Devastated or motivated? That’s the choice
Paula from Apple Valley, MN
I feel better after one day to grieve and reset. How are the vibes in the facility?
There’s an important game to go win. Devastated or motivated? That’s the choice. I know which I’d choose.
Jeff from Lompoc, CA
I thought Wes’s answer on Hafley using his offseason plan to adjust to life without Micah Parsons was great insight. However, Hafley’s offseason plan would’ve included Kenny Clark. If he does use that plan as a baseline, how does it change without KC?
He’ll look at responsibilities. If he was asking Clark to do something only Clark could do, then adjust and refigure. If others are capable of executing those duties, onward and forward.
John from Appleton, WI
Yes I only know only 10% of football compared to the Packers’ coaches and front office so take this thought with a grain of salt…but I would like to see Edgerrin Cooper take over Parsons’ role in the defense. We have outstanding linebacking depth and Cooper is only one inch shorter and 20 pounds lighter than Parsons and very explosive. Thoughts?
To go back to a question in yesterday’s column, if Hafley is going to pick a new chess piece to move around and try to keep opponents off-balance, that chess piece will almost certainly be Cooper.
Bob from St. Germain, WI
Guys, I read that Rashan Gary has been stuck on seven sacks for over a month now and that was with Parsons in the game. We all hoped with Parsons wreaking havoc it would allow more opportunities for other players, and perhaps Gary in particular. Can you shed some light on what it will take now to get the sacks we have been missing and is it a reflection on Gary’s game this year? Appreciate your thoughts and expertise. GPG!
The coaches have defended Gary’s play, pointing out his value to the run defense and the pressures he’s generated to help others. With the three opposing QBs on the docket – Caleb Williams, Lamar Jackson, J.J. McCarthy – the last thing the Packers need is for Gary to feel like he must be the pass-rush savior. Disciplined, strategic rushing is what’s needed in the coming weeks, not sacks, and Gary just needs to do his part, along with everybody else – Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Barryn Sorrell, maybe Brenton Cox Jr. – taking Parsons’ snaps.
Bruce from Brookfield, WI
Greetings! Appreciate the Inbox since the Bears’ site does not have such a thing. Do you think the Bears might have a different mindset with Parsons out? He may not have had a sack last time but he is disruptive. Do you think they may try to pass more since our pass rush took a hit? I’d like to see more blitzes. Keep up the objective narrative, sometimes we need that to keep things in perspective. GPG!
I see the Bears staying committed to the run to set up play-action, and moving Williams on designed boots and rollouts to give him better field vision and keep him loose. The Packers must clamp down on the run, and contain Williams in the pocket, better than in the first meeting.
Luke from Oconomowoc, WI
Hey Insiders! I might be an outsider here, but I am really excited for the rest of this season. All great stories include adversity and this team has plenty. In your time covering the team, what has been your favorite adversity storyline?
I don’t know if anything will top 2013 for me, with Matt Flynn returning to the team, coming off the bench to salvage a tie against the Vikings, rally late for a one-point win over Atlanta, and then engineer the comeback from 26-3 in Dallas to keep the season alive.
Jeff from Ogden, UT
Now, more than ever it’s Jordan Love’s time to shine. Up to this point this feels like a defensive team with an offense complementing it. Now it feels like a team that needs to control the clock and help out a beat-up defense. What changes do you see to the game plan going forward?
I don’t see the Packers changing who they are on offense. The opponent and how the game is flowing will dictate the approach in the moment, but they aren’t going to reinvent themselves on the fly in late December.
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Ryan from Chicago, IL
As horrific as Sunday was, I thought Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden both had some very impressive receptions, and Josh Jacobs’ incredible catch in the corner of the end zone shouldn’t get buried either. What other encouraging signs from Denver are worth remembering heading into Saturday?
I know the pass protection got overrun late, but against that pass rush, I thought the Packers held up rather well for the bulk of the game. I also saw more “get the ball out quick” throws than I recall seeing in a while, and they were successful. I know I just said the Packers aren’t going to reinvent themselves, but they might have discovered some new options out of necessity.
Steve from Scranton, PA
Mike, I’ll go against the grain here and propose that, as devastating as the Parsons injury may be, the availability of Christian Watson may be even more important to this team. If you accept the premise that the NFL has become an offense-first, QB-driven league, the Pack is still in good shape as long as Love remains upright. And there is absolutely no question that right up until early in the third quarter Sunday, the O has looked unquestionably improved with the return of WR9. One game at a time …
I’m not going to downplay, or put on the scales, in any way, shape or form the loss of Parsons. Elite players are often the difference between wins and losses, and he’s among the very elite. The plays he made at crunch time against the Cowboys, Cardinals, Steelers and Giants were a big reason the Packers won (or didn’t lose) those games. That said, Watson’s emergence has been instrumental, if not necessary, for the offense to return to its current level after Tucker Kraft’s injury. Whether or not Watson is back Saturday night, his eventual return to the field will factor considerably in the offense’s fortunes.
Anthony from Southington, CT
Here’s the bright side. If you look back at 2010 we had quite the injured reserve list that season as well.
Sure, but Clay Matthews and B.J. Raji weren’t on it. Look, I appreciate everyone’s enthusiasm and recall of that singular season, and I certainly hope we can talk such comparisons a month from now. But this team must first show it can overcome a larger slice of adversity than anyone bargained for. I eagerly await the answer.
