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Ryan Wood - By my recorder, Packers GM Brian Gutekunst spoke for 30 minutes, 37 seconds recapping the 2019 season and looking ahead to the offseason. Such a refreshing thing, a GM sharing his thoughts on where the team has been, where it will go. The biggest winner, by far, is fans.

Lily Zhao - Brian Gutekunst mentioned Blake Martinez's expiring contract. Said they'll take "a long look at ILB" to see if it's squared away to help the run defense. Also said the guys along the defensive line have stepped up and will need to continue to step up.

AP: The New Orleans Saints are going to court to keep the public from seeing hundreds of emails that allegedly show team executives doing public relations damage control for the area’s Roman Catholic archdiocese to help it contain the fallout from a burgeoning sexual abuse crisis. Attorneys for about two dozen men suing the church say in court filings that the 276 documents they obtained through discovery show that the NFL team, whose owner is devoutly Catholic, aided the Archdiocese of New Orleans in its “pattern and practice of concealing its crimes.” “Obviously, the Saints should not be in the business of assisting the Archdiocese, and the Saints’ public relations team is not in the business of managing the public relations of criminals engaged in pedophilia,” the attorneys wrote in a court filing. “The Saints realize that if the documents at issue are made public, this professional sports organization also will be smearing itself.”

Although I cant put a finger on it exactly, I tend to agree. I mean....where were the *incessant* (and I mean, like every other week kind of incessant) hamstring / groin injuries this year? We lost time on some guys sure....but he "biggest" injury that comes to mind is Davante's turf toe.

I think BOS would be content - maybe not overly happy, but content - if this wound up them just dumping Price's cost and had to "live with" playing the season with Betts. Having to play the season with one of the top players in the game.....the pain isnt exactly excruciating. Bett's is how they get prospects / talent coming back their way however and maybe how they sell it to their fan base. "We were gonna lose him anyway, so......" I dont think them jettisoning Betts now enhances their chances he'd come back ala Chapman. From what I've read, it has a "if he goes....he's gonna stay gone" feel to it. We'll see.

Question is does he need to keep shooting it like a madman or can he stay at his career shooting averages in order for this HOU roster to get where it needs to be? I dont follow them closely so outside the headliners, I dont know what he's got around him this year versus last - but sense he'll burn out come playoff time if he doesnt slow it down. In 2018-19 they finished up in 4th place @ 53-29. Right now they're in the 6th slot @ 27-16. Can he slow it down - or back it down to his career norm - and this team still succeed?

Did we just get lucky this year (?) or could MLF's practice schedule and some new strength and conditioning procedures actually result in so few injuries?

The Packers dont have the refs in our pocket? If we dont, we certainly should Especially when we play Minnesota...and Chicago....and yeah, lets throw Detroit in there as well.

Nothing. I mentioned him only in context of him being an available DL option. Agree. As stated, their role would be best if we could use them as rotational depth. Unfortunately, we didnt have front line bodies to make them so. I cant gauge how hard Pettine pressed them - or presume he didnt.

And Minnesota. Cook was the gas in that offense's engine. Think if we had the DL difference makers in the SF game (read: on our roster) - they'd have been on the field - in which instance, we'd have heard Kittle and their WRs names mentioned more. Current roster? Lowrey and Lancaster - really should be rotational depth and looking over their shoulders at Adams and Keke - if those guys would ever generate true competition. I dont think Pettine's gonna park true DL difference makers on the bench simply because he's got some (supposed) fixation on DBs. I think you play the deck of cards you've got. Could/should he have gone to more 4 man fronts against SF? Maybe so. Would they have proven to be difference makers? Cant say for sure.

I'm confident that if he gets the DL bodies / talent (we dont need anymore "bodies") - he'll let them do their thing when the time's necessary.

Where's Spock and his Vulcan Mind-Meld when you need him.

I wasnt "spreaking to" or about (supposedly) spoiled Packer fans. Wasnt on my radar screen. I was keying on the word - mediocre - and simply stating I think our season far exceeded it.

Thats not where I was headed or what I was thinking.

There's a whole bunch of ways people can choose to perceive things....but I dont see our season as mediocre. Not even close. If winning 14 games, #2 seed in the toughest Conference, regaining (dominating) the NFCN, winning a Playoff game....being one game from the SB....is mediocre. The bar's set wayyyyyyyy too high.