​"Ask Vic" is published on Monday and Thursday through the offseason.

Robert from Plymouth, WI
What's your impression of Kyler Murray?
As a runner, he's special. As a passer, he's ordinary. I like the kind of quarterback he is, but you have to be prepared to replace him because injuries are likely.

Matt from Houston, TX
How long did it take the Steelers and Raiders to stop hating each other?
I can't remember any of them getting chummy with each other. All of these years later, I can't even recall any of them doing a beer commercial playing on the rivalry. I get the sense when the games ended, the players put their memories of them in a box and closed the lid. I don't even remember them talking much about those games. Joe Greene would smile and talk about L.C. sitting on a folding chair outside the Steelers locker room and watching the NFC title game on TV, and Art Shell walking by and asking, "What are you doing, L.C.?" and L.C. saying "Just watching who we're going to play in the Super Bowl," but Joe was always very guarded in what he said about those games. I always got the sense the players in that rivalry were afraid to take the lid off that box. Maybe the best example of those games' lasting impact is how it estranged Coach Noll's and Coach Madden's friendship. Madden was the defensive coordinator at San Diego State when Noll was defensive coordinator of the Chargers. Madden said they became best of friends. They were each products of a Catholic-school background and they were of similar intellectual and football thinking. Noll was hired by the Steelers a week prior to Madden being hired as head coach of the Raiders. If Madden hadn't been hired by the Raiders, Noll was going to offer Madden the job of Steelers' defensive coordinator; that's how close they were. According to Madden, after the "Immaculate Reception," the dirty tricks game, the lawsuit, etc., the friendship was never the same. Those games were the real thing; no hype.

Robert from Glasgow, DE
Your dad and mine were born in the same year. Mine grew up literally dirt poor and was also on a ship in the South Pacific at 18. The G.I. Bill allowed him to earn a very financially successful life. We went to ballgames in St. Louis for Musial, in Milwaukee for Aaron, in Green Bay for Lombardi. Never once had a hot dog, a Coke or a treat at a game. Always packed our lunches; a penny saved is a penny earned. Seeing Willie Mays and Bart Starr was far more valuable than any Coke. Thanks for your story on your dad. My dad could buy a Cadillac; he bought stick-shift Chevy’s.
"You'll spoil your appetite. Your mother will have dinner waiting for us when we get home." He didn't fool me. It was about the money.

Brian from Little Rock, AR
Can you give some examples of teams that successfully went all in?
The 2015 Denver Broncos.

Mike from Bergen, NJ
Vic, with the inevitable move to a 17-game season looming, what do you remember about the move from 14 to 16 games and how did those discussions go back then? Were there any concerns then that were founded (or perhaps unfounded) like there are today with player safety in mind?
It was a non-issue because six preseason games was ridiculous overkill, and the players didn't balk much at the move to 16 games because they didn't have the power to do it and, besides, the final two preseason games were played as though they were regular season games. The players didn't have a voice back then. Their union was crushed in the strike of 1974 and they were at the mercy of the owners. I can't recall even hearing the words player safety. The only concern was for the potential for diluting the product. It grew the product.

Darren from Alice Springs, Australia
What will you look for in Urban Meyer’s first season to believe he has successfully made the transition to NFL head coach?
I want to see the development of young talent, especially the quarterback they draft. Coach Meyer was always good at recruiting talent, but he'll need to be better at developing talent to succeed on the NFL level.

Joe from Milwaukee, WI
What's an important thing for us to appreciate about Ernie Holmes?
I think it's important to acknowledge he was another of those great products of the HBCU schools, in this case Texas Southern. My scout friend recently sent me a story ranking the top 50 players in HBCU history. It is an eye-popping list.

Fred from Florida
The 1970's Steelers are known for defense. Tell me more about the offensive line. I checked a reference site and saw the only Pro-Bowler during that time was Mike Webster. Were they underrated?
Chuck Noll didn't draft an offensive lineman in the first round until he was near the end of his career. He built the lines of the '70's on smaller, more mobile players who could pull and trap. The big guys who were drafted high -- John Hannah and Ron Yary, to name two -- tended to get the acclaim. Other than for Tony Boselli, Jon Kolb was as good as any tackle I ever covered. Yes, he was underrated. He had big games against great players, such as Jim Marshall and Harvey Martin. Webster's talent was undeniable. Sam Davis, Gerry Mullins and Ray Pinney were scrappers. Larry Brown made the move from tight end and was a truly dominant tackle, but he was oft-injured and it prevented him from achieving acclaim.

Richard from Boulder, CO
Vic, I have enjoyed the recent questions you answered regarding quarterbacks calling their own plays. On that note, when did you first notice quarterback arm bands and how have they become so ubiquitous?
I remember Tom Matte's wristband being a big story in the playoff game in which Don Chandler probably didn't make that field goal. Matte's wristband was the real deal. He was calling plays from it. Today's wristbands are more of an aid in the process. They help limit what needs to be said through the communication device.

Elten from Pleasant Lake, IN
J.J. Watt on signing with Arizona, "The signs kept pointing down here." Yea, dollar signs.
It's play for pay. The game of professional football is built on that concept. I remember fondly the days when the Steelers' business manager handed the players their paychecks as they left the locker room following a game. Don't wire the money to their bank accounts. Make it personal. Let them feel the weight of that money in their hand. Did they earn it?

Mike from Tuscaloosa, AL
Were Atkinson and Tatum dirty or just tough dudes playing a tough sport, especially in their era?
Criminal element? In my mind, the jury said yes.

Taylor from Fargo, ND
On the Internet I usually read what I want to hear. However, when I come to your column, I often read what I don’t want to hear. It gives me perspective and I enjoy it. So, what don’t I want to hear today?
You don't want to read it's unrealistic, out of touch and naive of Packers fans to think J.J. Watt would play for less money because he loves Wisconsin and wants to return there. My inbox is full of whiny vitriol aimed at Watt. Vic to Packers fans: It's not about the bicycles, it's about the money.

Justin from Delavan, WI
I knew it was all about the money and I wish J.J. Watt the best, but I didn't like him riling up the Wisconsin fan base as leverage. He got the fans all excited and crazy. Why did he do that?
How can you expect the Packers to play tough defense if you're going to be that soft?

Dave from St. Peters, MO
Gutekunst seems to indicate he is operating to win now and win later, which is not all in and is really just staying near the middle and hoping they get lucky in the playoffs with Aaron Rodgers. Are there many instances of franchises succeeding with this approach?
The 2010 Packers immediately come to mind. The Steelers won a couple of Super Bowls with Roethlisberger that way. I think the Patriots qualify. Those three teams have been consistent playoff contenders. The Broncos haven't been back to the playoffs since they went all in and won in '15.

"Ask Vic" is published on Monday and Thursday through the offseason.

Isaac from Nashville, TN
Vic, is it possible to run with power out of the shotgun?
You want the pistol. The backs are positioned behind the quarterback.

Frank from Lampman, SK
What year did you begin covering the Steelers?
It was 1972. I was a college intern. The sports editor sent me to training camp. My first pro football story was on a journeyman guard named Bruce Van Dyke.

Steve from Lake Stevens, WA
What were the accommodations at Three Rivers Stadium like compared to modern venues?
The suites had an industrial feel to them, but the Allegheny Club was chic. Three Rivers was the signature stadium of a bad design era. Its charm was it had none. There were no long-range views, such as the one at Heinz Field. There was a feeling of detachment from the outside world. I liked it. When the field-level seats began bouncing, you knew you were watching something good.

Eric from Minneapolis, MN
What clues will the draft and free agency give us about Joe Barry's plans for the defense?
It'll likely tell us where Barry believes the defense needs to improve.

Jason from Austin, TX
Vic, what kind of growth do you think the NFL gained by having a relatively uninterrupted season? Do you think they attracted more viewership this past season than they would have if COVID didn't happen?
The NFL was the only good thing to happen in sports in 2020. It endeared itself to its fans and further entrenched itself as an entertainment giant. We'd be miserable without the NFL to entertain us. That message was reinforced in 2020.

Benjamin from Burlington, VT
Vic, I can't truthfully say I have much experience with vehicles that aren't automatic transmission. Is your reference to stick shifts more that they're more fuel efficient, that you have more control, or a bit of both?
When I was young, automatic transmission was a luxury and you paid extra for it. I learned to drive a stick on hills, and if I held the clutch, my dad would bark at me, "You're gonna burn it up."

John from Charlottesville, VA
Can you explain a little more what adding a voidable year does to the cap hit when prorating a signing bonus? What happens to the proration when the last year or two is voided?
The proration accelerates into the applicable year. A voidable contract is the same as cutting a player, except it's decided when the player will be cut when he signs the contract.

David from San Francisco, CA
Your father and Ted's father are from the Great Depression era, no?
Mine was. He was four years old when the Depression began. At age 18, he was in the Philippines. When he came out of World War II, poverty and war were all he had known growing up. That kind of combination has a lasting effect on a person. He'd take us out for soft ice cream, but you didn't dare ask for chocolate dip. I always knew where the line in the sand was.

Dave from Madison, WI
I find the era of quarterbacks calling plays fascinating. Was that a common approach for teams or were only a few players trusted with that responsibility? How did coaches give feedback to the quarterbacks on the plays they were calling?
It was common for quarterbacks to call their own plays, but some coaches used messenger guards to shuttle in the plays. That's what Paul Brown did. Coach Noll, who was one of Brown's messenger guards, used the same tactic to send in a play he wanted run. That's how we knew whether it was a Bradshaw play or a Noll play. It made for some fun in postgame press conferences. "Was that touchdown your play, Chuck?" He'd smile and nod his head.

Bill from Menominee, MI
Forgive my ignorance, but how often do teams trend under the cap during a current league year? If they're under the cap, can they restructure midway through the season to front-end load a player's contract through bonuses to allow more cap space in future years?
Once upon a time, when teams had cap room left late in the season, they'd do a new contract with a player to eat up that space; leave nothing to waste. The rule has since been changed to allow teams to bring space over to the next season.

Rodney from Kalgoorlie, Australia
What were your thoughts on the 1987 players strike, the replacement players, etc.?
It was heaven for a reporter. The stories were wonderful. I remember the Steelers had a retirement press conference for a personable local player who was being released and replaced. Some of those players stuck. Steve Bono was the Steelers' replacement quarterback.

Jor from Bloomington, IN
When did Tom Brady first catch your attention?
It was in the Michigan-Alabama bowl game. He was super. He was everything a scout could want in a prototype drop back quarterback. I asked one of my scout friends why Brady wasn't rated higher. This was before Brady ran poorly at the combine. As I recall, the scout's answer reflected on Brady being a Drew Henson backup. I didn't get it then and I still don't get it. The best evaluators of football talent in the world blew it. That's the answer.

Jonathan from St. Joseph, MO
How do you feel about Big Ben's return?
I think the Steelers should move on. Roethlisberger can still throw, but I doubt the Steelers can build an offensive line in front of him that can allow for his lack of mobility. I think this should be the jumping off point for the Steelers: Clear the cap, rebuild the roster.

Ted from Philmore, MN
Is Robert Tonyan really worth any extra money? His touchdowns, in my opinion, are all Aaron Rodgers. Stick any average tight end in there and he'd do the same thing. No?
I don't like throwing money at tight ends unless they're really special. The Packers threw money at Jimmy Graham and the Lions at Jesse James. Both are busts. The Lions cut Tonyan and then he goes to Green Bay and replaces Graham. James was fine in Pittsburgh, then he went to Detroit and the Steelers signed Eric Ebron, who the Lions drafted 10th overall. That kind of merry-go-round approach to free agency is costly and often results in regret and re-do. In the salary cap era, teams have to be better than that. It's a game of replacement. Yes, I believe Tonyan could be replaced affordably and without much difficulty.

"Ask Vic" is published on Monday and Thursday through the offseason.

Dru from Lehi, UT
I never liked the Smith and Smith signings only to draft Gary in the first round. Everyone knew at some point Gary would get a shot at the starting role. Well, here we are in year three and Gary needs a chance to start. The Packers will probably cut Preston Smith and eat the dead money for two years. Depending on what happens, it seems like it will be either a waste of a draft pick or money.
The dead money would only be $8 million and would result in an $8 million cap savings. It's a no-big-deal issue either way. I think we need to know what the new defensive coordinator's plans are for Gary before we decide what the Packers should do with Smith.

