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

Brian from Odenton, MD
Vic, I have been wondering how much running game issues are caused by drafting/converting tackles to play guard, or by trying to save money at this position? Or maybe another way to ask is what does a power running team look like compared to a team that tries to balance its attack, or run as a change of pace?
A power running team can drive block and move the line of scrimmage on short-yardage plays. Teams that can only zone block are finesse running teams that routinely fail on short-yardage downs because the defense either holds the point of attack or penetrates and blows up the play, or both. That's why zone-blocking teams have to throw the ball on third and one. My idea of the perfect offensive line is one that can do it all: drive, pull, trap, zone and pass block. That usually requires a combination of big tackles with light feet and guards with low pad level. The Patriots offensive line appears to possess those combined talents. It was able to adjust its game to complement its running back, even when he was a wide receiver.

Tom from Bismarck, ND
Vic, for what seemed the entire football season, fans of the game were treated to an ongoing saga of the Steelers' running back and the daily claptrap that follows players like him. Since December, only the name has changed. The uniform remains the same. Today, the most popular sites for NFL fans reading up on daily NFL happenings have completely devoted themselves to the new problem child. We like to blame the commissioner, referees, owners, players and fans for what our wonderful game has become. However, your brethren in the sports reporting business are the ones fanning these fires. Please don't blame the readers. We're starved for news about the league and will read almost anything. Oops.
Vic to Tom: Stop reading "Bleacher Report” and other such re-write sites. They’re not trying to inform you, they’re trying to get your click by taking the same facts -- none of which they uncovered -- and putting a new lede and a sexy headline on an old story. By doing that, they turn a one-day story into an every-day story, as long as you continue to read it.

Bob from Australia
Vic, I feel like Antonio Brown is inviting you to respond when he tweets, "It's not about the money, it's for the love of the sport." Love to hear your take.
When they say it's not about the money, that's when it's really about the money. Thank you, George. You're still the best.

Dave from Chippewa Falls, WI
What does the Kaepernick settlement mean to you?
It means the First Amendment remains the guiding light of a nation that doesn't fully appreciate what truly makes America great, again and again and again. Way back when this began, I wrote in this column Kaepernick would win and become a very wealthy man, because there's no court in the land that'll rule against First Amendment rights. Thank God!

Phil from Marietta, GA
You've often said revenue sharing is one key to the Packers' viability. I don't get it. The season ticket waiting list is a generation long, the team has as big a national following as any and the owners/fans would pitch in for any high-priced free agent if given the chance. Assuming TV revenue for New York vs. Green Bay, for example, would be split between the two teams, how would teams spending on their own hurt the Packers?
All of the success the Packers enjoy is after the fact; it's the result of Pete Rozelle's pool-the-revenue plan. Without Rozelle's leaguethink, the Packers wouldn't have survived in Green Bay long enough to reach the Lambeau restoration phases. All of that wonderful tradition and the amazing allure of Lambeau Field would've been lost, and the Packers would've become just another franchise trying to survive. Even as popular as the Packers are today, I think it would only be a matter of time before the franchise fell into disrepair, if the NFL stopped pooling its revenue and every team was left to its own devices. The big-market teams would dominate.

Doug from Phoenix, AZ
You have very high regards for Tom Coughlin. Below is Jason La Confara's grade on their QB situation, and puts Coughlin directly in the crosshairs. Where is he wrong? "F--. Yeah, that's an F minus, minus. We don't play around here. Not only did they punt on an entire draft class of QBs, and bought back into Bortles, they amplified their problems by trading for Cody Kessler and pretending he was an NFL backup (of course, he ended up starting when Bortles was inevitably benched!) and scoffed at the Jets when they offered Bridgewater, straight-up, for Dante Fowler before the season (they ended up dealing Fowler to the Rams for picks). Bridgewater may have saved their season. Now they will likely land Nick Foles and pray he can do for 16 weeks what we know he can do for four. Tom Coughlin has botched the QB position to this point, no other way to say it."
I think I said it was a mistake sticking with Bortles before it even happened. I called the 2017 season a fluke, and that's when I got the email from the Jags fan thumping his chest about having beaten the Steelers in Heinz Field. I specifically wrote you can't expect to win a championship by playing around your quarterback.

Tim from Lancaster, PA
What are the ramifications, if any, of the collusion settlement? Why were you so sure Kaepernick would win?
There's no way the NFL's army of attorneys would allow the league to suffer the crushing defeat it would've suffered. As a result of this settlement, the league needs to amend its official position on any player kneeling for the national anthem to: We support our players' First Amendment rights.

Samuel from Jacksonville, FL
Why did it take so long for the NFL to settle? The NFL is a multi-billion dollar company. They should have settled as soon as this was getting traction.
What was the rush? The league was going to lose, whether it was sooner or later. The longer the NFL held back the settlement, the longer it had to invest that amount of money and bank the gain.

Brandon from Lafayette, IN
In your recent post, you mentioned you hope the NFL fixes what ailed it in 2018. What would you say ailed it that is causing us to all feel this certain way?
The game is over-officiated. The result is we've become over-sensitized to officiating mistakes. I think it's possible the league likes it this way, and I think it's disrespectful of fans and a potentially dangerous position to take.

Steve from Minocqua, WI
Vic, why do the Steelers have player drama with Bell and Brown? Is it coincidence, team culture, did they not conduct thorough background checks, or is it something else? I’m baffled as to why two stars are causing such internal strife.
The Steelers did this to themselves by franchising Le'Veon Bell for a second consecutive season. They should've let him go into free agency. The year-long circus that resulted from franchising Bell might've even contributed to Antonio Brown's misbehavior, as angst seemed to be the Steelers' constant companion. Do you remember what I wrote last spring about how I would respond to questions about Bell if I were Mike Tomlin? Le'Veon who?

Gary from Panama City, FL
I find it extremely difficult to wrap my head around the fact people who dislike your writing style so much are still reading every week. Why do people force themselves to be miserable?
Why do people remarry?

Joseph from Dillon, MT
I would love to hear your opinions on other topics.
OK, here's one: The water's rising, folks, and it's going to impact all of us, not only the people who'll be forced to move to higher ground. The devastation to our economy from the loss of the most valuable real estate in America will be felt by all. We need to come together on this and find a solution or, at the least, devise a plan for retreat. I am not intending to make a political statement. My interest is in preserving our beautiful country for our posterity to enjoy as we have, and avoiding the calamity that would follow if we do nothing.

Tristan from Durham, NC
It was nice of John from Ann Arbor to take his time to write you. Did he spell the name right?
It's the PR mantra that brought the NFL out of the darkness and helped make it our most popular professional sports league: Write anything you want; just spell the name right.

Tom from Superior, WI
Other than your position with the Packers, what was your favorite thing about living in Green Bay? We know it wasn't pumping gas in the winter!
I loved the nearness of everything. In the offseason, I went home for lunch. I never had to build my schedule around rush hour because there was no rush hour. That kind of job exists nowhere else in the NFL. It was wonderful!

Andrew from Mount Dora, FL
Vic, what would your advice be to someone looking to become a better writer? What are some of the best resources out there?
I owe my professional life to the newspaper business. It taught me how to write responsibly, creatively and on deadline. It taught me one car doesn't hit another car; two cars collide. It taught me to look inside the person I was interviewing and feel the truth he is trying to hide, and then make it my truth. It taught my fingers to glide over a keyboard, as one eye looked at my notes and the other glanced at the clock. The most pure writing/reporting experience of my life was Friday nights in the fall in Western Pa. Go to your local newspaper and volunteer to cover city council meetings. They'll teach you how to write.

David from San Francisco, CA
I’m more optimistic than you, Vic. What happens when AAF players get injured. You think the quality of play will drop as the season progresses? I disagree; that’s only one variable. I spent this past September watching NFL players, coaches and referees all embarrass themselves. I believe the quality of play will increase with familiarity and regularity as it did in the NFL, and I believe the pool of C-grade players available to the league is probably huge.
What will happen when AAF players get injured? Without a players union and a CBA, the players will sue and the AAF will begin reeling from the effects of its liability.

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

Roger from Auburn, CA
Vic, who would you target in free agency if you were the GM for the Packers? Maybe your top three picks, if they could pull it off?
That's too aggressive for my taste. That's like buying Berkshire, Google and Amazon. You're not going to have enough money left to build a portfolio (team). I like cheap free agency. Wanna do what the Patriots do? Then identify some affordable patches and fit them into a role-playing design that covers your needs but doesn't pin you against the cap. Expensive free agency is a trap. You don't get a lot for your money and the reward, in my opinion, is seldom worth the risk. Jimmy Graham is a perfect example. Now the Packers are stuck with the decision of whether to cut their losses on Graham or pay him even more money and increase their risk. No thanks.

