It was a game of the highest quality

Milan from New York
Vic, what happened to defense? I thought I was watching an AFL game.
A few years ago, my haters said, "You're wrong again, Vic. Defense still wins championships." So, what do they think now?

Neil from Cheddar, UK
Nice new picture, but is this you being new? I like the comments section. You can get a feel for what is being said and who is saying it. Please keep it.
That picture is of me being old. It was taken as we were shooting something called a weather video. It was a gameday thing and I loved doing it. I'd duck out of my office and into the bowl and do a 30-second standup in the snow that would give readers a preview of the weather at Lambeau Field. They got big numbers because weather is one of the feature attractions of late-season games at Lambeau Field.

Zach from Green Bay, WI
It appears the key to beating Brady is the sack strip. How come other teams haven’t thought of that?
Chatty, rush the quarterback. Forget about man coverage. The rules don't allow receivers to be covered. The rush is the only defense against a good quarterback. Draft pass rushers. If it's a choice between a pass rusher and a cornerback of equal talent, pick the pass rusher. T.J. Watt should've been the pick because you win with the rush. That's how the Eagles beat the Patriots. With the game on the line, the Eagles rushed the quarterback. I keep seeing in my mind that classic NFL Films clip of Bill Cowher in Greg Lloyd's face, saying with emphasis, "Rush the quarterback." It's never been more important.

Donovan from Baldwin Park, CA
I think it says a lot about Tom Brady how the Patriots tried a swing pass instead of taking two shots from the 50 and how they tried a trick return with the game in the balance. Is the writing on the wall for Tom Brady? I saw a lot of lob ball, great timing and reads, but lob ball nonetheless. Reminds me of Manning his last year.
Your jealousy is making you look foolish. Brady threw for 505 yards (10.5 average), three touchdowns, no interceptions and a 115.4 passer rating, and his pocket mobility was as good as ever; he was only sacked once. His field vision was out of this world; he saw every open receiver, even with a rusher in his face. Yeah, the writing is on the wall, but only because he's old in years. His performance was youthful.

Mark from Madison, WI
Philly won that game more than New England lost it.
I believe that's the proper perspective. The Eagles made the big plays at crunch time.

Scott from Madison, WI
I'm not usually a fan of all-offense games, but this Super Bowl seemed to dish up the drama and suspense in spades. What's your take on the quality of play you saw?
Everything about yesterday's game was high quality, including another masterful performance by Gene Steratore. The NFL is the king of entertainment.

Dustin from North Port, FL
Are punters an endangered species?
Only losers need good punters.

Dylan from Morgantown, WV
How much money did Nick Foles just make? Where do you think he could go, and do you think he will be grossly overpaid?
Foles is a cut above Case Keenum. As I wrote previously, Foles has the size and skill set to be "The Man." If I need a quarterback, I'm interested in him. The Eagles are going to get a nice pick for him. He'll bring at least a two. Then, he'll kill somebody's cap.

Tom from Hamden, CT
Had it not been for questionable play-calling by Seattle and Atlanta in their Super Bowl losses to the Patriots, Tom Brady’s record would be 3-5 instead of 5-3. Would that be enough to reconsider him being GOAT?
Green is an appropriate color for Packers fans.

Patrick from Fort Collins, CO
How’s that new hose winder working out for you?
I didn't play with my hose winder yesterday. I actually watched the halftime show. Talk about being new, I hosted a neighborhood Super Bowl party and I loved it. My house is a wreck today but it sparkled with life yesterday. Within the group was a diehard Patriots fan from Boston and a diehard Eagles fan from Philadelphia. When the last pass fell incomplete, she began to cry tears of joy. "It's been so long," she said as I hugged her, and I immediately thought of Chuck Bednarik and the 1960 NFL title game I watched as a kid. I sneaked a look at my Patriots fan neighbor and saw the disappointment on his face, and then I watched him congratulate his Eagles fan neighbor and all was well with the world. It's how a civil people act. It's how we act in "The Hammocks" on Edisto Island. Memories make us rich.

Zahir from London, England
What is a catch?
My first thought after the ball popped out of Zach Ertz's grasp was if I'm Roger Goodell I'm calling Al Riveron and telling him, "Don't even think about it, Al. It's a catch or you're fired." Can you imagine the national uproar today if Riveron had reversed that call?