Justin from Delavan, WI
Could Tomlin fix Haskins?
Tomlin has the esteem and the voice to make a difference in a young man's life and career, and Matt Canada is one heckuva coach. Haskins throws the ball like a god, but something is missing in the rest of his game. I love this signing because there is no risk, only reward, and the reward could be a game-changer for the Steelers.

Roger from Glen Falls, NY
The Jags shed many good players and thus gained draft picks. They will use the picks to draft many good players. Can this strategy be repeated over time? Can it be successful? Just trying to understand.
It's not a strategy as much as it is an option made possible by the combined forces of failure and the inverse-order draft. Bert Bell was a genius.

Mark from United Kingdom
Just read a great article on the Oilers of the late seventies. Can you give me a line on Bum Phillips, Robert Brazile (L.T. before L.T.), Earl Campbell and the Oilers team at that time.
They knocked on the door. The 1978 Steelers-Oilers Luv Ya Blue game is one of the most memorable and intense football games I ever covered. I can still hear the pom-poms swishing.

Joe from Milwaukee, WI
Please describe Earl Campbell's running in as many words as you'd like.
Thundering speed and grace.

Bob from Green Bay, WI
Do you think the Packers should carry three QBs on the roster next season?
Love will make it unnecessary or we'll have our answer on Love.

John from Sioux Falls, SD
Vic, I know this would never happen but wouldn’t all the cap stuff be so much easier if both sides agreed to salary only?
First-year and guaranteed salaries would explode.

Max from Logan, UT
Who would you take between Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson?
If the Jaguars drafted Wilson No. 1 overall, he failed and Lawrence became a star somewhere else, the franchise would have to be moved to London as a means of escape.

Rob from Superior, WI
Maybe it’s time for the Packers to change their core identity and be new again? Pass, pass, pass with the league MVP didn’t get it done at crunch time.
Or they could change their name to the Leopards.

Ben from Vestal, NY
Which tough, talented and approaching long in the tooth lineman would you rather have, Linsley or Watt?
Linsley is the better player, but the Packers have his replacement in Jenkins, which means they can avoid a big cap hit without suffering a performance hit at the position. That's today's game. It's a game of replacement.

Sal from Mullica Hill, NJ
I saw someone compare Urban Meyer to another former Gators coach, Steve Spurrier. Seemed like Spurrier was more of a system coach who couldn't adapt to the NFL game. Is that part of the reason Spurrier struggled in the NFL and is Meyer in danger of having similar problems?
Spurrier was way in over his head. I remember Jim Haslett mocking Spurrier's celebrated "Fun and Gun" scheme with a kind of "Is this all there is?" remark. Spurrier's scheme was laughable and he was lazy, coming to work late and leaving early. His teams were beaten before Sunday because he was out-worked. He brought back Gators stars as though they were going to wave a magic wand and winning would happen. I remember watching Danny Wuerffel throw a series of college-like bubble screens and I felt embarrassment for Spurrier. Then came the duck lips moment and, at that point, it was only a matter of time before Spurrier would go back to college football, where he could fast talk his way through recruiting and schedule a patsy or a bye week ahead of the few tough games on his schedule. I remember doing a conference call with Spurrier before a Washington-Jaguars game. He was talking that college corn pone crap and reporters began walking out of the room. Compare Meyer to Spurrier? I hope not.

Eric from Lansing, MI
Vic, you say "nothing beats young and on the rise." The only two times Green Bay won the Super Bowl in the last 53 years, they were young and on the rise. Isn't that an argument for starting over rather than all in?
I've already lost that argument.

Dave from Chippewa Falls, WI
A question in response to your Monday response on Roethlisberger’s 2021 extreme cap hit (and what happened in Indy with Manning): Why do teams and players agree to have this financial jumping off point in the contract?
It's how teams wind down a quarterback's dead money. The Patriots did it with Brady and now the Steelers are doing it with Roethlisberger.

Scott from Lake Greenwood, SC
You wake up tomorrow morning as GM of the Green Bay Packers, exactly as they sit today. You have full control of players, coaches and cap. All in?
I think it might be the smart thing to do, but it's just not me. Ted Thompson was fond of saying his father was a frugal man. My father bought stick shifts.

Tony from Cary, NC
What would keep the Packers from putting the franchise tag on Aaron Jones and then trading him for a first or second-rounder? This would give the Packers a higher draft pick than they would get in a compensatory pick. It would also give the other team exclusive rights to work out a long-term deal with Jones and not get into a bidding war.
For starters, putting the franchise tag on Jones would require the Packers to cap that amount of money when the league year begins. That's a tall task. No. 2, the Packers couldn't trade Jones unless he signed the tender, and he's not going to sign the tender. No. 3, even if he signed the tender, I doubt you could get a one or two for him, and then you'd be stuck with the franchise tag money guaranteed. Today's game is a game of replacement. Move on.

William from Thornton, CO
In the titles vs. body of work criteria, how would calling the plays fit in? As Starr did?
As Unitas did? As Bradshaw did? It counts.

Samuel from Jacksonville, FL
How would the NFL look if draft order was reversed from best to worst?
The best teams would trade their picks to the worst teams so they could draft quarterbacks. The best teams would use the extra picks to get deeper and better, but the cap would eventually catch up to them. The big difference would be the best teams would stay young longer, which means their time at the top would be extended.

"Ask Vic" is published on Monday and Thursday through the offseason.

Ben from Alameda, CA
Did the Colts overpay?
I think they inherited a bad contract and spent some draft capital without making themselves a better team. They should've waited to see what the Steelers do with Roethlisberger.

Morgan from Little Chute, WI
Can OL be good at pass and run block?
The good ones are.

Nathan from New York, NY
What do you think about Chris Doyle's resignation? Are second chances only for physical assault but not for racism?
Second chances begin with sincere apologies that reflect deep regret for the right reason. I think such an apology is best expressed with an accompanying act of contrition, such as contributing community service hours or establishing a fund-raising charity. I'm not familiar enough with Doyle's situation to know if such an apology exists. If it does, I would support his efforts to reclaim his career.

Douglas from Binghamton, NY
The phrase "I can answer the question but I can't understand it for you" comes to mind, but forgive me. How does the Packers being $20 million over the cap not mean this past year wasn't an all-in year.
It wasn't an all-in year because the Packers weren't all in. A team isn't all in until all of its players' salaries -- at least the big ones -- above minimum wage have been converted to signing bonus and pushed out. The Packers have plenty of high-salary players on their cap, beginning with Rodgers and the Smith Bros. That means the Packers have plenty of money that can be converted to create cap room in the current year. They could even create cap room by doing a new deal with Davante Adams. There's nothing wrong with the Packers' cap; no problem getting under the new cap. Fans hear a team is $20 million over the cap and they freak out without knowing the details. A team $1 million under can be in far worse shape than a team $20 million over. I consider it lazy and disingenuous of media to use these tactics to alarm readers without explaining the details.

Mike from Boscobel, WI
I haven't followed Urban Meyer's career but from what I've seen he has always favored a spread passing offense. Can he or will he be able to implement a sound running game in this type of system?
Meyer is a very good evaluator of personnel. As he accumulates talent in Jacksonville, he'll do what the talent will allow him to do. He loves the physical game. He wants to run the ball.

Joshua from Modesto, CA
Who would you cut to create cap room? I'm assuming this is what you meant when you said you could create the room without pushing money out.
Before I can answer your question I have to know if we're all in or trying to maintain a flat cap for the future. If it's the latter, then I'm trying to limit the money I push out, so I'll cut some people who can provide some cap relief and can be easily replaced. The Packers did that by cutting Kirksey and Wagner. If we're all in, then I'll cut players I can replace with free agents who are upgrades and whose contracts I'll structure to provide as much cap room as possible in the present. All in means doing everything you can to load your roster for now.

Tom from Healdsburg, CA
If the Packers are in fact going all in, what do you think of releasing Preston Smith to make room for J.J. Watt?
If you believe Watt is still a dominant player, that's the kind of all-in move you might make to load your roster. Smith can provide cap relief and indications are Gary might be an upgrade. On top of that, you sign Watt to a contract that's high in signing bonus and low in salary and you've trimmed your cap and improved your roster.

Will from Salt Lake City, UT
What happens when a team stays over their salary cap at the start of the league year? What penalties are there if a team stays over; has a team willfully done so out of defiance or any other reason?
The league would step in and begin voiding contracts in reverse order of when they were signed, until the team is under the cap. The penalty for failure to comply with the cap would be stiff and almost certainly would include the loss of high draft picks. It's never happened. The cap is your friend. Take care of the cap and the cap will take care of you.

Joe from Milwaukee, WI
Are you of the opinion a reporter's job is more than stenographer for authorities?
Reporters have become slaves to their tape recorders. They've become obsessed with including all of the unimportant language in a quote. "At the end of the day, you know, I've expressed this to you many times and I can't say it loudly enough, and this is certainly another example of it, we need to run the ball," can be shortened to "We need to run the ball" and nothing will have been lost or misrepresented. I would write "The coach was adamant in repeating his weekly theme, 'We need to run the ball.' " I think that says more than all of that wimpy professorial language in the coach's space-eating quote. I think reporters should use more of the space allotted to them to frame their stories, set a tone, paint a picture and talk to their readers instead of being so concerned with being stenographically correct.

Jack from Middleton, WI
Wouldn't you think fans would have gratitude for periods of losing, enabling the winning to retain its meaning?
Yes. It's rebirth. It's shedding the shackles of age and learning how to walk again, with the promise soon you'll be running with the speed of youth. It's a rest from the pressure of trying to hold on one more year. In the salary cap era, it's paying off the credit cards and being debt-free again. In my mind, the losing record to which the Steelers are headed is much better than the 12-4 they just concluded. In my world, it's all about the arrow and the direction it's pointing. Nothing beats young and on the rise.

Taylor from Hull, IA
I get very annoyed with the complaints about the Packers not doing enough to surround Rodgers with elite talent (and the rumors that he is also upset by it). Why doesn't anyone ask why Rodgers hasn't reduced his salary to the bottom tier of the league to insure the team can pay all these other great players? I bet if Rodgers willingly dropped to the league minimum the Packers would gladly sign J.J. Watt. It is a difficult line to find between paying the man what he is worth and having enough to satisfy said man.
So, if Rodgers agrees to restructure his contract by converting everything in his salary above minimum wage to signing bonus and pushing the proration out into future years, would that satisfy you?

Ryan from Hayward, WI
Does signing bonus have to be spread over the life of the entire contract? Or could teams choose to allocate the signing bonus cap hit to just two or three years out of a five-year contract, for example? It would seem to me if a team wanted to truly go all in before going all out, it would be good practice to limit the dead money on future caps by paying off the signing bonus early. Can teams do this?
Again, that's not all in. All in means all in for the present with no concern for the future. Signing bonus must be divided evenly over the life of the contract, but roster bonus can be used to achieve what you're suggesting. Roster bonus must be charged in full in the year it's paid. It's a means for bringing money forward; signing bonus is a means for pushing money out. A balance of the two is a way to protect future caps. Some years ago, the Eagles used roster bonus as a means of pre-paying on future caps. They loaded the contracts of young players with roster bonus at a time when the team wasn't ready to go, so to speak, so when the team was ready to go it would have plenty of cap room to spend in free agency. The tools are available to be creative. How do you wish to die?

Morgan from Little Chute, WI
Cap hit minus dead cap equals cap savings that year?
Yes. Roethlisberger is scheduled to be a $41.25 million cap hit in 2021. He's $22.25 dead, therefore, he's a $19 million cap savings cut. Such is the siren song of quarterbacks.

Max from Toledo, OH
When Green Bay had first and goal from the eight, do you think a run was called on the first, second or third play?
I think you're asking me if I believe Rodgers changed a running play to a pass play. I won't lay that on him. True running teams would run the ball because they want to run the ball. It's at the heart of everything they do. The Packers aren't that kind of team and LaFleur isn't that kind of coach. It was late in the game, the pressure was on and the Packers reverted to their true identity: pass, pass, pass. That's who the Packers have been for a very long time, and until LaFleur proves differently, I believe that's who he is as a coach.

​"Ask Vic" is published on Monday and Thursday through the offseason.

Mark from Eau Claire, WI
What can Matt LaFleur do to make the Packers his team instead of Aaron Rodgers' team?
Run the ball.

Daniel from Rapid City, SD
Who is the best free agent acquisition in NFL history?
Drew Brees. He saved a franchise and a region.

