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Chicago Bears

Key additions: Running back Michael Bush, linebacker/special teams Blake Costanzo, quarterback Jason Campbell, receiver Brandon Marshall (trade), receiver Devin Thomas, receiver/returner Eric Weems.

Key losses: Running back Marion Barber (retired), cornerback Zack Bowman, cornerback Corey Graham.

Come on back: Lost in the shuffle of the Marshall trade were the return of three free agents who should play key roles in 2012. Tight end Kellen Davis figures to get an expanded role in offensive coordinator Mike Tice's scheme, especially as a receiver. Cornerback Tim Jennings should retain his starting role opposite Charles Tillman, with D.J. Moore in the nickel. And safety Craig Steltz will provide reliable depth at safety and will be one of the Bears' special teams leaders after the departure of Graham and Bowman.

What's next: There is no urgency yet, but the Bears will need to make peace with tailback Matt Forte at some point before the summer. Forte isn't happy that he's been made the Bears' franchise player and briefly lost his public composure when Bush signed a deal that guaranteed him about the same amount of money as the franchise tag will pay Forte. It's not a big deal if Forte skips the Bears' offseason program or even misses a few days of training camp, but the Bears will want to find a way to eliminate this issue by early August. Meanwhile, it wouldn't be surprising if the Bears address their offensive line during the draft.

Detroit Lions

Key additions: Defensive end Everette Brown, cornerback Jacob Lacey.

Key losses: Cornerback Eric Wright.

All in the family: With the exception of Wright, the Lions were able to retain the core of their 10-6 team. Among those who re-signed: Tackle Jeff Backus, safety Erik Coleman, defensive end Andre Fluellen, quarterback Shaun Hill and linebacker Stephen Tulloch. And don't forget that receiver Calvin Johnson is locked up for perhaps the rest of his career. He signed a new eight-year contract worth $132 million.

What's next: The Lions appear interested in adding competition at safety, having hosted free agent O.J. Atogwe earlier this month. Adding a safety remains a possibility, if not through free agency, then probably through the draft. And while Backus is re-signed for two years, it wouldn't be surprising if the Lions look for a long-term replacement in the draft.

Green Bay Packers

Key additions: Defensive lineman Daniel Muir, center Jeff Saturday, defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove.

Key losses: Quarterback Matt Flynn, center Scott Wells.

Shocker: The Packers usually do whatever it takes to keep their own players and avoid having to search the free-agent market for other the castoffs of other teams. They started off that way by re-signing tight end Jermichael Finley to a two-year contract, but when they were unable to sign center Scott Wells, they quickly targeted veteran Jeff Saturday and made him their first starting-caliber free-agent signee in five years. General manager Ted Thompson also authorized the acquisition of Hargrove and the pursuit of Dave Tollefson.

What's next: It's not out of the question that the Packers will add a veteran pass-rusher, whether at defensive end or linebacker. Then they'll get back into their comfort zone and start preparing for the draft, where it's reasonable to think they'll use at least one of their 12 picks on a center while also continuing to pursue pass-rushers.

Minnesota Vikings

Key additions: Cornerback Zack Bowman, tight end John Carlson, running back Jerome Felton and offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz.

Key losses: Nose tackle Remi Ayodele (release), guards Anthony Herrera (release) and Steve Hutchinson (release), tight end Jim Kleinsasser (retire), running back Jerome Felton.

Methodical methodology: The Vikings made one big-money signing, bringing in Carlson as a new weapon for quarterback Christian Ponder, and otherwise have spent their offseason getting younger and signing complementary players. General manager Rick Spielman wants to end a cycle of seeking blue-chip players via free agency and instead count on the drafts for his difference-makers.

What's next: One way or the other, the Vikings need to find a deep threat for Ponder. The draft would seem the most likely place for that will happen. They are also midway through a rebuild of the secondary that could use at least one more cornerback and perhaps two safeties.

» AFC Free-Agency Primer: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

Free agency begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET

Chicago Bears

Key free agents: Tight end Kellen Davis, running back Matt Forte (franchise), cornerback Corey Graham, quarterback Caleb Hanie, defensive end Israel Idonije, cornerback Tim Jennings, quarterback Josh McCown, safety Brandon Meriweather and receiver Roy Williams.

Where they stand: The Bears will have the most salary-cap space among NFC North teams, upwards of $30 million, and have plenty of potential uses for it. Quarterback Jay Cutler needs more targets in the downfield passing game, whether it's at the receiver or tight end position. And new general manager Phil Emery must start restocking a defense led by four players more than 30 years old: Linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, defensive end Julius Peppers and cornerback Charles Tillman.

What to expect: It's widely believed the Bears will be in the running for free-agent receiver Vincent Jackson. But Jackson's price tag could be steep and no one knows if Emery will prove to be a big spender. It seems likely he will re-sign Davis, and Emery should also save some of his cap space to extend Forte's contract. Secondary receiver targets could include Marques Colston. Bears fans are hoping the team will pursue defensive end Mario Williams, but it's hard to imagine the Bears budgeting for Williams two years after breaking their bank on Peppers.

Detroit Lions

Key free agents: Defensive end Cliff Avril (franchise), left tackle Jeff Backus, safety Chris Harris, quarterback Shaun Hill, linebacker DeAndre Levy (restricted), running back Maurice Morris, running back Kevin Smith, quarterback Drew Stanton, linebacker Stephen Tulloch and cornerback Eric Wright.

Where they stand: The Lions are tight against the salary cap after franchising Avril and aren't likely to be big spenders on the free-agent market. They could relieve the situation by reaching long-term agreements with Avril and/or receiver Calvin Johnson, who has a $22 million cap figure for 2012. Tulloch made a big impact last season after signing a one-year deal, but so far the Lions' attention has turned elsewhere.