Jerry from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Why would any team trade for Antonio Brown?
His cap situation favors trading for him, if you believe he's still a great player and he can be managed. His amortization stays with the Steelers so you'd only be on the hook for his salary if you traded for him. If after one season you don't want him on your team, cut him and he's off your books; no dead money. A team with wide receiver fever that believes it's one player away will trade for him, but I don't see the Steelers getting better than a third-round pick for him. I think Mike Tomlin did a pretty good job of dealing with Brown's disruptive personality; Tomlin got a lot of production out of Brown. When Brown walked out on his team, it was over; there was no excusing that behavior. Two of the best players in the game became the top stories in the league this past season, and for the wrong reasons.

Kurt from Springfield, MO
My family and I will be in Charleston this weekend. My nephew graduates from Navy Nuke School on Friday and gets married on Sunday. If you were to offer a suggestion on a local place for a good meal to take your family, what would it be?
High dollar -- Fulton Five. Medium price -- Acme Lowcountry Kitchen on Isle of Palms. Cheapo -- Swig and Swine.

Mark from Wausau, WI
Vic, really NFL? Kareem Hunt gets signed, but Colin Kaepernick doesn't?
The message is you can beat up a woman and get a second chance, but expressing your right to peaceful protest is intolerable if it's viewed as unpatriotic.

Bryce from Marquette, WI
Vic, have you ever given thought to writing about anything other than football? I find myself gravitating towards your writing style and your disposition towards your own life (and life in general) is something I strive for. Your columns are a constant exercise in perspective.
I'm toying with the idea of tweaking the "Ask Vic" format by adding topics on which I'd like to comment.

Pete from Los Angeles, CA
Vic, are there any second or third-tier free agents who pique your interest?
They all do. That's where the bargains are. A good pro personnel department finds those guys. They find role players from other team's castoffs.

Bob from Green Bay, WI
What are your thoughts on Sterling Sharpe having a shot at the Hall of Fame. Arguably the best receiver in the league his last three years, even when compared to Jerry Rice at the time. Any chance?
No. His career was too short. We don't need to reach for wide receivers. The Hall of Fame selection committee is barraged by better candidates. We need a Hall of Fame of Wide Receivers. Sharpe belongs there.

​John from Ann Arbor, MI
You get your rocks off fooling imbeciles into thinking you’ve any real insight into the strategy of the game. This whole website is one vanity plate. You reminisce about a time when sports writers could paint a picture instead of analyze. The irony is you never had the talent for either. You claim to love the human confrontation but you completely ignore the grit and maturation of coaches like Belichick and instead attribute their success to others. There’s a reason you giggle when Romo makes a wrong guess. Because you mistake fallibility with coming down to your level.
OK.

Mike from Missoula, MT
I got my dad "Instant Replay" for Christmas and he found it interesting Kramer said the Packers practiced harder than any other team. In what ways do practices differ from team to team? Have they changed dramatically over the decades?
Under Chuck Noll, nine-on-seven drills and sled work were staples of Steelers practices. Coach Noll also liked to begin each training camp with an Oklahoma drill. That regimen is considered Neanderthal-like compared to today's passing camps. Bill Cowher liked a spirited goal-line drill in training camp. He liked to end a hard-hitting practice with a test-of-will thud. Tom Coughlin's practices featured precision passing. I think Mark Brunell could've completed a down-and-out in his sleep. Jack Del Rio was big on pass-rush drills pitting offensive and defensive linemen; that's where he put his exclamation point in his practices. Mike McCarthy was all about tempo and thoroughness. He covered all of the bases.

Ryan from Hayward, WI
Did you have the opportunity to watch any AAF games last weekend? I'm curious about your overall impressions and whether you think a league like this has a future.
I'm not going to judge the success or viability of that league on just one weekend of play. Can it sustain the level of play for which it's being praised? What happens when injuries begin depleting their ranks? Will the quality of play decline? What happens when the TV ratings and media attention declines? Will anybody still care? If it keeps its costs down and finds a way to limit its exposure to player liability, the AAF has a chance to survive and become a minor league of football, but the odds aren't in its favor.

Ryan from Bartlett, IL
Vic, I was watching the excellent documentary "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" discussing the lives of some of the members of Motown Records' house band, the Funk Brothers. This was the band that played the instruments for a massive number of hits, but received none of the recognition the singers did. One of the musicians was bassist James Jamerson, who hailed from Edisto Island, and his son still lives there, carrying on his father's legacy. Did you know before you moved there you'd have the scion of one of Motown's (unsung) heroes as a neighbor?
It was after I owned a home here I learned of Jamerson. I love the first three notes of "My Girl."

Brady from Milwaukee, WI
In the NBA in particular, there is a lot of discussion about market size. I don’t think I can think of a time the media has mentioned market size as a relevant factor for free agency in the NFL. Is this just because the NFL is such a national game and other sports leagues tend to be more regionally focused? Or is my analysis incorrect?
It's because Pete Rozelle instituted a system of pooling the revenue. It allows markets such as Green Bay to compete on a level field with New York. In my opinion, the Packers owe their success as much to Wellington Mara as they do to Vince Lombardi. Mara agreed to Rozelle's idea and at that point market size became meaningless in the NFL.

Tom from Vista, CA
Who was your fave player to ask for a quote?
In Pittsburgh, it was Joe Greene. In Jacksonville, it was Fred Taylor and Tony Boselli. In Green Bay, I thought Aaron Rodgers' postgame press conferences were always enlightening and I thought he worked hard and respectfully to help reporters provide an accurate account of the game. I found James Jones too late and I wish I had been able to spend more time with Charles Woodson.

Ben from Columbus, OH
Vic, what's your eye-test opinion of Dwayne Haskins and Kyler Murray? Do you believe they're top 10 picks?
Haskins absolutely is. Murray, in my opinion, is a little guy with a long throwing motion. I think he's a big risk in the first round.

Omar from Morelia, Mexico
Vic, this season was quite disappointing. Right now, I need to take a break from football and that saddens me. It is the first time I have had this feeling. I really want to leave this season behind. Do you have any advice?
I feel the same way and I think it's good for me because I came to count on football too much. I'm going to fill my offseason with other endeavors. Right now, I'm in the midst of house remodeling. It's taken my mind off football. By the start of next season, I want to feel refreshed and ready for something better. Hopefully, the NFL will fix what ailed it in 2018.

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

Ben from El Paso, TX
Happy Black History Month, Vic! Who is on your Mt. Rushmore of black coaches?
Eddie Robinson, Art Shell, Tony Dungy and Mike Tomlin.

Rick from Pine Mountain, GA
Should the NFL return the hash marks to their original width? Do you remember why they were narrowed?
They were moved toward the center of the field in 1972 to help promote the passing game, but they had a completely opposite impact, as they produced an explosion of thousand-yard rushers. I see no reason to widen the hash marks, though I think the effect of doing it would further stimulate the passing game. Boundary corners would become plentiful, but the wide-side shutdown corners would become even more difficult to find and doubly expensive. I think there would be an immediate shift in strategy. Passing offenses would live on the wide side of the field, and defenses would have to flood that side of the field with coverage defenders. Kickers would have to deal with sharper angles on chip-shot kicks.

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, while it may not have ben a great season or a great Super Bowl, what did you enjoy most about writing "Ask Vic" during the past year?
I didn't enjoy writing about Mike McCarthy's fall, the Le'Veon Bell drama or the childish antics of the Jaguars. This season was a disappointment in nearly every way for me, except for one: I always love reading and exchanging thoughts with the column's readers.

Barry from Hayward, WI
Vic, which teams are going to win the next five Super Bowls?
The Rams, Chiefs, Bears and Browns are best positioned going forward. I liked the Jets' future until they hired Adam Gase. I hope I'm missing something but I just don't get that hire.

Will from Salt Lake City, UT
I do believe Brady is the greatest QB ever, even though Rodgers is my favorite player. I think if it wasn't for Belichick he would have maybe 1-2 titles fewer than the six and I would still view him as the GOAT. Too much credit to their system. How do you think Brady would do with McCarthy or Tomlin as his coach?
He would've flourished because they are proven championship coaches. Brady is perfect for McCarthy's offense and Tomlin would've surrounded him with top defensive personnel until the last few years.