Eddie from Glasgow, Scotland
Vic, you mentioned last week the Jaguars could be the dominant team in the AFC South for a decade. What needs to happen for that to become a reality, or is it more the division is there for the taking and Jacksonville is in the best place to capitalize on that?
It's a combination of the Jaguars' opportunity to build their team all at once and an AFC South in which the best quarterback is on a team in chaos and the two best teams are challenged at the quarterback position. The Jaguars need to hit a home run with their quarterback pick. That's No. 1, and they have the pick at the top to do it. No. 2, they need to use their remaining draft capital to build a long-term supporting cast. No. 3, they must use their cap room wisely. That's the 1-2-3 strategy for a long run of success in Jacksonville.

Greg from Jacksonville, FL
What happens to an offense when it gets too pass heavy, like the Chiefs?
When a team lacks run-pass balance on offense and is forced to throw, the quarterback gets hit too much. The more you throw, the more your quarterback is hurried, hit and sacked. The running game is the best pass-blocker. We saw evidence of that with the Packers this past season.

Michael from Bella Vista, AR
The quarterback carousel seems more active than usual. Is this good for the league or would it be in the owners' best interest to keep the movement to a minimum?
I'm not sure. It's great for Hot Stove leagues but it's bad for identity. I think we might be on the verge of a new trend at the quarterback position. Today's game is favoring supply, and that's good for the game.

Benjamin from Syracuse, NY
How is the Bakhtiari restructure indicative of all aboard? The Packers were $28 million over the projected cap and still can't currently sign a seventh-round rookie much less J.J. Watt. They need to get under the cap regardless of their plan, right?
Yeah, but I find it curious the Packers would restructure a contract just a few months after negotiating it. Everybody knew the cap was going to be decreased by reduced revenue. The restructure suggests to me a possible shift in philosophy. Maybe not; we'll see. I can certainly think of ways of creating cap room without pushing money out.

Zach from Kenosha, WI
I don't mean this as a gotcha moment, I'm just genuinely curious. I seem to recall you having strong feelings about the cheating allegations and scandals that plagued the Patriots and Tom Brady for years. Not to put words in your mouth, but it seemed those instances diminished Brady in your eyes, so I was a bit surprised to see you put the crown on him. Is it just that seven championships in 10 tries is too much to ignore, even with whatever asterisks one might deem appropriate?
OK, let's get it all out. I absolutely believe Brady was complicit in Deflategate and benefitted greatly from the Spygate tactics and whatever other shenanigans Ernie Adams engineered through the years, but the league didn't strip the Patriots of those titles and I'm left with no option but to include them in Brady's resume. Seven in 10 could easily be 10 out of 10, and if it wasn't for that egregious pass interference penalty against Ellis Hobbs, it would be eight Super Bowl titles. I'm going to assume you think Aaron Rodgers should be in the GOAT conversation. Really? You want me to include in the GOAT debate a quarterback who's lost four conference title games in five tries? Bradshaw won four Super Bowls in four tries and I don't include him in the GOAT debate, because it's not all about titles, but they count. I'll accept in the debate Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana and Otto Graham, all of whom have a great body of work, won multiple titles, are famous, changed the game in one way or another and represent distinctly separate eras of professional football, but that's about where it ends, and Brady easily stands above all of them. Again, it's not just the titles. Brady's body of work is jaw-dropping, including three MVPs, five Super Bowl MVPs, nearly 80,000 yards passing and 581 TD passes. Crunch time? He's No. 2 in all-time fourth-quarter comebacks with 39; Rodgers is tied for 48th with 17. Building a case for Rodgers is nonsensical. I saw somebody take a shot at me in the comments section for putting Unitas above Starr, that I'm inconsistent in my regard for titles. Hey, Unitas won three titles, and the first two launched pro football's popularity. Because of Unitas, Pete Rozelle was able to negotiate a league-wide TV contract and convince owners to share the revenue. Without that TV deal and the revenue sharing from it, the Packers might not be in Green Bay. Unitas is the player on whom the modern game was built. He invented it. Ask Cliff Christl what Lombardi thought of Unitas. He thought he was a god. I love Starr for what he meant to the growth of professional football and for his Ice Bowl moment, which I believe is the most courageous act in football history, but his body of work pales in comparison to Unitas'. Duck Hodges threw more touchdown passes (5) in 2019 than Starr did in 1960 (4). I love Packers fans for their loyalty, but there's a line across which loyalty becomes blind love. On the heels of another devastating NFC title game defeat, this is a good time to avoid this debate.

Chris from Lexington, KY
If you had the cap space to sign either Jones or Linsley, which would it be? Do you apply the same get the big guys first approach to free agency and, therefore, value Linsley more?
My approach to free agency is to find the bargains. Neither Jones nor Linsley will be bargains. I think the Packers made a mistake in not doing a new contract with Linsley before the season began. I think they needed to do Linsley first and then Bakhtiari, as one would impact the other. It's too late now.

Bill from Sheboygan, WI
How would drafting Jim Brown have impacted the Packers? They obviously didn't need him.
When I answered the question, I was thinking how history might be different if a domino had fallen another direction. For example, if the Steelers don't cut Unitas, he's not the Colts' quarterback in that 1958 sudden death title game. What if the Packers had drafted Jim Brown? Maybe the coach doesn't get fired. Maybe Lombardi ends up coaching in the AFL. The whole idea of that question was to get creative with the answer, but I don't think I was being wild. Even after the Steelers cut Unitas, Paul Brown had his eye on Unitas, who was playing semi-pro ball in Pittsburgh, and planned to sign him. Weeb Ewbank had been on Brown's staff and knew of Brown's regard for Unitas as a prospect in college, and then Ewbank signed Unitas off the sandlot before Brown could scoop him up. Imagine Unitas and Brown in the same backfield. Brown with the Packers? He was an instant sensation and gained a record 1,527 yards in '58. I don't think it's ridiculous to think he could've changed Packers history.

Dave from Escanaba, MI
The Packers website is currently running a "pick your MVP of the MVPs" vote. Ballot is Hornung (1), Taylor (1), Starr (1), Favre (3) and Rodgers (3). I'm voting for Starr because of the difficulty playing quarterback in the 1960's compared to now. Do you have a comment?
This is a classic titles vs. body of work example. I would add one more criterion: impact on history. Favre and Rodgers easily win the body of work category, but Starr kills them with titles won. Impact on history? Favre resurrected the franchise, but Starr's Ice Bowl moment transcends the franchise. I think Rodgers is the best of three quarterbacks, but these kind of debates aren't about talent evaluation, they're about a player's performance and his fame. I would vote for Starr because he is the embodiment of everything Packers, from Lombardi to the Ice Bowl to the stadium to which Packers fans still make their pilgrimage.

Eric from Lansing, MI
Vic, tell me a memory from Isaly's in Pittsburgh, especially if it has anything to do with your youth in sports.
It was a dairy store and luncheonette, not a ballfield. I remember it for my mother always stopping after church on Sunday to get a pound of chipped ham for lunch. I also have one other memory: When I was in kindergarten, the teacher announced she was going to take us up the street to Isaly's and treat us to hot chocolate. I was a milk spiller and my mother cautioned me not to spill the hot chocolate on my new winter coat. I can still see that brown stain on that tweed wool coat.

"Ask Vic" is published on Monday and Thursday through the offseason.

Austin from Denver, CO
Vic, with the Bakhtiari restructure, has the first domino fallen for the all-in move, or is it still too early to call it?
All aboard!

Jared from Rigby, ID
Vic, if you could change anything about free agency, what would it be and what impact do you believe it would have across the league?
I would have it immediately follow the draft. In concert, I think the two would create a huge and exciting personnel event. I don't think it would depress or devalue the market. March would be salary cap month and would feature contract restructurings, cap casualties and cap preparation for the big draft/free agency event. I think we're just now finding out fans have interest in and are capable of understanding the salary cap. It doesn't have to be a secret event.

Kyle from Osceola, WI
Why did the Texans grant J.J. Watt an outright release instead of trading him?
The feeling must've been his $17.5 million salary diminished his trade value. Instead of keeping Watt on the Texans' cap to start the new league year, by cutting him the Texans immediately cut $17.5 million from their 2021 cap; no muss, no fuss, no dead money. Watt was to be in the final year of his contract with the Texans and there was no remaining amortization.

Ryan from Waukesha, WI
Now that J. J. Watt has been released by the Texans, what do you think are the most likely landing spots?
If the Packers are all in and they believe Watt still has game left in him, Green Bay is a likely landing spot. Go back to the first question and answer in last Thursday's column. This is likely to be a unique offseason. It could produce one of the best free-agent classes in years, and I can't imagine it coming at a better time for the Packers. I say go for it. Restructure everybody, sign everybody and go all the way in. I'll have the pressure washer ready next year if it doesn't work. Oh, how I love to pressure wash.

Bill from Sheboygan, WI
What do you think the Colts will do at quarterback?
Their silence is deafening. Are they waiting to see what the Steelers do with Roethlisberger? If the Steelers elect to begin their rebuild -- I think they should -- Roethlisberger would become a free agent. In my opinion, Roethlisberger would be a perfect fit for the Colts. If the Steelers move on, would Roethlisberger want to play somewhere else or would he retire? Behind an offensive line that can protect him and a running game that provides balance, I think Roethlisberger can still play at a championship level. I think he would make the Colts the favorite to win the AFC South.

Steve from Lake Stevens, WA
What is the difference between roster bonus and signing bonus as to how they affect the cap?
Roster bonus is charged to the cap in full in the year it's paid. Signing bonus is spread out evenly over the life of the contract and is often used to create cap room in a given year. Roster bonus is often used as a boundary in a contract. Roethlisberger's situation is a classic example. His $15 million roster bonus was created to force a decision on his career with the Steelers: end it or do a new contract.

Jeff from Alexandria, VA
What are the Texans doing?
Pressure washing.

Trish from Ohio
We all know raw speed can’t be coached. What about playing well under pressure?
The players are under pressure every day. It's the pressure to keep their job.

Justin from Canton, NC
Vic, I love your what-if draft rabbit holes we go down because you have all this extra knowledge of what happened before and after. What's the biggest mistake you think has ever happened in a draft and how different would it have made the league if it hadn't happened?
There are too many to consider. What if the Packers had drafted Jim Brown? They had two shots at him. How do you pass on Jim Brown twice? What if the Steelers hadn't cut Johnny Unitas or had drafted Dan Marino? Those are two hometown guys. Without Unitas in Baltimore, there's no "Greatest Game Ever Played" and pro football's popularity doesn't explode. What if the Jaguars had drafted Aaron Rodgers?

Jerry from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
I was surprised Urban indicated Doyle's hiring was vetted with Shad. It makes all the Jaguars have done in the past year on race relations ring pretty hollow.
There's no way Doyle was investigated. I know people in that organization who immediately would’ve waved a red flag. If the owner was involved, then it says everything about his distance from the game and the total faith and control he's entrusted to Urban Meyer. Coach Meyer needs to understand he's in the big leagues now. This isn't college football. The days of cheating in recruiting and blowout wins are over, and this media doesn't look the other way.

Tim from Denver, CO
Let's play the game of altering one play in football history and speculate the fall out. In 2010, instead of DeSean Jackson returning a punt vs. the Giants with no time remaining, he falls short. That play gave the Packers control of their own destiny and we know how it goes from there. How different are the Packers today if they aren't given that break?
Not much different. Aaron Rodgers is trying to win his first Super Bowl but Packers fans still think he's better than Tom Brady.

Peter from Bath, OH
I'm new to pressure washing. I just bought a small cheap one. Is 1700 psi enough power to rinse off the disappointments and regrets of a football season and make me again believe the Packers are back?
Mine is 1700 and I use it on everything. I even use it on driftwood. Recently, I bought a no-kink replacement hose. It's wonderful! The pine pollen season is only a couple of weeks away; that's when the real fun begins. Disappointment? That requires a different kind of pressure washer.

Taylor from Clarion, PA
What do you make of the Joe Cullen hire in Jacksonville?
He's a good coach who's had to overcome personal adversity. He gets the most out of his players.

Ted from Ohio
Aaron Rodgers said he looked at film from 10 years ago and realized he was not putting enough weight on his leg anymore while throwing due to adjustments from his injuries. He worked to strengthen his lower body and was able to revert to previous form. With all the coaches and conditioning staff who have worked with Rodgers over the past few years, why did no one notice his change in mechanics and work with him previously? Isn't that a big part of their jobs?
Yes.

