward spiral they'll have no hope of beating anybody. The Steelers are playing the worst football in the league right now and, in my opinion, the root of the problem is their offensive line. Their two tackles were horrible against the Bengals. It's now obvious to me why the Steelers have been throwing short all season: They know they can't sustain their blocks long enough to allow routes to develop. Opponents have taken note. The Bengals were able to stop the run and rush the passer with four, which dropped seven into coverage. Roethlisberger's eyes were all over the field. Everywhere he looked he saw defenders. He didn't know where to go with the ball. The Bengals were dropping their linebackers at the snap of the ball. There was an almost total disregard for the line of scrimmage. I don't see it as a problem that's immediately fixable. It was disguised for most of the season but now it's been exposed and it will continue to be exploited.

David from San Francisco, CA
Realistically, how much money could the Packers save in the upcoming 2021 salary cap by restructuring Davante Adams' contract? What should the Packers use this cap space to accomplish?
He only has one year left on his contract, so it wouldn't be a restructuring, it would be a whole new contract and, given his level of play this year, a new contract would likely be pricey. You could do a salary-to-signing-bonus voidable to tack on a couple of dummy years, but that's not the Packers' style. A new contract could be structured to create a minor amount of cap room next year, but if you're looking to create cap room to sign free agents, look no farther than Aaron Rodgers. His is the contract that can create the most room in restructuring.

Chris from Lexington, KY
I was surprised to see the Panthers fired their GM. I thought they've been drafting well. "Team owner David Tepper said on a Zoom call he is looking for a general manager who is more analytical and data-driven." Is that his way of saying better salary cap management?
No, it means Tepper wants a GM who relies on data analytics in evaluating talent. It suggests to me Tepper and Matt Rhule are data analytics guys and Tepper wants a GM who believes in the same approach. Be that as it may, I think it must be acknowledged Marty Hurney was the GM of record when the Panthers recorded one of the most dynamic draft classes in the league this year. Their first three picks are outstanding.

Mike from Bergen, NJ
Do your scouting friends like Tony Pauline have anyone they favor as the next great NFL GM?
No and it's because the names aren't readily recognizable. Who are the hot personnel guys and coordinators? The names don't roll off your tongue because so many GMs and coaches have been fired there hasn't been enough time to replenish the supply. The wolves have eaten all of the meat.

Douglas from Binghamton, NY
Vic, I find the Steelers to be playing patty cake/non-big boy football more than any other playoff team right now. They constantly produce diva type/team disaster personalities: Antonio Brown, Le'Veon Bell and now Ju-Ju celebrates pre-game so he can post it on Tik Tok. You have said steroids were not illegal at the time, therefore, the teams of the '70's were not breaking any rule. I am convinced Tomlin was trying to trip the Raven on the sideline. My question is do you have a blind spot for the team from Pittsburgh?
No.

Braden from Milwaukee, WI
What defines a good season? Does the definition change if you're the Packers or the Jags? The negativity that surrounds the Packers is shocking to me: 11-3, No. 1 seed in the playoffs, an offense that is rolling, a defense that is ranked eighth in yards a game and 14th in points a game. We are plus-five in turnover differential. Are there weaknesses? Yes, what team doesn't have a weakness? I urge fans to stop focusing on the future, whether that's the Super Bowl or Aaron Rodgers' future in Green Bay. Enjoy the ride. Focusing on the future all the time doesn't allow you to enjoy the present and it's pretty good right now in Packerland. Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays. Thanks for being you.
OK.

Barry from Birmingham, AL
How many rushing yards can the Packers give up to Henry and win the game?
I think 150 is the line in the sand.

​Eric from Green Bay, WI
Vic, at what point is Rodgers allowed to be frustrated with the dropped balls?
Never! That kind of body language is not acceptable. Roethlisberger has endured a rash of dropped passes, but his body language was never negative. Johnny Unitas took teammates to task for missed assignments, but never for fans to see. I never saw Terry Bradshaw show up a teammate. I can say the same of Dan Marino and John Elway. Otto Graham was beloved by his teammates because he always had their back. The same can be said of Joe Montana. When has Patrick Mahomes' body language been negative. Russell Wilson? How about Bart Starr? In my opinion, Rodgers needs to pay more attention to his body language. TV knows he reacts negatively and the cameras are always on him.

Richard from Clearwater, MN
Brady has been shown on TV routinely yelling and screaming at the offensive players on his team on multiple occasions, and is simply labeled a fiery competitor. Rodgers shows a much tamer version of that same emotion and is essentially labeled a malcontent. Are six Super Bowl rings to one really the only reason this perception exists?
I'm not a fan of Brady's body language, either, but he does it differently than Rodgers. Brady admonishes and instructs, Rodgers dismisses and retreats. This past Sunday, Brady missed badly on a pass and TV showed him smacking himself repeatedly on the helmet. Frankly, I don't remember Brady being as animated when he was winning Super Bowls.

Nick from The North Pole
What does Vic want for Christmas?
I want questions that provoke thought instead of conflict. I want this to be a column read by true connoisseurs and students of the game of football, instead of an emotional reaction to victory and defeat. I want thinkers, not cheerleaders. I want readers who look for meaning, instead of meaningless gratification. I'm weary of modern day bravado. I want respectful conversation.

"Ask Vic" will publish on M-W-F through the football season.

Josh from Severna Park, MD
So this is what it has come to, celebrating another pitiful Jags loss with a Jets win, then double celebrating the Jets win because it came against the Rams and may improve the second first-rounder we have. Should I have hope or just the dread that comes with so many previous failures of drafting busts in the top five?
He who stinks last stinks best.

Kevin from DePere, WI
Vic, did the Jets just change the fortunes of the Jaguars for the next decade?
The Steelers won a coin flip for Terry Bradshaw. Ten years later, they had won four Super Bowls.

Anthony from Jamestown, ND
Did the Panthers defense exploit a weakness in the Packers offense that future teams could use against them, or did Green Bay just not play to the level we have become accustomed the last few weeks?
The Packers toyed with the Panthers. Again, we saw the Packers playing to the identity and style that'll win for them in the postseason. They overwhelmed the Panthers with points early. The Panthers were down 14-3 before they had a chance to establish a running game. At 21-3, the Panthers had to abandon their game plan and it was game over. The Packers are a very confident team. They know who and what they are and how they must play to win, and they are very confident in their ability to execute that style of play.

Nicholas from Superior, WI
Usually, when your team scores 24 points and wins the game you get to celebrate. Why did this one feel like such a stinker? What did the Panthers do differently? Did the Packers offensive line quit in the second quarter?
At this point in the season, all teams are tired. I didn't see a lot of desperation on Saturday night and, for the first time this season, I didn't think much of the Panthers' effort. I saw way too much smiling and friendly banter. As for the Packers' offensive line, I am thoroughly impressed with its play. The Packers' offensive line is moving the line of scrimmage, creating running lanes and finishing blocks. The Packers played as you would expect of a team that has bigger fish to fry. They're ready to start the postseason. Maybe that's what you're sensing.

John from Merrimack, NH
More of a comment than a question. I am still not buying the hype on this Packers team. I don’t feel like they’ve put together a full game this season and it appears they don’t adjust as well as most other teams. Their games against teams with losing records seem tight and they’ve not beaten a team with a winning record when they’ve played. It seems like next week against the Titans will be very telling for the Packers going into the playoffs. One team that jumps out as very exciting to watch is the Bills. They really seem to be doing the things I would like to see from the Packers down the stretch. Are there any other teams you feel are really getting hot?
I agree, the Titans game will give us a good feel for where the Packers are as they head into the postseason. I also agree the Bills have the look of a hot team. Their defense is on fire and Allen is making plays. Other than for the Packers and the Bills, I don't see a hot team. That'll likely change in the next couple of weeks.

Jon from Poy Sippi, WI
Vic, can we agree the belt celebration is now bad JuJu?
The Packers looked like teenage girls on Saturday night.

Lupe from Minneapolis, MN
Z. Smith gets a sack. He dives 10 yards into the backfield and swims in the grass while the Panthers hurry to the line. He hurries to the line and is much slower next play. Three plays later the Panthers score and he is hurt.
Coach LaFleur needs to end this silliness.