What to expect: The Lions' best-case scenario is to keep their 2011 core together without mortgaging their future relative to the salary cap. That would mean getting Tulloch re-signed to preserve the linebacker group they upgraded last season by signing him and veteran Justin Durant, moves that allowed Levy to play on the outside. Hill seems likely to re-sign as Matthew Stafford's backup, while Stanton might test the free-agent waters to see if he has a chance to do better than third on a team's depth chart.

Green Bay Packers

Key free agents: Cornerback Jarrett Bush, quarterback Matt Flynn, running back Ryan Grant and center Scott Wells.

Where they stand: The Packers took care of a big challenge by signing tight end Jermichael Finley to a two-year contract last month. They will let Flynn depart for a possible starting job elsewhere and it appears Grant will test the free-agent market. Discussions with Wells haven't led to an agreement, but the Packers often go to the final moments before reaching a deal. There are no obvious internal replacements for Wells, making his return a priority.

What to expect: The Packers will have some flexibility with the salary cap, but general manager Ted Thompson's aversion to veteran free agency is well known. It's been three years since he signed a veteran unrestricted free agent in the offseason. The Packers have needs at defensive line, outside linebacker and possibly at center if Wells leaves. But let's put it this way: Thompson's strong preference is to find depth and future replacements in the draft, not on other teams' rosters.

Minnesota Vikings

Key free agents: Safety Husain Abdullah, receiver Devin Aromashodu, receiver Greg Camarillo, defensive lineman Fred Evans, defensive lineman Letroy Guion, linebacker E.J. Henderson, linebacker Erin Henderson, safety Tyrell Johnson, quarterback Sage Rosenfels, cornerback Benny Sapp and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.

Where they stand: The Vikings seem poised for a major roster overhaul in their first offseason since Rick Spielman was promoted to general manager. Players like Shiancoe, E.J. Henderson, Camarillo and Johnson all seem poised to move on. There aren't many positions on the team that appear secure.

What to expect: If the Vikings don't plan to draft USC left tackle Matt Kalil at No. 3 overall next month, the first clue will be if they pursue a free-agent left tackle. That seems unlikely. But they'll need to combine their draft with at least a few veteran free agents if they intend to compete for a playoff spot in 2012. Cornerback could be a point of focus, where Brandon Carr and Cortland Finnegan are among those available. Another could be receiver. The Vikings had major interest in Jackson two years ago.

The NFL's new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) has brought an issue we haven't faced in a number of years: Tight salary-cap situations.

After jumping considerably in the final few years of the old CBA, the league's cap limit isn't expected to rise much, if any, for the 2012 season. That means teams will have roughly $120 million to work with as they assemble the top 51 players on their training camp roster.

Based on the numbers I've been able to dig up, it appears that three of our four NFC North teams are going to be relatively tight against that number, especially considering they need to save room for signing a draft class. All teams must be in compliance when the new league year opens, and free agency begins, on March 13.

The following is how much each team currently has committed to its 2012 cap. Keep in mind that the numbers probably will change between now and March 13 as teams re-sign, re-negotiate and release players from their rosters.

• Chicago Bears: $101.8 million
• Detroit Lions: $122.8 million
• Green Bay Packers: $115.3 million
• Minnesota Vikings: $115.3 million

A few thoughts:

1. We've already discussed the Lions' situation at some length. Simple math tells us they're going to have to adjust some current salaries just to get under $120 million, and the first candidate is receiver Calvin Johnson, who is projected to count about $22 million against the cap alone. As we've noted, four players -- Johnson, quarterback Matthew Stafford, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch -- account for nearly half of their total cap projection.
2. There are tricks available for teams like the Lions who want to keep or re-sign their players in a tight environment. They come with risks and the potential for future problems, but there is always a way to squeeze players into a given year's cap. The new CBA has a provision that allows teams to borrow against future caps, providing another option.
3. One positive bi-product of the Bears' decision to trade for quarterback Jay Cutler in 2009: It relieved them of the cap commitment associated with two first-round draft picks. That's one of the reasons new general manager Phil Emery has some $18 million to work with if he wants to sign veteran free agents and/or use his franchise tag on tailback Matt Forte.
4. The Packers have a number of veterans they want to re-sign, including tight end Jermichael Finley and center Scott Wells. With about $5 million in wiggle room, based on these numbers, they'll need to make some adjustments to fit both players in. As Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has already suggested, the Packers could carve out some space by either releasing receiver Donald Driver or renegotiating his contract. The same could happen for left tackle Chad Clifton.
5. Still, it should be clear why it seems unlikely that the Packers would place their franchise tag on quarterback Matt Flynn for the purposes of trading him after March 13. Doing so would require a $14 million cap commitment, require more cap maneuvering than would be comfortable and likely exposing either Finley or Wells to the free agent market.

It took longer than expected. Preliminary decisions were questioned. Debates extended into the wee hours. We went through a first draft, then a second and even a third. Countless observers were consulted. It wasn't until I had a full week to mull the 2011 All-NFC North team that I was prepared to make the big reveal.

Via Twitter, @jpberthiaume asked: "Do people really care about these 'teams?'" I guess it's a fair point. I doubt few, if any, of the players listed in the chart wrote a fifth-grade essay about their plans to one day make the All-NFC North team on ESPN.com, even if it was only because the NFC North hadn't yet been formed in those days and ESPN.com was operating out of a Bristol-based closet.