Milan from New York
I burst out laughing at your Russell Wilson answer.
I wasn't joking. He'd be a huge dead money hit, but his dead money would only be $7 million over his cap hit, so it's doable. The Seahawks could get a huge return for Wilson in a trade. His value will never be higher. His amortization would stay in Seattle, which would make him a salary cap bargain for a team trading for him. He's heading into his 10th year in the league, and those have been hard years for a quarterback who relies as much on his legs as he does his arm. He didn't look the same in the second half of the season. His best years might be behind him. Oh, how I love to pressure wash.

Neil from Cheddar, UK
Vic, with all this talk of all in or all out, I'm surprised you have not reminded us of the league's dirty little secret you let us in on some years ago. Should the Packers just stay true to this, get to the playoffs and see if they get hot?
That's the strategy I favor, but fans like the all-in approach. I'll go along with it. It allows for better columns.

Adam from Denver, CO
Would J.J. be an upgrade over Za'Darius Smith?
Are you getting your Watts confused? In what I expect will be the Packers' new defensive system, J.J. Watt would play the penetrate-and-disrupt defensive end position. If Watt can still play at a high level, he and Kenny Clark would be a formidable one-two punch up front. It would make Smith a better player because he wouldn't have to do the matador routine as often.
​
Greg from Cuenca, Ecuador
Vic, J. Alfred Prufrock said, "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons." How have you measured out your life?
I don't use spoons to stir my coffee. I put the cream in first and then pour the coffee into the mug; it does the stirring for me and it's one fewer spoon to wash. I measure my life by memories of it. Prufrock is weird. I'm glad Elliot renounced his American citizenship.

Louis from Columbus, OH
Vic, if you were an upcoming free agent, would you consider taking a one-year deal with a team with the expectation of earning a much larger deal when the cap goes back up?
If the money is guaranteed, absolutely I would. Years are pie in the sky. Guaranteed money is what it's all about. So, how does a one-year deal help the team lessen my cap hit in a year with limited cap space?

"Ask Vic" is published on Monday and Thursday through the offseason.

Eric from Tel Aviv, Israel
It feels sort of weird, but I'm kind of excited to see how teams will react to the impending (less than expected, but still) dramatic dip in salary cap space. Will bad teams reap massive spoils in cut players? Will good, overstretched teams mortgage their futures? Thank you for breathing excitement into such things.
This could be a great year for going all in. Again, I'm not a fan of all in but this could become a unique situation that warrants a shift in philosophy.

J.P. from Jacksonville, FL
If you're the Tampa Bay GM and your eye is always looking toward the future, when do you draft a QB and how do you avoid turning it into a similar situation as Green Bay currently faces?
All in means all the way in. You don't address your future when you're all in; everything is dedicated to the present. If I'm the Bucs, I ride this train as long as I can. When the ride ends, it's immediately all out. That's when the pain begins. The Jaguars have been all out, trading everyone who could return value, and now the good times are gonna roll. I like that kind of party, baby.

Paul from Cumming, GA
Is Brady's lack of physical dominance part of the reason fans have trouble accepting his greatness?
Packers fans are the only ones having trouble accepting Brady's greatness. Brady is driving Packers fans goofy with envy. Vic to Packers fans: Let it go. Brady is the greatest of all time. Rodgers isn't even in the conversation. It's 7-1. Game over!

Tom from Bismarck, ND
The look of what Tampa just did to KC should look very familiar to Packers fans. Yes, it was bigger, faster, tougher, meaner, thicker men doing what they chose to do against a fluff team. GB fans need no explanation of that term. Tampa has a dominant line, killer linebackers and an above average secondary. Couple that with what appears to be an outstanding defensive coach who meshes with the offensive game plan and you can get these results. The Packers leadership, I'm firmly convinced, is watching a different game than I am. Their selection of a new defensive coach really tells me all I need to know. It simply isn't a priority; not even remotely.
The Bucs had been drafting high for a long time. They assembled a strong roster and then hired a veteran coach and went all in to bring it all to a boil. They made it work.

Brendan from Denver, CO
You win as a team, you lose as a team. How does Brady keep winning despite the pieces around him are constantly changing?
He gets it done at crunch time. He scores when points are needed. He converts when time is the issue. That's how he beat the Packers. In contrast, at crunch time the Packers went dead.

Justin from Riverview, FL
Andy Reid must have watched the NFC championship game and known the key to beating the Bucs would be to run the ball. The Packers weren't committed enough to the run and lost. Helaire-Edwards had nine carries for 64 yards and the Chiefs lost. Why do coaches, who must know what needs to be done, not do that thing when the game is being played? Is it hubris, or is there something else?
It's who and what they are. Reid's teams have always been soft. They've always tried to beat you with scheme. With Mahomes having to play behind a patchwork offensive line, why wouldn't Reid try to protect Mahomes by running the ball? Why did he allow the Bucs to play rush only? The answer is when teams are under pressure, they revert to their true personality. The Chiefs' and Packers' true personality is they scheme to throw. The Bucs flooded the passing lanes with defenders.

Kevin from Northport, NY
In reading between the lines, it seems you do not care for the Joe Barry hire. Please expound.
I'm not for or against it at this point. I need to know what system the Packers will play and, if it represents a shift in philosophy, how will they fit their personnel to it?

Mark from Bettendorf, IA
Vic, I always thought you said declaring 3-4 or 4-3 doesn't matter anymore. So why do you think it will with Joe Barry?
What I've said is don't think formation, think function. You can move Za'Darius Smith forward a yard and put his hand on the ground and a 3-4 becomes a 4-3, but it's meaningless if the functions don't change. In a gap-control 4-3, the functions would change and that would require personnel that fits those demands. Kenny Clark would likely become a penetrate-and-disrupt gap tackle instead of a hold-the-point nose tackle. What are the plans for Smith and Rashan Gary? What I'm saying is I want to know how the Packers' defensive scheme might change philosophically, which would re-define functions and give me an idea of what the personnel needs might be.

Eric from Green Bay, WI
Tom Brady is a great QB. He's also benefited from more institutional support than any player in the last 30 years. It's a perfect storm of success. By going to Tampa, he did the exact same thing Favre did by going to Minnesota or Manning did going to Denver. They found the institutional support when their original team wasn't getting it done anymore. What does Brady do better than any QB, and don't say winning? That's a team achievement. He doesn't have the best arm, Peyton was smarter, Rodgers more precise, every QB is more mobile or athletic. What is Brady the best at?
He's best at driving Packers fans crazy. My inbox is Nutsville. Why? Because the Packers lost and their fans are struggling to accept it. That's not Brady's fault nor is it his problem. It's your problem and here's how you fix it: Win the game! Brady did. His skills aren't nearly what they once were, but he still gets it done at crunch time.

John from Strafford, PA
Whose situation would you rather be in: The Packers having Rodgers' replacement being groomed and potentially ready when they move on, or the Steelers, who now are in need of a QB with no heir apparent?
Love hasn't played a down. Isn't it a reach to assume he'll "potentially" be groomed and ready to go when the Packers move on from Rodgers? Do we even know if he has the talent to be groomed and ready to go?

Jim from Stevens Point, WI
Word has it the Packers' new defensive coordinator was picked because Matt LaFleur wanted to run the Vic Fangio defense. How would you describe the Vic Fangio defense and what is different about it from what they ran last year?
In simplest terms, the Fangio defense is a 3-4/4-3 hybrid that mixes the concepts of each. It would accommodate Kenny Clark's and Za'Darius Smith's talents by casting Clark in an Aaron Donald-type role and continuing to use Smith primarily as a pass rusher, as Aldon Smith was used when he played for the 49ers. I especially like what that scheme would do for Clark, who has more to offer than as a block-eating nose tackle; his contract demands a more dynamic role. Not much would change for Smith, but he would potentially have more run-stuffing beef in front of him. The shift in philosophy from Pettine's scheme shouldn't be problematic. My interest would be: How does Gary fit in that scheme? Does he stay at outside linebacker or does he move to a penetrate-and-disrupt end position? Pettine's ends were primarily two-gappers, and that role was judged to have not been a good fit for Gary. I find it amusing Fangio and Dom Capers were coaching proteges who formed their vision while coaching together in the USFL and for the Saints. It all comes full circle, folks. Players, not plays.

Greyson from Peterson, MN
Russell Wilson recently said he wants to be more involved with the team's personnel decisions.
Trade him.

Ben from El Paso, TX
What are your memories of Marty Schottenheimer?
I grew up listening to Pitt football, and Schottenheimer was one of its stars. A long time later, I participated in a conference call with Schottenheimer when he was the coach of the Chiefs. It was the morning after the dramatic Pirates-Braves Sid Bream playoff game. Coach Schottenheimer began the interview by saying he was wiped out from watching the baseball game, was crushed the Pirates had lost and had difficulty sleeping. He was a Pittsburgh guy all the way.

Dennis from Bay Bulls, NL
So, Vic, were the Patriots wrong for letting Brady walk? It appears to me he had one more Super Bowl left in him. Imagine if that number turns out to be two?
With or without Brady, the Patriots were not going to make it into the postseason in 2020. The Patriots' arrow was pointing down. It was time to be new. Coach Belichick did the right thing.

Isaac from Nashville, TN
Vic, regarding the Barry hire: Can you explain the difference in philosophy between the Capers and Fangio versions of the 3-4? I'm not entirely sure I understand the nuances.
Coach Capers used his defensive linemen as two-gappers, to occupy blockers and keep them off the linebackers. Coach Fangio uses a mixture of two-gap and gap-control techniques. One of his ends, for example, is cast in a penetrate-and-disrupt role. I could see Rashan Gary being used in that role.

Mike from Bridgeport, CT
Extremely happy to see Byron Leftwich have his moment in the sun. He's not far from being a hot head coaching candidate. I often wonder what if Leftwich didn't break his ankle vs. Arizona in 2005. The prior week he had the best game of his career, passing for three TDs and rushing for one while leading the Jaguars to a road win in Tennessee. They were ascending with a 7-3 record before the injury. His playing career was never the same after that moment. It was a blessing in disguise for David Garrard, but I've always felt badly for Byron and wish things worked out better than they did in Jacksonville.
You're right about the game in Arizona being a turning point in Byron's career, but that might've been  little more than a coincidence. Byron was never a mobile quarterback. The real turning point in Byron's career occurred during preparation for a game the following year, I think it was. Byron came to the stadium on a Friday morning and told the trainer of an injury; I think it was an ankle sprain and it was cloaked in mystery. Jack Del Rio was furious. He believed Byron had hidden the injury during the week, which meant the Jaguars had largely wasted a big chunk of their preparation for the game. At that point, the relationship between Byron and Jack became irreparable.

Don from Oulu, WI
Step 1: Build a dominant defense with top draft picks. Step 2: Assemble an offense of free agents. Step 3: Profit?
You're going to use free agency for the expensive side of the ball?

Jackson from Minneapolis, MN
Vic, I agree Pettine did a nice job with the talent he was given, but doesn’t it make sense to let LaFleur choose his own guy?
Yes.

Aaron from Somerville, MA
Vic, do you feel like there's been heightened expectations for players to accept pay cuts to retain rosters after successful seasons? There might be some recency bias here, but I feel like with the cap coming down, fans are expecting players to take smaller contracts to keep the team together.
They're not pay cuts, they're just reduced salaries. Everything above minimum wage is converted to signing bonus in a restructured contract and pushed onto future caps. If it makes you feel better to think players would take a pay cut to help the team win, go ahead and believe it, but it hurts me to think fans are being duped to actually believe that baloney.

Morgan from Little Chute, WI
I have a true passion for pressure washing. The things you can revitalize and restore are endless, in the right hands. How do I get word out, having a limited season for doing it in Wisconsin?
We pressure wash everything down here. My lawnmower is black with mildew; so is the gas can. They need to be pressure washed. Pressure washing is like a cut and gut; fresh roster, clean cap. I love to pressure wash. It always gives me a reborn kind of feeling.

"Ask Vic" is published on Monday and Thursday through the offseason.

Bryan from Bristol, TN
A shuffled offensive line gets mauled and the QB is pressured all night. By dumb mistakes and bad coaching decisions late in the first half, the favored team hands the other team 11 points. Sound familiar? Defense wins championships, this year anyway.
Bruce Arians was the star of the postseason. His coaching was superb. He peaked his team at the perfect time and then pencil-whipped every coach he faced. After the Packers fired Mike McCarthy, I suggested Arians would've been a good replacement. He was the perfect coach for an all-in, win-now team.