John from Brookfield, WI
Rodgers seems so upset all the time. If you were his teammate, how would you respond?
I didn't like his body language following the Lazard drop at the sideline. As a teammate, it would bother me. I wouldn't do it to him and I wouldn't want it done to me. The problem is the Packers don't have a Joe Greene or a Reggie White, which is to say a player of esteem equal to Rodgers' who could go to him and request he stop that crap. This falls on the coach and I'm not sure he wants to poke his stick into the lion's cage.

Dave from Madison, WI
We don't hear a lot about the Packers secondary. How do you rate them as a group?
It's gaining momentum. It's the group that can put the Packers defense over the top in the postseason.

Tom from Rochester, NY
I get your take on the Packers situation with Rodgers, but how is it different than the Patriots with Brady/Garoppolo? Isn't a third option Rodgers keeps playing lights out and Love shows enough to demand trade value? Or does the cap make that impossible?
The difference is the Patriots were winning Super Bowls and Garoppolo wasn't a first-round pick.

Justin from Titonka, IA
What are your thoughts on the college athletes bill of rights proposal?
It's good for the players but it's not going to fix college football.

Jason from Austin, TX
How would a GM determine if Love was ready without him playing any NFL games? How would a GM get to the point when they would be confident enough to move forward with him over Rodgers? I know they did it with Rodgers over Favre, but at least Rodgers looked really good in the couple of times he jumped in for Favre.
The decision was made on draft day. At some point in time, ready or not, Love will be "The Man."

Jack from Middleton, WI
Might a playoff surprise be playing with a substantially different defensive strategy than was used during the regular season, and can you name teams that have done this?
I discussed this in a previous column. Google "Stunt 4-3."

Scott from Lincoln City, OR
How does GM Vic evaluate a college QB to see if he is NFL ready?
The first evaluation question that must be answered is: Can he make all of the throws? If the answer is yes, then you move on to mechanics, mobility, grasp of offense, leadership qualities, size, durability, toughness, etc.

Jason from Zumbrota, MN
Vic, in the spirit of Christmas, and since the election is over, would you be willing to turn the comments back on? I miss my brothers' and sisters' insightful, witty and sometimes deep conversations. We were bad and we've paid a steep price. Perhaps we can be on probation now?
OK, we'll try it again.

​"Ask Vic" will publish on M-W-F through the football season.

Scott from Hamlin, NY
GM Vic has decided to trade Rodgers in the offseason and eat the dead money. Do you sign Jones or let him walk and begin rebuilding the offense around Love and Dillon.
If I've decided to trade Rodgers, I've decided to blow it up, so blow it up. Let's back up a little bit. If the Packers win the Super Bowl this year or at least come close to doing it, I'd likely do everything I can to keep the team together and take at least one more run at a championship. If the Packers were to lay an egg in the postseason, however, I might blow it up and start over. As that decision would pertain to Rodgers and Jones would depend on my opinion of Love and Dillon. Are they the players I thought they were when I drafted them? If they're not, then I wasted my top two picks of the 2020 draft and I don't have the dynamite I need to blow it up. In my opinion, everything hinges on what the Packers do in the postseason and on the evaluations of Love and Dillon. It's an intriguing situation. Brian Gutekunst was either visionary or screwed up badly in picking Love and Dillon. He might've painted himself into a corner.

Tim from Fernandina Beach, FL
So owner Vic has hired his GM. Now comes the one thing that will determine his legacy: drafting the QB. Given college football only vaguely represents NFL football, how do you evaluate a college QB to see if he is NFL ready?
I leave it up to the GM I hired to do that. Owner Vic hires good people and then gets out of the way and lets them do their job. Owner Vic doesn't evaluate players. Owner Vic evaluates the people who evaluate the players.

Jason from Des Moines, IA
How much of an impact do you think Matthew Stafford could have on a team like the 49ers or Patriots? He's my favorite player (not on the Packers), and definitely deserves an opportunity with a contender.
He would have a big impact, but I'm more interested in the impact a Stafford trade would have on the Lions. I think Stafford could give the Lions a big return in a trade. Used wisely, it could be the cornerstone of a brighter future in Detroit.

Mike from Slinger, WI
At one point this season I had the Panthers game circled on my calendar because I was looking forward to a good matchup. It still could be, but it's less inviting without their star player. Do you think Christian McCaffrey would have changed the Panthers season if he hadn't been injured, or would they be the same as they are now?
The Panthers miss McCaffrey's run/catch threat, but Mike Davis has been an adequate replacement in the run game. The Panthers' problem is Teddy Bridgewater is a backup-quality quarterback. Rodgers will overmatch Bridgewater and the Packers will breeze to victory in another easy win.

Ryan from Thorp, WI
Will you be getting the COVID-19 vaccine when it’s available?
Yes.

Todd from Phoenix, AZ
I know you don't cheer in the same sense most of us do, but do you ever hope a team does well because there's a player or coach on that team you have enjoyed working with or interviewing?
Of course I do, and it's not just players and coaches.

Adam from Wausau, WI
Do you think Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback of all time?
No, Brady is.

Erik from Madison, WI
With regard to the Browns' arrow pointing "straight up," should they try to deal OBJ for anything they can get in the offseason?
If possible, trade him for a six pack, and it doesn't have to be cold. Why did they trade for him in the first place? Dime a dozen.

Jon from Warsaw, Poland
Best running back without a QB? Did you forget about Walter Payton and Gale Sayers?
Earl Campbell didn't get Ken Stabler until Stabler was over the hill. Barry Sanders? Jerome Bettis didn't get Roethlisberger until the end. How about poor Curtis Martin? Eric Dickerson? There are a lot of great running backs who played without an elite quarterback.

Roger from Glen Falls, NY
Detroit has had "The Man" for over a decade and has picked early in the draft for a number of years. Is it just they have not had success with their picks or is there another reason they have not been more successful?
Their drafts have lacked depth.

John from Green Bay, WI
Vic, what are your thoughts on the notion of the Packers using the franchise tag on Aaron Jones, using him up next season and then letting him walk?
You don't hire Drew Rosenhaus to sign the franchise tag. Tagging Jones would breed enmity. I fear tagging Jones would produce a Le'Veon Bell-like distraction, unless the Packers used it to buy time to do a new deal.

Leena from London, UK
Vic, what are your plans for Christmas?
I'll be outside for the season.

Dustin from Orlando, FL
With the average action in an NFL game being only around 11 minutes, would you favor "NFL Network" putting together 30-minute shows the week following each game?
In the run-the-ball '70's, actual playing time was about six minutes. We're getting more action than ever, but it doesn't seem that way, and I think it's because passing the football has become too easy. A 10-yard completion has become the equivalent of an off-tackle slant. I think the NFL needs to pay more attention to the balance between offense and defense. Too much candy spoils the appetite.

Joe from Winnetka, IL
Aaron Rodgers has been openly talking about winning a third MVP. I appreciate him being honest -- what player doesn't want to win awards? -- but do you think his focus on the individual accolade could have downside for the team?
I'm a big believer in the "just do your job" philosophy, but the MVP talk would chafe me and his voice would cease to resonate with me as a team leader. The balance between team and self is delicate. Aaron Jones just hired a "killer" agent in preparation for a free agency run and the MVP light is shining brightly on Rodgers. I hope Za'Darius Smith doesn't have any plans for another "Snubbed" towel. Maybe Coach LaFleur needs to give a team-first speech.

Dalton from Medford, WI
Would Notre Dame benefit from joining the ACC permanently?
The Power Five is the future of major college football. I think the bigger question is will the Power Five demand Notre Dame became a full-time Power Five member to enjoy its benefits.

Brian from Iron Mountain, MI
I recall in 2011 Rodgers was asked whether or not they should run more. He kind of scoffed and said something along the lines of, “Do we even need to run?” I thought, “Yes!” Has he held the team back in that aspect, at times, even unintentionally, because of that attitude? Sometimes I get the impression he likes to be the reason they win.
They sure needed to run in that playoff loss to the Giants. When your opponent is rushing four and dropping seven, you're being invited to run the ball and the Packers couldn't. In the years I covered the Packers, they were at their best when Eddie Lacy was at his best. Lacy forced teams to bring an eighth defender toward the line of scrimmage, which opened the passing lanes for Rodgers. It also managed the tempo of the game, which benefitted the defense. Rodgers' sack stats also reflect the importance of a running game.

