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We're Black and Blue All Over:

As it turns out, the Green Bay Packers' reserve offensive lineman who got stomped on Thanksgiving Day by Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh likely will be in the starting lineup Sunday for the rematch between the two teams. But Suh and guard Evan Dietrich-Smith long ago made amends via phone, and the incident hasn't exactly been at the tip of either teams' lips this week.

"There's no hard feelings and that's pretty much it," Dietrich-Smith told reporters in Green Bay. He'll likely start at left guard Sunday, which would put him on the opposite side that Suh usually lines up on.

Said Suh, according to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News: "My main focus is on the guy who is in front of me. If he's in front of me, then maybe I will chat with him, go against him, beat him and try to get some sacks."

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Packers coach Mike McCarthy seemed a bit miffed after learning just before practice Wednesday that tight end Jermichael Finley had a sore knee. More from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• If Packers players have been told how much they'll be on the field Sunday, they aren't saying. Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has more.
• Former Packers cornerback Al Harris is retiring, notes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Lions had their eyes on running back Joique Bell for a while before signing him this week, according to Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford on not making the Pro Bowl, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press: "There's a lot of opinions that go into it, obviously, with all the fans, players and coaches. But I'm not too worried about that. I'm more worried about this game coming up and then our team future. Hopefully I'm busy that weekend, anyway."
• Chicago Bears special teams coordinator Dave Toub's contract will expire after the season, notes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• The Bears signed guard Edwin Williams to a two-year contract extension, notes ESPNChicago.com.
• Bears quarterback Josh McCown isn't looking too far ahead, according to Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Bob Sansevere of the St. Paul Pioneer Press talks to Minnesota Vikings tailback Toby Gerhart.
• Vikings quarterback Joe Webb, who will go back to the bench for Sunday's season finale against the Bears, isn't one to make waves. Mark Craig of the Star Tribune explains.
• ESPN1500.com wonders whether Vikings guard Steve Hutchinson has played his last game in the NFL.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge on Week 6:

Stopping Gore: The San Francisco 49ers are 18-7 when running back Frank Gore surpasses 100 yards. That will put the Detroit Lions' rush defense in the spotlight Sunday at Ford Field after a year spent discussing their offensive firepower. Lions opponents are averaging 4.8 yards per carry, tied for the eighth-highest mark in the NFL. But defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, for one, isn't worried. Suh, who made a key fourth-down stop Monday night against the Chicago Bears, had this to say in his blog on the Lions' website: "The 49ers are a very conservative offense. They don't take very many risks and that's something that I think is good for us when we shut down what they want to do, which is their run game, and force them into long-yardage situations, get them behind the eight ball and having them have to come back because our offense is putting points on the board and putting points on their defense. That puts them in situations that they don't want to be in. I think that's something great for us to have, it's just a matter of us going out and executing and putting them in those tough situations."

Peterson's chance: Minnesota Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson had one of the best games of his life at Soldier Field in 2007, rushing for 224 yards and three touchdowns. Peterson probably won't eclipse the 200-yard mark Sunday night against the Chicago Bears, but he has a chance for a big game nonetheless. The Bears are uncharacteristically allowing 135.8 rushing yards per game this season, the fifth-worst mark in the NFL, and a league-high 5.7 yards per carry. Peterson hasn't hit 100 yards in his past three outings against the Bears, but he appears more determined than ever to carry the Vikings' offense. The Bears have swapped out both of their starting safeties, presumably hoping that Major Wright and Chris Conte can provide better open-field tackling if Peterson breaks into the secondary. The Vikings' pass offense isn't good enough to necessitate wholesale lineup changes. But Wright, for one, didn't generate much confidence in his tackling ability during the preseason.

Slim pickin’s: We've spent plenty of time discussing the Bears' presumed advantage at Soldier Field, and nowhere is it more apparent than in their recent games against the Vikings. The Bears have won nine of their last 10 home games against them, including a 2002 matchup in Champaign, Ill. The only Vikings victory over that period came in 2007, a 34-31 game that required that 224-yard rushing effort from Peterson as well as a 54-yard field goal from place-kicker Ryan Longwell as time expired. I suppose there are a number of possible explanations, but here's the simplest: The Vikings, who have played at least half their games indoors and on artificial turf since 1982, don't make a good adjustment to painted dirt/torn-up grass.