Kirsten from Madison, WI
As an NFL reporter, how did you feel the day after the end of a season; happy to get a breather or sad the most exciting part of your job was over for several months?
Usually, it was a combination of both, but as I watched that wacky halftime show last night with the cast from "The Day The Earth Stood Still," I was 100 percent happy to see the season ending. This year's Super Bowl was a bad game with an even worse presentation. As seasons go, it was good. The NFL did a heckuva job giving us safe entertainment through five months of a pandemic.

Justin from Waukesha, WI
Would you have fired Pettine?
Based on the defense's stats and rankings, no. I thought Coach Pettine did a fine job.

Steven from Ionia, MI
As a Packers fan, I was reluctant to anoint Brady the GOAT. However, after the most recent NFC title game, I will gladly declare Brady as the greatest, but I'm unsure of how he's managed to do it so much more than anyone else in history. Is he truly that much better than everyone else?
Yes.

Tyler from Brooksville, FL
Did the Chiefs eat the pizza?
Andy Reid didn't have his team ready to play.

Tyler from Crane Lake, MN
As much as I felt like I was watching BIG 12 football, kudos to the Bucs defense. They play as close to Steelers defense as you can in the modern game. No question, just thinking about the time a wise old man told me you throw to score, you run to win.
The Bucs ran the ball and stopped the run. They protected Brady and they rushed the passer. They were the best team in the league in the final two months of the season.

J.R. from Castle Shannon, PA
Rumor has it Maurkice Pouncey is considering retirement. I began noticing in 2019 he was having issues with shotgun snaps. It continued this year, culminating in the opening snap of the playoff game. Is this a player on the backside of his career looking to make up for a lost step. Against Cleveland it was obvious he was in a big hurry to pull out in front of the play.
It happens to all players. As they age, their skills erode. Pouncey has had a long and distinguished career. I'd be more concerned about DeCastro. He should be in the prime of his career and I thought his play in 2020 was disappointing. He often looked stiff and overmatched, especially when pulling out. The Steelers need a major rebuild up front.

Tom from Iron River, WI
Vic, first a thank you for expanding my vocabulary with the "Omerta" response. Do you miss the old days when there seemed to be less drama?
I like real-life drama, which is what the Packers and Bucs gave us in the NFC title game. What happened after the game was theater.

Tucker from Lawrence, MA
How important is it to have a tight end who is primarily a blocker in today’s game?
He needs to present enough of a threat as a receiver to force defenses to keep a pass defender on the field, otherwise, you've lost the matchup.

Isaac from Nashville, TN
Vic, this talk of all in or all out has me wondering. At what point in a great quarterback's career does it make the most sense for an organization to spend big and surround him with talent: his rookie contract, his prime or his twilight years?
If you do it in his rookie contract years, he might not have a prime. If you do it in his twilight years, you might be wasting cap space on a quarterback who's over the hill. I'm not a fan of ever going all in but, if you're going to do it, it would make sense to do it when the quarterback is in his prime and at the height of his effectiveness. You'll get the most bang for your buck, right?  Twilight years are a good time for the team to rebuild its roster and use their quarterback to allow the team to remain a playoff contender as it prepares to pass the torch. Roethlisberger is doing that for the Steelers and I think the same could be said of Rodgers, if it wasn't for the drama he manufactured following the NFC title game loss. I think the Packers rushed the pick of a new quarterback, so it can be said they brought this on themselves. The Steelers are at the point they must pick a new quarterback.

Chris from Lexington, KY
What did you think of Al Davis?
He wasn't a leaguethink guy, but he sure benefitted financially from the leaguethink mentality of the rest of the league. That always bothered me. It's like someone in a union shop getting paid a union wage without belonging to the union. Read the book "Slick" and then decide for yourself what you think of Davis.

Timothy from New York
That third MVP award felt a little bit like a third place trophy to me.
Polite applause, please.

Rob from Superior, CO
Did Jim Leonhard take the Packers for a ride?
A little bit.

Eric from West Salem, WI
What is your opinion of Joe Barry as the new defensive coordinator?
He joined Jack Del Rio's staff as linebackers coach when I was in Jacksonville. Shortly after being hired, Barry asked to be released from his contract so he could become the linebackers coach at USC. Same job at the college level? I saw it as taking a step down. A year later, Barry was back in the NFL as a linebackers coach. He's a job jumper, but he's either a very good coach or very good at making people think he's a good coach, because he's always had a job. In my opinion, the system the Packers will use under Barry is the big issue. Will the Packers remain a 3-4 defense or switch to a 4-3? A switch would require some re-tooling.

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

Bill from Sheboygan, WI
When are you going to two columns a week?
The offseason routine begins next week. I'll post on Mondays and Thursdays.

Chevin from Jacksonville, FL
Do you have any general thoughts you would care to share concerning the status quo and foreseeable future of the Jacksonville Jaguars?
If the Jaguars get it right, they can become the dominant team in the AFC South for a decade.

Ramiro from Jurupa Valley, CA
Assuming Rodgers is coming back, what are Green Bay’s biggest position needs this offseason to get over the hump and reach another Super Bowl?
On offense, they need to add an offensive lineman, running back and wide receiver. The needs on defense can't be defined until the team hires a defensive coordinator. If the new guy shifts the scheme from a 3-4 to a 4-3, the Packers would need to address right defensive end. Draft one? Move Rashan Gary from linebacker to end? In a 4-3, I would see Za'Darius Smith as somewhat of a misfit. He's not a drop-into-coverage linebacker, he's a pass rusher but, in a 4-3, offenses would scheme to demand he drop into coverage more often. The other fits up front wouldn't be a problem. Kenny Clark would actually benefit from a move to a three-technique tackle. In the back end, the Packers need to address cornerback, but that position is at such a premium every team needs to address it every year.

Justin from Waukesha, WI
You've long held the mantra of players, not plays. Plays seem to stem from a coach's or coordinator's system. If that is the case, does the coordinator matter if the talent is there? To what degree does a coordinator matter and why?
In a perfect world, your talent is so good you only need one scheme. I covered the Steelers when they had that kind of talent on defense. They won their one-on-ones. They stopped the run with seven, sacked the quarterback with four, almost never blitzed, denied the deep ball by playing two deep safeties, and erased the boundaries with big cornerbacks that smothered smaller receivers. Those days are long gone, along with the head slap, bump-and-run coverage, quarterbacks live to the ground and offensive linemen blocking with their elbows. Scheme is critically important in today's game, but scheme depends solely on the ability to execute it, and that's why it's still players, not plays. A coordinator's main task in today's game is evaluating personnel to create matchup advantages and avoid matchup disadvantages. In simple terms, scheme personnel, not schemes. I thought Mike Pettine did an outstanding job in 2020 of scheming to avoid matchup disadvantages against the run. As I've written several times, Pettine was aided by the Packers' penchant for getting leads early and forcing opponents to pass.

Vernon from Eau Claire, WI
Are teams ever concerned a QB prospect is too smart and, from the player's standpoint, how's this remedied?
Too smart? Matt Stafford's chalk talk session at the combine is legendary. It helped make him the first overall choice of the 2009 draft. I think you're referring to the resurrected audible situation on the Packers. Intelligence has nothing to do it; authority and control do. Coach LaFleur needs to exercise both.

Ryan from Carmel, IN
What would all-in honestly look like?
I continue to get this question, so I must have failed in my attempts to answer it. I'll try again. All in looks like the movie "The Bucket List." You have a good time, and then you die.

Cliff from Washington, DC
Vic, football fans can get irrationally emotional over a loss, to the point of screaming, cursing, getting violent and letting it ruin their day. Was it always this way? Did football fans in the Lombardi era get as emotionally invested as they do now?
They were every bit as emotionally invested as today's fans are, but they were more grounded and dignified than today's fans. Players didn't celebrate every little thing they did and fans didn't throw tantrums, and it's because reserve was valued.

Ben from El Paso, TX
What do you expect to see in this year's Super Bowl and what do you want to see? On a personal note, I will be receiving my first vaccine dose on Saturday. You predicted we would be celebrating a vaccine during the Super Bowl. While there is still a lot of work ahead of us to get to where we can all celebrate, I will personally be celebrating a vaccine this Super Bowl weekend.
I watched the previous meeting between the two teams and the Chiefs were blowing out the Bucs until the Chiefs decided winning wasn't good enough; they stayed aggressive too long and it allowed the Bucs to make a game of it. I expect to see the Chiefs win, and it could be lopsided, but the Bucs are better defensively now than they were in that first meeting, and Tom Brady is the ultimate in a crunch-time quarterback. His skills aren't what they were in his prime, but he still has the ability to will a team to victory. He is without a doubt the greatest quarterback of all time. I'll say Chiefs win, 30-24, but I won't be shocked if it goes the other way.

Kasey from Charlotte, NC
I need clarification on pushing salary cap money out via converting it to signing bonus. If a player is a cornerstone piece of your team who you don’t plan on getting rid of, like a Rodgers or Bakhtiari, why is it a bad thing to convert some of their contract into signing bonus?
Within reason, it's not a bad thing; all teams do it with their core players, especially quarterbacks. It becomes a problem if you push too much beyond the player's career expectancy. The Patriots did a great job of winding down Tom Brady's amortization. Ben Roethlisberger's dead money, should the Steelers not restructure him, is $22 million, which is acceptable for a quarterback who has given the Steelers nearly two decades of greatness. If the Packers go one more year with Rodgers on his current deal, his dead money will be down to $17 million. There's no getting around dead money for a quarterback. It's the other positions that are a bigger concern. If Bakhtiari suffers a setback, his dead money is a killer.

Justin from Athens, GA
Love has to be No. 2 on the depth chart going into next season, right?
If there's a preseason and he doesn't come out of it as the Packers' backup quarterback, we can stop talking about this.

Justin from Athens, GA
What if Joe Paterno hadn’t turned down the Steelers job?
I love the question, so I'm going to get wild with it. If Coach Paterno had taken the Steelers job, Coach Noll would've been a consideration for the Raiders job, which John Madden was offered and accepted a week after the Steelers hired Noll. Al Davis was said to have had a high regard for Noll. Maybe Paterno would've come to realize college football is where he belonged. Maybe in 1973 Paterno would've left the Steelers for Pitt, where Johnny Majors became the head coach and won a national championship in 1976. Under Noll, Bill Nunn became a full-time scout and is responsible for several HBCU products drafted by the Steelers: John Stallworth, Mel Blount, L.C. Greenwood, Donnie Shell and many more. Do the Steelers win four Super Bowls without Nunn's influence? Nunn likely wouldn't be a finalist for the Hall of Fame without the opportunity Noll provided. What about Penn State, two national championships, a move to the Big 10 and the Jerry Sandusky scandal? History is so fragile. If I've learned one thing in my life, it's to not be afraid of change. Change has a plan for us.

Lane from Winter Garden, FL
When players on offense break the huddle, is it important for talent-position players to keep a poker face as to not alert defensive players about a run or pass play? Conversely, are defensive players reading the offensive players’ faces to gain an edge?
They don't read facial expressions as much as they read body language. If a guard leans to one side, he could tip a running play to that side. If an offensive lineman leans back on his haunches (unless it's third and long and everybody knows it's going to be a pass), he could tip a pass play.

Eric from St. Paul, MN
Vic, with the lack of combine and interviews this year, would this be the best year to trade away picks for players or future picks?
I think it's just the opposite. I think this is a great year to have extra draft picks. It's going to be full of opt-out players on whom information will be old and unreliable. I have a favorite opt-out player. His name is Jaylen Twyman, a defensive lineman from Pitt who I saw play due to my interest in that program. He was dominant in 2019 but I'm not seeing his name in first-round mocks. I think the 2021 draft could be a game-changer. Mistakes will be made and opportunities will abound.

Jeffrey from St. Clair Shores, MI
I do not understand the all-in philosophy since there is no guarantee other than for wrecking the future. Get me in the playoffs and anything can happen. Why can’t people see that?
I agree with you, but that's not why I chose to answer your question. When I was a boy, my uncle owned a cabin on Harsens Island on the St. Clair River. I nearly drowned in that river when I got hit on the head by a boatlift winder, knocked out and thrown into the river. I remember coming to my senses in the water, swallowing water as I swam for the surface, and then clinging to a bulkhead until I was able to climb to safety.