Thomas from Port Charlotte, NC
Regarding college players opting not to play their whole season, is it fair they have been given an athletic scholarship to play their respective sport? Perhaps they should be required to pay back the scholarship should they opt not to play. I suspect this would cause an uproar.
College football is a mess. It needs new leadership and direction.

​"Ask Vic" will publish on M-W-F through the football season.

Here are my all-important Week 15 power rankings:
1. Chiefs -- Are they beginning to show some cracks?
2. Packers -- Making it look easy.
3. Rams -- If Goff gets hot, look out.
4. Bills -- Attacking defense.
5. Saints -- They need Brees.
6. Steelers -- Tank is empty.
7. Colts -- Staying within arm's reach.
8. Titans -- Henry must lead the way.
9. Seahawks -- Wilson's time of year.
10. Ravens -- Jackson is back!
11. Browns -- Defense collapses.
12. Bucs -- Winning unimpressively.
13. Dolphins -- Can they finish?
14. Cardinals -- Middle of the road.
15. Washington -- You don't wanna play them.
16. Patriots -- It won't be the same without you.
17. Vikings -- How's life? They can't kick.
18. Giants -- They miss Barkley badly.
19. Raiders -- Come on, Gruden.
20. Eagles -- Hurts gives them hope.
21. 49ers -- They need to address quarterback.
22. Broncos -- Lock has the look.
23. Bears -- They win the little ones.
24. Panthers -- Out of gas.
25. Chargers -- Next year could be good.
26. Cowboys -- Showing some grit.
27. Texans -- Stink!
28. Bengals -- Better than you think.
29. Falcons -- Light the fuse.
30. Lions -- A truly pathetic situation.
31. Jaguars -- Soon Minshew won't be "The Man."
32. Jets -- They're gonna do it.

Benjamin from Kershaw, SC
The Jaguars have two picks in each of the first two rounds of the 2021 NFL draft. Assuming Lawrence is gone and the next quarterback on your board isn't worth the second overall pick, would you rather try to trade back to get your QB or trade up from your second first-round pick and use the second overall to get the best defensive or offensive lineman in the class?
You target the quarterback you want and you move to where he fits. The difficult part is quarterback is a grossly overdrafted position and the Jaguars may have to use the second overall pick to get the guy they want. Unless somebody jumps up, using the second overall pick on a guy who doesn't belong there would bother me. Let's give it more time before we answer this question.

Daniel from Johnston, IA
What happened to Pittsburgh's run game? They started the season with five straight 100-yard games and now they've been under 50 in five of the last seven and under four yards per carry in each of the last nine.
They shrunk the field. They've been so determined to get the ball out quickly they're now playing on a 10-yard field. Defenses are able to load the box without intentionally trying to load the box. It's hurting the passing game now, too. I sense a lack of confidence the offensive line can protect Roethlisberger, thus the short passing game, but the Steelers' run game won't recover until Roethlisberger begins throwing the ball downfield, as he always had. The Steelers need to move the safeties away from the line of scrimmage and encourage linebackers to take deeper drops. Sean McDermott completely exposed the Steelers' problems as a result of too much emphasis on the short passing game. So did Washington.

Dan from Madison, WI
A lot gets made of football players who are tough or mean. Are there any nice guys who find success?
Larry Fitzgerald is the guy. He's the player the NFL would love for every player to be: a law-abiding, civic-minded, outgoing, distinguished, well mannered, well spoken and understated star.

Bill from Sheboygan, WI
Are the Packers this good or are the teams they're beating that bad?
Media and fans have always been guilty of building teams up to tear them down, and it bothers me because it's unfair and it feels bad. It almost feels duplicitous. What I know to be true from my time in sports is teams on top are headed for a fall and teams at the bottom will one day rise. The only issue is when it will happen. A few weeks ago the Steelers were undefeated and everybody was singing their praise; now they're overrated. Well who overrated them? For the record, I never wanted to do power rankings but my readers begged for them and I relented. I tried my best to make light of their importance and treat them with comic relief, but that resulted in an asterisk that could've cost me my job. Not too long ago the Packers were trashed for a poor performance against the Bucs. Now, I sense chortling in my inbox. Please, folks, don't make that mistake. Remember "Shade Man?" The Steelers haven't been the same since. Are the Packers this good or are the teams they're beating that bad? Only the postseason can answer that question.

Matt from Houston, TX
Who was the best running back who never got to play with an elite quarterback?
Jim Brown and O.J. Simpson come to mind.

Eric from Colorado Springs, CO
They can't punish Dan Snyder without punishing Robert Kraft. How much power does Kraft have? All the cheating, the lies and now sex trafficking. What does that say about the integrity of the NFL? As you say, the NFL is America. It makes me sick and ashamed.
Me, too.

Morgan from Little Chute, WI
How would the 49ers have been different this year had they picked Love instead of Ayuik?
This is the kind of question I like. It digs deeper than what's wrong with the Packers defense. It's the kind of question a true football fan, a student of the game asks. Were the 49ers drafting for need? Or by passing on Love were they telling us they didn't like him as a prospect? You've asked a question that begs more questions. Thanks for being a football person, not just a football fan.

Jack from Middleton, WI
Would your inbox prefer Rodgers retire a Packer instead of being traded for assets?
Of course! Go Pack Go!

Paul from Cumming, GA
A new picture in front of a scenic stream; where's Vic?
In Smoky Mountains National Park near Townsend, TN.

John from St. Augustine, FL
Is it too early for Tony Pauline to tell us what he thinks of Fields, Trask, Lance? I can appreciate a good GM might trade out of the Jaguars No. 2 spot and select a QB in his proper place, but you and I know that isn’t going to happen.
Tony loves Fields: "Athletic but a good passer and not just a good athlete playing quarterback in college. Smart and tough. He would be in the conversation as the No. 1 pick if it weren't for Lawrence."

Dave from Madison, WI
Vic, you said the Packers know what they have in Jordan Love. I'm guessing that's because they see him in practice every day. Do you remember any players that came in highly regarded and once they got to practice the coaches looked at each other and said uh-oh?
Franco Harris and Fred Taylor.

Jeremy from De Soto, KS
I think of you and laugh every time I hear "it's thiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrd down." The cardboard cutouts of people don't seem to get very hyped.
What happens if there's a hard rain? Does the ink begin to run like Giuliani's hair dye?

Robert from Amston, CT
Cris Collinsworth mentioned secondary players tackling with their shoulders and not wrapping up to prevent injuries. Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences on tackling.
I've explained this several times. Players don't wrap up because they're trying to avoid rib and other upper torso injuries that might result from exposing that part of their body to contact. The streamlining of equipment is the problem. The more protection is lessened, the more players are vulnerable to injury. It's speed/maneuverability vs. player protection -- you might even say player safety -- and speed/maneuverability is the overwhelming choice.

Roger from Chesterton, IN
Can the Steelers recover from their three-game stretch without a bye week? Could that have seriously impacted their ability to win in the playoffs?
They were forced to take their bye in Week 4 due to the Titans' reckless Covid behavior, and the Steelers have played a murderous schedule since then, including four road games in five weeks and a Wednesday afternoon game that had been moved four times from its scheduled Thanksgiving Day slot. They caught Washington just as it was getting hot, were the victims of an officiating gaffe that changed that game, and completely fell apart most recently on a snowy night in Buffalo with four starting linebackers and cornerback Joe Hayden sidelined. The football gods have not been kind to the Steelers, but Cleveland's loss on Monday night put the Steelers in position to clinch the AFC North title with a win this week. The Steelers need to clinch and then spend the next two weeks resting players.

Richard from Clearwater, MN
Aaron Jones has reportedly selected Drew Rosenhaus to be his new agent. Knowing Drew's penchant for getting top dollar for his clients, do you anticipate this year being it for Jones in Green Bay?
If the Packers want to keep Jones, they can create the cap room to do it by restructuring Rodgers. It's a matter of whether or not the Packers want to push more money out and commit more of their future to the present. All in, half in or all out? These are the kinds of delicate but dynamic decisions GMs face and they must be the product of careful long-range planning.