So I'll let you be the judge. This is annually a fun exercise, even if it doesn't lead to a deep understanding of the human condition or even reveal any breakthroughs about the just-completed season. If nothing else, it offers us a blank template to recognize the best-performing players in the division without the hindrance of the politics and reputation.

Some notes on some of the tight decisions, for which I seriously received input from multiple angles:

• One of the fiercest debates came at wide receiver. Everyone agreed that the Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson deserved one spot, but there was a split about the other two. Did the Green Bay Packers' Greg Jennings, who missed three games because of a knee injury, deserve an automatic bid? And if he did, should the Packers' Jordy Nelson or the Minnesota Vikings' Percy Harvin get the third spot? I thought Jennings' 67 receptions, 949 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games merited a spot. And ultimately I chose Nelson over Harvin. I realize Harvin caught 87 passes in a punchless offense and added 345 rushing yards to his total, but in the end I couldn't overlook a player who scored more touchdowns (15) than all but four players in the NFL this season. Plus, as Hatterbot pointed out: "Rushing yards don't count in the WR category."

2011 All-NFC North Team

Pos.	Player, Team
OFFENSE
WR	Calvin Johnson (DET)
WR	Greg Jennings (GB)
WR	Jordy Nelson (GB)
LT	Jeff Backus (DET)
LG	Rob Sims (DET)
C	Scott Wells (GB)
RG	Josh Sitton (GB)
RT	Bryan Bulaga (GB)
TE	Jermichael Finley (GB)
QB	Aaron Rodgers (GB)
RB	Matt Forte (CHI)
DEFENSE
DE	Jared Allen (MIN)
DT	Kevin Williams (MIN)
DT	Ndamukong Suh (DET)
DE	Julius Peppers (CHI)
OLB	Clay Matthews (GB)
MLB	Brian Urlacher (CHI)
OLB	Lance Briggs (CHI)
CB	Charles Tillman (CHI)
CB	Charles Woodson (GB)
S-NB	Tramon Williams (GB)
S	Louis Delmas (DET)
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK	Mason Crosby (GB)
P	Tim Mastay (GB)
PR	Devin Hester (CHI)
KR	Percy Harvin (MIN)
ST	Corey Graham (CHI)

• I went with the Lions' Rob Sims at left guard in part on the advice of John McTigue of ESPN Stats & Information, who noted that Sims was the only NFC North left guard to play the position for 16 games this season. Sims also had the best pass-sack ratio (19.7 passes per sack) of the group, based on video study.
• There is no doubt that the Lions' Brandon Pettigrew (83 catches) had a more productive season than the Packers' Jermichael Finley (55). But the Lions often used Pettigrew as a substitute for their punchless running game, and that's why his per-catch average of 9.4 yards was lower than any other tight end with at least 30 catches. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the average pass to Pettigrew this season traveled 6.5 yards in the air. The average pass to Finley traveled 11.4 yards. Finley caught five passes of at least 30 yards. Pettigrew's longest was 27. Both players had their share of drops, combining for a total of 15, but I thought Finley made a bigger impact on his catches than Pettigrew did.
• I really debated the Bears' Julius Peppers and the Lions' Cliff Avril at defensive end. Avril (11.5) had a half-sack more than Peppers (11) and forced twice as many fumbles. But one of the advantages we have on this team is investigating beyond the conventional numbers. Our friends at Pro Football Focus (PFF) credited Peppers with 53 quarterback pressures, the second-highest total in the NFL. Avril ranked No. 8 with 37, but in a close race I chose the maximum number of plays impacted over Avril's slight edge in "playmaking" statistics.
• I used a similar approach in choosing the Vikings' Kevin Williams and the Lions' Ndamukong Suh as my defensive tackles. It's true that the Bears' Henry Melton led the NFC North's defensive tackles with seven pressures, but PFF had Suh with 27 quarterback pressures, an NFL high for an interior lineman. Williams tied for No. 3 with 25. Melton wasn't that far behind at 23, but I also took into account that the Bears nearly benched him for inconsistency at one point in the season. (Coach Lovie Smith in November: "He hasn't showed up as much. Whether teams have adjusted to him or whatever, we need to get more production from him because he's capable of it.") Meanwhile, I thought Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji took a step backward in 2011. PFF credited him with only 10 stops (the cumulative number of plays made that constitute an offensive failure) in 842 snaps.
• If you want to say I chickened out at linebacker, go ahead. I originally left open the middle and one of the outside spots, but in the end I went with our division standbys: Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. For starters, Briggs was one of six non-offensive linemen to play 100 percent of his team's snaps in the NFL this season. There's something to be said for being available to your team. And while I do think that the Packers' Desmond Bishop and the Lions' Stephen Tulloch had good seasons, I couldn't find a statistic or an opinion that convinced me they were better than Urlacher. Someday, there will be turnover among NFC North linebackers. But it didn't happen this season.
• Safety play was poor throughout the NFC North, so I'm not at all ashamed to have chosen a third cornerback to replace one of the safeties on this team. It came down to the Lions' Chris Houston and the Packers' Tramon Williams. Both had their ups and downs in coverage. Houston had five interceptions and two touchdowns in 14 games, while Williams had four interceptions and one touchdown in 15 games. In the end, I chose Williams because I think it was pretty clear he was pushing through a really limiting shoulder injury for much of the first half of the season.
• I chose the Packers' specialists, kicker Mason Crosby and punter Tim Masthay. Crosby converted 24 of 28 kicks, including a 58-yarder, and ranked third in the NFL with 49 touchbacks. Masthay downed a division-high 23 punts inside the 20-yard line despite a division-low 55 punts.
• I mistakenly left off a coverage specialist from our original post. There should be no debating that the Bears' Corey Graham deserves that spot.
• Go ahead. Rip away....