Ben from Phoenix, AZ
This week, my whole division learned we might be laid off in the coming months. Thanks for continuing to write this blog. Sports really is an escape sometimes.
I hurt for all of you.

Jason from Austin, TX
Vic, if you were Jordan Love, what would your reaction be to what's going on right now?
Omerta.

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

Ben from Omaha, NE
Vic, are first-round picks overrated? If the odds of getting a good player are one out of two, isn’t a trade for a good player with two picks worth it?
You do that enough, your cap will be crap and the picks you've traded will be at the top of the draft for your competition to use. Capped out, bad and without draft picks is the trifecta of incompetence.

Alan from Albuquerque, NM
Vic, can the Stafford trade do for the Lions what the Herschel Walker trade did for the Cowboys?
If the Lions use the picks they've acquired wisely, they can cut their rebuilding time in half. With the Stafford trade, I think the Lions have become the team to watch in the NFC North.

Salvador from Marbella, Spain
What’s the rush? Rodgers spent three years warming the bench. Also, when you draft without need, you’re limiting mistakes, and it’s obvious picking Love put a chip on Aaron’s shoulder. Thanks, Vic.
I won't argue with your best-available-player logic, but time is running out on Rodgers' career, so, I do sense a bit of a rush. If the intent is to get one more title before Rodgers' career ends, then using two picks to draft his replacement is illogical. Those are picks that could've been used to improve his supporting cast.

Aaron from White Hall, AR
Thoughts on the Patrick Reed situation?
He should not have picked up that ball. He should've allowed the rules official to judge whether or not it was embedded. I saw it bounce. There's no way that ball embedded in high grass from a two-foot-high bounce. I think Reed knew he was playing fast and loose with the rules. He's a serial cheater and he doesn't mind having that image.

Mike from McFarland, WI
If you were still a reporter, you'd want to ask the Packers leadership, "Was drafting Love a mistake?" But you couldn't ask because you already know the answer they'd give. So how do you ask it without asking it?
You ask, "What was the thinking in trading up to draft Jordan Love in the first round if the team is committed to Aaron Rodgers through the remainder of his contract and beyond (as Brian Gutekunst recently said)?" It's not a question that can't be asked, it's a question that must be asked.

Jake from Chippewa Falls, WI
I didn’t mean what would have happened to the cap if Bradshaw had demanded a trade, I meant what would Coach Noll, Art Rooney and other Steelers brass have said to him?
Unless Coach Noll was directly approached by Bradshaw with the demand, Coach Noll would have said nothing to Bradshaw and neither Art nor Dan Rooney would've interfered because that was not their management style. Coach Noll would've said to the media when asked about Bradshaw's demand, "Terry is a member of our team and we expect him to be in training camp when it opens." If Bradshaw decided to hold out and not report to training camp, Coach Noll would've said to the media when asked about Bradshaw's absence, "Terry who?" Coach Noll was not a man of reassurances.

Chad from Kansas City, MO
What has changed so much since Favre/Rodgers, Rodgers/Love that we cannot just be patient?
There has been a change. Young quarterbacks are playing right away and winning right away. It's a different game than it was 15 years ago. I applauded the Packers' commitment to their value board in selecting Rodgers in the 2005 draft, but we must remember they tried to trade the pick before using it to select Rodgers, which is an admission picking a quarterback wouldn't help them win in the current year and that's what they wanted to do as Favre was nearing the end of his career. The selection of Love was very different. The Packers didn't try to trade away from him, as they did with Rodgers; the Packers traded up to pick Love. There is almost no comparison to the Rodgers and Love selections, or the circumstances involving each.

Mike from Charlotte, NC
Vic, I still see people referencing Mike McCarthy's "stale" offense, yet, LaFleur is lamenting the same points with regards to abandoning the running game. I don't think either of them ever called "pass, pass, pass." We all know who's passing on the run, and it isn't just when he scrambles.
Coach LaFleur had a very bad day. Not calling a timeout to set the defense for the play at the end of the half was a decision made worse by kicking a field goal on fourth down late in the game. Abandoning the run makes us wonder who's coaching that team.

Samuel from Milwaukee, WI
Vic, what does all-in look like to you for the Packers in 2021? What moves would you start making?
If you're going all in, the first thing that needs to be done is the restructuring of contracts to get the cap room necessary to be a player in free agency.

Bill from Marysville, WA
You were brutally honest in your views on Rodgers' postgame comments. (Yesterday) I read from T.J. Lang Aaron wants revenge. You spent time in Green Bay. Is he really that type of person? Is he a prima donna?
We've been led to believe he's a chip-on-the-shoulder guy and it's driven him to achieve. In this case, it won't work; it will breed enmity and division. I'm getting the strong sense this isn't going to end well.

Ben from Alameda, CA
What's the purpose of Packers management stating Rodgers will be the QB for years to come? Doesn't it weaken their bargaining position on a new contract?
No. They're just trying to make this story go away.

Rob from Superior, CO
Do the Packers owe it to Rodgers to go all in on a Super Bowl run?
Leadership owes it to the franchise and its fan base to do what's best for the Green Bay Packers.

Ben from Madison, WI
After seeing the predictive powers of Punxsutawney Phil, a little light bulb in my head went off. So I grabbed a handful of carrots and was able to lure a few groundhogs into the barn. Instead of shining a light on them, I am flashing them images of offensive formations to see whether they can also predict run or pass. The sample size is small so far, but all signs point toward the Packers' search for a defensive coordinator being over.
Funny. In all seriousness, if you're the coordinator of a defense that can't play run and pass without loading up against one of them, you have no choice but to guess which it'll be.

Jeff from Des Moines, IA
Can power football and Aaron Rodgers coexist in Green Bay? I've now heard Matt LaFleur lament multiple times after losses he regrets getting away from the run game. How much of that is the result of who he has under center?
Coach LaFleur is in a tough spot. The emperor has no clothes.

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

Lane from Winter Garden, FL
Vic, the Rams got fleeced again. Have you ever seen a team put such little value in first-round picks like this?
It's a blockbuster deal for the Lions. Their arrow has suddenly turned straight up. This is an example of how trading a top quarterback before he gets too old and his trade value diminishes can propel a team into its future.

Spencer from Fullerton, CA
Vic, the Rams just traded two future first-round picks for Matthew Stafford, and they haven’t picked in the first round since 2016 when they selected Jared Goff. Yet, they have a decent amount of playoff success to show for it. It seems like they have been mortgaging the future for years, but the bill hasn’t come due for them. Thoughts?
It might win them a Super Bowl, but darkness will follow.

Brendon from Santa Maria, CA
So what do you say about a team that has now traded away seven straight first-round picks, as well as the player they last used a first on?
I say the Rams are in danger of losing the LA market to the other tenant in the Rams' stadium. The Chargers have a young, budding star quarterback and the picks to make them the dominant team in LA after the Rams go dark.

Lance from Flagstaff, AZ
Why do teams bail out awful QB contracts? Goff, Foles, etc. Also, I forget how trades work on the cap anymore. Does Goff's salary now only count on the Lions' cap? I forgot how that works and you're the cap guy.
Getting rid of a bad contract was part of the deal. The Lions inherit Goff's salaries and roster bonuses, but the guarantees in Goff's contract end in 2022, which means the Lions have two years to draft Goff's replacement. At that point, the Lions can trade or cut him without denting their salary cap. He's going to help the Lions be competitive in a weak NFC North as the Lions rebuild.

Sean from Chaska, MN
Detroit got a haul for Stafford. If Rodgers can get proportionally more, well, I haven't been on team all-out but I might be now.
I've upped my asking price for Rodgers. Let's start the bidding at three ones and two twos. We might have to be proactive on this, though, before we lose any more prospects. What would the Rams have given the Packers for Rodgers? Did they call?

Jake from Chippewa Falls, WI
What would have happened if Terry Bradshaw had demanded a trade like Watson is doing?
There was no salary cap to penalize teams for trading a player back then; no amortization that would've immediately accelerated into the current year. The problem for the Texans in trading Watson is $21.6 million in dead money would hit the Texans' '21 cap.

Matt from Minneapolis, MN
Vic, what does an Aaron Rodgers for Deshaun Watson trade look like? Is this impossible because of the Love pick? Is Houston unwilling because the draft pick haul is significantly less?
Why would Houston trade for Rodgers? They're facing a huge rebuilding project. By the time they're competitive again, they'd have to replace Rodgers. As for the Packers trading for Watson, they'd inherit a contract that makes Rodgers' look like a bargain basement deal.

James from Sterling, IL
Vic, how can we make an informed decision about the future with Aaron Rodgers if we don't know if Jordan Love can be "The Man?" Or are you proposing the offers you're now listening to for Rodgers include a very high draft pick this year so the team can draft "The Man?"
I wouldn't consider any offer that doesn't include a treasure trove of high picks in multiple years. The decision on Love was made when the Packers traded up to pick him. At that moment, it was decided he would one day be the Packers' quarterback. You have to make that kind of commitment when you draft a quarterback in the first round.

Jason from Austin, TX
If Bakhtiari were to miss the entire 2021 season due to his ACL, would his salary still affect the cap or is there an injury clause for these situations?
You pay it, you claim it. Bakhtiari is due an $11 million roster bonus in March and his cap hit in '21 is $19 million. There's nearly $63 million in guaranteed money in Bakhtiari's contract, so he's not going anywhere but into an intense rehabilitation program. He's another example of the commitment the Packers have made to give Rodgers what he needs to win. I can't imagine Rodgers needing assurance about his future with the team. What else can the Packers do, change the G on their helmet to an R?

Tom from Cambridge, MA
In Friday's column you wrote: "(The Packers) are easily persuaded to abandon (the run) if it's not gaining big chunks of yardage." I wonder if it's deeper than that. The third drive of the Tampa Bay game featured not one but two 12-yard runs, and by two different backs! What do you think happened to turn the Packers away from running, even though they did have a couple of early big-chunk runs?
The Bucs flipped the script. They got a lead and made the Packers one-dimensional. The Bucs overplayed the pass the whole game. I saw several downs when only two Bucs had their hand on the ground. Their game plan was to stand up a lot of guys at the line of scrimmage and disguise rush and cover. It was all pass-defense based, but they had to get a lead and force the Packers to play into the Bucs' defensive scheme. Why did the Bucs think the Packers would do that? I think the Bucs knew the Packers are not committed to the run; they use it as a diversion when they're winning.

Scott from Hamlin, NY
"As the NFC North stands right now, the Packers could win it with Duck Hodges at quarterback." The breaks keep going the Packers' way. There's a seventh playoff team, Rodgers is coming off an MVP season, the NFC is weak, the NFC North is weak. Doesn't that line up to mean trading Rodgers now is a no-brainer? The Packers could still contend with Love in a weak division or they could limp into the playoffs as the seventh seed while at the same time scoring additional first-round picks. I'll ask again, how does a GM allow the offers to come in without the media getting wind of it, or does the GM not care what the media finds out?
If you want to create a trade frenzy, you want the news teams are expressing interest to leak out. That's exactly what the Lions did. I believe Mark Murphy when he says Aaron Rodgers will remain the Packers' quarterback.

Larry from Syracuse, NY
Vic, I'm not sure I agree with your opinion Rodgers' comments postgame were inappropriate. I think he was a man expressing his emotions and being open and honest about his hurt. Not only did his chances of winning his second Super Bowl just come to a complete end, he also was showing the honest, human side to football. He understands friends he battled with for years are no longer going to be by his side. People he loves and cares for are no longer going to be there day in and day out. And since it's so abrupt, it's more emotional. I've always appreciated Aaron's willingness to be open and honest in his answers, and I think this was just another example of that. I actually think it showed high levels of competitiveness and leadership to show how truly hurt and emotional he was.
Wait a minute, I'll get my violin.