Field day: ESPN's analytics team better warm up its Total Quarterback Rating computers. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is gearing up to face a St. Louis Rams team that has already lost its top three cornerbacks for the season. Two Packers castoffs, Al Harris and Josh Gordy, could be among the Rams' top three cornerbacks in Sunday's game. The Rams have tried to make up for their personnel deficiencies by blitzing defensive backs on an NFL-high 27.5 percent of opponents drop-backs, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Good luck with that strategy against Rodgers, who is completing a league-high 80 percent of his passes against blitzes from defensive backs this season. His QBR on those plays is 96.0, also an NFL best. Sometimes the NFL offers surprises just when you think one team has another completely outclassed, but I don't know that Sunday at Lambeau Field will be one of those times.

Matthews breakout? Everyone has a right to their own opinion about the one-sack season of Packers linebacker Clay Matthews. But I think we'll be able to cast a more critical eye if Matthews doesn't make an impact Sunday against the Rams' hapless pass protection. Quarterback Sam Bradford has been sacked 18 times, tied for the NFL high, even though the Rams have played only four games. And when under duress, based on the definition of ESPN Stats & Information, Bradford has completed only four of 35 passes. A lot goes into getting a sack, but porous pass protection is a pretty good start.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has professed unwavering loyalty to the team's offensive scheme from the moment Mike Martz arrived as offensive coordinator. But in the midst of a second consecutive year of physical punishment and uncertainty in pass protection, Cutler has finally said what many have feared: The pressure is getting to him.

Cutler told reporters that he is "hoping" to see Martz make changes to reflect the issues the Bears are facing. In comments I would be concerned about if I were a Bears decision-maker, Cutler implied the team doesn't have the personnel makeup to pull off what it's trying to do. (A sentiment I think many would agree with.)

"At a certain point you're gonna have to evaluate what you can do in the passing game and what you can't do," Cutler said, via Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com. "That's not up to me, though. I don't really want to be under pressure a lot. Physically, [the pressure is] not that big of a deal. Mentally, it just speeds up my clock. It just makes me uneasy in the pocket. Psychologically and mentally [it's more an issue] than anything [else]. I just don't want to take a sack, just [want to] try to get rid of the ball as fast as possible."

Speeding up a quarterback's clock is the hoped-for impact of any pass rush, and it's a primary ingredient in turnovers and other mistakes. Cutler has received criticism for his public deportment over his career, but I applaud him for voicing, in a non-critical manner, what seems like an obvious flaw in the Bears' scheme.

The Bears can't protect the quarterback well enough to do what Martz wants to do. They also don't have a crew of pass-catchers that can bail Cutler out of pressure situations. If they want him to play his best, they're going to have to find a way to pull back. That's much more practical than waiting for improvement from multiple players at different positions.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times examines the Bears' defensive woes.
• It wouldn't be surprising for the Bears to make some personnel changes Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, especially at safety. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune has more.
• Detroit Lions running back Jahvid Best grew up "hating" the San Francisco 49ers, writes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy has made the adjustment to playing on the outside, notes Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News.
• Lions coach Jim Schwartz gave fans the game ball for Monday night's victory over the Bears, notes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com. The ball will be painted and displayed at Ford Field.
• Bryan Bulaga "almost certainly" would play right tackle for the Green Bay Packers on Sunday if his knee holds up, reports Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Former Packers cornerback Al Harris is likely to start for their opponent this weekend, the St. Louis Rams. Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel examines that possibility.
• Packers coach Mike McCarthy isn't happy about public discussion of his wide receivers' playing time, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com. Donald Driver, whose snaps have diminished of late, said: "Do I think I can still play? Yeah. I'm OK with whatever the numbers are. We have a bunch of great receivers and tight ends, and you get to the point where everybody can't get the ball. Back in the day when I was 'The Guy,' I got all the balls. It didn't matter how many people I had on me. Now when you have so many weapons, you have to spread that ball around so everyone can feel the love. I think everybody feels it right now."
• Minnesota Vikings fans are filled with venom these days, writes Patrick Reusse of the Star Tribune.
• Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian has moved past his game-day deactivation last Sunday, writes Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.
• Vikings owner Zygi Wilf said that a state report on his stadium project in Arden Hills, Minn., confirms that "the site is ideal, and the costs … are close to being solvable." The St. Paul Pioneer Press has more.

