Inbox: It's the ongoing battle

Mike, are you running the plays that the coaching staff chose for WYMM in case you noticed something subtle that shouldn't be highlighted?

Ha. If I can find something against the film opponents, the Packers are in great shape.

Shane from Philadelphia, PA

Daniel von Jackson's question about which Vikings QB has the most TD passes against the Packers made me wonder, out of all the QBs, who has the most TD passes against the Packers? My guess is Stafford.

Correct. He has 40, followed by Johnny Unitas with 34, then Tarkenton.

I guess both Spoff and Tim from Olathe forgot about Charles Woodson. I know he played mostly cornerback. But he played safety at UK, was primarily a safety the year he was named Defensive Player of the Year, and played almost exclusively safety for the final four years of his career. Not even mentioning him when talking about the best safety since Collins – who he played alongside, by the way – is simply unthinkable.

Woodson was a cornerback when he won DPOY in 2009 and didn't play safety at the time. It wasn't until 2012, his final season in Green Bay, that he moved to safety. He had an INT this year.

Did Aaron Jones write this Players Tribune article to reassure us fans before playing us?! Seriously, I'm glad to have watched him play for the Packers all these years and hope he doesn't stand out this week.

I think the article is more cordial than strategic, but either way it's a matter for both sides when the game begins.

Happy Friday. I'm here in Florida and hope that the prognosis for Helene is wrong. Question: With all the talk about Aaron Jones returning to Lambeau, do you think Josh Jacobs will have a little extra incentive on Sunday to show everyone that the Packers made the right decision with the running back? GPG!

Please stay safe down there. I don't understand how Jacobs is wired that way. He has already established himself as a leader in this locker room and is very comfortable with who he is, regardless of the outside noise.

Craig from Brookfield, WI

In Week 1, the Packers' defense looked decent (not great) against an excellent QB and a strong offense. Then they looked pretty good against two QBs who don't scare anyone. But in all three games it looks like opposing receivers are being given a lot of space in our secondary. Regardless of INT stats, open receivers are a problem when we're dealing with an accurate, quick-release QB. Do you see it differently on site than on TV?

This defense emphasizes the vision of the football looking for turnovers, and the vision requires proper zone coverage. Offenses find open space against zones with good pass protection. When that happens (it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when), it's a matter of preventing the opposing quarterback from getting comfortable and getting into a rhythm. Find ways to disrupt. It's the ongoing battle.

I think the safest bet in professional football is that, even though none of us are experts, you know more about Xs and Os than I do. Given Jeff Hafley's defense, is Jaire Alexander more or less likely to cover Justin Jefferson wherever he goes? I feel like America is longing for this duel.

This type of matchup hasn't happened with Hafley before, so I'm as curious as anyone. I have to assume that Alexander Jefferson will sit out quite a bit. But every piece starts to the end? We'll see.

Do you think JJ McCarthy's injury may have finally set the Vikings up for long-term QB success? If Sam Darnold continues to play the way he has, McCarthy could sit around for the next year or two (a la Rodgers/Love) and then presumably be better prepared to take over? He could avoid the pitfalls that arise when other young quarterbacks are forced into action too early. Or does the fact that Darnold is on a one-year deal make this unlikely and too expensive for the Vikings?

Brian Flores' defense has blocked a Shanahan offense and a Shanahan Younger offense in the last two weeks. What has impressed you most about the Vikings defense so far this season, and how do you think the Packers could attack or show something different?

I'm impressed with how limited they are to explosive plays, which speaks to solid fundamentals and dictates to the offense what it “should” do. The longest rush against the Vikings this year is 22 yards and the longest pass is 34. The Packers have been one of the league's most explosive offenses with Love or Willis, so LaFleur will be looking for those opportunities.

The Vikings' most recent victims, Purdy and Stroud, have mentioned how difficult it was to read Minnesota's defense. Flores has always done a good job of disguising it, but are they doing something different this year? As a Packer fan living in Minnesota, this is always a must-win situation. Thank you for everything you do.

I think the difference this year is that Flores has more experienced players to work with and it's his second season there. So he digs deeper into his pockets, so to speak.