Gentlemen, a great win hides the warts, right? And sometimes the winds just blow your way, too. The Pack was a Nixon muffed fumble away from disaster, two missed FGs, and key PI calls. It’s predictably ironic had the score not gone our way, these would be the primary talking points. Not taking anything from a revitalized (hopefully) offense, but the special-teams issues are still present. Go Pack!

The ground game averaged just 3.6, third-down passes were dropped early, the run D looked leaky until the Steelers quit running it. There’s plenty to shore up in all phases. Always is. The teams that overcome their flaws get wins. Those that reduce them become the last ones standing. That’s the game, that’s the season.

Richard from Livermore, CA

Regarding the response about man-in-motion penalties, I think the Steelers were flagged for having two players in motion without having both of them get set before the snap. One player can be in motion during the snap, but if two players go in motion they both must stop for about a second prior to the snap. One of them can then go back in motion.

Correct. If only one player is in motion, he can be moving at the snap as long as it’s not forward. Once multiple players shift or go in motion, the set of rules you described applies.

Chuck from Whitewater, WI

For years, we watched AR12 drop back, wait for the rush and then step up in the pocket. On Sunday night, Jeff Hafley often had Micah Parsons lined up over center behind the DT. Was this intentional for Rodgers’ sake? Seems he was quite rattled in the second half.

It’s a nifty pass-rush wrinkle that almost forces a QB to keep an eye on Parsons, which serves as a distraction as well as a disruption when Parsons beats the interior blocker he attacks. I expect the Packers to use this against other QBs, not just Rodgers.

Troy from Menomonee Falls, WI

I thought Parsons showed the difference between a good and a great pass rusher: a good rusher gets to the quarterback and a great rusher degrades the quarterback’s performance without even laying a finger on him. By the second half Parsons, even with just one sack, clearly had Rodgers spooked and spending too much time worrying about Parsons at the expense of completing plays.

I thought Ty’Ron Hopper made a critical play, breaking up the pass on a two-point conversion which would have brought the Steelers to within eight points. While still improbable, it still was a timely play. A nickel for your thoughts?

Hopper got to play one defensive snap in a goal-line package on the two-point play, and he made it count in a meaningful way. It didn’t go unnoticed.

On the Crazy Stat column it was pointed out the streak was a factual 21 passes, but 20 statistically, because the two-point attempt doesn’t count. If the two-point pass attempt is incomplete, does the streak continue “statistically”? Just curious about the “rules” of the records.

Yes, statistically the streak would’ve continued had the two-point pass been incomplete. Nothing on two-point plays shows up in the stats (rushes, yards, passes, catches) except the points that are scored.

Jennifer from Middleton, WI

I just listened to “Unscripted.” So let me get this straight. In the live blog not only are you furiously typing the play-by-play, providing stats/time/field position, and responding to the angsty fans, you are also answering questions from Wes? Holy schnikies you are a wonder. Funny, I have this picture in my head of him like a fight manager, putting a towel around your shoulders and hand feeding you a bite of brat and drink of apple juice saying, “Stay focused buddy, you got this.”

Oh, you have no idea how this made my week, lol. To be fair, when we’re in the press box together, Wes helps me on the blog with personnel observations and answers my questions about who might’ve subbed in for whom. Then I’ll mumble to him a funny comment that comes in, whether I post it or not, just to keep him entertained. We save the deep conversation for the TV timeouts.

Dale from Downers Grove, IL

Hi Insiders, I enjoy Mike’s crazy stat column. What do you think about the AFC vs. NFC? (ATMRWCBW) Entering Week 8, the AFC was 13-25 against the NFC. In Week 8 the AFC went 7-1, thankfully the Packers were the one! Also, all but one game was won by more than one score, first time since 1970. Just more proof it is a week-to-week league. Now it is AFC 20, NFC 26. What are your thoughts on these crazy stats?

That even with nine teams currently owning two or fewer wins, you still never know in this league, and one of those two-win teams is getting a two-time MVP QB back tomorrow night.

Halfway through the season and 10 teams have two or fewer losses. Buckle up.

If you haven’t already. Happy Wednesday.