Projecting the best 30-and-over player in my division at the start of the 2014 season:

Many of you were outraged to learn that Green Bay Packers cornerback Tramon Williams was not among the nominations for ESPN.com’s Dream Team of Tomorrow. Williams just completed his first full season as a starter, but I bet some of you were surprised to learn that he turned 28 in March.

Fear not. I saved a special place for Williams in this post. He will be 31 at the start of our Dream Team era, and it’s reasonable to think he’ll still be a high-functioning starter at that point, even if his best and fastest days are behind him.

You have to remember, Williams is a new starter but he’s not new to the Packers. His senior season at Louisiana Tech was 2005, and he signed on to the Packers’ practice squad on Nov. 29, 2006. He spent 2007-09 as a backup, rising to the role of nickelback and then replacing an injured Al Harris in late 2009.

I would argue Williams was the Packers’ best defensive back last season, when he was named to the Pro Bowl. Some players reach stardom right away and others are late bloomers. Williams belongs in the latter category, a timetable that leaves him older than most players who have just arrived on the national scene.

Leaving Williams off the Dream Team nomination list was a borderline call, but if anyone in this division is poised for post-30 success, it’s him. He has a clean health history, having never missed a regular-season game, and he plays a low-contact position that offers legitimate hope for success at a relatively advanced age. Williams’ cornerback counterpart with the Packers? It’s Charles Woodson, age 34.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Many of you have asked if Green Bay Packers cornerback Al Harris, who was released midway through last season, would receive a Super Bowl ring. The answer, according to president/CEO Mark Murphy, is yes.

During a Tailgate Tour on Thursday, a fan asked Murphy directly. (Citizen journalism!) According to Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Murphy said yes. He also added that the team has tentatively scheduled a June 16 ceremony to give out rings. That could change, obviously, based on the lockout.

Harris suffered a severe knee injury in November 2009 and opened the 2010 season on the physically unable to perform list. He practiced with the Packers for three weeks before the team decided to release him Nov. 8 rather than add him to the active roster. He eventually signed with the Miami Dolphins, where he played three games before a hamstring injury sidelined him for the season.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn about rumors he could be traded, via the Press-Gazette: "I don't know. I really haven't been paying too much attention to it. The whole labor issues, just kind of been focusing on that. Who knows what the deal is. I love being a Packer and I'll be here as long as they want me. It's all kind of speculation right now, of what people want to write or whatever they want to say. You can't say that anybody wants me or doesn't want me. We'll see what happens. I just like where I am right now."
• An active campaign is underway to keep the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis despite their recent site agreement with Ramsey County, according to the Star Tribune.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com examines the value of new Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph.
• Health care is a big part of the lockout, Detroit Lions defensive end Cliff Avril told Adam Biggers of Mlive.com.
• NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will speak with Lions season-ticket holders on Thursday via conference call, according to the Detroit Free Press.
• Chicago Bears backup quarterback Caleb Hanie said that Bears players have held no quarterback-receiver team workouts, via ESPN 1000.
• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune speaks with punter Richmond McGee, who signed a futures contract with the team and is a candidate to replace veteran Brad Maynard.

» NFC Wrap-ups: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Arrow indicates direction team is trending.

Final Power Ranking: 9
Preseason Power Ranking: 3

Biggest surprise: The Packers were knocked out of the playoffs last season when an injury-depleted secondary gave up five touchdown passes to Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner. From a personnel standpoint, they did little in the offseason to bolster their personnel, instead counting on a number of players -- Al Harris, Brandon Underwood and Will Blackmon, among others -- to return from injuries. None of them contributed in a meaningful way in 2010, but the Packers are still in much better shape at the start of the postseason. Why? Tramon Williams developed into a Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback (he's an alternate), and rookie Sam Shields emerged out of nowhere to give the Packers a reliable nickelback -- just as the Packers planned.