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, what is your opinion of Doug Pederson's coaching decisions during the Super Bowl?
In my opinion, Pederson is the No. 2 coach in the league today, not because of his coaching decisions but because of his ability to prepare his team to play. He beat Tom Brady and the Patriots with a backup quarterback! As for his coaching decisions, I didn't like his run/kick decision on third down. He had a chance to clinch the win with one more third-down-conversion pass and I thought that should've been the call. Just win, baby, right? When you win, everything you do and say is right. Pederson won. He's the best new coach in the game.

Leif from St. Croix Falls, WI
Vic, what are your top three needs for the Steelers this offseason?
Linebacker will be their No. 1 need. Running back could be their No. 2 need or no need, depending on what happens with Le'Veon Bell. Safety is a need position and so is tight end, but every team needs pass rushers. Never stop drafting pass rushers.

Jack from Jacksonville, FL
Can you give us your favorite Tony Boselli story?
He called me on a Saturday morning prior to the Texans expansion draft in 2002. He said Tom Coughlin had just left his (Tony's) house. Tony said Coughlin told Tony he would be left unprotected in the draft, along with other veteran players with big cap numbers, and any of those players not claimed by the Texans would be cut. Tony's words stunned me and left a mark on me. This is what happens when you play fast and loose with your salary cap, I thought to myself. It shaped my regard for the cap. By claiming Tony and the other big-cap-number Jaguars, the Texans released the Jaguars from salary cap prison. The Jaguars were on death row; they were dead team walking. Be that as it was, Tony was the Jaguars' first-ever draft pick. He was the poster player for what was the most successful expansion franchise in NFL history, and I'll always consider it a sacrilege for the Jaguars to have betrayed their first born to atone for their reckless spending.

Thomas from Williamsburg, VA
How much would you like to see Brady play back in the 70's, 80's or even the 90's? That's why I could never put Brady over guys like Montana, Elway and Marino.
Tom Brady would've been successful in any era. He has the arm for a seven-step drop and drive the ball into a tight window against bump-and-run coverage, and the touch and command to nibble underneath against defenses designed to bend but not break. Be that as it may, Brady would not have played at the same high level in the '70's. None of today's quarterbacks would've played at the levels to which they are accustomed; not Rodgers, Roethliserger, Brees, etc. It was a different game back then. It was a game dominated by defense. The next time you think about comparing the stats of quarterbacks from then to quarterbacks of today, don't.

Bama from Mobile, AL
Vic, in order for the Packers to sign Aaron Rodgers to an extension, it appears they will have to give him a contract guaranteeing him about $150 million, with major consequences for the Packers' cap. He is aging and has twice suffered major injuries in the last four seasons. Should the Packers take that chance and extend him, or possibly trade him, or just let his contract run out after the 2019 season?
What's the rush?

Tim from Sun Prairie, WI
GM Vic, do you pay Morgan Burnett or let him walk and take your chances with Josh Jones?
It's a young man's game.

Bob from Kennesaw, GA
"The Packers were weak at the point of attack." Could you provide more detail about what that means? Does it mean stopping the run (without committing extra defenders), or is there more to it than that?
The Packers were stopping the run with run-blitz schemes. Coach Capers is the best when it comes to playing run or pass according to down-and-distance and formation. The guessing has to stop. The Packers need to find players who can line up and win the one-on-ones.

John from Indian Trail, NC
Just finished re-reading “The Making of the Super Bowl." I was only eight when the Jets beat the Colts in Super Bowl III, so my memories of the AFL are limited. Do you recall the evolution of your thoughts about the AFL from 1960 to the merger?
Don Weiss was a wonderful guy. He was Pete Rozelle's right-hand man and the triumvirate of Rozelle, Weiss and Jim Kensil drove the league and the Super Bowl to the popularity it enjoys today. I encourage all fans to read Don's book. I was a Ponte Vedra Beach neighbor of his when he died, and I'll always remember the regard he afforded me when I was a young reporter covering conference title games and Super Bowls of which my inexperience were not worthy. Rozelle's men looked down their nose at no one. The AFL? It was regarded as the enemy, but it really wasn't. The AFL was a wonderful creation that opened new football markets in places such as Denver and San Diego. The AFL put the names on the backs of jerseys and gave the players panache. The AFL gave the NFL a youthfulness it had abandoned following the 1958 NFL title game. As a kid, the AFL was my four o'clock league. I will always think of the AFL with fondness. The AFL made the NFL a better league.

Mike from North Hudson, WI
Vic, you're the new Packers defensive coordinator. What is your No. 1 priority?
Get tougher, and usually that means getting bigger and faster.