Wednesday ramblings are fun

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

I expect the Packers to be undefeated heading to Dallas
That would mean the Packers would be 4-0. Why not? The Packers are playing top-notch defense and they're beginning to run the ball. The only part of their game that's lagging is a bulky passing attack. Imagine that!
The Broncos will be road kill in Lambeau this week.

Time to be new in Pittsburgh
The run is over for the Steelers. I expected as much, but sadly it's a season-ending injury to Ben Roethlisberger that's punctuating the Steelers' demise.
Life starts anew! This season will determine whether Mason Rudolph is the future at quarterback for the Steelers.
It's gonna get bad for the Steelers. I expect them to lose in San Francisco. More than any other, this is a season that'll define Mike Tomlin as a coach.

Jaguars on display tomorrow night
Will they rally against the Titans? Or  might Jalen Ramsey further embarrass the franchise?
It's a national TV game and it will be the worst of times for the Jaguars if the Titans do to the Jaguars as the Titans did to the Jaguars on Thursday Night Football a year ago.

I don't want to waste good questions
Here are a few to whet your appetite for Friday's column.

Daniel from Johnston, IA
Can the Saints stay alive with Bridgewater? They might get Brees back before they have to play Atlanta.
The Saints are toast.

Don from Richmond, KY
If Shad Khan asked for your advice, what would you tell him to do with Jaguars personnel?
I would tell him to forbid any move to be made without his approval. No more giving away draft picks for stop-gap scrap.

Sean from Chaska, MN
Would GM Vic have paid Kirk Cousins $84 million guaranteed?
No, because my father, too, also a frugal man. Be that as it may, I gave the Vikings credit for knowing they needed an upgrade from Case Keenum. The Jaguars deluded themselves. The Vikings didn't.

Lori from Brookfield, WI
Vic, if the Giants are willing to trade Eli and he's still willing to play, which team would be the best fit for him?
As Coach Noll would say, it's time for Manning to get on with his life's work.

Tim from Lancaster, PA
What are the Steelers trying to accomplish trading away a possible top 10 pick in a rebuilding year?
I didn't like the trade, either, but Kevin Colbert is an esteemed personnel man so I spent time yesterday trying to look at the trade from his perspective. First of all, the trade is a desperate move to fix that defense. The Steelers have lost their identity and they desperately need to get it back. The trade for Fitzpatrick isn't about salvaging this season or rebuilding for the future. It's about fixing that defense and becoming the Steelers again. Beyond that, it might suggest Colbert thinks Rudolph is the future at QB. Remember, Colbert traded up for him. I talked to a long-time NFL scout on Tuesday. He told me he had an especially high grade on Fitzpatrick coming out of Alabama. The scout said he thought Fitzpatrick was special as a draft prospect. Look at the whole deal. Colbert was dogged in negotiating it. The Steelers gave a one, a five and a six; they got Fitzpatrick, a four and a six. Numerically, the four waters down the one. The Steelers get a former first-round pick who's about to come into the prime years of his career. His signing bonus stays in Miami which makes Fitzpatrick cap friendly. Maybe Colbert thinks next year's draft is weak at the top but strong in the middle. This is intriguing. So why were the Dolphins willing to trade him? That's what would trouble me. Coach Noll said you need to "resist the temptation" to trade picks for players.

Jason from Austin, TX
"When all is said and done, this might be the game that costs Mike Zimmer his job." Really? I didn't know Zimmer was even on the hot seat. I think he's a great coach. If he gets fired, I bet he won't be without a job for long. Do you consider Mike Zimmer a good coach?
Zimmer is an outstanding coach, but the big free-agent spending put him on a short leash because teams that spend big in free agency are on a short leash.

Mark from Regina, SK
I totally agree with you, Vic, the Week 2 performance likely sealed Coach Zimmer's fate. The burning question now is does Coach McCarthy start buying purple and gold? Or should he wait until it's closer to spring?
He won't have to buy it.

Josh from Madison, WI
What do you figure led to the Vikings' sluggish defensive start? Maybe they didn't eat the whole Week 1 pizza, just a slice, and the antacid kicked in by the second quarter?
No, they ate the whole pizza.

David from Madison, WI
"Singing into a can" is what I meant to have written in my previous question.
OK.

Samuel from Jacksonville, FL
Have you ever wondered if it's just been one person asking you questions under different aliases?
It doesn't matter. Who do you want to be?

Jack from Chicago, IL
Vic, I understand you have great admiration for Bill Belichick as an evaluator of talent. What do you know about Ernie Adams and his role in Bill's success?
I'm sorry, I lost communication with you in mid-sentence. Ernie who?

Here are the Week 3 "Ask Vic" all-important power rankings:
1. Patriots -- Greatest franchise ever?
2. Chiefs -- The real deal.
3. Rams -- I guess they taught them a little bit of a lesson.
4. Ravens -- Great, but they've beaten nobody.
5. Cowboys -- They look good.
6. Packers -- Making the big plays.
7. Seahawks -- Wilson's scrambling wins.
8. 49ers -- They're moving on up.
9. Bills -- They own New Jersey.
10. Colts -- They own the Titans.
11. Titans -- Mariota is their weakness.
12. Vikings -- They don't get it done.
13. Saints -- Put a fork in them.
14. Eagles -- Play hard, but something lacking.
15. Lions -- Gut check win against the Chargers.
16. Texans -- Doing less with more.
17. Chargers -- Rivers also showing some age.
18. Bears -- I'm not impressed.
19. Browns -- Wow, they beat the Jets.
20. Cardinals -- Young QB gives them hope.
21. Falcons -- Schedule is favorable.
22. Bucs -- Arians needs time.
23. Raiders -- Hammer time in Minnesota.
24. Washington -- Soft and cheesy.
25. Bengals -- Not Burfict's kind of team.
26. Broncos -- But they won a Super Bowl.
27. Jets -- Adam Gase, really?
28. Giants -- Now it begins.
29. Panthers -- What was Newton wearing on his head?
30. Steelers -- They're all gone.
31. Jaguars -- Ramsey must go.
32. Dolphins -- Last drafts first.