Biggest disappointment: Tight end Jermichael Finley was lost in Week 5 to a season-ending knee injury, joining tailback Ryan Grant as the two most damaging injuries the Packers suffered this season. The Packers spent the offseason re-centering their entire offense around Finley, and he was on his way to a breakout season with 21 receptions for 301 yards in the first four games. (By my math, that put him on pace for 84 receptions and 1,204 yards.) All indications are that Finley will make a full recovery by next season, but the Packers were forced to make fundamental changes to their offense after his injury.

Biggest need: Grant's injury revealed the Packers to have dangerously thin depth at the position. In essence, they have spent the season without a featured back. Brandon Jackson proved to be a better receiver (8.0 yards per reception) than runner (3.7 yards per rush). John Kuhn is a fan favorite but in reality a specialist, and the Packers have seen only glimpses of promise from rookie James Starks. Even if Grant makes a full recovery, restocking this position is a significant priority.

Team MVP: Defensive coordinator Dom Capers rolled with wholesale injury replacements all season but still managed to hold opponents to the second-fewest total points (240) in the NFL. The Packers had five different starters on the defensive line, 10 different starting linebackers and saw their strong safety position split by rookie Morgan Burnett and veteran Charlie Peprah. Capers' time as a head-coaching candidate might have passed, but what he did this season merits acknowledgment from around the NFL.

A "slump?": Quarterback Aaron Rodgers started the Pro Bowl in 2009 but qualified only as an alternate in 2010. He missed one game because of a concussion and threw four more interceptions than he did last season. Despite what he has referred to as some "inconsistency" in 2010, Rodgers still had one of the best seasons in the NFL. His 8.3 yards-per-attempt average ranked No. 2 in the league, his 101.2 rating ranked No. 3, his 65.7 completion percentage tied for No. 5, and his 28 touchdown passes tied for No. 6. We should all be so inconsistent.

Here are a couple of sentences no Green Bay Packers fan wants to read in December: Cornerback Charles Woodson left practice Wednesday because of a sprained ankle. Coach Mike McCarthy confirmed the injury but had no information on its severity.

We'll hold off on a full-scale panic until at least Thursday, when McCarthy presumably will have a better handle on Woodson's prognosis. Remember, Woodson has missed only two games in five seasons with the Packers, both in 2007.

Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that some players didn't notice Woodson leave the practice field, suggesting it was not a catastrophic injury. But if nothing else, the episode is a reminder that the Packers are living a bit dangerously in their defensive backfield.

After waiving veteran Al Harris last month, the Packers entered the playoff push with rookie Sam Shields playing in the nickel. The other cornerbacks on the roster include fellow starter Tramon Williams, Pat Lee (who has missed the past two games and did not practice Wednesday because of an ankle injury), Brandon Underwood and Josh Gordy. Jarrett Bush, currently practicing at safety, has also played cornerback. Stay tuned.

We fretted. We frowned. We looked under rocks to make sure we weren't missing anything. Could it be true? Did the Green Bay Packers largely stand pat this offseason after the late-season collapse of their pass defense?

Yes, they did.

And guess what?

Nine games into the 2010 season, the decision seems validated.

After a mild shuffle of existing personnel and the surprise emergence of a rookie nickelback, the Packers have the NFL's No. 11 pass defense. As the chart illustrates, they rank first in the league with 28 sacks, are second with 14 interceptions and have held opposing quarterbacks to the second-worst passer rating in the NFL (68.3).

I realize we've just passed the season's midpoint, and that both of last year's nightmare games -- against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals -- came after Week 14. But to this point, at least, the Packers appear to have chosen the correct path. Speaking via conference call this week, coach Mike McCarthy said he was confident that last year's rough edges would smooth naturally in the second year under defensive coordinator Dom Capers.