Wes from San Antonio, TX
Vic, a lot of people are high on the Browns this season but, at 9-4, they currently have a -20 point differential. They are obviously winning a lot of close games, but is there more to this? Does their record or their points differential say more about who the Browns really are?
The reason for the Browns' negative points differential is they've allowed 123 points in their three games against the Ravens and Steelers, which represent three of the Browns' four losses. That's not AFC North football. There are a lot of high picks on that defense, beginning with Myles Garrett, a first overall pick who's totaled just one sack in those three games. The Browns' arrow is pointing straight up. They have a star running back behind a road-grading offensive line, and quarterback Baker Mayfield is making a move on the top tier of NFL quarterbacks. The Browns are almost certain to make it into the playoffs and they still have a chance to win the division title. Their future is bright, but it must begin with playing better defense, especially against the Ravens and Steelers.

"Ask Vic" will publish on M-W-F through the football season.

Michael from Sterling, VA
I'm confused as to why the Packers defense and special teams can never seem to close out games! What's the deal, Vic?
A 57-yard field goal isn't a special teams play? If Crosby had missed that field goal attempt, it's game on.

Fabio from London, UK
Vic, wins continue to pile up. Aaron is immaculate. The Packers are holding the first seed in the NFC. Which are your main worries, if any? Special teams, defense or both?
My main concern is the need for the Packers to continue to play at their high level of performance on offense. It's who they are. It's their identity. The way they're winning right now is the way they'll have to win throughout the postseason. The Packers are hot and they have to stay that way through the remainder of the season. That's my main concern: Can they continue to move the football as though nobody's playing defense?

Dave from Chippewa Falls, WI
Throw a shoe. Hurt your ankle doing a flip. That stuff doesn't bother me that much any more (that's a lie), but hearing Tim Brando and Spencer Tillman enjoy the flip attempt and hammer the "he didn't stick the landing" joke even after it was obvious Smith-Marsette had injured himself, that bothered me. Do we all have to think this stuff is entertaining and forgivable when it goes bad?
How about the kid coming back out of the tunnel wearing a boot? That was embarrassing. If I was Kirk Ferentz, I'd have words with my trainer for allowing that to happen.

Tim from Fernandina Beach, FL
If you put on your owner's hat, what would you look for when hiring a new GM? It seems if the GM lucks into a great QB, he is a genius. If he swings and misses, he's a failure.
I would be looking for a guy with a plan for blending all of the ways for acquiring talent. I'd especially want to hear his thoughts on blending the draft with free agency. I would be just as interested in his strategy for managing the salary cap and the regard he has for it. Any person I hire to be my GM would have to put a premium on the draft, embrace the philosophy football is a young man's game, be vigilant in protecting my franchise's salary cap and its future, use free agency to patch affordably and would be mindful to keep losses to free agency in the plus category so as to be eligible for compensatory pick consideration. Also, I'd want him to tell me who he's going to hire as scouts and what the structure would be inside his personnel department. I don't want a lot of directors and cross-checkers; I want scouts out on the road. I know the questions to ask and I know the words I don't want to hear. Too much talk of the present and he'd be eliminated from consideration. I'd want a GM whose patience matches my own.

​Joe from Waukesha, WI
Talking Aaron Rodgers greatness right now, I have always thought it’s a simple test of where he stands in the league: Would you trade Rodgers for any other quarterback straight up? The answer is yes, for Mahomes, but not many others, which is really startling for a 37-year-old quarterback. You must consider age, talent and upside, so I ask, who would you trade Rodgers for straight up? Goff? Allen? Jackson?
I get it. Based on performance only, I wouldn't trade the way Rodgers is playing for the way anybody else in the league is playing, including Mahomes. But the question you're asking is more philosophical than it is practical because what you're suggesting would never happen. Philosophically speaking, the next 10 years are more important than this year. That's how I think. I believe if you take care of the future, the future will take care of the present. Rodgers is nearing the end. Mahomes and the good, young quarterbacks in the league are just entering their primes years. Yes, I would trade Rodgers for a young quarterback I believe would give me the equivalent of Rodgers at the beginning of his career, just as I would've traded Peyton Manning for Rodgers in 2009. Why? Because I fear the future more than I fear the present. Life without a top-tier quarterback is painful, and the pain can last a long time.

Alberto from Barcelona, Spain
Probably a naive question but for the same player (T.J. Watt in your quote), what makes it different playing upright or with his hand on the ground? More power, quickness?
It's leverage vs. maneuverability. Watt plays with great leverage. He gets his pads under those of hulking tackles and drives them back to the quarterback. Watt is a special player in that he combines a bull rush with the ability to drop into coverage. Za'Darius Smith's strength is maneuverability. He's best at running around blocks, not through them. In an upright position, Smith is able to feint one way and go another before the tackle gets his hands on him.

Loftur from Columbus, OH
How do you summarize the career of a player like Tyson Alualu, a first-rounder who is now in his 11th season but never a star. He's playing the best football of his career by far, according to PFF, the last two years. Of the 2010 first-rounders, technically 18 are still active but 15 are on rosters. That number includes Dez Bryant, who was out of the league for two full seasons. Only two of them have been with their original team this entire time, Maurkice Pouncey and Devin McCourty. Is his longevity and recent surge in play some vindication for Gene Smith, who drafted Alualu with the Jaguars?
The only knock on Alualu is he was drafted too high. Tony Pauline told me the Jaguars were hot on Alualu, but the Jaguars were picking in the top 10 and Alualu was considered a bottom-of-the-first-round prospect. So, for our radio show mock draft, I said I would trade the Jaguars' pick down to the bottom of the first round and pick Alualu. Smith told me he was listening to the show and he knew right away I had their pick. Gene wanted to get down but couldn't do it, so he took his guy with the 10th overall pick. I think one of the reasons the Steelers signed Alualu in free agency is they liked him in the 2010 draft. He would've been a consideration for their pick. Jaguars fans have always struggled with the Alualu pick, and I'm not sure why. It's not as though the Jaguars passed on a big-time quarterback. Truth be known, he's one of the Jaguars' best picks over the last 11 years.

Dale from Lodi, WI
Would you have suggested trading Rodgers if you worked for packers.com?
I would've been more discreet in discussing it, just as I had to be more discreet in everything I wrote. I take insult at what you're suggesting. You think you're exposing me as being disingenuous, but what you're really doing is exposing yourself for lacking media savvy. Anybody who goes to a team site to read content boldly inflammatory or critical of the team is foolish. When a writer/reporter is handed a laptop by a media outlet, he's not granted license to write whatever he wants. He's expected to write within the media outlet's platform. I never lied in anything I wrote on jaguars.com or packers.com, but I knew there was a line in the sand and I had to approach it respectfully and delicately.

Brandon from Imperial, WI
As Rodgers adds to his resume, trying to become the sixth player to win three MVPs, do you think we'll ever see a player win three consecutive MVPs again? Jim Brown and Joe Montana had back-to-back MVPs, Peyton Manning had back-to-back MVPs twice, and Kurt Warner may have had three in a row if his own teammate hadn't taken one (Marshall Faulk). I just don't see anyone ever dominating like those players did again. Am I wrong?
I don't know and I don't care. I'm not an individual awards guy. I'll respectfully refer to them in defining a player's accomplishments, but they mean nothing to me personally. Chuck Noll never won coach of the year. MVPs are decided before the postseason begins. Frankly, I think being awarded MVP after a postseason loss only deepens the despair.

Brian from Sugar Land, TX
Speculation is the cap will be a bit lower next season, and there might be added talent in the cap casualty free agent department at a discount. There is further speculation the Rodgers contract will need restructuring to free some money for Packers shopping. How might the Rodgers contract be modified? How might it affect the so-called future trade window for him?
We discussed this the other day. Please take note because I don't want to beat on this in every column. Rodgers' salary increases from $1.55 million this year to $14.7 million next year, and his cap hit explodes from $21.6 million to $36.4. In '22, it goes up to $25 million and $39.9 million. Something almost certainly will have to be done before '22. The Packers could add a couple of years to Rodgers' contract, convert salary to signing bonus and spread the proration out over the remaining years of the contract. It's what the Patriots did with Brady, the Saints have done with Brees and the Chiefs will one day have to do with Mahomes. The positive is it would create room in the current year to sign free agents, depending on what the cap circumstances will be next season. The negative is it would increase Rodgers' dead money and significantly blur the Packers' future. I had all of this in mind when I made recent comments about the Packers facing a possible decision on Rodgers following this season, and I think the Packers had all of this in mind when they drafted Jordan Love. I found it suspicious the Packers weren't big players in free agency last March. Maybe Rodgers' performance this season will have changed their approach.

