Packers injuries at WR are a concern

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

Brian from Yakima, WA
Are the Rams pencil whipping the rest of the league? It seems like their receivers have a ton of separation, and we all saw Barr covering Kupp in the Vikings game.
When your opponent has a power running game, you don't dare go light in the pants on defense, and that means you're going to get caught in a mismatch in pass defense. It's not just about have a strong running game, it's about being able to run the ball with power, and it's not just about having an efficient passing attack, it's about being able to throw the ball deep. A power running game and a big-play passing attack is the 1-2 punch defenses fear the most. That's true balance and the combination forces defenses to either play it straight or guess. That's what's happening with the Rams. They can snowplow with the run or beat you deep. As Coach Noll was fond of saying, "How do you wish to die?"

Craig from Cedarburg, WI
Who is your league MVP through the first quarter of the season?
I'll give it to Patrick Mahomes, but Aaron Donald is the best player in the league.

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Packers or Lions?
The Packers' injuries at wide receiver are a concern. I'll go with the Lions.

Matt from Chicago, IL
Vic, what is the most memorable prank or joke you witnessed from covering any of the three teams?
The Jaguars did a little Thanksgiving thing in which the rookies were told they could pick up their free turkey at a certain place and time, and someone from the video staff would be hidden away to record the event. It never failed. Some poor kid would always show up to get his free turkey.

Josh from Tucson, AZ
I'll be interested to see if Jacksonville goes run heavy to keep the Chiefs offense off the field, or gets aggressive with the belief the Chiefs defense is as bad as its ranking.
I want to see if Mahomes can beat a really good defense.

Braden from Milwaukee, WI
I went to Sunday's Packers game and I left with a sour taste in my mouth because of the experience. The town is awesome, everyone is tailgating and the atmosphere felt incredible, but there were no "Go, Pack, go" chants as I walked into the stadium; however, there were lots of Buffalo chants. During the game, the majority of fans didn't stand and scream on defense, specifically third down. I actually found myself feeling I was doing something wrong when getting into the game. Packers fans love to hear how special and unique Green Bay is, but I must admit, that was one of the most disappointing experiences I've had at a sporting event. How can we have a winning tradition, a great QB and fans that don't cheer? Is this unique to Green Bay?
I think you need to calm down.

Jordan from Denver, CO
In your opinion, what is the root cause of the slow start/underwhelming performance on offense? The numbers aren't terrible, but they are not what we fans or analysts would expect with the offensive playmakers on this roster, including 12. How do we get back on track and start passing for multiple TDs per game?
If you sprained your knee and had to be carted to the living room to sit down in front of the TV, how long do you think it would take before you could walk to the refrigerator without limping?

Nate from Las Vegas, NV
Vic, is Aaron Rodgers asking for different plays as a result of seeing some of the innovative offenses around the league?
I think he was just in a bad mood.

Benjamin from Jacksonville, FL
As an avid fan of nearly all contact sports, I don't really spend much time dwelling on anything related to baseball, but your comments on the NFL's parity made me wonder how baseball has maintained its popularity over the years without parity? What compels a fan of a team that will never be able to compete financially to continue rooting for their team?
Baseball has not maintained its popularity. Its playoffs have begun and there is absolutely no buzz except in the cities that have a team in the postseason. I was stunned to find out the Cubs aren't in the postseason. Major League Baseball is a regional league. I may not know one person who could name one player on any team in the postseason.

Jeremy from Lethbridge, Canada
Viewed by its time, how impressive was Marino's 1984 total of 5,084 passing yards?
I think Dan Marino is the most natural passer of the football I've ever seen.

Matthew from Madison, WI
There used to be the Andy Dalton line where any QB better than Dalton was good and any QB worse than him was below average. What have you seen from Dalton to put him in the elite category?
I had always viewed him as a possession passer, a nibbler who didn't get it done at crunch time. This season, he's making big plays at big times. That's the difference. He has the look of an elite quarterback. Of course, so do half of the quarterbacks in the league.