Dan from Sebastopol, CA
Vic, what are the top three positions Green Bay, Jacksonville and Pittsburgh each need to fill in the draft or free agency?
The Packers need a premier pass rusher, a guy who is disruptive and demands extra attention from the offense. The Jaguars need a quarterback, a guy who can win at crunch time. The Steelers need corners.

Dave from Jacksonville, FL
Vic, I’ve been retired for a couple of years. I believe I’ve watched every televised sporting event in its entirety at least once in my lifetime. I think the Masters is the best television sporting event. What do you think?
I enjoy it, but sometimes I feel as though I'm watching the same golfers hit the same shots every year. I like the variety the two Opens offer. The Masters' advantage is it's the only thing going on. Baseball has just begun and football is a distant memory.

Mike from Fort Wayne, IN
Do you think football, both college and pro, needs to be saved? If so, what needs to happen?
If the facemask had never been invented, you wouldn't be asking this question. Think about that. How do we turn the clock back? There's no chance the facemask will be taken off the helmet, so we continue to work around that fact by creating rules that are changing the game more quickly and radically than we can digest. The answer lies in changing the culture, but at this point it might be more about changing the fans' culture than it is about changing the players' culture.

Kirsten from Madison, WI
In defense of Chatty: I didn't grow up playing football or Madden, but I'm a long-time Packers fan who wants to learn more about the game, the same way I would about any other hobby I pursue. There are 22 men on the field and the game moves fast. Without any personal history in playing the game or seeing it coached, it's hard to sort through who is doing what and why. I can call an offsides penalty from my living room. Romo's insights give more clarity to the game itself.
I agree, he offers insight, but I think for those who know the game a lot of his comments come off as self-serving baloney, except I wouldn't say baloney. In my opinion, a fan such as yourself would be better served by a TV guy who gives you feel for what's it like to be playing in that game. Yes, I'm talking about the human confrontation. Imagine breaking the huddle for a goal-line play that'll determine the outcome of the game, knowing you're getting the ball and those 11 men on defense are looking right at you. I'd like for TV to give us an analyst who can capture that moment and that feeling. Cosell could do it.

Paul from McLeansville, NC
Much has been written about Rodgers changing the plays that McCarthy called. I'm guessing this happened in prior years, too. Have read a couple of articles of former players noting the change in Rodgers over the years. Now, with a new coach, how do you see this playing out if he continues changing the plays that are called in by the coach?
I think a quarterback of Aaron Rodgers' esteem should be granted the right to change the play, but there are times when a coach will call a play to set up another play. When those times occur, I think the coach should include the words "and run it" following his play call, which would be code for don't change it. A coach has to be allowed to call plays that dovetail with his game plan. Sometimes you have to run against an eight-man box to sell the play-action pass you have planned for the following play. If you're just calling plays randomly, you don't have a game plan.

Joel from Laramie, WI
Vic, I'll just ask it since I suspect a lot of Packers fans and others wonder or want to ask. Does Rodgers already have more Super Bowl appearances and victories under his belt with Belichick as his coach?
I have no reason to believe Belichick could've done a better or even as good a job with the 2010 team. It was superbly coached and McCarthy's stamp was all over it. The 2011 team suffered the same fate against the Giants Belichick did twice. The '12 team was garbage on defense. Maybe Belichick could've worked his magic on that team, but it would've begun with replacing the personnel. The '13 team had momentum and would've beaten the 49ers had Micah Hyde (I think it was Hyde) intercepted that pass. Maybe Hyde would've caught the ball had Belichick been the coach. The meltdown in Seattle the following year is germane to your question. I can't see a Belichick defense dissolving as the Packers' did. That's when the music ended for the McCarthy era teams. They were never the same following the meltdown in Seattle. Frankly, I think McCarthy got more out of the '15 and '16 teams than should've been expected of their weak rosters. Final tally: With Belichick, I'll give the Packers a Super Bowl title in '14.

Justin from Dacula, GA
I was wondering if you had any memories or thoughts regarding the Lou Holtz "era" with the Jets. Has there ever been a greater example of the massive gap between college and pro football?
He didn't even know the waiver rules and ended up painting the Jets into a corner by repeatedly claiming players off waivers. Holtz was smart enough to get out of the NFL and go back to college football. Spurrier did the same thing. He was a disaster, too.

Koko from New York City
In the Super Bowl, you mentioned the Rams offensive line performed poorly. Others have said the Pats defensive line dominated. Those two aren’t mutually exclusive, but what did you see and look for to arrive at your conclusion?
The Rams whiffed too many times. Getting bulled and walked back to the quarterback is one thing, but an NFL-caliber offensive linemen should never whiff. The Rams did a lousy job of preparation on offense.

Brooks from Moore, OK
Vic, I know the Packers had problems last year, but I was surprised complacency was on the list. Were you? I always thought Mike McCarthy ran a tighter ship.
I can think of another problem the Packers had: whiney players.

Gordon from Jacksonville Beach, FL
Can you write a bit about Noll's and Bradshaw's relationship? You wrote Noll is the most honorable man you've ever known, but I feel like I've heard some accounts of those early days with Bradshaw that didn't sound so great. Did Bradshaw get his feelings hurt too easily? Was Noll still coming into his own? I know you were there and I'd love to hear your summary and thoughts about it.
They won four Super Bowls together. What's not great about that? The intent is to win championships, not fall in love. Brown and Graham had a contentious relationship. So did Landy and Staubach. Starr drew a line in the sand with Lombardi about criticism in front of the rest of the team. Unitas called time out and told Shula, the Colts' new coach, to never, ever send a play into Unitas' huddle again. Bradshaw needed attention. He wanted to be pampered; don't we all? Coach Noll kept a distance from his players; that's how he achieved accountability in his team. He wanted no excuses. If Noll had babied his quarterback, it would've sent a wrong message to the rest of the team and it might've estranged the team from its quarterback. Someone once said Bradshaw wanted love and Noll didn't know how to give it. Noll knew how to win. Would you rather love and lose?

Nathan from New York, NY
Vic, what do you mean when you say a coach has his team prepared to play?
A team is prepared to play when every member of it knows its role and is completely focused without distraction on executing that role. Belichick is a master at preparing his team to play.

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

Loftur from Columbus, OH
I know you are big on players having a defining postseason moment regarding their Hall of Fame case. I also know you think there are too many wide receivers in the Hall of Fame. What is your stance regarding the Julian Edelman Hall of Fame discussion? Shouldn't Cliff Branch get in before Edelman even gets looked at?
Why not Wes Welker, too? Those who believe Edelman belongs in the Hall of Fame are suffering from terminal wide receiver fever. They should be ignored because they can't be saved. Cliff Branch? If you're talking about the old guys, I would begin with Drew Pearson and Otis Taylor.

Kelvin from Kenilworth, UK
Vic, hope you're enjoying the mild winter compared to Green Bay. My question to you is there appears to be an increase in quarterbacks who can pass and run, yet, it is Brady, Brees and Rivers who are playing into their 40's and dual-purpose guys have been replaced quicker. So has the franchise pocket QB been devalued or has it actually increased due to the greater chance of longevity?
The pocket quarterback has never been more valuable, and that's the problem with the pocket quarterback. Conversely, the throw-and-run quarterback may not stay healthy long enough to play long enough to become a killer cap hit. He might be a one or two-year wonder, but the supply of these types of quarterbacks is plentiful. Are you willing to commit to that type of quarterback? You'll need to have a few of them on your roster and be willing to replace them several times before the pocket passer's career ends, but the throw-and-run guy is easier to replace and his friendly cap hit will allow you to surround him with talent. I think it's doable. In fact, I think the Ravens did it.

Brent from Dubuque, IA
Vic, do you remember any game or even a specific play early in Tom Brady's career that first made you say, "Wow, this guy is going to be great?"
I remember being amazed at Bill Belichick's confidence in Brady to convert fourth-and-short plays at midfield. I had never seen anything like that. And Brady converted. I had never seen anything like that, either. I was in awe of his ability to make clutch plays.

Fabrizio from Fossano, Italy
The Patriots are the great franchise of the last two decades, but how did they do it? Is it just Tom Brady? Or Bill Belichick?
I've been over this and over this seemingly a million times, but my inbox is still teeming with this question, so let's do it again: Belichick might be the greatest evaluator of talent of any coach in history. His ability to patch with affordable players for whom he designs specific roles he believes they can execute, and then designs a plan based on those roles, continues to amaze me, along with his ability to focus and prepare his team to play a game. Be that as it may, Belichick was 5-13 and on his way to being fired when he made Brady his starting quarterback. They became the greatest winning combination in pro football history. Packers fans don't like my analysis because they want to believe Aaron Rodgers is better than Brady and Mike McCarthy is to blame for Brady having won so many more titles. I believe Brady is the greatest quarterback of all time.