"We really just stayed the course," McCarthy said. "... The initial year is always the biggest challenge, which is obvious. A lot of times you end up putting in a lot more volume, because you are teaching fundamentals and you are teaching concepts that you need to put in, but you may not necessarily use because they are building blocks for other concepts and variations that will come off of that. That was no different with us. Any time you go through year one, there is a learning curve, and in the offseason you have a chance to take a step back and tailor it more specifically towards your team and towards your players. I think we've been able to accomplish that in Green Bay."

Typically, however, scheme adjustments can only take you as far as the skill level of your players allows. So to some of us, staying the course was inviting a repeat of the same problems. It was hard to understand how the same players -- or, in the Packers' case, a group they hoped to return from significant injuries -- would perform substantively better.

And for the record, the Packers have gotten almost no help from that group, including Al Harris (waived), Atari Bigby (just returning from an ankle injury), Brandon Underwood (mostly special teams), Will Blackmon (waived) and Pat Lee (special teams). But here is what has changed:

• The consistency, if not big-play ability, of nose tackle B.J. Raji has helped the Packers navigate a number of injuries on the defensive line. Raji has 2.5 sacks and 36 tackles, but the best thing he has done is start and play extensively in all nine games.
• Linebacker Clay Matthews, already the Packers' top pass-rusher, has emerged as the best in the league. A player with 10.5 sacks in eight games can single-handedly elevate any defense.
• Cornerback Tramon Williams has proved worthy of replacing Harris in the starting lineup. He has three interceptions, 12 defensed passes and is on a Pro Bowl pace.
• Bigby's absence has hardly been felt, thanks to four solid starts from rookie safety Morgan Burnett and five more from the surprisingly efficient Charlie Peprah.
• Rookie Sam Shields, signed originally as a kick and punt return specialist, emerged from nowhere to win the nickel job. His speed and athletic ability are evident, but his quick technique advancement has been stunning.

Some of what you just read represents reasonably expected progressions for players from one year to the next, especially in the case of Matthews, Raji and Williams. But no one from the Packers could have told you that Peprah would play well enough to keep Bigby on the bench following his return from ankle surgery. And even McCarthy admitted that "everybody was a bit surprised" that Shields proved ready to play so quickly.

At the same time, that's how good teams come together -- with equal parts design and good fortune. Again, the Packers have 44 percent of their regular-season schedule left in front of them. But the bottom line is they have improved upon their most glaring offseason weakness, and the resulting progress is a big reason the Packers are tied for the NFC North lead.

"We all did some soul-searching in the offseason, trying to figure out what happened in those games," Williams said. "... I don't think it was so [much] the players and the coaches. It was just one of those deals to where we weren't all on the same page at the same time. Now that we are here in the second year, we have another year under our belt and we all understand the defense a lot better. I think that's what it's about."

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Interest in Minnesota: The Minnesota Vikings are 3-6 and aren't likely to make the playoffs. They're returning to the Metrodome for a home game against the rival Green Bay Packers, and there have been some questions about the reception coach Brad Childress and the rest of the team will get. I'm guessing it will be tamer than you might expect. This season's disappointment has gone on long enough, and I'm guessing Vikings fans who actually come to the game won't muster much venom. Second, I'm guessing there will be even more Packers fans in attendance than usual. I've been amused at how many of them have organized in favor of Childress keeping his job, for obvious reasons. The Twitter page @savechilly is especially creative.

2. Optimism in Detroit: It's amazing how quickly sentiment can change around an NFL team. Two weeks ago, Detroit Lions fans were riding higher than they had in years, anticipating a potential upset of the New York Jets. The Lions led for much of that affair before losing quarterback Matthew Stafford (shoulder) and the game in overtime. A week later, it seems legions of fans and media are questioning the job performance of coach Jim Schwartz and general manager Martin Mayhew. As we've discussed before, the Mayhew-Schwartz record since the start of the 2009 season is abysmal. In fact, it's now 4-21. But the worst thing the Lions could do now is panic and start over. Mayhew and Schwartz deserve three years to funnel the improvements they've made into the team's won-loss record.