Paul from Cumming, GA
Are you basing your all in or all out stance on the position the Packers are in right now? In the past, you seemed to favor a more moderate, sustained winning approach. Do you feel the methodology for building a team has shifted?
I favor all out because all in is "All aboard!" and something in between is just more of the same. I haven't changed my philosophy for team building. I believe you must be willing to accept the inevitability of decline and react by cleansing your cap and your roster. I admire Bill Belichick for what he's doing. He gets it. He knows he rode the Brady train as long as he could and it was time to create a new era of Patriots football. The Packers? I think this might be a good time for them to commit to rebuilding, but I can certainly appreciate the emotions for the all-in approach. It's the Love pick that's confusing the issue for everyone. Why did the Packers target and move up to pick Love if they're committed to Rodgers? Has there been a shift in philosophy because Rodgers played so well in 2020? Has the Packers' opinion of Love changed? If they drafted Love for 3-4 years down the road, they didn't use the pick (and the fourth-round pick they also traded to move up) to help get Rodgers another Super Bowl, and that's nonsensical. Also, if they go the distance with Rodgers, the Packers would likely have to do a new contract with Love without knowing whether he's their guy for the future. It's all very confusing. My best guess is they goofed, but that's just a guess.

Mark from Madison, WI
I can't understand why some Packers fans devalue your opinions because Green Bay is not your all-time favorite team. I would think the candid views of a veteran sportswriter would be more than enough. My question is this: Does this doubt about your commitment get under your skin, or does it just go with the territory for every sports commentator?
Sometimes I cry all night.

Greg from Princeton, MN
Why is Pettine not getting a new contract?
I guess it's for the same reason the special teams coach was fired. What about the offense? It went dead in the fourth quarter, when the game and the season were on the line. Who gets fired for that? For the record, the Packers' 2020 defense was their best since 2014.

Jeff from Dorr, MI
Eight seconds left in the half, Tampa with no timeouts and on the Green Bay 39. Perfect situation for a "Hail Mary." Why not take the last timeout? This one is on coach.
Imagine the uproar if McCarthy had been the coach.

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

Bill from Sheboygan, WI
So, what's your decision, Vic?
The Packers have decided it's not going to be all out. For all intents and purposes, my friend Mark Murphy made that announcement this week. Knowing Mark and his penchant for poised and calm decision-making, I expected as much. Me? If I were the president and CEO of the Packers, Rodgers' postgame remarks would've set my jaw. I saw them as inappropriate. I saw them as pouting, self-centered and lacking leadership. I saw them as inviting controversy, which is the last thing the Packers needed following another devastating playoff loss at home. What would grate me the most is they were unsolicited; they were volunteered. There would've been no reassurance of his future with the Packers from me. Why did the offense go dead at crunch time, and why did its leader send such a weak message after the game? Where's the grit I expect of a champion? These are the questions I would be asking myself if I were in Mark's position. The last two seasons have been blessed by good fortune for the Packers. Injuries have been much fewer than when Mike McCarthy's teams couldn't break the constant curse of them. I can't remember Rodgers even being on the injury report in 2020. There were games when I think he could've played without a helmet. The breaks? They've been going the Packers' way for the past two seasons, since before those hands-to-the-face penalties against the Lions. If I'm in Mark's position, I'm thinking to myself it's not likely to stay this way. I'm thinking to myself, "If we couldn't win it all this season, why am I to believe next season will be any better?" I'm also thinking to myself, "Do I want to go down in Packers history as the guy who ran Rodgers out of town?" Maybe in a few weeks I'll calm down, but for now I'll let the phone ring, and if I get an offer I can't refuse, I'll take it.

Steve from Hudson, WI
When would you say the Packers have gone all in or all out? I see them as a constant something in between kind of team that has shown propensity to find "The Man" and keep a line in front of him. Reggie White was an all-in move, but that was a long time ago with an underpaid QB at the helm.
I agree with your assessment, but something in between can result in a team dying on the vine. I prefer all in or all out.

Ryan from Milwaukee, WI
Vic, with removing Rodgers from the equation, and I want him for the foreseeable future, where does the rest of this team stand?
It's an average-strength roster with a few stars at key positions. When special teams struggle, it usually means the bottom half of your roster is weak. Compounding the problem is the Packers are in danger of losing a big chunk of their upper-half cast in free agency.

Brady from Milwaukee, WI
I think it’s too early to decide on whether to go all in or to blow it up. We don’t know what the state of the NFC will be next year: Where will Deshaun Watson and Matt Stafford end up? What will the trade haul be for either, and will that increase Rodgers’ trade value?
I favor Indianapolis as the landing spot for Stafford. Watson? His contract is a nightmare for both teams in a trade. He knows it; he's just pressing his advantage. The Packers don't have to rush into decision-making. They can allow the dust to settle.

Milton from Monterrey, Mexico
Vic why the Packers abandoned the run so early in the game?
They don't truly believe in it. They see it as being the other thing they do, and they are easily persuaded to abandon it if it's not gaining big chunks of yardage. Some of that is the result of a lack of confidence the defense can hold the opponent at bay while the Packers pound.

Brandon from Lafayette, IN
Rodgers had arguably his greatest statistical season ever, but what would it take to transition to a run-first mentality?
The need to do it.

Ricky from New Haven, CT
What makes a player a fumbler? How do pro teams fix college fumblers? Any good examples?
Hold the ball high and tight. Tiki Barber was a fumbler. Tom Coughlin fixed him. Coughlin could not live with a fumbler.

Burt from Louisiana
It seems the Packer brass is falling all over themselves talking about how Rodgers is "The Man," their leader, and they're making him the focus of the future, all of which begs the question: Then why the heck did you draft Jordan Love? What am I missing, Vic?
I'm missing it, too. Drafting Love sent a strong message of who the boss is. Now, all this reassurance is sending a completely different message.

Timothy from New York, NY
My gut tells me to blow it up, but I keep coming back to your assessment after the divisional round: "The Packers are the only quality team in a conference dominated by teams with old quarterbacks, a conference that will be even weaker next year." If the NFC picture looked like the AFC, blowing it up would make total sense. But the Packers might actually have a chance next year, given the competition, no?
As the NFC North stands right now, the Packers could win it with Duck Hodges at quarterback.

Marcel from Bamberg, Germany
The Packers have the MVP at quarterback, one of the best receivers, a lockdown corner still ahead of his prime, a good pass rusher and the best blindside protector in the NFL. When does one go all in, if not now?
I wouldn't complain if they went all in. I favor all in or all out. I think something in between is the wrong choice.

Ryan from Freedom, WI
What do you think of Mike Pettine? Statistically, the defense has improved every year with him as defensive coordinator. His contract is up after this season. So, will the Packers sign him back this offseason?
I think he's a good coach and should be retained. I also think Pettine made a major goof in his coverage scheme on Tampa's touchdown pass near the end of the first half, but he wasn't the only coach on the Packers' sideline. Head Coach Matt LaFleur had plenty of time to communicate his thoughts to Pettine. This is why I don't favor head coaches being play-callers. If they're so occupied by their side of the ball they can't coach the whole team, the team is without a head coach in situations such as the Packers faced on that play near the end of the half.

Nick from Boston, MA
If you're the Jets or Jags, do you trade away Lawrence or Fields for Watson?
And acquire Watson's insane contract, which includes salaries of $35 million in 2022, $20 million in '23, $32 million in '24 and '25, and a roster bonus of $17 million in '23? Ahhhh, no.

Travis from Minneapolis, MN
Fans seem so eager to fire coordinators, even though it’s usually a talent deficit issue. What do you look for in signs a coordinator should be replaced?
Is he not getting the most out of his players; not utilizing their talent to the fullest? That's No. 1. Coordinators need to make the puzzle pieces fit. I think Mike Pettine did that this season.

Brad from Jacksonville, FL
Vic, I was reading how no one was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame for the class this year. It got me to thinking, are the baseball writers that much more stringent, or is this more of a pompous/arrogant move?
Baseball treats its Hall of Fame as hallowed ground. The NFL treats the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a marketing tool.

Greg from Kingsport, TN
Can I start some offseason drama? One of the writers over at the Packers' team site said during Vic Ketchman's time employed with the team, he was "a transplant" and had "zero connection to this team or fanbase."
OK.

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

Bill from Marysville (state unknown)
OK, I'm disappointed with the loss. There is plenty of blame to go around the Packers for lost opportunities. I am saddened by the media that wants to twist words, read between the lines and post click bait. When did we need to demand players talk to us in their most devastating moments and then analyze and interpret what they said versus what they meant? Within hours, there was a posting of six teams that are landing spots for Rodgers. How did you stay clear of such nonsense?
I remember interviewing Rod Woodson following a playoff loss in which he sustained a concussion. Reporters have always interviewed players following a game. I don't like the click bait sites, either, but I think you're taking your hurt out on the media. Put the blame where it belongs: On the players and coaches.

Jim from Appleton, WI
Why does this loss hurt more than the 2014 NFC Championship?
Find a way to remove yourself emotionally from these games or suffer the consequences.

John from Topeka, KS
Vic, we've been over what the Packers should or shouldn't do with Rodgers. What happens if Rodgers is the one who decides he's done with the Packers instead?
Demand a trade? I don't see that happening.

Tyler from Dixon, CA
Vic, true or false, if the Packers don’t do anything with Aaron’s contract this offseason, then that will tell us all we need to know about the Packers' future plans, assuming the Jordan Love pick didn’t already.
Rodgers' salary jumps to $25 million in 2022. That's the boundary year in his contract. If his skills are then showing signs of eroding, you move on without him and his dead money is a very doable $17 million. If he's still at the top of his game, he'd return value in a trade, or you could retain him through '23, at which time he'd be 40 years old and his contract would expire. Doing nothing is an option. It's a sensible but passive approach to his future.

Eric from Lansing, MI
So, Vic, Aaron Rodgers' future is no longer a "beautiful mystery," is it?
It's been a beautiful misery this week. It's causing Packers fans a lot of angst, and that bothers me.

Morgan from Little Chute, WI
Could Adams be a trade candidate with one year left on his deal?
I think the bigger question is: Do the Packers want to throw big money at a wide receiver? They could sign Adams to a new deal and lower his cap number for 2021 by structuring the contract to push money out, but do they want to do it? If this was the Steelers, I'd probably say no. They have traditionally allowed receivers to walk: Burress, Randle El, Sanders, Wallace and more, and I expect them to do the same with Smith-Schuster. The Packers have been more willing to retain receivers and I suspect they'll do the same with Adams, but will they? What they do with Adams could give us an indication of the direction the franchise is going to take: Will they stay the course or will there be a shift in philosophy?

Greg from Columbia City, OR
"I saw all three men play there on multiple occasions, as day turned to night and the lights made summer last a little longer." I know I should just enjoy and relish the imagery this sentence evokes in silence, but thank you.
Sports needs to be about more than excitement.

Ron from Dakota, IL
Hey, man, do you know of any non-violent crime that’ll get ya locked up in solitary for seven months without TV or internet? Asking for a friend.
They do that in Illinois prisons during the football season, so prisoners don't have to watch the Bears and see them get blown out by the Packers. It's a form of riot control.

Andy from Appleton, WI
Aaron Rodgers' cap number for 2021 is $37 million. Is it time for the Packers to be new again?
That figure can be reduced by a simple salary-to-signing-bonus conversion in a restructured deal. It would be a move most would expect and nobody would criticize, but I would ask: Why do it if you're not going to go all in and get Rodgers the players he needs to win it all? He doesn't have those players right now -- Sunday's loss proved as much -- and he's going to lose a major chunk of his supporting cast unless the Packers restructure contracts, push money out and go all in for 2021. All in or blow it up? I'm still thinking on it. What's the rush, right?

Tim from Ocala, FL
The real story of the NFC title game isn't officiating, but that Tom Brady turned over the ball three times in a half and the Packers only came away with six points from it.
Brady was subpar: three interceptions and a 73.8 passer rating. As I wrote, he can throw short over the middle and lob the ball deep down the sideline, but he doesn't have the arm to drive the ball or hit the honey hole. He missed an open receiver deep over the middle by sailing the ball and having it intercepted, and a weak honey hole throw was also intercepted. Rodgers' stats were good, but he didn't get it done at crunch time. That's the reason the Packers lost.

Erney from Hoover, AL
Vic, I’m curious about the authority of a quarterback to change the play at the line of scrimmage. Assuming a called play has a run or pass option, what keeps a quarterback who would be inclined to pass the ball from mostly choosing the pass option?
The coach. Abandoning the run couldn't possibly have been the game plan.

Geoff from Janesville, WI
Profootballtalk is reporting Rodgers wants a new contract. You have gone over how it is structured hamstrings the Packers. Is there a way to structure a new contract that would benefit both sides?
I can think of a way to help Rodgers get a new contract and save $6 million on the Packers' cap next season.