Don from Colorado Springs, CO
The Patriots neutralized Aaron Donald so he was not a factor in the game. Next season, every team that plays the Rams will look at that film and try to do the same. Since you think he's the best defensive player, what do you think of his play in that game?
On at least one play I saw, he was triple-teamed. He had beaten a double-team and was about to sack Brady when the third blocker engaged Donald. I don't consider double and triple-teaming to be cutting edge strategy. Don, the Patriots were held to 13 points. I think it's more likely teams will watch that tape to see how the Rams did it.

Mike from North Hudson, WI
Vic, are there any specific rules you would like to see the NFL change for next season?
I don't want to discuss rules or rules changes. I'm weary of it; this past season was a weekly seminar on rules, rules interpretation, etc. For next season, I would like to see the NFL give us a seminar on football playing, not football officiating. The 2018 season, in my opinion, was one of the worst in NFL history. It reminded me of politics: No solution, just bickering.

Jim from Maple Grove, MN
Vic, I just watched a four-minute video highlighting the best of Chatty's calls for the Super Bowl (I was underwhelmed). I've seen numerous articles over the past two seasons expressing nothing short of awe at his commentary and hailing him as a football Nostradamus. Can you explain why he has become such a football media darling?
He's perfect for the video game generation: they love plays and strategy. I think he makes a lot of astute comments, but he often ruins them by saying too much. On one play in the Super Bowl, he talked about how the Patriots were going to run right at Aaron Donald, and then they ran directly away from him. I laughed. What about that cover zero with the deep safety in the AFC title game? Hey, he knows his stuff and he got himself a big contract. Good for him. Success is the pure defense.

Kyle from Phoenix, AZ
Going into this offseason, would you rather be the GM of the Packers, Steelers or Jaguars?
I love your question. If I'm Brian Gutekunst, I like what I've done and I'm excited about adding to it. If I'm Kevin Colbert, I wanna get the defense fixed and begin playing Steelers football again. If I'm Tom Coughlin, I'm going to find a quarterback. I think I'd like to be Coughlin.

Travis from Belvidere, IL
I noticed your pre-Super Bowl answers had a nostalgic feel to them. Does Super Bowl time have that effect?
No.

Dru from Lehi, UT
You mentioned you're nostalgic for old-school football games, but wasn't the Super Bowl just that? Both teams tried to run first and their defenses were great. I would have thought you liked the game.
I didn't think it was great defense; I thought it was bad offense. The Rams offensive line couldn't block a toilet seat, Jared Goff played in a fog, and his coach did nothing to clear the fog.

Allyn from New Canaan, CT
Vic, my Mt. Rushmore of coaches: Lombardi, Belichick, Noll and Walsh. Yours?
Brown, Lombardi, Walsh and Belichick. Coach Noll wasn't a Mt. Rushmore kind of guy. He didn't do commercials or endorsements. He believed players had a short career and endorsements should be left for them to enjoy. Coach Noll once saw his picture on a billboard and was embarrassed. His last name was commonly misspelled Knoll. Chuck liked that. He was never selected coach of the year. I think he liked that, too. When he retired, he did so with the same commitment he coached: He cast no shadows. He's the most honorable man I've ever known. Mt. Rushmore is too overstated for a man of his humility.

Mark from Wausau, WI
Vic, why do you think Belichick's assistants have been relatively unsuccessful as head coaches? Is their failure a testament to his coaching genius?
I think it's a testament to not having Tom Brady as their quarterback.

Paul from Hartland, WI
I believe the Rams and Chiefs are more talented teams than the Patriots but feel Belichick had an advantage getting to game plan against two young quarterbacks.
Belichick vs. Andy Reid and Sean McVay? Lombardi vs. Caspar Milquetoast.

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

Ramiro from Jurupa Valley, CA
Vic, this was probably the most boring Super Bowl I’ve ever watched and I’m 40 years old. Do you agree or am I exaggerating? Why were the Rams unable to move the ball?
It wasn't a great season and it wasn't a great Super Bowl. I enjoyed neither. The season was mostly about officiating controversy, and the Super Bowl didn't give me the feeling it was a clash between the league's best two teams. The Patriots and Rams felt more like survivors than champions. The Rams were unable to move the ball because the Patriots defense was better prepared to play than the Rams offense was.

Seth from Aurora, CO
Could you imagine if MLB gave the World Series MVP to a player that was suspended for a quarter of the season for performance enhancing drugs?
Baseball? Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, Braun and on and on? The NFL has done a much better job of policing PEDs than baseball has.

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, what surprised you most about the Super Bowl game?
I was most surprised by the poor play of the Rams offensive line.

Nate from Plymouth, MN
Personally, I think it's a bit rich to name an offensive player MVP after a Super Bowl in which only 16 total points were scored. I would've given it to Gilmore.
I think there was a movement to give it to anyone but Tom Brady. Truth be known, he was the MVP. With the game on the line, he moved the Patriots right down the field to the game-winner. He's a crunch-time marvel. It's what I respect most in a great quarterback.

Jon from Wright City (wherever that is)
GM Vic, is Goff your franchise QB?
If I was the Rams, I would be very concerned. Jared Goff looked worse than ordinary. His arm looked weak and he looked scared. The game and the Patriots defense were too big for him. Also in the truth be known category, the Rams weren't the same team late in the season they were at midseason, following their blistering start. They found a way to win and get to the big game, but their play began to look lackluster in many ways. I also think the game might've been too big for their coach.

Mark from Madison, WI
The game itself was not entertaining. It was an ode to the fundamentals. While not stimulating, it proved to be refreshing.
It was refreshing in the way sobriety is for a binge alcoholic. We all "drank" too much. We needed this.

Brice from Vancouver, WA
Was it Brady?
With seven minutes to play and the game tied it was.

Sean from Brighton, MI
How did the Patriots neutralize the Rams' high-powered offense?
They stopped the run. For all of the Rams' high-flying ways and their coach's reputation for calling great plays, their success was built on something as simple and as time-honored as the ability to run the football.

Chenc from Gent Oost-Vlaaderen, Belgium
Vic, recently I read an article that talked about Matt LaFleur wanting Green Bay to run the ball more often, and lots of commentators loved the idea. Haven’t we heard this before? What’s different now?
Every coach wants to run the ball, but it's about more than calling running plays. Mostly it's about having a strong enough defense that permits a coach to have the patience to commit to the run and stick with it despite early-game failures. If you go scoreless, your defense allows a touchdown drive, you go scoreless again and your defense allows another touchdown, your patience is in jeopardy. The 2014 Packers had a defense that allowed Mike McCarthy to commit to the run, and he did. Since then, defense has been a problem. Even last season, during which most Packers fans think the Packers made strides on defense, the defense ranked 18th overall, up only four spots from the defense that got Dom Capers fired. The Packers often found themselves trailing in games and being forced to abandon the run. Matt LaFleur comes from a Titans team that was No. 7 in rushing. He'll run it, if his defense allows him to have the patience to commit to the run. Nothing's different now.

Bill from Hawthorn Woods, IL
Vic, no disrespect to the five that got in, but Tony’s extended wait is disappointing. I know that’s through the lens of a biased fan, but I also know if No. 71 played in NY or LA, he’d have a gold jacket already. I feel confident inductiion is a matter of time, but it also seems past due. You’ve known him from the beginning. What are your thoughts?
It's not about where he played, it's about how long he played. Put four more good years on Tony Boselli's career and he would've been a first-ballot selection. Length of career is as important to offensive linemen as touchdown catches are to wide receivers. If it's any consolation, Tony is the best offensive tackle I ever covered.

Joe from Davenport, IA
I have major concern for the growth of the NFL or football in general. The media coverage and “entertainment," in my opinion, is ruining such a wonderful and simple game. I do all I can to avoid it. I feel the audience the NFL/players are trying to reach has shifted and the product on the field has deteriorated as a result.
I had a similar conversation last night following halftime. Vic to Vic: You're old. They don't want you anymore, and they don't want the game you miss and about which you wax nostalgic. It's over! The days of Al Hirt are gone. Deal with it.

Brian from Baltimore, MD
The game, commercials and all the rest were not particularly special. Two commercials for women's moisturizing cream says something, too. Not one truck ad and lots of network promos. That whole presentation package had to make the NFL cringe. What did you see, Vic?
I miss the Go Daddy commercials. I liked those.