Coming later this week: Some supplementary NFC North awards, including our top coordinators.

Reviewing the Chicago Bears at their bye:

Record: 4-3

Seven-game capsule: The Bears are over .500 after a tough early schedule. Five of their games have come against opponents that currently have winning records. Their offense is still working to maintain a winning formula, and coaches continue to look for their optimum defensive alignment. But Devin Hester is providing elite impact on special teams and the Bears will enter the second half of the season as a playoff contender.

MVP: Matt Forte is on pace to produce one of the best all-around seasons for a running back in NFL history. He leads the league with 1,091 all-purpose yards, ranking third with 672 rushing and first among running backs with 419 receiving yards. He has accounted for nearly half of the Bears' total offense and is having a career year as his contract approaches expiration. Most importantly, Forte remains remarkably durable. He has now started every Bears game since he was drafted in 2008, a streak of 55 consecutive games.

Runner-up: I'm torn here between center Roberto Garza and defensive end Julius Peppers. In his 11th NFL season, Garza has made a relatively seamless shift to a more difficult position, averting a crisis following the departure of longtime starter Olin Kreutz. Garza probably won't receive any Pro Bowl votes and might not finish his career at center, but by all accounts he has made a credible showing on short notice. Peppers, meanwhile, has a modest four sacks in seven games. But close observers can measure his impact by watching what the Detroit Lions did to the Bears defense when Peppers left with a knee sprain. He wasn't on the field for Calvin Johnson's 73-yard touchdown reception or Jahvid Best's 88-yard scoring run in Week 5.

Biggest surprise: Initially I planned to suggest that the apparent decline of safety Chris Harris would qualify as the Bears' top surprise. But we covered that topic earlier Thursday after the Bears pulled off a bigger surprise by releasing him. So I'll go with the production of undrafted rookie Dane Sanzenbacher, who ranks second among NFL rookie with three touchdown receptions. His 19 total catches ranks fifth among rookies. Sanzenbacher has limited the damage that might have occurred following the Week 2 loss of receiver Earl Bennett, a favorite of quarterback Jay Cutler.

Biggest disappointment: The Bears opened the season seemingly oblivious to the successful offensive formula that propelled them to the NFC Championship Game in 2010. Through three games, they were calling a higher percentage of pass plays than any other NFL team. Given Forte's presence and a shaky pass-blocking scheme, it's hard to fathom what offensive coordinator Mike Martz was thinking. It's especially notable that it took a public plea from Cutler to shake up Martz's thinking. The Bears' offense is at its best when it doesn't face obvious passing situations.

Stat to note: Forte ranks No. 37 in the NFL in the percentage of his total rushing yards that have come after contact (43 percent), according to ESPN Stats & Information. That's not a knock on Forte as much as it is a credit to the Bears' run blocking. It means Forte has gained 383 of his 672 total yards before a defender has touched him.

Looking ahead: If the Bears are going to challenge for a playoff spot, they should win at least two of their next three games. With matchups at the Philadelphia Eagles and then at home against the Lions and San Diego Chargers, the Bears could win all three. The NFC playoff race is wide open, but now is the time for the Bears to make their move.

Earlier: The Green Bay Packers at their bye.

DETROIT -- Make no mistake: The Detroit Lions gave their city a first-in-a-generation scene Monday night.

Michael Buffer bellowed the pregame introductions. Barry Sanders took the field as an honorary captain. A record crowd at Ford Field induced nine false-start penalties and later emptied into the streets as if the French Quarter had been transported north. Detroit's burgeoning cadre of celebrity fans, including pop stars Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker, held court in the Lions' postgame locker room.

It's a sight I won't soon forget. Neither will the 67,861 in attendance nor the Lions' still-gestating roster. But to me, the takeaway memory of the Lions' 24-13 victory over the Chicago Bears was the evidence that Monday night won't be a once-in-a-lifetime event.

The Bears matched up well against the Lions, largely stifling their offense and moving the ball decently against their defense. At halftime, the Bears led 10-7. But no matter how the Lions play, they have a critical ingredient that helps any good team navigate dips in efficiency: the ability to score easy touchdowns. In the NFL, that attribute is known as "explosiveness," and for the Lions, it is the ultimate equalizer.

The Lions won Monday night largely because of three huge plays:

1. Receiver Calvin Johnson's 73-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.
2. Running back Jahvid Best's 88-yard scoring run in the third quarter.
3. Best's 43-yard run in the fourth quarter, which put the Lions in position for a game-clinching field goal.

Those three plays totaled 204 yards, or 51.6 percent of the Lions' total offensive output Monday night. They had 191 yards on their other 43 plays, an average of 4.3 yards per pop.

"Our playmakers answered the bell tonight for us," receiver Nate Burleson said. "We knew we were going to need that."

It probably didn't surprise the national television audience when quarterback Matthew Stafford caught the Bears trying to defend Johnson with a single-high safety in the second quarter. Johnson blew past strong safety Chris Harris, and free safety Brandon Meriweather was too late providing help.

But Best was another story. He had averaged 3.2 yards per carry over the Lions' first four games and hadn't produced a run longer than 19 yards. Most of us had written off both him and the Lions' running game, but the mistake was forgetting what Best can do when he gets in the open field.

Crushing blocks from right guard Stephen Peterman and right tackle Gosder Cherilus opened a crease at the 12-yard line in the third quarter, and Best said: "I figure if I get in the open field, nobody should catch me. I knew nobody was going to catch me from behind."

It sounds simple, but not every NFL team has one player like Johnson or Best, someone who can turn a relatively simple play into a game-changing touchdown.

