Troy from Westminster, CO

What if the cows never come back from Sobieski? Maybe they like it there.

I’m gone for less than a week …

Julie from Oconomowoc, WI

Why do you think LaFleur passed on Jim Leonhard for the DC job? Seems like he would have been the perfect fit!

Perhaps he would’ve been, but it’s important to remember LaFleur reportedly discussed the job with Leonhard extensively five years ago. Reading the tea leaves, my best guess is he would’ve loved to talk to Leonhard again this week, but Gannon had the edge as well as interest from other clubs, and LaFleur wasn’t going to risk losing him by waiting. Another candidate LaFleur reportedly interviewed was Christian Parker, a member of his original staff in 2019 who was scooped up by the Cowboys. Plus, if Denver DC Vance Joseph were to land a head job, Leonhard could be in line to take that spot anyway. There’s always a lot going on.

David from Janesville, WI

Green Bay Packers. Dallas Cowboys. Pittsburgh Steelers. Has any other coach ever led three such iconic franchises as Mike McCarthy?

It’s remarkable, isn’t it? I think it’s incredibly cool, and no one else’s collection of teams really compares. Bill Parcells coached the Giants, Patriots, Jets and Cowboys, but I’d still lean toward McCarthy’s list in terms of history and stature. I hope somebody re-creates Joe McCarthy’s Bar & Grill in the stadium neighborhood in Pittsburgh.

How fun is it that both Super Bowl GMs came up through Green Bay? Do you have any insights into how their experiences with the Packers formed their philosophies that helped them build Super Bowl teams?

Not only came up through the Packers but grew up here. They learned a process for evaluating player talent from a number of sharp, shrewd folks, but each individual adds his own lens to the frame along the way. Regarding philosophy, I don’t sense either Schneider or Wolf copied anybody’s. They’ve seen what’s worked and what hasn’t, and I’ve heard aspiring GMs frequently file away the times they disagreed with their bosses, and then track who turned out to be right or wrong. Eventually, the library’s stacks are full enough to stand on their own.

How happy should we as Packers fans be that Sam Darnold is no longer in the NFC North? What were the Vikings thinking?

It’s a break for the division certainly, but the more I’ve read about it, the better I understand what unfolded. Darnold was looking for a long-term commitment as a starting QB, and the Vikings weren’t willing to give that having just spent a first-round draft pick on a QB. Then they thought their hedge for J.J. McCarthy was Daniel Jones, but he unexpectedly signed with the Colts. That aside, short of trading McCarthy, which wasn’t going to happen, I don’t know if the Vikings could’ve offered Darnold anything that would’ve enticed him to stay. He wanted no part of that “starter in waiting” behind him and found a situation that best suited him.

John from Stevens Point, WI

I have to admit, now that Sam Darnold is with the Seahawks, and not the Vikings, I am very happy for him. Amazing that in the loaded 2018 draft QB class that he got to a Super Bowl before Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson. To what do you attribute his turnaround from his early days in the NFL? Can you remember any story that mirrors Darnold’s?

Rich Gannon and Jim Plunkett come to mind.

Guys, not a question, but a prediction: We see a LOT less fourth-down attempts next year. I can’t count how many times I said to myself during DEN/NE second half – “I bet Denver wishes they took that field goal in the first half.” It’s a trendy, trendy league and everybody fell in love with uber-aggressive offensive mindsets the last few years. But there’s a reason teams mostly kicked on fourth down for the last hundred years.

Usually I’m of the mind that fourth-and-ones are tossups, but I failed to understand Sean Payton’s fateful second-quarter decision for numerous reasons. First, on the three downs leading up to fourth, the Broncos had nothing going for them – a stuffed run and two QB scrambles to avoid sacks. New England clearly was taking control up front. Second, this wasn’t fourth-and-goal from the 1. They would’ve still needed another dozen yards for a TD if they converted. Third, you’re playing with a backup QB and have a chance to give your defense, which has controlled the Patriots to that point, a two-score lead at home with bad weather on the way. The football gods were screaming take the points.