John from Little Rock, AR
This past year, I did some construction work in a college football stadium and noticed all of the urinals in the visiting team locker room were hung at a height appropriate for children. Does the NFL have standards for visiting team facilities?
I know of no NFL rule governing the height of urinals. I think what you're describing is a matter of perspective. A team lacking confidence will see the low-mounted urinals as an insult to the team's masculinity. A confident team will see it as an expression of respect.

K.J. from Minneapolis, MN
It seems silly now, everyone wanting the next Sean McVay. Give me the next Bill Belichick.
I am in awe of his ability to prepare and focus his football team. They are always ready to play.

Bill from Sheboygan, WI
What are your thoughts on Julius Peppers?
Great talent, great player, great stats, certain to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Be that as it may, something is missing from his career, and it's not just a Super Bowl title. The defining moment isn't there. He was quietly great, but certainly not underrated. I wish he hadn't instructed Morgan Burnett to surrender following that interception. I wish Peppers had thrown the block that cleared a path for Burnett to the end zone and took the Packers to the Super Bowl. That would've been the defining moment that's lacking in Peppers' career.

Eric from Hudson, WI
I write you this question on Thursday after seeing your terrible prediction of a Rams win. What part of that Rams' run defense made you think they had a chance to win? Tom is better than Jared. Bill is better than McVay. The Patriots D is better than the Rams D. Aaron Donald is only one person. Belichick will force the Rams to throw. Jared Goff will have a terrible game. What were you thinking?
You nailed it.

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

Mike from Somerset, WI
Vic, the flurry of coaching changes is something I am not used to. I didn’t expect Joe Whitt and James Campen to leave with the change in head coach. Do you have any memories of Joe or James?
I met Campen during the lockout in the spring of 2011. I was doing features on the assistant coaches and it gave me a chance to meet them and learn about them. I remember very quickly identifying Campen as a classic rough-and-ready offensive line coach. They have always been favorite interviews of mine, going back to the days of Dan "Bad Rad" Radakovich, who was a mad scientist of sorts among line coaches. "Bad Rad" once pulled into a driveway of the row homes neighborhood where he lived, walked into the house, set up his movie projector and began watching film when he noticed a woman and a boy standing next to him. He realized he was in the wrong house. Whitt is a coach I believe is headed for a head job. He comes from a college coaching family and I can see Whitt as a head coach in college football. I think he'd be a lights-out recruiter. Joe has strong leadership qualities.

Bret from Hertel, WI
Stay warm. It's -21 with -50 wind chill. What was the coldest game you covered?
I don't have that information in front of me, but I'm immediately reminded of the playoff game against the 49ers in January of 2014. The next morning is when I nearly died at the gas pump. I can also remember a game in Cincinnati in 1977. It was so cold a water pipe burst in the Riverfront Stadium press box.

Samuel from Jacksonville, FL
Here's some perspective for you. Today, I put a sweater on and walked along the beaches of Jacksonville. Green Bay is at -20 degrees.
Here's some perspective for you. Each of the last three years, hurricanes have caused mass evacuations along the southeast coast. As Coach Noll said, how do you wish to die?

Dan from Waupun, WI
Is it true? Will the NFL be on the Hallmark channel in 2019? Wow, the NFL is soft. I guess change is good.
Get ready for the Replay Review channel. Viewers will be able to call in and argue the wrong call was made. Ratings will be out of sight.

Mike from Fort Wayne, IN
Vic, do you have any memories of a player action in a high-drama, crunch-time moment that didn't seem to fit the moment? Montana's comment about seeing John Candy in the stands comes to mind.
I remember Terry Bradshaw calling time out because Mike Webster had gas.

Paul from Cumming, GA
I compared the team stats from the AFC championship game and Super Bowl LI; they are extremely similar. What stuck out to me in both cases was the sheer number of plays the Patriots ran compared to their opponents. New England ran 90-plus offensive snaps in both contests. Is this the manifestation of the Chip Kelly style of offense in the NFL, running scads of short, relatively safe plays that wear a defense down to the point of being ineffective at crunch time?
Yes.

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, what unique problems surface when a fan base has a perpetually winning, playoff-bound, Super Bowl team?
It believes it's above losing. No one is above losing. Vic to fans: There's no guarantee you'll win, but I guarantee you will lose. Just wait for it.

Steve from Chardon, OH
It's going to happen, but what do you think about nationwide legalized gambling on sports?
It will happen and it will be the end of sports as an honorable and somewhat innocent pastime.

Josh from Athens, GA
Vic, Tommy Nobis' daughter was recently interviewed by the AP about their life and his CTE. After telling some family stories, I thought she ended with a beautiful quote: "Football was my father's life, the air he breathed and therefore the air we breathed. It brought discipline and recklessness, self-worth and depression, strength and weakness, determination and fear, teamwork and destruction of relationships, competition and dissension, friendships and loneliness, strategy and brutal honesty, entertainment and subsistence. In the end, it brought humility in every sense of the word."
I remember walking into the press box elevator at the Georgia Dome and seeing Nobis. I smiled, he didn't. I thought to myself, "I'm on an elevator with the great Tommy Nobis." I also remember that elevator bearing a display of football cards of former Falcons. One of the cards was of Jim "Cannonball" Butler in a Steelers uniform. I always looked for that card when I'd get on that elevator, because it reminded me of one of my favorite football moments. I was a kid in the Pitt Stadium stands when Butler ran onto the field late for a punt play. He ran behind the center, who snapped the ball and hit Butler on the butt in full stride. The stadium exploded with laughter. I think of these things on winter days. They warm me. Nobis, Butler, the elevator and the Georgia Dome are all gone now. My memories of them remain.

Grif from Lancaster, PA
Vic, do you like having a week off in between the conference championship games and Super Bowl? I would prefer not to have a week off and it seems the Super Bowl is popular enough it doesn't need an extra week of promotion. Do you ever see a scenario when there is not a week off before the Super Bowl?
It happened during a strike year, or something like that. I don't see it being scheduled to happen that way because that week of promotion is actually a week of sales. If I was commissioner, I would propose killing the Pro Bowl and replacing it with a futures game. I think young unknowns would play hard and TV ratings would be high.

Dave from Madison, WI
This isn’t a criticism, just an observation. I went to a Bucks game a couple of weeks ago and it was a non-stop sensory experience. Every timeout was filled with activity to keep the fans engaged. Piped-in music and a constant light show during the game. They even have a “student” section to give it that college feel. It caused me to reminisce about going to Badgers football games as a kid in the '70’s, before every game was televised. No TV timeouts. When there was a change of possession, the defense ran off, the offense ran on and they played. I remember the first televised football game I went to. I couldn’t believe how slow it felt. There was no flow.
The cheerleading by stadium PA announcers bothers me the most about today's stadium experience. What's next, a therapist to console fans when the home team is losing? Would we laugh if the "Cannonball" Butler play happened today?

Cliff from Washington, DC
Vic, I just wanted to say thank you for what you do. This blog is a relic of what the Internet was supposed to be. If the powers that be ever take away our websites, I hope they'll allow blogs like these to keep on chuggin'.
The Internet is the greatest vehicle for exercising our right of free speech in our country's history. Free speech comes with risks. Reject the bad, embrace the good.

Bob from Vicenza, Italy
Vic, what is your view on the state of electronic journalism? It is almost impossible to get through an article on most sites without running into errors one never would have seen in printed articles. Thank you for your effort to not be one of those sites!
You can take the ink-stained wretch out of the newspaper business, but you can't take the newspaper business out of the ink-stained wretch. When I was a very young reporter, an editor tore into me one day for using a split infinitive. I apologized and acted as though I knew what a split infinitive is. "To boldly go is a split infinitive, Ketchman" the editor said. Memories make us rich.

Ethan from Ontario, Canada
I bet you’re happy to be pumping gas somewhere other than Green Bay today. But jokes aside, what is your score prediction for the Super Bowl and why?
Rams 42, Patriots 41. I think the Rams are the better team. I also believe the Chiefs are a better team than the Patriots.

Karl from Albuquerque, NM
Does Vic think the NFL actually likes it when there is referee controversy?
They don't like it, they love it. Fans filing a lawsuit against the league because a penalty wasn't called makes the league giggle with joy. It's more proof America can't live without football. We've lost our minds and the NFL says thank you.