It's true that the Bears have been vulnerable to the kind of runs Best broke. Entering Week 5, they were allowing 5.3 yards per rush between the tackles, the NFL's third-worst mark. And some of you might like Best to provide more of a consistent threat.

Since joining the Lions last season, Best has five carries that have totaled 229 yards. He has averaged 2.9 yards on his other 238 carries. But what he did Monday night helped win a key NFC North game and, more importantly, will have ramifications for the rest of the season -- even if he never comes close to replicating it.

"When you have a quarterback like we have, when you have a receiver like we have, you're probably not going to be a team that's going to run the ball 40 times a game," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "So we're going to do what it takes to win the game, and we have a lot of explosiveness in our pass game. You saw the way it was able to be effective. We ran the ball well enough to be able to set it up."

Indeed, the Lions' third touchdown came on a play-action fake to Best. That's how tight end Brandon Pettigrew got wide open for an 18-yard touchdown reception. On Monday night, Stafford completed all five of his play-action passes, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Hereafter, Lions opponents who overlook Best, or lose track of him, will do so at their own peril. NFL teams fear players who can score on their own and build game plans around them. The Lions have two great equalizers in their arsenal, and that's the scene I'll remember from Monday night.

"I don't think we proved anything," Stafford said. "We go out ... expecting to win every game."

With big-play weapons such as Johnson and Best, the Lions have every right to feel that way. I don't know where this magical season will take them. But they've shown us they have the ingredients to continue winning well into January.

Now, wouldn't that be a scene to remember?

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Julius Peppers doesn't even hesitate while considering the question he's just been asked.

As a defense, what can you do to slow Calvin Johnson down?

"Nothing," Peppers said after Friday's practice.

Well, then.

Out of all the weapons the Chicago Bears will have to account for on Monday night, they know that the biggest one is trying to stop the Detroit Lions wide receiver known as "Megatron."

"When they get down, we know who they're going to go to," Bears linebacker Lance Briggs said. "It's no secret. Eighty-one is a go-to guy. He's a go-to guy on any team. We need just to be consistent and get downhill defensively."

In order to do that, Bears safety Chris Harris knows that he and his teammates must be aggressive against Johnson.

"I think we have to be physical with him," Harris said. "I think that's one thing you got to do is try to be physical with him. He's a big body; you can't allow him just to have free releases. He's got very, very good speed. We want to try to throw off the timing, the timing routes."

Obviously, that's easier said than done and Peppers knows it. After a little prodding from reporters, he admitted that the only way to have a chance to slow down Johnson and Co. is to get to Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford early and often.

"That's it," Peppers said. "That's all you can do. Get the quarterback down."

That would be a welcome relief for a defensive unit that has struggled mightily at times over the past few weeks.

"We just got to execute better and do everything better," Peppers said. "But it will come together soon."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Steve Smith's career numbers against the Bears are frightening. In three meetings, the Panthers start wideout has 34 receptions for 568 yards and two touchdowns versus Lovie Smith's defense, including eight catches for 181 yards in the Bears 34-29 Week 4 victory at Soldier Field.

With the exception of perhaps Minnesota's Adrian Peterson, no single player has inflicted more damage on the Bears defense since Smith took over in 2004 than the 5-9, 185-pound Carolina receiver.

"I got a lot of respect for Steve Smith," Bears cornerback Charles Tillman said Monday. "He is a little guy, but he plays big. He's tough. I don't know if he's got a little man syndrome, but it works, because it helps his game.

"He lit us up. Not good on our part."

That might be an understatement, but at least the Bears and Panthers play in different divisions. The same cannot be said, however, for Detroit receiver Calvin Johnson who the Bears face twice each year in the NFC North. Surprisingly, unlike Smith, the Bears have done a decent job of containing Johnson the past couple of seasons.

The Bears held Johnson to a combined seven catches for 111 yards and a single touchdown in the pair of 2010 meetings, although many argue the officials robbed Johnson of a touchdown reception at the end last year's regular-season opener. To be fair, Johnson has certainly had good games versus the Bears, but just one career 100-plus yard effort, which occurred back in 2009.

But those Detroit teams were bad. This year, the Lions are a perfect 4-0 heading into the Monday night match-up with the Bears at Ford Field, thanks in large part to the 6-5 Johnson hauling in an NFL best eight touchdowns.

That averages out to one touchdown for every three Johnson receptions (24) so far in 2011.

"I think he's extremely good," Tillman said. "He's probably the top receiver in the league right now as far as just throwing the ball up and just letting him go up and get it. He's the Goliath of receivers right now as they say. We, as a secondary, will definitely have our hands full of trying to contain him.

The 6-2, 198-pound Tillman has plenty of experience guarding tall receivers. Going all the way back to his first two years in the NFL (2003-2004), Tillman drew the task of defending then-Vikings receiver Randy Moss, who is listed at 6-foot-4.

"I think (Johnson) and Moss are similar," Tillman said. "I would probably say he's a little bit stronger than Moss. He has a great hand-eye coordination as far as catching the ball at its highest point. I don't think Randy Moss was that strong as Calvin. I think Calvin is just a little more physical than Randy Moss.

"He's in his own (league). To be that strong, that fast, his vertical...it's very impressive. No, he's in a league of his own."

Numbers hardly ever tell the whole story when it comes to the Bears defense, but an alarming trend has developed the last three weeks. In each of the last three games, the Bears have allowed a receiver to top 100 yards (Devery Henderson, Greg Jennings, Smith). That breakdown in coverage, especially deep coverage, does not bode well for the upcoming battle with Johnson.