Ben from Crozet, VA
How could you justify trading the league MVP, when the QB in the wings couldn't beat out Tim Boyle (no disrespect to Boyle, I really like him) and was inactive every game?
If Jordan Love can't be "The Man," then the Packers need to find "The Man" as soon as possible because age and the salary cap are going to make change inevitable and it's going to happen sooner than later.

Matthew from Oshkosh, WI
What’s the benefit of keeping Rodgers for the 2021 season? I think we all know the chances of another Super Bowl run are gone with him at the helm. They had their chance two years in a row and couldn’t bring it home. We drafted Love for a reason. I’m excited to see a new era. How much longer do we have to wait? What’s the trade look like for a three-time MVP and playoff choke artist? Do we even get a first-rounder for him anymore?
Two ones -- and some throw-in picks -- guaranteed.

Scott from Bozeman, MT
Vic, are the Patriots regretting their decision of moving on from Brady? Also, can the Packers learn anything from that situation?
The Patriots did the right thing, and it's why I respect Coach Belichick so much. His genius is his bold and courageous management of personnel. He knew it was over. He had ridden the Brady train for as long as he could and it was time to get off and begin rebuilding. Where was he going with Brady in the AFC with Mahomes, Jackson, Allen and all of the young quarterbacks and teams on the rise? He knew the sooner he committed to rebuilding, the sooner he'd be able to compete for a title, again. When do you quit on Rodgers? It is the No. 1 question confronting the Packers this offseason. If you quit too early, you might lose the chance at another Super Bowl title. If you quit too late, the rebuilding process lengthens. GMs and head coaches get paid a lot of money to get this right.

Dan from Rapid City, SD
Huh, you were right. It feels like the appropriate time to move Rodgers and get some picks. They're not going to be better than they were this year nor have a more ideal situation to make a Super Bowl.
I'm still thinking on it. These are the options: all in, all out or something in between. I'll choose one of the three options in Friday's column.

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

Ray from Clark, NJ
All in or blow it up?
Let's think on it a little bit.

Jason from Falcon, CO
Is the pass interference on King what the NFL wants? After no calls all game, either team can say they got “jobbed” and we all watch again?
The Packers got all of the calls for two years.

Ryan from Roselle, IL
I love Aaron Rodgers but I have to believe his legacy is the guy who can’t get it over the finish line.
I think that's unfair but sports is like that. I said last week it was the question that didn't have to be asked but would be answered on Sunday.

Jack from Chicago, IL
Is Green Bay cursed?
Cursed? In what way? They were healthy and at home. Just win the damn game!

Todd from Bristol, WI
This was easily the poorest officiated game this year.
That's baloney!

C.T. from Jacksonville, FL
Rodgers throwing the coach under the bus and saying his future is “uncertain” in the postgame interview. What should we take from this, Vic?
He wasn't throwing the coach under the bus but there's a weakness in his postgame remarks that's troubling because it's the truth, his future is uncertain. The Jordan Love pick was the elephant in the room all season long.

Pat from Collierville, TN
Kick or not kick? That is the question of the day.
I was stunned! I got a text message from my best sportswriter friend: "McCarthy would've gone for it." I agree.

Mike from Somerset, WI
What surprised you most about the Packers?
They couldn't run the ball; they wouldn't run the ball.

Matt from Chicago, IL
I value your opinion. Do these stats mean anything in your eyes? Aaron Rodgers 1-4 in NFC championship games, 1-7 playoff record when trailing at halftime.
I never covered a better quarterback but it is what it is.

Dillon from Melbourne, FL
What does a team with a 37-year-old quarterback, that spent its first-round pick on a quarterback who hasn't played a down, with a left tackle the team just signed to an enormous contract and is facing an ACL comeback season, and is about to lose a big chunk of its roster in free agency do now?
Perceptions change quickly. The Packers' arrow has dipped dramatically.

Richard from Germany
I think we just have to accept the fact Green Bay got out-coached today.
Todd Bowles did a great job disguising the Bucs' pass rush.

Ben from DePere, WI
Is Aaron Rodgers too big to coach?
Too big or too good?

Richard from Truckee, CA
Another entertaining football game. Now what?
Move on with your life. It's not your fault.

Bruce from Cameron, WI
Three times with first and goal, no runs, 13 points. Two times after interceptions, no runs, two three-and-outs. Don’t run the ball, you don’t win.
Under pressure, we revert to our true personality.

Guy from Racine, WI
With the salary cap going down by 10 percent, do you still see big names getting big contracts?
The stars of the game will still get their money, but the line will be more distinct and will be moved upward. I think that's what we're seeing with Aaron Jones. Ben Roethlisberger might be another example. His $15 million roster bonus will force a contract restructuring and a likely pay cut if he wants to continue playing. I'm surprised the dip in the salary cap isn't projected to be greater than it is. Teams of sound cap management will be able to deal with this drop; it'll cleanse the rest. This is good for the game. The NFL did a great job making it through this season without calamity in the present and damage to the future.

Tom from Pittsburgh, PA
What are your thoughts on the Steelers signing Dwayne Haskins?
I didn't do any homework on Haskins when he was coming out of college because I didn't see him as a draft candidate for the Steelers, Packers or Jaguars. I knew he was a big guy with a strong arm. Since he signed with the Steelers, I looked at video of Haskins. Wow! He's got a great arm and throwing motion. You see the ball on the ear and then it's gone. His best pass is the deep curl, which requires a lightning-quick release and velocity. His feet are light and tap through the throw. He's not fast but I saw several examples of functional mobility. I even saw him run an option play and make a deft and athletic pitch in traffic. His eyes are downfield and rushers struggle to bring him down. From a cap standpoint, he's a dream come true. His amortization stays in Washington and the Steelers signed him for minimum wage. Even better, they can tender him as an RFA in 2022. In my opinion, the Steelers can't get high enough to draft someone with Haskins' talent. Apparently, lifestyle is Haskins' issue. Maybe getting away from his hometown will help him clean up his life. He's only 23. If the Steelers can manage him and hone his skills, they might have their guy without having to spend a draft pick. If he's a bust, it won't have cost them anything.

Sean from Aubrey, TX
Could you please share your thoughts on the passing of Hank Aaron?
The '60's were my golden era of baseball, and I will always remember them as the Mays-Aaron-Clemente years. On the wall in front of me as I pen this column hangs a picture of Forbes Field. I saw all three men play there on multiple occasions, as day turned to night and the lights made summer last a little longer. I am left with the memories of the innocent pleasure that defines my youth.

Trevor from Wausau, WI
What are your thoughts on Dan Campbell's press conference and the Lions giving him a six-year contract to be their head coach?
They've made a commitment to Campbell they should've made to Jim Caldwell.

Maxwell from Milwaukee, WI
If you didn't have press credentials, where would you choose to sit and watch at Lambeau?
In my old office on TV. Football is a private event for me. I don't like to be disturbed. I don't cheer it, I study it. I've always been the way I am, even when I was a kid. I've always wanted to come away knowing not only what happened but why it happened. For me, that means removing myself from the frenzy -- and muting the TV when it becomes a distraction -- so I might absorb and appreciate what's being performed for my entertainment. Also, I hate the cold.

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

Daniel from Johnston, IA
I'd forgotten how poorly Green Bay ran the ball against Tampa Bay in Week 6. Aaron Jones had five carries for minus one yard and a touchdown almost half an hour into the game and, as a whole, there were two big plays (20 and 25-yard runs). The best runs they had around end were four and five yards. Hopefully, Williams and Dillon are ready to go.
The Packers got an early lead in that game but the offense went cold, which allowed the Bucs to catch up and then impose their will with the running game. The formula for victory this Sunday, in my opinion, is for the Packers to get an early lead, keep the Bucs at arm's length and force them to abandon the run and become one-dimensional. That's been the Packers' identity for the past several games.

Elten from Pleasant Lake, IN
Very sorry to hear you had COVID. Hope you are doing well.
I did not have COVID. My neck surgery was delayed because the hospital was full of COVID patients. As a result, the problem lingered and the nerve damage was more severe.

Dave from Escanaba, MI
So what are the chances of what I think are the NFL's two smallest cities going to the Super Bowl.
It's doable, and if that happens, we'll have Pete Rozelle and Wellington Mara to thank. I doubt there would be a team in Green Bay today if it wasn't for those two men.

Joe from Santa Monica, CA
Vic, is Buffalo's lack of a strong running game a concern going up against the Chiefs?
Yes. Against powerhouse quarterbacks such as Mahomes and Rodgers, you want a dependable running game with which you can control the tempo of the game.

Jay from Wauwatosa, WI
Knowing what we know now, did the Packers do the right thing in extending Rodgers before the 2019 season?
Yes, but if they had delayed that contract, they would now have at least one more year on Rodgers' current contract, which would allow the Packers to do a salary-to-signing-bonus conversion and push the money out farther. I didn't see the need to rush into a new contract.

Taylor from Milwaukee, WI
What are your three-word descriptions for each of the remaining defensive units in the playoffs?
Packers -- Stop the run. Bucs -- Rush the quarterback. Chiefs -- Don't be soft. Bills -- Rough him up.

Chris from Lexington, KY
How would opting out of a season affect your evaluation of a prospect for the draft?
I wouldn't have up-to-date information on him, therefore, I would have to be skeptical in my evaluation.

Todd from Raleigh, NC
What would you ask Rodgers this week if you were still reporting for the Packers?
Nothing special. The obvious question doesn't have to be asked and can only be answered on the day of the game: How will history record him if he loses another conference title game?

Austin from Denver, CO
I'm not sure I can take much more of this wimpy attitude from my fellow Packers fans out there. Why are we looking for statistics proving we will lose? Seriously, people, please get some help. If the Packers should lose on Sunday, I will regret that loss on Sunday night and then go back to work on Monday. Please remember, this game is not about you.
The game is about the players and coaches. They bear the burden of proof and the responsibility for victory and defeat. If you truly want to enjoy professional football, be a student of it, not just a fan of it.

Neb from Belgrade, Serbia
I can't just watch the game. I have to cheer, shout, raise two hands when there is a TD. I don't have dog who I can thresh-talk to. If this is definition of watch, I am gonna watch.
OK.

Gil from Galt, CA
Vic, we don't expect you to be the final word on how everything will shake out and, obviously, you bear no responsibility for what happens. We simply ask questions because we value your responses. You give us an honest perspective on where a team is. It sounds silly we need someone to reaffirm what we see, but truth is we trust your eyes and want to look at the game the way you do. We want to learn to focus on the hidden indicators that are clues on how the game will go. Any advice?
The team that runs will win.

Johnny from Ft. Worth, TX
Vic, what is your favorite conference championship moment? As a Packers fan, most of my recent memories are not so pleasant.
My most distinct and lasting memory is of Lynn Swann lying on a stretcher and being wheeled past us in the hallway as we waited to enter the Steelers locker room following the 1975 AFC title game, the most vicious football game I ever covered. Swann had been knocked cold in the first half. His eyes were closed as he was wheeled past us. Two weeks later, he was the MVP of Super Bowl X.

Aaron from Blacksburg, VA
With Leftwich being the offensive coordinator for Tampa Bay, any Leftwich stories from your time covering him? Did you see him choosing this route in coaching?
Following a game in the old RCA Dome, Byron described a key play to us in great detail, including where every receiver on the field was, what route they were running and what coverage the Colts were in. I remember thinking, "He's a coach." Byron is one of the finest and brightest men I ever covered.

Joe from Bloomington, IN
If Brady’s primarily limited to checkdowns and the middle of the field, would it make sense to put Jaire on an island, shade Savage toward King and use eight defenders for the rest?
I expect the Packers to over-play the run.

Eric from Green Bay, WI
What have you seen from the Packers defense that is driving the improvement we've seen over the last six weeks?
Mike Pettine has been nearly clairvoyant in guessing run or pass. The Packers' early leads have helped him predict.

Thomas from Appleton, WI
What can the Buccaneers do to stop the Packers?
Stop the run and rush the passer, which I believe means stopping the run on the way to the passer.

Mikey from Tallahassee, FL
I know there's a big game for much of the readership this weekend, but what do you make of the Jaguars' GM hire?
Urban Meyer is in total control, which minimizes the importance of the GM hire. When a coach is given one-voice control, it's difficult to attract top GM candidates, nor is it necessary.

Martha from Phoenix, AZ
Vic, I was surprisingly emotional at the loss of Ted Thompson. How do you see his ultimate legacy in the NFL?
He drafted Aaron Rodgers and authored an era of Packers football.