3. Average age in Green Bay: The Green Bay Packers' decision to waive cornerback Al Harris and place right tackle Mark Tauscher on injured reserve robbed them of two key veterans. Tauscher has been asked to travel with the team and participate in meetings, but as Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette and Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com have pointed out, the Packers are a much younger team now. They have only six players older than 30. The good news is that the Packers' locker room leadership had already shifted toward quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Cornerback Charles Woodson is also a calming presence.

RISING

1. Chicago Bears offensive line: This group was the target of frequent criticism for the league-high 32 sacks the Bears gave up through the first half of the season. Some of it was deserved, and some was convenient. Regardless, I think we can all agree that Sunday marked a breakthrough performance. Although the Vikings' pass rush has fallen off this season, the Bears should be recognized for the time they gave quarterback Jay Cutler. There isn't really a way to measure it other than to say it was substantial. Cutler was sacked only once and completed 63 percent of his passes. He joked Tuesday that he wasn't sore from the game because he was hardly hit. Kudos to a maligned unit for stepping up in a big game.

2. Bryan Bulaga, Green Bay Packers right tackle: The decision to place Tauscher on injured reserve means Bulaga, originally drafted as the Packers' left tackle of the future, will be expected to at least finish out the year as their right tackle. Bulaga has made a surprisingly smooth transition to the role -- not because he was deemed incapable, but because the shift in sides is usually as difficult as a swap between tackle and guard. Bulaga has done both this year, working first at left tackle, then at left guard and now at right tackle. It's not clear where his long-term future rides, but to this point he's held down an unfamiliar spot for a first-place team.

3. Israel Idonije, Chicago Bears defensive end: There has been some discussion that Idonije's production this season is purely a result of Julius Peppers arriving to play on the other side. I'm sure it has helped, but Idonije beat a number of blocks on his own in Sunday's 27-13 victory over the Vikings. Among other plays, Idonije dropped Vikings tailback Toby Gerhart for a 1-yard loss during a key third-quarter sequence in the red zone.

At the request of TDbuddah, Tokyo Sandblaster and others, we're going to ramp up coverage this week of the Green Bay Packers in anticipation of their matchup Sunday with the Minnesota Vikings. But before we get to that, let's close the book on the Packers' decision to place right tackle Mark Tauscher on injured reserve last week.*

At the time, we wondered if the move would mark the end of Tauscher's career. He's 33, and injuries have shortened four of his past five seasons. In discussing Tauscher's injury, combined with the departure of cornerback Al Harris, coach Mike McCarthy said: "Al Harris and Mark Tauscher have been excellent Packers and we appreciate that. But at some point careers do come to an end and you move on and you appreciate what they have done."

Tauscher has one year remaining on his contract, but it sure looks as if the Packers are prepared to move on without him. Rookie Bryan Bulaga will take over his position for at least the duration of the season. In a classy move, however, the Packers have asked Tauscher to continue traveling with the team and even attend meetings to help lend his insight.

(*And for those of you up in arms about our dip in Packers coverage during the past week, may I kindly remind you they were on a bye.)

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Thanks to a statement from the Detroit Lions and the usual excellent reporting from ESPN's Chris Mortensen, we finally have some clarity on quarterback Matthew Stafford's 9-day-old right shoulder injury.

Stafford visited Monday with Dr. James Andrews, whom the Lions say confirmed their original diagnosis and endorsed their rehabilitation plan. The Lions did not provide details, but Mortensen reported Stafford suffered a Grade 3 separation of his shoulder Nov. 7 against the New York Jets. Stafford will spend the next two weeks in rehabilitation, Mortensen reported, and then will determine whether he can return to the field at that point. A cortisone shot could be administered during the process.

Season-ending surgery remains an option if the rehabilitation plan doesn't provide the necessary progress. At best, Stafford could play perhaps the final month of the season.