"We just haven't played good," Tillman said about the defense. "We've missed some easy tackles, myself included. We definitely have to play defense way better. We have to play a lot better if we expect to win in Detroit because they are playing unbelievable right now."

DETROIT -- Chicago Bears linebacker Nick Roach, who started in place of the injured Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee), was taken the locker room early in the second quarter with a hip injury and is questionable to return.

Roach was replaced by Rod Wilson at strong side linebacker, but the Bears played in a nickel defense for much of the second quarter.

However, the defense collapsed near the end of the half and allowed Detroit to take a 17-14 lead.

A Brad Maynard punt pinned the Lions on their 9-yard line with 53 seconds left on the clock, but running back Jahvid Best promptly got outside and broke a 45-yard run. On the very next play, Detroit quarterback Drew Stanton found Calvin Johnson on a 46-yard touchdown pass. Johnson did much of the work himself, and stiff-armed Chris Harris and D.J. Moore on his way to the end zone.

The Bears looked like they were headed to the locker room with a lead, after Matt Forte capped off an eight-play, 83-yard drive by scoring on a 14-yard touchdown run.

Wide receiver Earl Bennett paced the Bears' offense in the first half by hauling in four passes for 69 yards and picking up several key first downs. Chester Taylor touched the ball eight times (five rushes, three receptions) in the first 30 minutes.

The Lions initially went up 14-10 at the start of the second quarter on a 50-yard field goal by Dave Rayner.

THREE KEYS FOR THE BEARS

Keep Cutler clean: Solid protection along the offensive line played a major role in Cutler’s improved performance over the past four weeks. The unit can’t afford a letdown with the stakes seemingly increasing with every game, as the Bears try to secure a division crown and homefield advantage for the postseason. Rookie right tackle J’Marcus Webb needs to work this week to eliminate his penchant for mental lapses, and refine some technical kinks in his game. If the offensive line maintains the level of play it has produced over the past four weeks, Cutler should be in for a big day against Detroit’s struggling secondary.

Harass Drew Stanton: The Bears face their second mobile signal caller in two weeks. But Stanton isn’t as explosive or as experienced as Eagles quarterback Michael Vick. Look for Detroit to call a different game offensively on Sunday than it did when quarterbacks Shaun Hill and Matthew Stafford were starting. The Lions will look to get Stanton out of the pocket with bootlegs and plays that give the quarterback run-pass options (Stanton averages 4.5 yards per rush over his career with Detroit). So the Bears need to corral Stanton in the pocket, force him to make decisions, and go through his progressions. Stanton has shown a tendency to make mistakes. He threw three interceptions in his only start of 2009, and there’s a good chance the Bears could force a repeat performance of that outing with steady pressure from the front four.

Take away Calvin Johnson: Johnson will be looking for redemption for the controversial play in the opener in which he caught what seemed to be a touchdown, only to have it taken away when he failed to complete what should have been the game-winning catch. It’s also a given that Stanton, given his inexperience, will look to feed the ball to the team’s most dynamic playmaker. So by taking away Johnson, the Bears eliminate most of the Lions’ offensive firepower. Covered primarily by Charles Tillman in the first matchup, Johnson caught just four passes for 45 yards.

THREE KEYS FOR THE LIONS

Make the Bears throw: The Bears aren’t letting opponents take away the rushing attack completely. So by the Bears staying committed to run, they can keep opponents off balance defensively with play action. The only way to take away play action and force the Bears to become a passing team is to snuff out the run. Detroit held Matt Forte to just 50 yards on the ground in the opener, and the Bears ended up passing 34 times in a game that was decided by just five points. The Lions need a similar performance against Chicago’s rushing attack if they expect to keep this game close. Even if Detroit can get the Bears to rely heavily on the pass, it’s pointless if the Lions can’t pressure Cutler and hold up in the secondary.

Keep the offense off the field: The Bears’ Cover-2 scheme allows for minimal gains if a quarterback can stay disciplined enough to take what the defense allows. Quarterbacks typically get into trouble against the Bears when they take unnecessary risks or succumb to pressure from the front four. So if Stanton can avoid Chicago’s pressure long enough to make short completions and keep the chains moving, the Lions have a decent shot at keeping Cutler and the Bears’ explosive offense off the field. That would be a positive, considering the Bears are 1-2 this year when they’ve scored 17 points or fewer. Short slants and crossing routes to a big target such as Calvin Johnson -- who possesses superior run-after-catch ability -- aren't a bad thing.

Get off to fast start and avoid turnovers: With the roll Chicago is on, it would be natural for the Bears to get off to a slow start; especially after last week’s emotionally-taxing victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. So the Lions can best take advantage of any potential letdown by taking it to the Bears quickly. In fact, if Detroit takes possession first, a deep attempt on the first play from scrimmage to Johnson shouldn’t be out of the question. Avoiding turnovers could also help out the Lions tremendously. The Bears are 1-2 this season when they’ve finished a game with an equal turnover margin.

MATCHUP TO WATCH: IDONIJE VS. CHERILUS

Chicago’s sack leader, defensive end Israel Idonije should get plenty of one-on-one situations against right tackle Gosder Cherilus because of all the manpower the Lions are expected to devote to blocking Julius Peppers.

Cherilus missed practice Thursday because of a knee issue that Idonije may be able to exploit off the edge with speed rushes.

BY THE NUMBERS

201: Total yards from scrimmage by Matt Forte in the season opener against the Lions, in which he caught seven passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns.

162: Games between the Bears and Lions, which ranks as the second-longest active running rivalry in the NFL. The Bears have won five straight over the Lions and four of five at Ford Field.

3: Career games in which Cutler has thrown four touchdown passes or more, which ties for second in franchise history with Billy Wade behind Sid Luckman, who has put together four such games.