Josh from Madison, WI
Matt Ryan was an MVP a few years ago; look at the Falcons now. Philip Rivers put up phenomenal numbers in San Diego and L.A. over 16 years; the Chargers scarcely made a peep in the playoffs and then he left. Matt Stafford has 31 fourth-quarter comebacks and 38 game-winning drives; nobody has ever been afraid of the Lions. Even rising young guys like Watson, a clear franchise QB, aren't enough to carry a so-so roster all alone. What Big Ben and Rodgers have managed to achieve, sustain and overcome during their careers is incredible. Write with whatever side of your pen you like.
The point is simply this: There's a penalty for drafting low in the order and the Packers and Steelers have managed to avoid it. That's all. Before we begin cheering the Browns' Cinderella-like resurgence, I would ask, "What took you so long?"

Justin from Canton, NC
It helped that the Saints had a good draft spot for a couple of years a few years ago.
It resurrected them.

Alex from Racine, WI
How would you describe the essence and spirit of football to you?
In my young life, football was an event. It had specialness. I've lost some of that. Maybe it's because I've seen too much football, or maybe it's the result of a Covid season that has moved games to Tuesday night and even to Wednesday afternoon. Football needs hype, and you can't hype games when you don't even know when or if they'll be played.

Taylor from Clarion, PA
I watched Zach Wilson play and I liked his ability to adapt to a good Coastal Carolina defense without the benefit of typical prep time. I think he's QB1 in the draft. What are your thoughts?
He's a natural passer and I like that, but he's not physically imposing and that drops him in my order.

Morgan from Little Chute, WI
Is next year's preseason career-altering for Jordan Love?
The Packers have a pretty good idea of what they have. Proof won't begin until Love gets meaningful playing time in a regular season game. He'll get his chance.

Brad from Jacksonville, FL
Vic, watching the Gator game and Trask is having a bad game. With that said, when he throws deep it looks like it’s easy, he’s not having to go through a big windup or huge strides. Still, do you think you would take him at two?
I don't think I said I'd take him at two. I said I thought he was moving in behind Lawrence and I didn't think Fields was worthy of the second overall pick. You're focusing solely on quarterbacks. What if none of them is worth the second overall pick? That's why it's so important the new personnel boss be more than a sit-and-pick guy. He has to possess the skill to massage the order and use his picks to position the Jaguars to get the best bang for their buck. Move to where the player fits. At this point, I don't know where Trask fits. A lot has to happen before the order begins to take shape.

"Ask Vic" will publish on M-W-F through the football season.

Jake from Chippewa Falls, WI
Vic, how have the Saints won so many games without Drew Brees last year and this year?
They've done a sensational job of drafting, managing and coaching their players.

​Dawn from Missoula, MT
How can you describe the success of the Steelers and Packers as upsets when you so often stress the importance of the QB? They've had some good ones over the years. Stop writing with both sides of your pen.
OK.

Cameron from Sicklerville, NJ
I had some time to kill and looked back at a couple of your "Ask Vic" archives. I found a couple entries where prognosticator Vic didn't appear to hit the nail on the head. Particularly, that should the Packers fire McCarthy, the next coach would last only 3-4 years (in all fairness, you said history indicated that, as opposed to claiming it to be your own opinion, but the response implied you agreed with the sentiment in this case). Barring the rather unexpected, LaFleur is certainly performing well enough to last more than four years. Do you ever look back at your responses/predictions and chuckle at what you got right or wrong? Or are you only in the here and now?
I'll leave the chuckling to you.

Isaac from Columbia, TN
What kind of a running back was LaDainian Tomlinson?
He was of a style similar to what we're seeing in Aaron Jones.

Oscar from Chicago, IL
Vic, how can a 3-4 team emulate the "rush four, drop seven" approach you mentioned needed to beat great quarterbacks?
First of all, I didn't use the word "needed." Think of a 34 as a 52, since the two outside linebackers tend to play at the line of scrimmage. Now drop one and rush the other. In the Steelers' 34, the left outside linebacker (Watt) plays with his hand on the ground, which effectively makes him a defensive end who often drops into coverage. Think function instead of formation.

Eric from Keene, NH
One question about being sued by Rudy Giuliani: How could you tell when the legal argument ends and the flatulence begins?
You can't.

Dave from Franklin, WI
Should Packers fans be grateful Gruden chose Chicago's offer for Mack over Green Bay's?
Picks have long been valued more than players. In today's game, however, salary cap consequences have made trading more attractive. The Minkah Fitzpatrick trade is an example, as the Steelers got a player on his rookie deal and it helped them in repairing their cap. The Khalil Mack trade required a new contract for Mack, which means it was a lose-lose for the Bears: They lost a lot of picks and cap space. The Packers are better for not having made that trade.

Paul from Bluffton, IN
When you worked for packers.com, I remember you describing Rodgers as fearless in the pocket with all of the bodies crashing around him. After reading that article, I've consistently marveled at Rodgers' ability to keep his eyes downfield in a muddy pocket. It was especially evident this week as I watched Wentz look defeated in the pocket. If I'm looking for a QB in the draft, that is one trait I would have to see if I'm drafting a QB in the first round.
It could be said football is first and foremost a game of courage, and no quarterback possesses more pocket courage than Aaron Rodgers. He's lost some mobility, but I've detected no decline in his pocket courage and awareness. It can happen quickly. All of a sudden, they begin sacking themselves. I've seen no evidence of it in Rodgers.

Benjamin from Columbus, OH
Can you expand on your Justin Fields answer? What don't you like about his passing? I trust your eyes.
He doesn't make it look easy.

Steve from Wauwatosa, WI
Reading an article by Cliff Christl about the players drafted ahead of Aaron Rogers got me to thinking. I was amazed at all the first-round whiffs that year. Is that typical? You talk about years of low draft position eventually catching up to perennially good teams. Say you are drafting 30th. Couldn't that be looked at as though you just didn't get a first-round pick and then you are basically at the top of all subsequent rounds?
It's a philosophy. The idea is it'll lead a team to pick from the top of its board instead of trying to catch lightning in a bottle. I've never put a lot of stock in it.

Mikey from Tallahassee, FL
As a sports writer, did you find any players more eloquent than others, and was that a plus or a minus when looking for quotes?
If a player had something he wanted to say, I always found a way to express it for him. The key is the willingness to communicate with the fans. That's what a player or coach is doing when he talks to the media. He's talking to the fans.

Anthony from Milwaukee, WI
Have you ever seen a team have to play defense with its offense as much as the Packers? I think we all know the defense would probably be much worse if it wasn’t for an offense that completely minimizes opportunities for the opponent's offense.
Aaron Rodgers is the heart and soul of the Packers. Does that make him the league MVP? You could certainly make a case for it.

Douglas from Binghamton, NY
What made you think the Packers were not the favorite to win the NFC North?
It was eight passes and the sense Rodgers couldn't play defense as well as offense any longer. I was wrong about Rodgers.

"Ask Vic" will publish on M-W-F through the football season.

Here are my all-important Week 14 power rankings:
1. Chiefs -- Mahomes making MVP pitch.
2. Saints -- Gaining momentum.
3. Steelers -- Tired and depleted.
4. Packers -- On cruise control.
5. Rams -- Leading the West.
6. Bills -- Can make statement vs. Steelers.
7. Colts -- Haven't played their best football, yet.
8. Titans -- What was that?
9. Seahawks -- Slumping.
10. Browns -- Big one vs. Ravens.
11. Ravens -- Must-win game.
12. Bucs -- Vikings will test their resolve.
13. Dolphins -- Party comes to an end vs. Chiefs.
14. Patriots -- Too late.
15. Vikings -- Run the ball.
16. Washington -- They're for real.
17. Giants -- Getting hot at the right time.
18. Raiders -- Lucky win.
19. Cardinals -- Getting cold at the wrong time.
20. 49ers -- They're done.
21. Texans -- Dog of the year.
22. Panthers -- Rhule in control.
23. Chargers -- Playing for coach's job.
24. Broncos -- Bottom feeder.
25. Eagles -- Wentz benched.
26. Bengals -- They try hard.
27. Falcons -- Rebuild on the way.
28. Lions -- Stafford in farewell games?
29. Jaguars -- Just lose, baby.
30. Bears -- Moving up.
31. Cowboys -- What's the future hold?
32. Jets -- Cover zero?