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

Brad from Jacksonville, FL
Vic, how much stock have you put into the Senior Bowl? In a draft in which Jacksonville needs to find a young signal-caller, all showed noticeable rawness or deficiencies there. Guys like Will Grier passed the eye test in games and could hit the windows, but he looked awful in the Senior Bowl game.
I attach great importance to the Senior Bowl practices, but not a lot to the game. Why? Because the practices are controlled and geared to identify players' talents as they pertain directly to what they will have to do to succeed on the NFL level. One-on-one pass-rush drills are the perfect example. That's where Aaron Donald became a sensation. He sent the Outland Trophy runnerup through the air, dominated center Weston Richburg and put on such an overpowering show in the drill through three days of practices it left Zach Martin to kiss Donald on the top of the head following the final rep of the drill. In all the years I had covered the Senior Bowl, it's the only time I can remember a drill ending on a Wednesday with applause from the scouts' side of the field. In contrast, a defensive lineman might get a sack in the game due to a blown assignment. In my mind, that sack means nothing. Quarterback? Derek Carr's stock rose dramatically following a post-practice red-zone performance Carr's agent arranged. It was evidence Carr could make all of the throws. The Senior Bowl has been a sensational event for a lot of years. Even in these times when top players are opting not to participate in the all-star games, the Senior Bowl is still turning prospects' arrows up and down. It's the standard by which all-star forums are measured.

Randy from Medicine Hat, AB
Which Super Bowl game is your favorite?
It's Super Bowl XIII and it's because of the great collection of talent on the field: Bradshaw and Staubach; Franco and Dorsett; Swann and Stallworth, and Hill and Pearson; Greene and Greenwood, and Harvey Martin and Too Tall; Randy White and Lambert; Blount and Benny Barnes; Ham and Hollywood; Webster and Rayfield Wright. Fourteen Hall of Famers (Tony Dungy was a reserve) played in that game. Both head coaches would be inducted and Hall of Famers Mike Ditka and Ernie Stautner were Cowboys assistant coaches. It's the greatest collection of talent on one field I have ever observed, and it was a great game.

David from New York, NY
I just had a discussion with somebody who referred to Peyton Manning as the first-ever modern quarterback. It really seems like Peyton managed his public image better than most, and that his legacy is outsized from that. Are there any other players you can think of that have an outsized legacy due to public perception?
Johnny Unitas invented the game Manning played. That's not a public perception, that's a fact. Outsized legacy? Butkus might be the greatest middle linebacker ever, but he was just as accomplished at managing his image. The "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte" comment about the rolling head was sheer marketing genius. Frenchy Fuqua has done pretty well with his answer-in-the-envelope routine. I see nothing wrong with it, especially in those days, when guys were underpaid and had to find ways to supplement their football salaries. What has "Instant Replay" been worth to Jerry Kramer? Good for him.

J.P. from Jacksonville, FL
You've spoken repeatedly about the need to get a QB ("The Man"). I agree. If you're the Jaguars, or any other team that needs "The Man," would you be willing to use two of your top three picks on a QB? Suppose the Jags are able to take Dwayne Haskins in the first and someone like Drew Lock, Will Grier or another highly-ranked QB is available in the second. Do you use both picks to increase your chances of getting the right player?
First of all, let's wait to see what the Jaguars do about Nick Foles or Joe Flacco. If they trade for either of those two quarterbacks, the scenario you've presented will likely be impossible. If the Jaguars don't trade or otherwise acquire a veteran quarterback, they'll have to rebuild the position in the draft and I wouldn't be opposed to drafting two quarterbacks, but not in each of the first two rounds. If you pick a guy No. 7 overall, you have to believe he's your quarterback of the future or you shouldn't have picked him that high. Quarterback is different from all other positions. It needs to be uniquely managed.

Brett from Marietta, GA
Are you going to share any of Tony Pauline's insights on the prospects from the Senior Bowl?
I asked Tony what players he liked in Mobile. He gave me: quarterback Jarrett Stidham, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, offensive tackles Andre Dillard and Tytus Howard, defensive linemen Khalen Saunders and Renell Wren, and linebacker Terrill Hanks.

Scott from Hamlin, NY
If NFL coaches really thought overtime was unfair and the outcome was dependent on a coin flip, wouldn't they just go for the win in regulation?
If they have a top defense, no. If they have a weak defense, they have to decide if they feel lucky. Maybe they should flip a coin to determine whether they should flip a coin.

Graeme from Scotland
Dear Vic, today (25 January) is a sad day here in Scotland because we have lost a legendary sportswriter, Hugh McIlvanney. I'm not sure if Hugh's writing across a wide array of sports ever made its way to the U.S., or if you ever had a chance to read any of his work, but as I read some of the tributes this morning, his approach to writing made me think of you. As a fan of your work since I discovered it on packers.com, I think Hugh's way of illuminating the human aspects of sport -- the conflict, the triumph and the tragedy -- might appeal to you.
McIlvanney wrote with flair and drama. He wrote of power and pathos, of daring and defeat, of warmth and woe, and it's no coincidence he was at his best when he was writing about boxing, a sport of pure human confrontation. His work is for those who prefer prose to technical analysis. Language was McIlvanney's all-22. He was a sportswriter for those who enjoy a well-turned phrase. Each of their ranks are shrinking.

Jim from Brooklyn, NY
Now that the season is over for the Saints and the Packers, did the passing on drafting Marcus Davenport hurt the Packers as passing on T.J. Watt did?
The Packers won the trade with the Saints because they favored value. It defeats need.

Mike from Fort Wayne, IN
Vic, can you think of any big, historic games in the past that could have had a different outcome if today's technology was available then?
The 1977 AFC title game immediately comes to mind. Replay showed Rob Lytle fumbled and the Raiders had recovered. Replay would've reversed the call, the Broncos would not have scored on the next play, and the Raiders would've gone to the Super Bowl, not the Broncos.

Steven from Montclair, NJ
After last year's Super Bowl, you said that was the beginning of Tom Brady's decline. How do you explain his recent success and arguably one of his best postseasons?
I saw signs of decline through the 2018 season, and statistically it was not among his best years. Statistically, he wasn't at his best in the win over the Chiefs, either. He's the best crunch-time quarterback I have ever seen. That much hasn't changed, and that's why he's in the big game, again.

Will from Salt Lake City, UT
Who is one current and past player you would have really liked to see win a Super Bowl and why? Mine would be Dan Marino for all of the records he set, and Larry Fitzgerald for what a great talent and great guy he is.
Ken Anderson. Current? I don't think like that. Just play the games. I like to watch.

Brian from Iron Mountain, MI
If Brady had been the Packers’ quarterback the past season, they would have made the postseason, right?
The Packers did not have a postseason-worthy team in 2018. I don't think Brady would've made the difference.

John from Denver, CO
Vic, in response to the question about the Packers bundling their first-round picks to move up, you said, "Two good players are better than one." I know there's no clear answer to this, but is one great player better than two good players?
Yes.

Nathan from San Diego, CA
What do you think the landscape of professional sports will look like in a couple of decades?
Attendance will have declined and TV ratings will have increased. As a result, stadiums will be smaller. Football will bear little resemblance to what we're watching now, which bears little resemblance to what we watched two decades ago. Gambling will be the fans' focus.

Burt from Iconto Falls, WI
We have some big-dollar contract decisions to make this offseason. What does GM Vic do about Jimmy Graham, Randall Cobb, Clay Mathews and Nick Perry?
A new coach is a perfect time to become all new. If you're going to do it, do it now.

Justin from Canton, NC
This Rams team could get to Brady with four and cover with seven. Wasn't that what did Brady in against the Giants both times?
In my mind, it's all about Aaron Donald. Belichick's reputation is for taking away the opponent's best player. That's Donald.

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, what is your favorite Super Bowl memory?
It's from Super Bowl XIV at the Rose Bowl. I was at my position in the press box when I instantly recognized the man sitting down next to me. It was Robert Walden of the "Lou Grant" TV show, my favorite. Walden stuck out his hand and introduced himself. I said "I know who you are. What are you doing here?" He explained he was there to observe the media so it would help him in his reporter's role on "Lou Grant." I laughed. "Why are you laughing?" he said. "There's nothing to observe," I said, and then explained the whole no-cheering-in-the-press-box thing. He had a look of disbelief on his face, but he later admitted, "You're right. You guys are boring."

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

Darren from Mackinaw, IL
Vic, other than player safety, in your time covering professional football, what has changed for the better and makes the game more fun to watch for you?
It's not more fun for me to watch. I enjoyed football more when it was less entertaining and more meaningful. I touched on this in my previous column. I had always regarded football as a noble endeavor. The coaches from my early years covering the game -- Chuck Noll, Don Shula, Tom Landry, Paul Brown, Bum Phillips, Bill Walsh, Bud Grant and others -- were noble men of esteem and principle. They left a mark on me. The same is true of the team owners, beginning with Art Rooney. Football was best for me when it was a game of will. The "Ice Bowl" defined the game I loved and became my obsession. I have always wanted to write about the human confrontation football represents. I loved the patience, endurance, sacrifice, loyalty and dignity I found in football. I don't find these qualities as readily in today's game.