156: Consecutive starts for Lions left tackle Jeff Backus, who will match up with Bears defensive end Julius Peppers.

CHICAGO -- Calvin Johnson's no-catch just might become a catch in the future.

The NFL expects to review the rule that cost the Lions' star receiver a potential winning touchdown in a season-opening loss to Chicago. After Johnson went to the turf with possession, he placed the ball on the ground as he ran to celebrate. It's been one of the season's most discussed -- and dissed -- calls.

Read the entire story.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Bears coach Lovie Smith watched the Dallas Cowboys' 13-7 loss to the Washington Redskins on Sunday night, and interestingly the teams debuted with similar performances.

The obvious difference is despite several mistakes -- which included four turnovers -- the Bears pulled out a victory over the Detroit Lions in their opener. Dallas, meanwhile, lost as a direct result of its miscues, as a holding penalty on Alex Barron negated Tony Romo’s game-winning touchdown pass to Roy Williams on the final play.

“Overall, they moved the ball, had a lot of yardage,” Smith said of the Cowboys. “Some critical mistakes really hurt them, right up until that last play of the game. Defensively, I thought they played well throughout.”

The observation sounds similar to Chicago’s debut. Both games came down to calls at the end, with the Bears profiting from a replay on what appeared to be a touchdown by Calvin Johnson, and the Cowboys suffering from a penalty on Barron’s blatant hold of Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo.

“Typical NFC East game for them,” Smtih said. “Hard fought, right up until the end. [There’s] not a big difference between the top team and the worst team in the league. You have to work to get a win each week. Washington made enough plays to win.”

Smith said the Bears see “signs” of “what we could be”, but he’d like to see the club eliminate some of the mistakes that plagued it against the Lions.

“There was so much you take away from it,” Smith said. “Offensively, we were able to move the football, and I’m just talking throughout. A lot of guys were a part of that. At the same time, seeing what we can be, eliminating those turnovers that we talked about. We had some situations come up where we could have gotten some breathing room for our team. So I’m looking forward to this next week of improving on those things and seeing where we can go. What you want to get from this game, you want to see signs of [potential], which we saw. You want to get a win as much as anything.”

The Bears accomplished that goal, and set their sights on Sunday’s road matchup in Texas against the reeling Cowboys.

On the defense for the better part of his session with the media on Monday due to a couple of questionable decisions he made in the game, Smith emphatically backed the rule that essentially robbed Johnson of what clearly appeared to be the game-winning TD for the Lions in the game’s final minute. Smith actually displayed some surliness when pressed about whether he supported the rule.

“I like all the rules that we agreed on as the National Football League. We’ve been on the other side of that rule before,” Smith said. “So to me, you can’t really get too caught up into those kinds of things. They go both ways. You have rules, you go by them. The officials, you know, make calls based on that -- cut and dry.”

But is it a good rule?

“Yes, I’m saying that that’s the rule we have in place,” Smith said. “Yes, all the rules we have in place right now are good rules. We’ve all thought about those rules, and we’ve all been in agreement on those rules. I understand what you’re asking. But I’m saying, yes, I’m in total agreement with that rule like the other rules we have.”

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Bears escaped the Lions 19-14 in the season opener on Sunday, but two coaching moves could've led to the team's undoing.

The staff's decision to try for a touchdown instead of kicking a field goal with the team down 14-13 and less than 10 minutes remaining came under fire a day after the win, as well as the blitz call that put the Bears in man coverage against Calvin Johnson on a play in which the receiver appeared to score the game-winning touchdown for the Lions.

Chicago overcame the questionable moves with Matt Forte's game-winning reception, and an official's ruling (on a bad rule that needs to be changed). But were the coaching decisions really as bad as they seemed?

Perhaps that's simply a matter of perspective.

"Same way," said Bears coach Lovie Smith when asked if he felt any different a day later about the decision to go for it on fourth down. "Like we talked about yesterday, in these few hours between [making that decision], nothing has changed."

Taking possession at Detroit's 1, after a Lance Briggs sack and fumble recovery, the Bears failed on four-consecutive plays to punch the ball in for a touchdown. But the club could've gone for a field goal, which would've given it a 14-13 lead with 9:04 left to play. Instead, the Bears walked away with nothing after Kyle Vanden Bosch stuffed Forte for no gain on an off-tackle run to the right side.

In explaining the decision in the moments after the game on Sunday, Smith said, "I felt like we were playing great defense. Every call that's made is: ‘What if I hadn't done this?' That call helped us win the game at the end."

Actually, coach, it didn't. It almost cost the Bears the ballgame, which should never have come down to Forte's 28-yard catch with 1:32 left to play.

Kicker Robbie Gould already had nailed field goals of 20 and 31 yards when the Bears made the decision to go for it on fourth down. So a chip shot from 18 yards out seemed almost automatic, and would've put the Bears in position to make a defensive stand -- since Smith said the unit was playing "great" -- on Detroit's next possession.

The club then could have choked out the clock on its next offensive series.

"That's the call everyone is probably gonna look back upon. Realistically, if you look at the situation, it's a coach's call," Gould said. "What I was thinking is if I have to go out there and kick a field goal, I'm gonna kick a field goal. I'm gonna be ready whenever called upon. It's his call.

"The defense played really well. I think up to that point [Detroit] had like 98 yards of total offense. So he thought maybe if we put one in the end zone, create more momentum for our team, it would make it a little harder on the Detroit Lions. It would've been tougher for them to potentially win the game."

Gould's thought brings about the other side of the argument: Maybe Smith's call was actually the right one?