Nick from Owego, NY
Is there a better story to root for than Alex Smith winning the Super Bowl?
It would be a wonderful way to conclude a Covid season and though it would qualify as a million-to-one shot, I could make a case for it. Washington has good corners, an attacking defensive front and a running game that's gaining momentum. Smith is a veteran quarterback who knows how to win and his coach, Ron Rivera, is also a feel-good story. This is a team you don't want to face in the playoffs. All of the arrows are pointing up and low expectations would give them a freewheeling spirit that would make them dangerous against a top seed.

Bruce from New Canaan, CT
Vic, I was a bit surprised you didn't comment Monday on Green Bay's two pass attempts from the one foot line on third and fourth down.
It's a leaguewide problem and coaches are reacting much too slowly to it. A specialist is required. Get a runner under center and push.

Jamie from Thunder Bay, Ontario
Do the Steelers need a James Starks?
They need Maurkice Pouncey, James Conner and some time off. The Steelers are a tired and depleted team, and three games in 12 days is only going to worsen their problem.

Jeff from Miami, FL
Do you think the Packers will continue with their current run/pass balance in the playoffs or would you prefer they run more to try to control time of possession?
The Packers offense is playing at the highest level. It can't be improved. It needs the playoffs to begin today.

Jared from Rigby, ID
Vic, do you know what the Bears saw in Trubisky to draft him instead of Mahomes?
It's not what they saw, it's what they didn't see. They didn't see a one-year wonder who was living off big plays and lacked the kind of command and understanding of pass offense you would expect of a second overall pick of the draft.

Bob from Marietta, GA
"If Pederson can't rebuild him, he'll have to trade him to the Bears." Thank you for that! Five minutes later and I'm still laughing.
Seriously, what are the Bears going to do at quarterback? There's no franchise in the NFL whose arrow is pointing more straight down than the Bears' arrow.

Jalen from Jacksonville, FL
Kyle Trask is moving in right behind Trevor Lawrence? I'm a Jags fan and we gotta get this next QB pick right. Are you really leaning Trask over Justin Fields?
I don't believe Fields is worthy of the second pick of the draft. I don't see a second-pick-of-the-draft passer.

Dale from Lodi, WI
I’ve been taught to use shorter, simpler words if I can when writing. I have average intelligence at best and find myself pausing often while reading your blog to look up a word I’ve never read before. Is it a strategy of yours to use complex words?
No! I'm a sports writer, which means I am a person of limited intelligence. I use words I know and fit the personality of what I'm writing.

Wes from San Antonio, TX
Vic, in regards to college players opting out in the middle of the regular season, as opposed to bowl games in recent years, do you think this is simply due to the pandemic and the unusual nature of this season? Or do you think this is a trend that will continue when we're back to normal seasons after the pandemic?
When the bowl opt-outs began, I immediately thought to myself, "This will spread to teams playing meaningless games at midseason." College football needs to blow itself up.

Rich from Manitou Springs, FL
Can't wait until Wednesday to see where Seattle lands. I guess they'll still be ahead of the Packers, even with one of the league's worst defenses.
I would worry more about the Packers' prospects in the postseason than where the Packers fall in my all-important power rankings.

Dave from Chippewa Falls, WI
I don't know about some of these hotshot college QB prospects. Wilson, Jones, Fields drop back, are given plenty of time in the pocket, stare at one receiver and, if he's not open, take off. Nice arms, strong runners. I know the pro game is more and more like that, but are they really difference-makers in the pros if they can't move in the pocket and find secondary options?
What you're describing is known as a half-field read. College football offensive coordinators like them because it simplifies the game and helps young quarterbacks achieve success early in their career. It won't work in the NFL. A quarterback must be able to see the whole field. Why do great college quarterbacks fail in the NFL? They don't see the whole field.

Zach from Green Bay, WI
Vic, why must one have an LLC to exercise their first amendment rights?
So Rudy Giuliani doesn't sue you.

Pat from Seneca, SC
Any thoughts on the increasing impact of Darnell Savage and Rashan Gary?
Chatty says Gary is coming on.

Joe from Bloomington, IN
Is a dominant four-man front the most powerful force on defense?
If you can win up front with four, you can drop seven into coverage, and that's how you beat great quarterbacks.

Kevin from Cary, NC
What do you make of the Browns' success this year?
Anybody who thinks this is an upset doesn't understand the NFL. The Browns are finally playing up to the expectations of their years-long draft position. They've got a lot of high-round picks coming into the prime years of their career. It's an upset teams such as the Packers and Steelers are where they are given their years-long draft position.

"Ask Vic" will publish on M-W-F through the football season.

Bill from Sheboygan, WI
What are your thoughts on the Packers?
They're playing at one of their highest levels in the Rodgers era. The Eagles were helpless against him. The combination of Rodgers' command of the game and the crispness and accuracy of his passes makes the Packers offense unstoppable. It's going to take an opponent with a strong running game and good corners to beat the Packers. You have to dominate time of possession and limit Rodgers' time on the field, and at least be able to match up on the outside well enough to deny receivers from running free in the secondary. As it stands right now, the Packers are coasting to the playoffs. Coach LaFleur's biggest decision will be about when to shut it down and rest his players.

Ryan from Stevens Point, WI
Chatty had a rough game.
Nantz and Romo were as boring as the game. They were even more saccharine than Mike Tirico was the previous week. Chatty rambled so much I struggled to understand his point. During one disjointed diatribe the truck told him to break for a commercial and he just stopped in the middle of what he was saying.

Dalton from Medford, WI
If Vic is head coach of the Eagles, does he bench Carson Wentz?
Continuing to play him is only making matters worse. He's lost his game. He's not setting his feet and he's afraid to step up in the pocket. He looks skittish; he's peeking at the rush. His delivery makes Kaepernick's look Marino-like. If Pederson can't rebuild him, he'll have to trade him to the Bears.

Mike from Bridgeport, CT
That was a cruel and expected ending in (the Jets game). Interesting spot to dial up a cover zero blitz.
It was curious defensive strategy. The Jaguars are still alive.

Bob from Saint Charles, IL
If you could pick running the Bears or Lions this offseason, which team would you prefer and what would be your plan of action?
I'd pick the Lions because Stafford gives me dry powder. I think I could get a one and a three for him.

Brandon from Imperial, MO
Vic, while watching Davante tie the Packers record for consecutive games with a TD catch, Nance and Romo already had the graphic ready immediately afterwards. Since I've only been watching football since the '80's, my question is what was it like when you watched TV as a kid? Obviously, with no computers available, someone had to manually keep track of records in a game. Were the announcers able to provide that info during the game or did they leave it for the journalists the following day?
The NFL didn't even keep track of that stuff. As I've written, pro football did a terrible job of recording its history. If it wasn't for dedicated historians such as Cliff Christl and the Pro Football Researchers Association, a lot of the really old information would still be unknown. There's almost no information for Jim Thorpe's career. The emergence of Elias Sports Bureau was a game-changer. It sharpened everybody's focus on records and stats.

Jimmy from Vero Beach, FL
As I watched Henry Ruggs run by the CB without a safety over the top, it reminded me once again how luck plays an integral part of football. I was sitting in the stands in 2003 when the "River City Relay" unfolded. I cheered with the thousands of other fans as John Carney missed the extra point and we escaped with a win. Fast forward to draft day and realize the win cost the Jags a chance at Larry Fitzgerald.
All the Jags can do is lose. They're taking care of business.

Samantha from Marion, IA
Maybe it's because I'm looking at this from an entirely different generational perspective than you, but I rolled my eyes hard when I heard what Cris Collinsworth said, and I absolutely bristle at anything that tries to lay out the idea of a female football fan as something wondrous or remarkable. I know you didn't mean anything by it so I never gave much thought to the "Ladies Day Ask Vic," but it does feel a little icky and disrespectful, personally. Call me a crazy feminist, but all I want is equality. That doesn't mean acknowledging women can like football too, it means not being surprised in the least women love and understand the nuances of the game.
OK.

Dan from Milwaukee, IN
"Nothing beats retirement and an LLC." Love it. What are some fun and creative things you can do with an LLC?
You can exercise your first amendment rights.

