Inbox: Those were meaningful

[Cheesehead]

Thomas from Phoenix, AZ


Spoff, here's to hoping "our" preseason schedule equates to 0.173-0.166% of "our" games this season!


I thought we were working on fractions.


Kevin from Starr Pass, AZ


Spoff, thanks for holding down the fort. I have a similar question as Gina from Waukesha yesterday. Do players spend extra time reviewing film during the dead-zone period or do most simply sustain their fitness and relax to get mentally and physically ready for July?


Depends on the player. Some guys like Blake Martinez are film junkies and can never get enough. Other guys go for the full detachment. To each his own.


Liam from Newcastle upon Tyne, England


I remember the “Snow Globe” game against the Seahawks vividly but in watching it back I noticed a No. 21 decal bearing worn on our Packers helmets. Can you guys recall the reason for it?


Washington safety Sean Taylor had been murdered in late November that year and the No. 21 helmet decal was worn league-wide in his memory.


Ron from Waukesha, WI


When was the last time a backup quarterback won a meaningful game in the Aaron Rodgers era? I think the answer is never. So why do we keep three quarterbacks on the 53? And neither of those two backups are capable of becoming a permanent Rodgers replacement. Wouldn’t it be better to keep an extra offensive lineman or an extra running back or an extra cornerback instead?


Never? I’m not about to state Brett Hundley’s 2017 performance was adequate, because it wasn’t, but he did win three games, and one more would have given the Packers a realistic playoff shot. In 2013, Matt Flynn went 2-2 as a starter to stay in the postseason hunt, with a comeback from a 26-3 deficit on the road and a rally in relief of a 23-7 game to salvage a tie. Those were meaningful. With Rodgers planning to play until he’s 40, if his permanent replacement were currently on the roster, the Packers wouldn’t be able to afford to keep him long enough anyway. And backups who have truly proven they can win games are too expensive for teams with QBs at the top of the pay scale. That’s just reality. The Packers have a lot of work to do at backup QB, but I think the new coaching staff deserves a chance to see what it can do with what it has.


Geert from Old Windsor, UK


Talking heads are talking about edge rushers being left out (funny how we apparently went from famine to feast). However, fresh edge rushers are always good to have. Forced to choose, do you think players would rather have a start or a big-impact, fourth-quarter sack behind their name?


C’mon, you don’t need to ask that.


Danny from Chattanooga, TN


Hey Mike, to help out with a question from Wednesday, PFF has a stat called air yards that measures the distance a QB actually throws a ball. Also, if you take the total passing yards and subtract the YAC, you won't credit the QB for however far behind the line of scrimmage he is.


Someone needs to tell me why I should care about such a stat.


Kyle from Mukwonago, WI


Hi Mike, lots of stories spinning around WR depth, but it would seem Gutey and personnel felt comfortable with the guys already in the room. The personnel department knows what they've got, but how and when will we know what we've got? After the first quarter of the season? What are you looking for to answer those questions?


Timing with Rodgers, to keep it basic. If Rodgers is getting the ball out on time more often than not to receivers other than Adams, it means the young guys are getting open within the offensive scheme and Rodgers is trusting them. That’s the starting point.


Chris from Neenah, WI


Someone said they think it is overkill to have four "meaningless" games and all the training-camp time because it should be easy enough to fill the roster with less time. Just a reminder in 1996 Desmond Howard was far from a lock to make the team, actually looked more like a guaranteed cut, until he made an electric punt return for a TD in the last preseason game. The rest is history. So my suggestion to fans is trust the process.


Josh from Twin Falls, ID


Draft and develop was the motto of the TT era. I would like to nominate the old U.S. Defense quote "quantity has a quality all its own" to the current GM. Seems like when Gutekunst sees an area of the team he wants improved he throws as many athletes as he can find at the problem and lets the hyper-competitive players and coaches sort it out. Do any past or present position battles stand out in your memory?


Sometimes the most intriguing ones can be more about the future than the present. Gutekunst drafted three running backs two years ago and found two keepers. He drafted three receivers last year and they’re working their way along. This year with only eight picks he didn’t have the draft capital to stockpile at one spot, but when sufficiently loaded with selections I’ve loved the approach to rebuilding a position.