Having already rolled up 368 yards through the first three quarters, surely the Bears could gain one more with the game potentially on the line. Smith said Monday the Bears went for the TD because "I thought we could get it."

The club should've gotten it.

Looking at the decision from the perspective of the offense, had Smith elected to kick the field goal, what would it say about the coach's faith in the unit? Players want to know their coaches believe in them. Besides that, had the Bears scored: A) It would have ignited the defense to perform better down the stretch; B) This wouldn't even be a topic up for debate.

That's not to say that going for the touchdown was the correct decision. But it's important to look at both sides in looking for answers.

Smith also defended the blitz call -- which left Zack Bowman in man coverage -- on Johnson's controversial play.

"We played man to man on him, and he did a phenomenal job," Bowman said after the game. Some of his teammates privately questioned the call, but also commended the staff for having the courage to make it.

Prior to Johnson's play, though, the Bears defended him most of the time with double teams, before going to the blitz and a Cover 3 look on the near-touchdown reception. In that coverage, the corners are manned up on the outside, the free safety -- Major Wright -- blitzes, and strong safety Danieal Manning is "free", which means he'll read the quarterbacks eyes to decide which side to help in coverage.

If the ball is thrown outside the numbers, Manning isn't responsible for helping out the cornerback because it's near impossible for a safety lined up in the middle of the field to get over in time to make a difference.

Second-guessed on the call, Smith raised his voice in defense, saying he'd do everything all over again, given the same scenarios.

"I'm gonna do the same things we did all of the game," he said. "I love our game plan that we had throughout. This is what we did, defensively: we gave up 168 yards. We had three-and-outs eight times. We kept them defensively under 30 percent on third down. I like our plan, and we'll have a good plan this week."

Like the fourth-down decision, the coverage call could've gone either way, which isn't to say whether Smith made the right or wrong decision.

The Lions marched from their own 17 to the Chicago 25 in four plays and 37 seconds ticked off the clock with the Bears playing soft two-deep coverage, allowing Detroit to complete passes to Bryant Johnson, Jahvid Best, Tony Scheffler and Johnson.

Pretty much everyone in Soldier Field expected the Lions to try a couple of jump balls to Johnson with 31 seconds left on the clock. But the Bears had already been lit up on four of the previous five plays while playing soft-zone coverage.

So from Smith's perspective, why not take a chance and pressure Lions backup quarterback Shaun Hill, which possibly could've led to an interception or sack?

"[I] thought [the corners] did a pretty good job on [Johnson]. There at the end they started going to him a little bit more," Smith said. "We play double coverage quite a bit. It seems like every time we play double coverage [you guys ask], ‘Why do you play two deep?' So on that play, we had a blitz on. [You ask] ‘Why don't you blitz more?' We had a blitz on that play. And when you blitz, you can't double cover everybody each play -- Football 101 -- can't do it. On that play, we didn't. The next two, we did."

It's interesting to note that on those last two passes to Johnson, a safety came over in time to help the cornerback break up the play.

Had that not worked, though, perhaps everyone would ask why the Bears didn't blitz.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith continued to defend two controversial calls made by the coaching staff during Sunday's 19-14 victory over Detroit.

Read the entire story.

CHICAGO -- Thousands of lungs emptied in jubilant exhalation at Soldier Field on Sunday, as officials announced the findings from a booth review that would decide the final outcome of the Bears’ 19-14 victory over the Detroit Lions.

Contrary to the perceptions of some, the Bears didn’t get away with one when officials stood by their initial ruling of incomplete on a pass that looked to be a 28-yard touchdown reception by Calvin Johnson, which would’ve won the game for the Detroit Lions.

Based on the wording of the rule applied, officials made the correct call, according to referee Gene Steratore, who explained the call just minutes after the game.

Asked what rule was applied, Steratore said: “the ruling is that in order for the catch to be completed, he has got to maintain possession of the ball throughout the entire process of the catch.”

Johnson clearly didn’t demonstrate that on the play in question. After making the catch and falling on his backside, Johnson rolled over with his right hand extended holding the ball, which popped out as the receiver regained his footing to celebrate.

What if Johnson never rolled over and remained on his behind after making the catch? Would officials have ruled the play a touchdown, then?

“No,” Steratore said. “We don’t play with the two feet or one knee or anything of that scenario. We’re talking now about the process of the catch. He’s catching the football. As he goes to the ground, he must maintain possession of the ball throughout the entire process. So as he continues to fall … if he fell with two feet and his elbow hit the ground, and it came out, it would be incomplete.”

While Johnson appeared to hold the ball up in one hand from somewhat of a sitting position in the end zone, Steratore said the “process” of making the catch wasn’t complete “until he finished that roll” as he was getting up off the turf.

“That’s the rule,” Bears tight end Greg Olsen said. “If you catch the ball going to the ground, you have to hold it the whole way through. It’s pretty cut and dry. That’s happened to all of us. You catch the ball, get hit, hit the ground and the ball pops out. That’s the way it goes.”

Bears linebacker Lance Briggs compared Johnson’s play to a similar occurrence from another matchup with an NFC North foe. Green Bay Packers receiver Greg Jennings lost a potential TD last season against the Bears in a similar fashion.

“On the play to Johnson, it made my stomach turn,” Briggs said. “I hate stuff like that. It reminded me of the Green Bay game last year. You play great defense all game, and you give up one big play.”

That’s nearly what happened when Johnson made the dazzling play with 31 seconds remaining.

“Game over”, he thought.

Wrong, Johnson soon learned.
“The first thing that went through my head was that we finally won in Chicago,” Johnson said. “I found out after I sprinted halfway across the field that it didn’t count.”