Jason from Austin, TX
Insiders, are ACL injuries complete freak, random, dumb luck injuries or are they a ticking time bomb that would have happened at some point? Like, if Parsons happened to need to sit the play out because his shoe was untied, would he be okay still or was that ACL doomed from the start?
I’ve long wondered the same thing, harkening back to watching Jordy Nelson tear his ACL because he took a minimal two-footed jump to catch a pass and landed a little wrong. I honestly don’t know the answer to your question, and there probably isn’t a definitive answer anyway.
Darin from Madisonville, KY
Not downplaying what Micah means to this team, but this was a pretty darn good defense even before the trade. The gut punch to me is that this means we will start next season without him too.
I’m not putting anything past that guy.
Mike from Aurora, IL
Curious minds want to know … are the readers who are complaining about the deep shot to Watson (that possibly could have been a TD had Love not been hit) the same readers who previously complained about LaFleur being too conservative? Maybe science will one day come up with a solution allowing us all to have it both ways … and while they are at it, a way for professional athletes to protect their ACLs. C’mon Science, it’s 2025!
Ha, appreciate the levity. When it comes to coaches, all I know is everyone prefers to blame them as much as possible. If LaFleur had run Jacobs into the Broncos’ first-down wall waiting for him right after the long TD run, leading to second-and-long and eventual three-and-out, the Inbox would’ve been full of the “conservative” narrative again.
Yotam from Israel
Regarding going for 2 when down by 14, the analytics are actually in favor of this. I’ll try to avoid the math, but in short with a PAT chance of 98%, two-point conversion success at 45% and winning in overtime at 50%, when you crunch the different combinations you reach a win probability of 56% with two-point conversion vs. 48% with PAT and overtime (credit to the Reddit user who did the math and posted it).
Oh, I know what the math says, and I do understand it. But I believe there’s also a layman’s fallacy that two-point plays being roughly 50-50 means failing on the first one somehow boosts the chances of the second one being successful, when the second one is as much 50-50 as the first one, like individual coin flips. That’s why I advocate for kicking the PAT on the first TD and giving yourself the option to go for the tie or lead on the second score.
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Conner from Tucson, AZ
Hi Insiders. Could you walk us through the 12-man penalty from the game? Denver substituted late, allowing the Packers to sub as well, with the play clock running down. I’ve seen before where the offense has to call a timeout to avoid a delay of game with the officials not allowing a snap. Why did the officials allow the snap this time?
The Packers were wondering the same thing. That’s all I got for you.
Tom from Santa Paula, CA
Hello II, while hopes diminish, opportunity to surprise increases. Pack isn’t finished yet and we still have the depth to make a run. Non-Pack query: Colby Parkinson of the Rams hauled in a beauty that was called a TD in real time. Replay shows him OBVIOUSLY down at the 1. Given all scoring plays are reviewed, how in the blazes was the TD call confirmed? Announcers were flabbergasted, as was their “rules guy.” Really bad look for the NFL given the distrust building around their embrace of gambling.
“Really bad look for the NFL” could be a permanent chyron underneath a 30-minute officiating lowlight reel every week.
Jeff from Athens, WI
By my count I came up with five near-picks that the Packers were unable to come up with. I can’t help but think the final score would have been different if they would have been able to come up with one or two of them. It really is a thin line at times between winning and losing, isn’t it?
That’s why I never stop saying it. Five seems generous, but whatever the total of missed chances, those allowed Bo Nix to post his highest passer rating of the season by almost 20 points.
Richard from Ireland
At the half we were the 1 seed and looked pretty damn good. Oh how a half of football can change everything.
At one point Sunday, the Packers were up by nine points while the Seahawks and Rams were both down 10. Less than two hours later … oh well. This league is crazy, man.
Steve from Cottage Grove, WI
I’m an optimist to a fault, but after reading yesterday’s Path to the Playoffs, I opted to be a realist. So here’s my question: What happens if the Packers lose to the Bears (and Lions win)? Do they have to win out (v. Ravens, at Vikings) to get in? Not trying to be a sour Steve here, but trying to look at all sides. Any additional perspective Mr. Spoff?
The simplest way to put it is the Packers get in with 11 wins, which means two more, or with 10 wins as long as the Lions lose once. Winning this week would put the Packers in control of the North to potentially earn a home game in the first round.
Herbert from Palm Desert, CA
Good morning, Mike. The injuries were certainly depressing, and it’s easy for the fan base to feel as though all is lost. To me, the Packers played with a lack of discipline in a very difficult venue and lost, while their opponents showed what championship football looks like. Had the Packers eliminated personal fouls and turnovers, they win against the best the AFC has to offer. Clean it up and just beat the Bears.
As I’ve fully processed the past few days, this is pretty much where I land, except to add the Packers had plenty of chances defensively to make the Broncos’ game look less like “championship football.” But back to the main point, the injuries don’t change the fact the Packers need to clean up their game to win when it matters. If the return of the penalty-prone Packers was just a one-off – and penalties factored heavily into the red-zone and field-position struggles Sunday – after a really strong month in those areas, there’s still a lot out there for this team. If not, the rest won’t matter much.
Aaron from Tucson, AZ
Personally, I get amped when hearing the doubters all but declaring GB dead in the water after the MP1 season-ending injury. You know these professional athletes are focused and likely welcome challenges to overcome at levels we can only imagine. With MG0’s return, CW9 likely coming back soon (possibly even this week), JJ8’s warrior mentality, JL10 still under center, and reinforcements arriving at edge, the competitive fire will be further fueled to show what this team is still capable of.