Jared from Rigby, ID
Vic, what do you remember about the Bills teams that went to the Super Bowl four straight years and lost?
Beyond its explosive offense, I remember a defense that was loaded with star players but never seemed to get it done. How do you have a defense with Bruce Smith, Cornelius Bennett, Shane Conlan and Nate Odomes on it and give up 52 points?

Tim from Jacksonville, FL
Bill Belichick can't be considered in the football coach Mt. Rushmore because he hasn't contributed anything new to the game. Bill Walsh created the West Coast offense. Nick Saban modernized college football. What has Belichick done?
Belichick taught us how to win in the salary cap era: Find a great quarterback, draft and patch. He also popularized going for it on fourth down at midfield. He's the first coach I can remember routinely throwing on short yardage. He's also the coach who turned the preseason into a scrimmage for non-essential personnel. I was at Gillette Stadium the night Belichick benched his entire starting lineup for a preseason game. I remember thinking to myself Pete Rozelle would've been furious. I think you can say Belichick modernized professional football.

Samuel from Jacksonville, FL
There are rumors coming out of Philadelphia the players prefer Nick Foles over Carson Wentz. In most cases, you go with the younger high draft pick but this is a totally different situation. Who does coach Vic go with?
I remember a story about how the Steelers preferred Terry Hanratty over Terry Bradshaw. It angered Joe Greene. After games in which Bradshaw starred, Greene would say, "How'd you like our quarterback today?" Joe knew you win with talent, not popularity.

Pat from Collierville, TN
Put on your GM hat. After watching the games this past weekend, it seems the Packers are farther away from another Super Bowl appearance than most want to admit. The NFC participants seem to have more overall team speed and willingness to gang tackle. How long do you think it will take for the Packers to be relevant for a championship?
As I've written, what the Packers do in free agency will answer the question. If they spend a lot of money in free agency, either the wait is over, or the wait will have gotten longer.

Kirsten from Madison, WI
If you're the Packers drafting at 12th and 30th, do you use the 30th to trade up into the top 10?
If they can target a player they believe can be a difference-maker, and be able to move up to draft him without giving away more than those two picks, go ahead and make the deal. Clay Matthews and Troy Polamalu are examples of trade-up picks that worked. Be that as it may, I don't think the Packers are one player away. Two good players are better than one.

Will from Salt Lake City, UT
How do you feel Sean Payton handled the blown call in his press conference? I have only seen clips, but he did not seem to handle it well, but I don't blame him. I remember McCarthy holding his composure very well after the "Fail Mary."
Payton handled it better than his team's owner. In my mind, after the way Payton's team lost in the playoffs a year ago, he doesn't have the right to complain about anything.

Dave from Madison, WI
I’m worried what the rules committee is going to do this offseason. If we allow review of penalties that weren’t called, won’t there be multiple flags on every play?
Here's the best I can offer: If a review official sees what he believes to be a blatant miscarriage of justice, stop the game and fix it. That should also allow the league to get rid of the coach's challenge rule.

Milan from New York
Vic, you are the best. Only you pointed out the reason the Saints played at home was because of two phantom calls on Joe Haden. What goes around, comes around.
Saints owner Gayle Benson made me chuckle with her statement about the no-call in the NFC title game: "No team should ever be denied to reach the title game based on the actions, or inactions, of those charged with creating a fair and equitable playing field." The Superdome was a fair and equitable playing field on Sunday? The Saints did everything they could to make it unfair. Vic to Saints: You're done. You blew your big chance a year ago.

Patrick from Indianapolis, IN
Vic, are you surprised by how many Packers fans seem to think the Packers will be legitimate contenders next season? I feel like an awful lot of fans feel LaFleur will fix Aaron and fix the offense, Gutekunst should/will sign multiple free agents that will plug all the roster holes, along with the draft, the defense just needs to get healthy, and the Packers will be back near the top of the NFC next season. I don't think those fans understand just how much change the franchise is facing right now. To think everything can get turned around in just one offseason (especially with a new coach) just seems extremely unrealistic to me. Am I wrong on this?
If you're a Packers fans -- I have a feeling you aren't -- I would say your attitude is healthy. If you're asking me to explain why Packers fans have such enduring optimism, I would say it's because having a great quarterback means you always have high hopes. Also, it's impossible to predict the impact of injuries, weather, strength of schedule, etc. Sometimes the gods favor a particular team.

Wendell from Porto Alegre, Brazil
What do you think of the Saints' cap management? They always try to kick cap hits to following years, even creating voided years in contracts to split the signing bonus hit. I understand they are doing this to improve the chances in Brees' final years and they could keep doing this for the foreseeable future, but for me it's very risky for the franchise's future.
The Saints aren't marching in, they're marching out.

Jim from Maple Grove, MN
Vic, the most meaningless game of the season is upon us. Would you be so kind as to share with us your perspective on the Pro Bowl and its evolution over the years? Was there ever a point when you thought it was a worthwhile event?
I remember being a kid and watching Johnny Unitas rally his team to victory, and thinking it was a pretty cool game. I can't remember another Pro Bowl that was meaningful to me. I only ever got one story out of the Pro Bowl I used. Joe Greene told me how there were eight Steelers in the defensive huddle, Jack Lambert started calling Steelers defensive plays and said, "The rest of you guys stay out of the way."

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, what do the Rams have to do to beat the Patriots, besides scoring more points?
Aaron Donald needs to have an MVP type of game or Tom Brady will pick the Rams secondary apart.

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

Vincent from Seattle, WA
What did your eyes tell you while watching both championship games?
They were sensationally entertaining games, but two officiating moments (a pass interference that wasn't called and a roughing-the-passer call that shouldn't have been called) left a bad taste at the end of the day. When the Saints were allowed to beat the Steelers a few weeks ago on two ridiculous pass interference calls against Joe Haden, I remember thinking to myself if I was the Saints I'd be worried the calls were going to even out in the playoffs. They did. The Rams are the better team and deserved to win, but my inbox is in an uproar about the apparent pass interference that wasn't called. The Chiefs lost because they're soft on defense, and that was a season-long problem Andy Reid never fixed. The Patriots are an ordinary team that was No. 29 on defense this season, but they have Tom Brady and that's why they're going to the Super Bowl.

Olle from Källunga, Sweden
Is Chatty on steroids?
I think I saw a deep safety on one of Chatty's cover zero plays.

Karl from Albuquerque, NM
Commissioner Vic, what, if anything, would you do about the refs/rules for next year?
Review everything. Nothing less is going to satisfy the fans. Also, make Gene Steratore the czar of officiating. He should make all review decisions. Steratore was the best referee in the game, and now he's the best TV referee in the game.

Dan from Toledo, OH
I guess we can probably back off on the “Patriots only win because of homefield advantage” theory now.
The Patriots win because they have Tom Brady.

Paul from Cumming, GA
Is it safe to say the NFL got everything it could want out of Championship Sunday?
My inbox exploded over night. A nation lost sleep due to football injustice. The NFL is smiling.

Connor from Greenville, SC
The dream of a world where Dee Ford lined up six inches back and Tommy Boy had three picks in a crushing loss will get me through tonight.
That was a great offsides call.

Jim from Maple Grove, MN
Vic, there's a lot that can be asked about specific plays and decisions and what not, but what I'm really asking is why the Chiefs didn't win.
I'm not an Andy Reid fan. His teams have always been soft. The longer the game went on, the softer the Chiefs got on defense. It played out just as it did in the Chiefs' playoff losses in recent years. Reid's teams just don't get it done. In Super Bowl XXXIX, the Eagles went soft on defense in the second half and the Patriots ran the ball down the Eagles' throat. Sound familiar?

Milan from New York
Vic, I trust you will not use the term GOAT with reference to Aaron Rodgers in the future. Wow! Brady.
Brady is the greatest. Anybody who disagrees isn't being honest.

Isaac from Nashville, TN
Vic, the drama in both games hinged repeatedly on penalties and replay reviews, and it often seemed as though controversies were supposed to be as exciting as good football. Something is very wrong.
We did this to ourselves by refusing to accept human error. We created a mania for that which can't be achieved, perfection.

Al from Pasadena, CA
During the Saints/Rams game the announcers said Payton and some fans had whistles. Why in the world would that be allowed? I'm really glad the Saints lost because of the huge noise disadvantage the visiting team has to overcome.
It bothers me, too. There's nothing that can be done about fan noise in dome stadiums, but the NFL can and should forbid music between plays, cheerleading PA announcers and message boards that encourage and direct fans to increase the noise level.

