Inbox: That’s the perfect way to describe them

[Cheesehead]

Andrew from Shalimar, FL


It seems like the best special teams players are often listed as safeties and linebackers. Even with those positions becoming more blended with “hybrid” players, how would they usually be deployed on the field? Would the smaller, faster safeties stay more to the middle of the field with the larger, slower line backers forming the flanks or are they more mixed up with the hope of finding a mismatch?


Faster players such as cornerbacks, receivers and safeties typically flank and look to maintain outside leverage on the returner. The reason inside linebackers, tight ends and bigger safeties work so well inside is they are fast enough to get down the field, but also large enough to get off blocks and not get pancaked. That’s sort of an oversimplification, but that’s the most efficient way of explaining it.


Craig from Milwaukee, WI


Is Kevin King doing anything to try to stay healthy for this season? Is he eating better? Did he get a trainer?


I didn’t have a chance to talk to King this spring, but Spoff did for his Packers Yearbook story. King is healthy, focused and bent on making Year 3 count. I think we’ll see the best Kevin King when training camp begins July 25.


Don from Oak Park, IL


Is there any possibility Mason Crosby's game in Detroit last year was caused by "external influences?” I remember thinking that I never saw a ball move so much after the kick. Could the Lions have been cementing a home-field advantage with an "actively-induced environment"?


I think Crosby had a bad day at the office as we all do. The only difference is, in Crosby’s case, it happened in front of 60,000 people.


Lori from Brookfield, WI


Wes, with a new head coach and an untested playbook, do you currently consider the Packers an enigmatic team?


That’s the perfect way to describe them. They are an absolute enigma right now. I think that’s the first time we can say that in 13 years.


Justin from Hoboken, NJ


A quick shout out to all the Justins in Saturday’s Inbox. I struggled with my name as a child but grew to love the "Just Inside" jokes I could make with it. Some were just insane, some just inspirational. Are there names that are part of submissions to the Insider Inbox that make you chuckle or cheer, even if the questions aren't post-worthy?


Not really. Few are as clever as the commenter thinks they are. Mostly, they’re lame. I will use this question to give a shout out to Ryan from Fond du Lac, though. He had one of the funniest submissions Saturday morning that’ll never see the light of day in the column. Ryan, I hope you understand why it wasn’t posted, but please take a bow. That was great.


Darren from Kingston, Ontario, Canada


Wes finished Saturday’s II with three of II’s “Mount Rushmore” candidates - Derek from Eau Claire, WI, Dean from Leavenworth, IN and Lori from Brookfield, WI. Since we saw Brett from Green Bay, WI re-emerge in this summer’s OI, is Brett the fourth to rise atop Mount Rushmore if he returns with a vengeance?


That’s entirely up to Brett. Brett has become the Inbox’s B.J. Raji – Is he retired? Is he not retired? Will he ever comment again? (And please don’t ask me about Raji now).


Dan from Leland, NC


If – maybe I should say when – sensors are placed in footballs, will we have a new “era?” I can see the talking heads and social media loonies demeaning offensive stats that were accumulated “pre-sensor.”


Post-sensor NFL would become the new post-merger.


Tim from Hudson, WI


As an engineer, the spotting of the football could be done accurately. GPS chips would be located in both tips of the football where the leather forms a dimple anyway. A line connects two points so the orientation of the football can be determined on the field. Software could then fill in the football’s shape to determine forward progress. Go Pack!


There it is. See? It’s science.


Anders from Kinna, Sweden


Hey Insiders. Just thought I’d drop my two cents on the whole sensory ball discussion. First, I think the sensors should be attached inside the balls, one at each tip should be fine. Second, synchronizing the sensors with the whistles is a good idea, and should be done, but even if a play is blown dead, you’d be able to see after the fact how far up the ball was. The coolest thing would be to have it visible in real time. So a lead light on the field would light up at the sideline for every yard progressed, and the first-down marker could pop red as soon as the ball passes it. The same for crossing the end zone. Refs need only worry about whether catches are eligible, and when players are down. You could add sensors to knee pads and other player equipment, to help out with that too. I think it’s the way forward.


I’m so proud right now. Like a father watching his son pedal his bike without training wheels for the first time. I’m also on board for the indicator on the ball, signaling first downs.


Dave from Bono, IN


If we put sensors in the ball, what happens to their sensitivity when Tom Brady deflates them?


The ball would be equipped with a beeper if the air pressure falls beneath a certain threshold – like a smoke detector. I’ll have my people talk to the NFL’s people.