Rich from Manitou Springs, FL
I know you'll never answer this. I doubt if you could. You say you put Seattle ahead of the Packers because of the division they're in. Is that why you put the Bears at 32, because they lost to a top 10 team?
I put the Bears at No. 32 as punishment for their disgraceful performance in the most recent edition of the most overrated rivalry in professional sports.

Mark from Naperville, IL
What are your thoughts on the FBS breaking from the NCAA?
Something has to be done to repair college football. It's deteriorated to a point it's not worth watching. Opting out of bowl games has now spread to opting out in the middle of the season. The old college try no longer exists. Dear old U has become screw you.

Pete from Chapel Hill, NC
Looks like homefield advantage won’t be much of an advantage this year in the playoffs, except for the weather. Do you think the Packers would be better off on the road in a dome?
You mean New Orleans, right? No, I'd rather see the Saints have to play in the cold in Green Bay.

Alex from Orlando, FL
Vic, is Trevor Lawrence the type of quarterback that comes around once a decade? In my opinion, he was up until a month or so ago, but his play hasn't been great as of late. At least that is what my eyes are telling me.
I love his toughness, athletic ability, natural instinct for the position, leadership and nearly everything else about him. The only thing that concerns me is his length in the pocket. He's a long strider. He's going to need room to throw.

Michael from Eau Claire, WI
Vic, I’ve noticed the bubble allowed for a player to catch the ball on a punt seems to have disappeared. It often appears the coverage players are almost in his lap. When did the rule change, or did it?
I agree, the rule isn't being enforced. I think the league should make it a major point of emphasis to enforce the rule, and maybe even enlarge the bubble. There's nothing entertaining about seeing a punt returner struck viciously as he attempts to catch the ball.

Stephen from Jacksonville, FL
What are your thoughts on Kyle Trask? Is he a first-round pick?
Two of my favorite scouts love him. One of them has compared Trask to Ben Roethlisberger. As it stands right now, I think Trask is moving in right behind Lawrence.

Jake from Knoxville, TN
I’m a Packers fan, but I'm glad the Titans have found relevance again. Do you think Derrick Henry deserves MVP consideration? What do you see as the best arguments for and against him?
The best argument against him is obvious: He's not a quarterback. The best argument for Henry would have to be made in the playoffs, and that's after voting concludes. Henry can be a postseason star. He's the guy who can beat Patrick Mahomes, but the award will have been decided by then.

"Ask Vic" will publish on M-W-F through the football season.

Danny from Fernandina Beach, FL
I think Tom Coughlin was the scapegoat in Jacksonville. Do you?
Tom is a great coach. What he did with the expansion Jaguars will be prominently mentioned if and when Tom is elected to the Hall of Fame. I don't think he should've been fired. I think he should've been stripped of his personnel authority and retained as coach. It's not that Tom doesn't know talent -- he's a sensational evaluator of talent -- it's that he lacks the patience required of personnel directors and that causes him to focus almost solely on the present. He drafted too much for need and then wrecked the salary cap to get what he failed to acquire in the draft. The Giants knew that about Tom and gave him no voice in personnel matters. The result was he won two Super Bowls. So, here's a man with a track record for being a great coach but a reckless manager of personnel and the salary cap, and what do the Jaguars do? They bring him back to be their general manager. I treated it with a respectful reaction, but I had reservations. If they had hired him to be their coach and given him a top general manager, I believe the outcome would've been very different.

Jim from Maple Grove, MN
Vic, what do you make of Mike Tomlin's postgame comments? If he hadn't said he won, I wouldn't have thought he won.
Tomlin is a demanding coach. He constantly challenges his team. I thought he should've attempted a field goal from the 1-yard line early in the game -- hey, how many points were the Ravens going to score? -- but I knew Tomlin would go for it because that's his coaching style. You get what you emphasize, which is the coachspeak way of saying you get what you demand. Tomlin's style is very different from Coach Noll's. Coach Noll was glib: "Sidney has many problems and they are great." Tomlin is sudden and dramatic: "We will unleash hell in December." As Coach Noll said: "Whatever it takes."

John from Brookfield, WI
What are the salary cap implications of trading Rodgers? How does it change over time?
His salary spikes from $1.55 million this year to $14.7 million in 2021, which explodes his cap hit by roughly the same difference. Traded, however, he's a nearly $5 million cap savings over his dead money charge, and the savings would increase to $11.8 million if Rodgers is traded prior to the third day of the league year, when a $6.8 million roster bonus is due; his new team would pay the roster bonus. At that point, the Packers would be free to re-shape their roster and salary cap. In '22, his salary explodes to $25 million, which would make him an even bigger cap savings over his dead money hit. The more logical out is '22, but it's doable as early as '21.

Dale from Lodi, WI
Will this year's Super Bowl winner be recorded in the history books with an asterisk next to their name?
Why, to remind us of what we'll never forget? It's been a compromised season, but it's also been the best thing we've had to get us through a very dark time.

Adam from Denver, CO
Should Rodgers not have thrown that pass to Lazard?
At that point in the game, I would've rather seen the Packers run the ball, shorten the game and protect their players from injury. The killer instinct thing can cut both ways. The Chiefs went killer instinct in a game they were dominating and found themselves having to hang on for the win.

Eric from Green Bay, WI
In your power rankings you have Seattle ahead of Green Bay. I can respect that, however, I don't see Seattle being able to hurt Green Bay in the ways they would need to, specifically running the ball. Our CBs could at least challenge Metcalf and Lockett. Seattle doesn't have the defense to challenge our offense. I don't fear Seattle in the playoffs one bit. Thoughts?
I agree with your analysis. The reason I have the Seahawks ranked above the Packers is out of respect for the division in which the Seahawks play.

Chad from Baraboo, WI
Vic, if the Packers win it all, they will do so as a scheme offense. We are in a unique spot with a generational QB talent at the helm of an offense that seems tailor-made for his skills. Knowing your disdain for scheme vs. smash mouth football, I am surprised to hear you reference the Packers in conversation for the Super Bowl, especially with the glaring holes in our run defense. Are you anticipating the Packers are yet to peak as a team, or is it solely based on Rodgers' unique skills in a year in which his fire seems to be re-lit?
You can win with scheme if you can execute scheme, and Rodgers can create and execute scheme better than any quarterback in the game. He's playing the best football of his life.

David from Maplewood, NJ
Just to be clear, you are advocating if the Packers win the Super Bowl they should trade Rodgers immediately following?
No, it's just the opposite. One more shot. This is it. If this doesn't work, it's time to consider Einstein's theory of insanity.

Mike from Jackson, MI
Do you think Rashan Gary or Darnell Savage could be the Packers' Bob Sanders come January?
That's the hope.

Patrick from Fort Collins, CO
Any trees the Packers can shake to get a Bob Sanders for the defense? Or is help not on the way?
It doesn't have to be a player. It can be a new scheme. For the 1974 playoffs, George Perles turned Joe Greene sideways over center in a defense that would become known as the "Stunt 4-3." It was impenetrable and the Steelers swept to the Super Bowl title. Of course, that was Joe Greene who was the key player in the new scheme.

Craig from Sheboygan, WI
I appreciate you giving me perspective with regards to the Love pick, however, I watched one game the Ravens were playing and I didn't see Queen look like a difference-maker at all. In fact, he looked too skinny and soft. Just my amateur viewpoint.
Put on the tape of Wednesday's game -- or is that the one you're referencing? The Steelers were held to 68 yards rushing and Queen was the Ravens' second-leading tackler. A run-stuffer would certainly be a difference-maker for the Packers.

Brett from Pasadena, CA
Vic, what are you looking for out of the Packers to move them up in the all-important power rankings?
Beat the Titans.

Jonathan from Champlin, MN
What do you think about Cris Collinsworth’s comments about being "blown away" by the female fans he encountered in Pittsburgh? Is he deserving of the criticism?
Of course not. We're bored so we use whatever we can to create a controversy that'll entertain us. When I was in Jacksonville, a female reader requested a female-only "Ask Vic" day. I liked the idea so every so often I would post a "Ladies' Day Ask Vic." It was popular. The male readers respectfully complimented the women on their questions. Hey, the NFL was conducting "Football 101" classes for women, so what was wrong with a "Ladies' Day Ask Vic," right? The first time I tried it in Green Bay, a female reader reacted angrily. She fired off a letter to Mark Murphy demanding my dismissal. Well, I'm retired; no Mark Murphy to run to now. I got an LLC and a laptop that's "Ask Vic's" only asset. Nothing beats retirement and an LLC. I can hear Richie Havens singing "Freedom."