Tyler from Augusta, GA
It's Brady.
It sure wasn't Belichick. His defense was awful, especially at crunch time, and his go-for-it decision on fourth down nearly lost the game.

Brad from Wilmington, DE
Hate on him all you like, but Belichick is the best in the business.
He's a great coach, but he was 5-13 and on his way to being fired when he made Tom Brady his starting quarterback.

Curt from York, PA
Vic, the Rams offense and defense got it done in overtime and the Saints did not. So it can't be said the big pass interference non-call gave the game to the Rams, but it sure can be said it took it away from the Saints. Is the wrong NFC team going to the big game?
I think the right team from the NFC is going to the Super Bowl, but I think Sean McVay got away with making the wrong decision on fourth down. I think he should've gone for the touchdown.

​Steve from Hudson, WI
I found the Saints-Rams game to be disappointing, largely due to the obvious missed call. Did you find these last two games helped to save a disappointing season?
Yesterday's games helped define the 2018 football season as the year of frustration. Every team was the victim of bad calls. That perception is what's leaving a bad taste in my mouth. The whining and the crying is becoming difficult to endure. I liked football more when it was a noble game.

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

Cofy from Ontario, Canada
I was wondering, what would happen if (when the new stadium opens) the Chargers and Rams, or Giants and Jets were both hosting conference championships in the same year?
One would be played on Monday.

Adam from Chicago, IL
Are good plays the ones that work?
Yeah, and good plays are also the ones that help make other plays work. All those four-yard runs help set up that play-action pass that wins the game. As I've written, you don't call plays, you call a game plan.

Art from Edwardsville, IL
I am convinced the Packers' downfall started when they got rid of Eddie Lacy. Am I wrong?
The Packers need to find a runner who can force defenses to get that eighth man up in the box, as Lacy did. The 2017 draft was a blockbuster for running backs. Dalvin Cook, Joe Mixon, Alvin Kamara, Kareem Hunt, D'Onta Foreman, James Conner, Tarik Cohen and Marlon Mack were selected after the Packers made their first pick. The Packers selected Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams. Maybe one of those two will be the next Eddie Lacy.

JPS from Illinois
Vic, if you could pick one, what would you say is the hardest NFL hit you ever witnessed?
That I covered? I remember a Jerome Bettis/Donovin Darius head-on, full-speed collision that caused both men to recoil. It was Okoye/Atwater esque. The Donnie Shell hit that broke Earl Campbell's ribs made me gasp for air.

Chad from Kansas City, MO
Vic, as a millennial with all the information at my fingertips most of my life, I find game commentary is becoming more and more pointless. Do you think there will be a shift to more calm and well-chosen words before, during and after a snap? I really miss listening to Pat Summerall. Sometimes what he didn't say was all I really needed to hear.
The video game people want chalk talk, so I suppose the mind-numbing cover two crap will continue. I want someone who can capture the moment. I want someone who'll see Derwin James whiff on a tackle and say, "The Chargers aren't ready to play." Chatty said nothing.

Mary from New Richmond, WI
The players' council wanted "accountability and removal of complacency." Is it wrong of me to think this was a cop-out attitude? Just do your job! Did everyone think their jobs were safe, or am I missing something?
When I first read of the players' council, I said to myself, "That's baloney," except I didn't say baloney.

Matthew from Rolling Meadows, IL
Not only are the rule changes making it easier for QBs, they are allowing a different QB to play the game now. The kid from Oklahoma is listed at 5-10, 195. Those numbers may even be a little exaggerated. The NFL wants exciting.
The rules changes have increased the supply of quarterbacks. It's genius. Prior to the rules changes of 1978, NFL quarterbacks fit into a tight prototype. The evolution of the game, especially in recent years as the protections have been increased, have caused quarterbacks to come in all shapes and sizes. I'm not sure there is a prototype anymore. Creativity, right?

Greg from Cuenca, Ecuador
Vic, in your last column you said Coach Belichick out-coached Andy Reid. What did you see in that game?
Belichick shifted gears in the second half. He went to a ball-control running game and Reid had no answer for it.

Jon from Lynchburg, VA
A Big 12 quarterback finally won a playoff game! Is Mahomes one you would pick if you were starting a team today or is it a little too soon yet?
I think he's a sensational talent. Maybe he's the new prototype. I only see one thing I don't like. He tends to turn and commit his entire body to the throw. I think we might begin seeing defensive backs jump routes.

Jason from Austin, TX
Vic, I've been thinking of ways the XFL could one-up the NFL. For starters, I think they could create a lot of attention if they had a female-coached team (which I'm still surprised there isn't one in the NFL). Secondly, remove kickoffs. I don't care what alternative they go with, but it will mean that if the NFL ever decides to change their rules, it'll look like they're following the XFL. Thirdly, allow college players to leave college and play for the XFL, where they'll get paid. If Trevor Lawrence left college early to join the XFL, that would send waves across the league and send a message to high-profile recruits. I think the XFL could carve a chunk out of the NFL, if it really wanted to. What do you think?
I'm surprised you didn't include a human sacrifice prior to kickoff.

Ben from Hilo, HI
Why are divas tolerated at wide receiver but not, say, on the offensive line?
We put a premium on playmakers and under-appreciate the guys who block and tackle. I think Mike Tomlin did a masterful job of tolerating Antonio Brown and quieting the storms he created. The most recent incident was too much to overcome. You can blame Tomlin for not acting sooner, but the fact of the matter is great players can use their talent to hold teams and coaches hostage. Lombardi, the ultimate taskmaster, had a higher level of tolerance for Hornung.

Nic from Milwaukee, WI
Did the dud last Sunday cost Phillip Rivers his last chance at the Hall of Fame?
Rivers is not a Hall of Fame player. If I was on the selection committee and one of its members campaigned to elect Rivers, I'd say, "Really? You want us to elect another Chargers quarterback who was terrible in the postseason?"

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, are people at your house allowed to talk during playoff games when your favorite teams aren't involved?
It doesn't matter if it's the regular season, postseason or what teams are playing, if we're going to talk, I mute the TV. Either we talk or the TV talks. It's one or the other, not both.

Mark from Wausau, WI
Do you have any insight into a head coach agreeing to let one of his assistants interview for an assistant position with another team? Some block interviews; some allow them. Is it based on personal relationships, the perceived talent of the leaving assistant, pending arrangements to bring in someone new, etc.?
The league regards coaches as belonging to one of two categories: head coach or assistant coach. A team can deny permission for an assistant coach to interview for an assistant coach position with another team, but may not deny a request to interview for a head coach job. Previously, coordinator positions were considered to be a promotion for a non-coordinator assistant coach, therefore, an interview request could not be denied.

Kirsten from Madison, WI
I know it was unrealistic, but I was hoping Joe Philbin could stick around. I think all Wisconsinites hold the Philbin family in their hearts, and the Philbins just seem like Wisconsin kind of people. Do you have any Joe Philbin stories to share?
I've never seen a family conduct themselves with more dignity than the Philbin family did during the funeral services for their son.

Ryan from Bloomer, WI
Do the Packers have the pieces in place to create a power running game? Is it a commitment thing or are they missing some key pieces?
Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones give the Packers a potential thunder and lightning combination. I think every effort should be made to develop a Williams/Jones complementary running game. Yes, it requires commitment, the kind of commitment Mike McCarthy made to Eddie Lacy when McCarthy made his big-letters promise to improve the running game. Here are the questions I have: Does Aaron Rodgers want to make that kind of commitment? Would Packers fans complain about a lack of creativity in the play-calling? The best running games are the most predictable running games.

Eli from St. Paul, MN
I used to share the belief the Patriots owed some of their success to playing in the weak AFC East. I decided to look at the numbers. Over the last 10 years, the Patriots have won 78 percent of their division games; they have won 76 percent of their non-division games. I was surprised to find very little difference. They just win.
I've even some of my readers complain the Patriots have played in a weak AFC. The Peyton Manning Colts, Ben Roethlisberger Steelers and Ray Lewis Ravens were weak?

Dimitris from Athens, Greece
Vic, your opinion about Adam Gase?
I hurt for him.

Aiden from Jacksonville, FL
You seem very keen on Tom Coughlin; obviously his resume speaks for itself. QB was never addressed, among other things. How much is he and/or Caldwell to blame for the Jaguars' down season?
Coughlin is the boss. I promise you, he's taking this very personally.