Benjamin from DePere, WI
It's an awefully warm day here in Wisconsin for being October. As I sit here eating my lunch, look at the leaves turning beautiful shades of gold, purple, red and orange, I'm realizing my griping over all of these September penalties has only caused me stress and lost time. Days like these remind me to slow down and cherish what I have: a good job, a good family and a beautiful world to enjoy and make memories in. Football is great, but it isn't everything.
I love football, but I love comfort more. For me, comfort is knowing the kids are OK, the bills are paid and I'm feeling a sense of ease.

Ron from Boise, ID
Vic, I am beginning to see parallels between Favre at the end of his time in Green Bay and Rodgers' assertion his coach is mediocre. Packers have some draft capital and if a young QB with talent and a positive upside was available, do you think the Packers would make that pick in next year's draft? Play Rodgers for another year and get his contract number manageable to trade and say thanks. I know it's not a popular or conventional wisdom thought, however, change can be invigorating.
How about that dead money, is that invigorating, too? The Packers sure wouldn't have any trouble trading Rodgers because his dead money would stay in Green Bay; the new team would only have to cap his salary. Hey, it's too late for this kind of talk. Do you understand the commitment the Packers made to their future when they signed Rodgers to that new contract? Everybody was in a rush to get it done. Why?

Scott from Lincoln City, AZ
Vic, you said no franchise should be uncompetitive for more than a year or two in today's league. So why have the Browns been so bad for so long?
Let me count some of the ways: They passed on Ben Roethlisberger to draft Kellen Winslow Jr. More recently, they passed on Carson Wentz and Jared Goff in 2016 to move down and select Corey Coleman, and then on Deshaun Watson a year later to move down and select Jabrill Peppers. It appears they finally got their guy this year. We'll see.

Wendell from Porto Allegre, Brazil
As for the Jaguars potentially trading for Bell, if they pay the Steelers a third-rounder for a one-year rental and he goes away after that, the Jaguars would recover the value with a third-round compensatory pick. It's a no-brainer. The hard part, as you said, is the Steelers agreeing to it.
The Jaguars might have to avoid signing anyone in free agency to get that compensatory pick for Le'Veon Bell, but that might not be a problem because the Jaguars' cap begins to tighten next year.

Dave from Chippewa Falls, WI
Do you have a rooting interest in the baseball playoffs?
I'd like to see the Indians win it all so Cleveland fans will stop whining about how tough they have it.

Dave from Savage, MN
What happened that the Lions have been bad to average for so long?
The Lions have had talent but they've lacked leadership and direction at the top. I thought Jim Caldwell was doing a good job, but ownership didn't feel the same way.

Brady from Jacksonville, FL
Vic, seems you were pretty prophetic. There have been both a record number of touchdown passes and record number of 400-yard passing games through the first four weeks of the season. Seems like there are a lot of Bradys and Rodgers' out there.
There are so many of them Brady and Rodgers aren't even the best quarterbacks in the league.

Jerry from Savannah, GA
Vic, Jimbo grabs and shakes a player’s facemask and there’s an uproar? Has our society really become that soft?
It's not soft, it's about seeking controversy. We love it.

Ned from Belgrade, Serbia
If there is a power ranking in uniforms, where would you put the Lions?
31. Lions -- I'm so depressed. 32. Browns -- Joe's Bar and Grill.

Brent from Dubuque, IA
Vic, have you ever covered a pass rusher who was able to re-emerge as a legitimate threat later in his career?
Lyle Alzado, and it cost him his life.

​Mark from West Allis, WI
Vic, I just watched Atkinson's hit on Swann in a little vignette from NFL Network. The same video showed a Raiders defender luring Swann toward the sideline, presumably after a turnover. Swann follows and Jack Tatum flies in from off screen directly into Swann's knees. No flag, probably no fine, and a notorious reputation as the heavy hitter of the Raiders. Yours was a different time, Vic.
It was difficult to watch and I didn't like what I was feeling inside. There was only one positive to it: You knew it was real, no hype. Those two teams truly hated each other. I felt as though I was covering something more important than a football game. It made me a better sports writer. It taught me how to separate myself from what I was covering.