I know how important it is for Stafford to get back on the field, but the idea of rushing back on a twice-separated shoulder sounds scary to me. The Lions have their entire future, not to mention more than $40 million, invested in him. You can only assume they'll take every precaution necessary.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Lions need to get mad, says center Dominic Raiola. Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press has more.
• Chris McCosky of the Detroit News wonders if the Lions should have abandoned the run earlier Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.
• The Chicago Bears might not have a bunch of elite players, writes David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune, but their overall depth is a credit to general manager Jerry Angelo.
• The Bears stopped Minnesota Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson with old-fashioned good tackling, writes the Tribune's Dan Pompei.
• The Bears can expect large doses of the Miami Dolphins' Wildcat offense Thursday night, writes Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
• Peterson missed a Vikings team meeting Monday after getting ticketed for driving 53 miles per hour in a 35-mile-per-hour zone near the team's practice facility. Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune has more. The Vikings have on two other occasions benched Peterson from the opening portion of a game for missing or being late to team functions.
• Vikings quarterback Brett Favre told ESPN's Ed Werder that his sore right shoulder is "no big deal -- right now," and that he won't need an MRI.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com breaks down the tape of the Vikings' 27-13 loss to the Bears.
• It appears that Vikings owner Zygi Wilf is being patient with coach Brad Childress, writes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• The release of cornerback Al Harris and the season-ending shoulder injury of right tackle Mark Tauscher have left the Green Bay Packers with four players on their roster with 10 or more years of NFL experience, according to Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. They also have only six players older than 30.
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com calculates the exact number of days since Packers rookie tailback James Starks has played in a game.
• Gary D'Amato of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel looks at the Packers' scoring defense.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

We spent plenty of time this offseason discussing how the Chicago Bears would split carries between tailbacks Matt Forte and Chester Taylor. Here's how it's gone for the first half of the season: Forte has 104 carries, while Taylor has 54. That makes for about a 65-35 split.

The ratio is more even than Taylor's most recent stop backing up Adrian Peterson for the Minnesota Vikings. But it's probably less than what most of us expected after the Bears guaranteed Taylor some $7 million to sign a free-agent contract in March. As my ESPChicago.com colleague Jeff Dickerson noted, Vikings quarterback Brett Favre said Taylor was underutilized with the Vikings. I think we can say the same about Taylor's time in Chicago thus far.

He will face the Vikings on Sunday hoping for an increased role.

"I wish I could have a breakout every week," he said. "But to have it against the team I played for the last four years would be even better. ... It's another game, but the only difference is I know way more people, and I was there the last four years."

We'll see. Several things have to happen first. The Bears have to commit to the run on a more permanent basis, and then they have to make the decision to get Taylor on the field more often. As we noted last week, it makes sense to at least use him more regularly in short-yardage and goal-line situations.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times looks at the matchup between Bears defensive end Julius Peppers and Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinnie.
• The Bears' season starts Sunday, writes Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com.
• Bears offensive line coach Mike Tice said he is proud to see Vikings players he coached in Minnesota still doing well, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune examines the Vikings' no-huddle offense and whether it could become a more frequent part of the team's attack.
• Vikings cornerback Asher Allen didn't practice Wednesday because of a concussion, raising concern about his availability for Sunday's game against the Bears. Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com has more.
• My AFC South colleague Paul Kuharsky has an excellent take on the effort of new Tennessee Titans receiver Randy Moss. Kuharsky: "Let’s set aside, please, the concept that the not-always-playing-hard line of questioning is some sort of media creation. The media didn’t create the tape we’ve seen of snaps where he has hardly bolted off the line of scrimmage. It didn’t make him say, 'I’ll play when I want to play.'"
• Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz called reports that quarterback Matthew Stafford could miss the rest of the season "irresponsible," notes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com.
• John Niyo of the Detroit News provides the blow-by-blow of the Lions' attempts to keep Stafford's true status in-house.
• Receiver Calvin Johnson said he is preparing for backup Shaun Hill to be the Lions' starter for an extended period, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette on the Green Bay Packers' release of cornerback Al Harris: "There is no room for sentimentality in the NFL."
• Packers safety Charlie Peprah has helped stabilize the defense, writes Gary D'Amato of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com looks at the Packers at their bye.

So much for cornerback Al Harris returning to the NFC North.

Harris' agent told the National Football Post that he will sign with the Miami Dolphins, two days after the Green Bay Packers parted ways with him. Harris, who lives in nearby Pompano Beach, will be eligible to play immediately.

There was some speculation that the Detroit Lions or Minnesota Vikings would be interested, but ultimately it's hard to argue with a 35-year-old player wanting to be as close to his family as possible. We wish him well.