"Ask Vic" will publish on M-W-F through the football season.

Here are my all-important Week 13 power rankings:
1. Chiefs -- By far the best.
2. Steelers -- See last week.
3. Saints -- Can they continue winning without Brees?
4. Titans -- They pound you.
5. Bills -- Sleeper team.
6. Seahawks -- Do they have another gear?
7. Colts -- Laid an egg vs. Titans.
8. Ravens -- Super spreaders.
9. Packers -- NFC version of the Chiefs.
10. Rams -- Goff doesn't get it done.
11. Bucs -- Brady not Brady.
12. Browns -- Winning streak will end in Tennessee.
13. Raiders -- Late-season fade?
14. Cardinals -- Must beat Rams.
15. Vikings -- Cousins is "The Man."
16. 49ers -- Big game vs. Bills.
17. Dolphins -- Favorable schedule.
18. Panthers -- They lose the close ones.
19. Washington -- They have my attention.
20. Giants -- All four in the NFC East will lose.
21. Chargers -- Best 3-8 team in the league.
22. Patriots -- Hopes on the line at Chargers.
23. Texans -- Too late now.
24. Broncos -- Can't win without quarterbacks.
25. Eagles -- Lack weapons.
26. Bengals -- Two wins and the coach is safe.
27. Falcons -- They could upset the Saints.
28. Lions -- Now who?
29. Jaguars -- First shoe drops.
30. Cowboys -- Embarrassing defense.
31. Jets -- Bad uniforms, bad team, bad everything.
32. Bears -- Nagy: "Flat out embarrassing."

Bob from Sicklerville, WI
With the Packers run defense being the consensus biggest obstacle to overcome for a Super Bowl run, I'm reminded of the 2006 Colts team that had a terrible run defense during the regular season, then turned it on in the playoffs. Can you provide any analysis as to how they achieved that transformation seemingly overnight? Is it possible for the Packers defense to attain a similar transformation this year?
Bob Sanders returned to the lineup; that was the game-changer for the Colts. In Week 14 of the '06 season, with Sanders absent from the lineup, the Colts allowed the Jaguars to rush for 375 yards. With Sanders back in the lineup, the Colts allowed a total of 331 yards in four postseason games. Can such a transformation occur for the Packers? Yes, if someone comes out of nowhere to be the Bob Sanders of 2020.

Mike from North Hudson, WI
Vic, Lambeau Field appeared to have a much longer turf than usual. If so, and by design, would it be to slow down the speed of the game? During your career, were there any obvious homefield grounds-keeping decisions that caught your eye?
What you're describing has been an issue in college football, but not in the NFL. I remember a Pitt at Notre Dame game, when Tony Dorsett was coming off a 303-yard game against Notre Dame the previous season. The grass was so long a golf ball disappeared when it was dropped into the grass. Crowns were a big deal on the fields of teams that ran the wishbone. Talk about downhill runners. That's the kind of lack of standardization that has always plagued college football. The NFL has long been vigilant in maintaining a level playing field in every way.

Jim from Maple Grove, MN
Vic, what is the impact of all the schedule changes the Steelers have endured this season due to another team's issues with Covid? If you were the commissioner, would you do anything to compensate the Steelers?
Everybody knew it was going to be a challenge to conduct a fair and credible season in the midst of a pandemic. I applaud the Steelers for accepting their plight without complaint. If I was the commissioner, I would compensate the Steelers with a public thank you.

Justin from Delray Beach, FL
Vic, in regards to Jordan Love, could it not be true that after committing to Rodgers but seeing the lackluster performance of backups who now fetch a hefty price, the Packers grabbed onto what they deem to be a worthwhile stand-in at a more affordable price?
You're rationalizing. You're trying to make excuses for a decision that doesn't look too good right now. Affordable price? The Packers spent a first-round pick and a four-year, fully guaranteed contract on a player you hope never has to play. I'm not OK with that price because Love isn't a backup, he's a prospect. A backup is a player of a proven level of performance. If Rodgers remains the Packers' quarterback through his contract, drafting Love will have been a major goof. The player the Packers didn't draft in the first round might've become their Bob Sanders.

Bob from Marietta, GA
When you say "the Bears didn't come to play," what things did you notice?
Corey Fuller ducked tackles all night. Roquan Smith made Za'Darius Smith look like Dick Butkus. I wasn't crazy about what I saw from Khalil Mack, either. I know quit when I see it and the Bears shut it down early.

Zach from Chicago, IL
Vic, you got to cover and speak with Aaron Rodgers directly. Do you believe his improvement in play this season is at all related to the Love pick?
I do. Rodgers is a proud, ultra-competitive man. He takes offense at the least little snub. I remember doing a one-on-one with him in which I asked him a question about Jeff Tedford system quarterbacks. I thought he was going to get up and walk out of the interview. He didn't like the Love pick and I don't blame him. I think it gave him a new chip on his shoulder. Frankly, I saw a hangdog look on Rodgers' face at times last season. I haven't seen it this year. He's newly focused and hungry looking. Yes, I think the Love pick did that to Rodgers, so, if you're looking for something to like about the Love pick, there it is.

Chad from Kansas City, MO
Have you ever watched a professional team actively try and embarrass the opponent by running up the score?
I can't remember having seen it happen. Coaches get to a comfortable lead and then go into protection mode. I've seen coaches push the comfort level a little too much -- Tom Coughlin did that and it cost Tavian Banks his career -- and I think Matt LaFleur might've been guilty of that when he nearly got Lazard killed, but it wasn't because LaFleur wanted to embarrass the Bears.

Brad from Thunder Bay, Ontario
It would be hard to take Jones and Williams out, but when the game is under control, as it was in the second half Sunday evening, why don’t we see more of A.J. Dillon? Doesn’t the team want to see what they’ve got, plus give him game experience?
The Packers see Dillon in practice every day. All practices are videotaped and then reviewed. The Packers know what they've got. Also, Dillon is on the Covid list.

Alex from Racine, WI
As a runner, who does Derrick Henry remind you of?
I see some of Eric Dickerson's upright power.

Nick from Owego, NY
Are there any skills unique to being a successful college head coach when compared to a successful NFL head coach and vice-versa? Are there different questions Athletic Director Vic asks during the coach interview than GM Vic asks?
They're different games with different rules and processes. A coach who doesn't know college football's sophisticated recruiting rules could unknowingly put his program on probation. When Lou Holtz left college football for the Jets, he didn't know the rules of the NFL waivers claim system. An AD needs to know a coaching prospect is up to speed with NCAA rules compliance, and a GM needs to know a coaching prospect understands the inner workings of the salary cap.

Eric from San Francisco, CA
Vic, I don't know of any great personnel evaluator trees that could be shaken to find the next Jaguars GM. How does Shad Khan go about finding that person?
Khan owns an NFL team. If he doesn't know who the top personnel prospects are, then we've identified the Jaguars' first problem in the hiring process. GM doesn't ask Ford how to build cars.

Matt from Minneapolis, MN
Vic, I’m surprised at your rip the bandage off approach to Love, considering your usual mantra of “What’s the rush?” when it comes to “The Man.” If Love is "The Man," he’ll be "The Man" in two years as well. Let him sit and learn from the best and if he isn’t ready when it’s his time, it will be clear what needs to be done.
What's the rush? Rodgers' age is the rush. In two years he'll be 39 and his trade value will be greatly reduced. I think the Packers could get a huge return in a trade this offseason. It's value the Packers could use to dramatically improve their roster. I think this is the year to get that elusive one more title in the Rodgers era. All of the calls and the breaks, including a favorable schedule, are going the Packers' way. Hey, two different Packers grabbed Trubisky's facemask on the same play and neither grab was flagged. That kind of luck isn't going to last forever. In my mind, this is it. If the Packers can't get it done this year, it's time to move on.

Nick from Milwaukee, WI
What is Vic’s kind of pizza?
The worst pizza I ever ate was great. I love pizza. I like to buy frozen pizzas, the plain kind. Then I put my own fresh toppings on them: green pepper, onion, tomato, ham and a little extra tomato sauce and cheese.