No NFL team claimed former Green Bay Packers cornerback Al Harris on waivers, according to the National Football Post, and he is now a free agent and available to sign anywhere at any time.

In retrospect, it makes perfect sense to pass on a waiver claim for a 35-year-old cornerback a year removed from major knee surgery. Any interested team can bring Harris in for a physical and/or workout before signing him.

The Post, which counts Harris’ agent as a founding partner, reported that six teams are interested and several are already in negotiations. One NFC North was among the original interested parties. I'm guessing it was the Detroit Lions, who released cornerback Jonathan Wade on Tuesday to make room for new place-kicker Dave Rayner. Starting cornerback Chris Houston is dealing with a dislocated shoulder.

There has been some speculation that the Vikings would be interested, but coach Brad Childress downplayed that possibility Monday. So did Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith. Stay tuned.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

As we noted Monday, Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is on pace to miss the 12th start of his career because of injury Sunday. In a radio appearance, Stafford addressed his inability to stay on the field since entering the league.

Stafford (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press): "I don't think anybody's injury prone. I think it happens to some people. It doesn't happen to others for whatever reason. I know that I do everything to prepare my body and get my body ready for every game. For one reason or another, I've had injuries in the last couple of years. I've never missed a game in college or high school due to an injury. I guess it's bound to happen at some point. I hate that it's happening now. It's not something I like, something that I expect to be an issue long-term. ... I hope to make it out of the rest of this year without another one and move on from there and have a bunch of years where I'm playing all 16 games and hopefully more in the playoffs."

Obviously, the Lions hope that's the case. And there have been cases in NFL history of quarterbacks whose careers were delayed by early injuries. One of the most-discussed instances is former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms, who fought through various ailments during the first four years of his career before finally becoming a 16-game starter in his fifth.

Simms played during a more patient era of the NFL, however. These days, highly-drafted quarterbacks are expected to start immediately and excel relatively quickly. Stafford hasn't given himself a chance to do the latter.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com reports that initial tests showed Stafford had a Grade 3 separation of his right shoulder. If further tests prove that to be the case, it's unlikely he'll play again this season.
• Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News: "Is Stafford injury-prone? By definition, yes he is, so far. Sorry. That's not a knock on his toughness. It's factual, partly the fluky fate of football, and it certainly makes it more difficult for the Lions to count on their promising franchise quarterback."
• Lions coach Jim Schwartz is taking the blame for a play call that ultimately gave the New York Jets enough time to tie the game in regulation last Sunday, notes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit News.
• Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings is displaying a knack for the big play, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler reacted well to pressure Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com takes a midseason review of the Bears.
• Green Bay Packers general manager Ted Thompson had this to say about the release of cornerback Al Harris, via Jim Polzin of the Wisconsin State Journal: "It was very difficult. Al's a great guy, a really good teammate and he's done a really good job here. It's not a reflection against Al, it's more of a reflection of the job that our young guys have done. And from a roster standpoint, that's just something we felt like we needed to do."
• Of the decision, Harris said (via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel): "I guess they feel I'm not good enough to play on their team. That was shocking. They really caught me off guard with this one."
• Packers players will have the entire week off from practice ahead of their bye, notes Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers safety Nick Collins on his $50,000 fine for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Dallas Cowboys receiver Roy Williams, via ESPNMilwaukee.com: "We’re going to have to adjust. It’s going to be difficult. But we are professionals. It’s not going to be easy. You’ve been taught from high school, college until now, you want to separate your receiver from the ball. You’re not trying to lead with your head, but you’re also taught to hit the guy with your face up. We’re not out there to try to hurt anybody. Unfortunately, people are coming up with these concussions left and right, and it’s a sensitive issue. I just don’t know how this is going to play out."
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com evaluates the tape of the Minnesota Vikings' 27-24 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
• The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear the NFL's appeal to the Williams Wall case. Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press details the next step in the legal journey.
• It's possible that Vikings receiver Sidney Rice (hip) will return to the active roster in time to play Sunday against the Chicago Bears, notes Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune.