ESPN NFL

We're going to get some mileage out of the research I did, and had forwarded to me, for our 2011 All-NFC North team. The first installment is left over from the debate that ultimately led me to choose Green Bay Packers receiver Jordy Nelson over the Minnesota Vikings' Percy Harvin.

I checked out their playing time as part of comparing their production. As it turned out, Nelson and Harvin were on the field for almost exactly the same amount of time. Nelson played 609 snaps and Harvin 605. (All numbers in this post exclude penalties, which means they vary slightly from the figures we've used during the season.) The percentages of their team's total snaps were close as well: 58.9 for Nelson and 58.4 for Harvin.

That makes sense for Nelson, who was part of the NFL's deepest receiving corps. But I have a hard time understanding how Harvin -- by far the Vikings' best receiver in 2011 and one of their few playmakers -- was on the sideline for more than 40 percent of a mostly punchless team's snaps.

Across the NFL, 54 receivers played a higher percentage of their team's snaps than Harvin did. That includes teammate Devin Aromashodu, who eventually stepped into the starting lineup after Bernard Berrian's departure and Michael Jenkins' injury. Aromashodu caught 26 passes while playing on 674 snaps, 69 more than Harvin. (Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe led Vikings pass-catchers by playing 76.1 percent of the team's snaps.)

I think we all assumed that Harvin would be the Vikings' No. 1 receiver, and it was immediately surprising when he played about half of the snaps in the Vikings' first two games. At the time, coach Leslie Frazier said: "We have certain packages where we want to feature him, and not necessarily overuse him, but use him to help our football team."

Many of us dropped the issue given Harvin's season-long productivity, but in the end the Vikings finished the season with the NFL's fifth-fewest passing yards while their best receiver was on the sideline for 41.6 percent of their plays. That's hard to defend.

On the other hand, it's possible the Vikings believed Harvin would be more effective with managed snaps. He did, after all, catch a career-high 87 passes while rushing for 345 yards out of the backfield. The Vikings also had him as their primary kickoff returner on 30 of the kickoffs they faced.

Frazier denied during the season that his playing-time plan for Harvin was related to his migraine history, but it's worth noting that Harvin had no reported issues this season. Did the limited contact contribute to that? Assuming Frazier was being truthful, the two events were coincidental.

Regardless, in the big picture Harvin is too young to be on a pitch count. He won't turn 24 until May. It's true that he was managing a rib injury late in the season, but that doesn't account for 431 plays on the sideline. There is every reason to believe that Harvin could and should play at least as much as the No. 1 or No. 2 receivers on other teams.

For context, here are the NFC North receivers who played a higher percentage of snaps than Harvin in 2011:

• Calvin Johnson: 93.2
• Nate Burleson: 87.1
• Aromashodu: 65.1
• Titus Young: 63.1
• Greg Jennings: 62.2
• Roy Williams: 59.6
• Nelson: 58.9

Consider that Jennings played more snaps in 12 1/2 games before suffering a knee injury than Harvin did in 16. In the end, Harvin had the best year of his career when playing limited snaps. The Vikings must spend part of this offseason deciding if that was the reason, or if they artificially capped his production by overcompensating on his playing time.

After taking permanent control of the Minnesota Vikings' coaching job, Leslie Frazier laid out a traditional and conventional vision for winning football games. His teams would run the ball and stop the run, a time-honored approach that sounds good in the locker room but is as outdated as the single wing.

If there were ever a season that could crush that theory, it's the one the Vikings are enduring in 2011. They rank among the NFL's top 10 in rushing yards and rush defense, but their punchless passing attack and tattered pass defense has driven the worst 13-game start in franchise history. At 2-11, the Vikings are obviously and glaringly swimming upstream in the pass-happy NFL.

Speaking generally last week, Frazier said he has reminded himself that this season is "a journey" and "part of what we have to go through to get to where we want eventually." He said he doesn't "foresee us forever being in this situation" and added: "I really believe that we will look back on it in time and say, 'OK, this is what happened in 2011 and this is why we are better in 2012, because of what happened in 2011.'"

Quite frankly, that will take some adjustment in vision.

Frazier built his hopes on offense around tailback Adrian Peterson, who averaged 94 yards and more than one touchdown per game before suffering an ankle injury in Week 11. Development from quarterback Christian Ponder would lead to a more balanced offense over time, but the Vikings' 2011 plan was either deeply flawed or a gross example of misplaced priorities. Both the quarterback (Donovan McNabb) and No. 1 receiver (Bernard Berrian) they opened the season with have already been waived. Neither has signed with a new team.

Their failures, and other reasons, have left Vikings quarterbacks with a combined 77.0 passer rating this season, ranking them in the bottom third of the NFL.

Peterson's presence, not to mention a $100 million contract extension, demands a strong commitment to the running game. So I don't think the Vikings need, say, the Packers' passing offense to be championship contenders. But there is no reasonable explanation to justify how the Vikings organized and executed a pass defense that is on pace to produce one of the worst seasons in NFL history.

Defensive end Jared Allen leads the NFL with 17.5 sacks, but even with his presence, the Vikings have allowed opponents to compile a 107.1 passer rating this season. As the first chart shows, that puts them on pace for one of the five-worst pass defenses -- based on opponent's passer rating -- since at least the 1970 merger. As the second chart shows, the Vikings have allowed more touchdown passes, intercepted the fewest passes and allowed the second-highest completion percentage in the NFL this season. Last Sunday, the Vikings did limit the yardage piled up by Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. But even though he threw for a modest 229 yards, Stafford still completed 69 percent of his passes for two touchdowns and didn't have a turnover.

Their inability to slow down opposing pass offenses has all but negated a relatively strong run defense that ranks No. 9 overall in total yards allowed. And it's not as if teams aren't trying to run against the Vikings. Opponents have 352 rushing attempts against them, good for No. 17 in the NFL.

As with their pass offense, the Vikings didn't appear to make their pass defense a high priority entering the season. Their only starting-level addition was nose tackle Remi Ayodele, a run-stopper. And it's possible that none of the defensive backs considered starters in Week 1 will return in 2012.

Frazier has already admitted that cornerback Cedric Griffin wouldn't be playing if he had any better options. Fellow cornerback Antoine Winfield will be 35 in 2012, just had a playing-time clause reduce his salary by more than 50 percent and might not be a full-time player anymore. The careers of cornerback Chris Cook (off-field) and free safety Husain Abdullah (concussion) are in doubt, and a season-long rotation of strong safeties Jamarca Sanford and Tyrell Johnson revealed neither is up for the job.

Did the Vikings think they could cover themselves with their run defense? I hope not. These days, the best gauge for measuring the top teams is the differential between their passer rating (or QBR) and the passer rating (or QBR) allowed by their defenses.

Here are the teams with the top five QBR differentials through 13 games, according to ESPN Stats & Information:

1. Green Bay Packers (13-0)
2. New Orleans Saints (10-3)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3)
4. Baltimore Ravens (10-3)
5. Houston Texans (10-3)

And here are the teams with the five worst differentials:

1. Indianapolis Colts (0-13)
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9)
3. St. Louis Rams (2-11)
4. Vikings (2-11)
5. Arizona Cardinals (6-7)

It would be fine if the Vikings continue running the ball well and can stop the run. But that can't be it. They won't compete in the NFC North, much less this league, until they rebuild their pass offense and reassemble a competent secondary. Until the NFL veers away from its love affair with the passing game, the Vikings have no choice but to shift their vision.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak has produced an expected last-minute push to win an ongoing site battle for the Minnesota Vikings' proposed new stadium, but it's unclear how serious and practical the Minneapolis option can be at this late stage in the game.

Rybak is no doubt backed by some powerful business interests that want the Vikings to remain downtown, but the team rejected his efforts Thursday and said it is committed to its chosen site in suburban Arden Hills. According to the Star Tribune, Rybak made the proposal without an endorsement from the Minneapolis City Council, which must vote to approve any funding mechanism.

In some ways, the Minneapolis proposal will distract from what remains the single biggest obstacle facing the Vikings: Convincing a large number of stadium opponents and tax opponents in the state legislature to approve the project. Thursday, a bipartisan group of state legislators held a news conference to confirm they would prefer relocation of the team over committing taxpayer dollars (or new gambling revenues) to a new stadium.

Said Sen. David Hann: "We don't want them to leave, but if they're going to leave I guess that is going to happen."

As we have discussed many times, stadium politics usually careens into some scary rhetoric. We've now entered that arena.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Former Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian didn't seem to care about his lack of production, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• The Vikings are looking for ways to get the ball to tailback Adrian Peterson in the passing game, notes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• The Detroit Lions are hoping for a big showing when tight end Tony Scheffler returns to Denver this weekend, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• Lions coach Jim Schwartz on the low-impact start of defensive tackle Nick Fairley's career, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press: "I think if you take into account him missing all of training camp and missing the first few games of the season, I think we're on a good track with him. When you consider everything that's gone on, obviously we expected more from him, but you can't do anything about injuries and things like that. You just have to regroup and do the best that you can based on those circumstances."
• Justin Rogers of Mlive.com looks at the Lions' problems on third down.
• Snaps have been few for the Green Bay Packers' four backup tight ends this season, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette examines the season of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
• The release of Chicago Bears safety Chris Harris puts the focus on rookie Chris Conte, notes Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com: "Pretty much every locker room distrusts management in the NFL, but the Bears have a long history in this regard. Much has been written and discussed about a divide this season. The Harris move did nothing to bridge it."
• Bears tailback Matt Forte increased his value, but also his risk, by rejecting the Bears' last offer this summer, writes David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune.

The Hennepin County Attorney's Office submitted a formal complaint Tuesday against Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chris Cook, one that paints a tawdry scene at his home Saturday morning. A female identified as Cook's girlfriend was found sitting on the living room floor, her nose bleeding and with physical characteristics -- including marks on her neck and hemorrhaging in an eye -- that are consistent with strangulation.

Upon posting bond and leaving jail Tuesday, Cook tweeted: "There's always two sides to a story!!" He also apologized to Vikings fans, ownership, coaches, players and his family.

As infuriating as it might be to read the allegations, we should all await emergence of the full range of facts before rendering a judgment. I'm guessing that's what the Vikings will do, but honestly I don't have a read on how coach Leslie Frazier will respond to Cook's second arrest of the year. (Cook was acquitted of brandishing a firearm in his home state of Virginia in the spring.)

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf has worked hard to reverse the Vikings' notorious legal history, but after some quiet years on the legal front, the Vikings have had six player arrests in the past nine months. Off-field behavior will comprise at least part of Wilf's annual evaluation of Frazier.

Cook was the Vikings' top draft choice in 2010 and has been their best cornerback in 2011. He is not a fringe player whom Frazier could easily make an example of. But unless Cook provides a compelling defense, it will be difficult for Frazier to ignore this issue.

Perhaps the NFL will handle it for him by issuing a suspension under the its personal conduct policy. Until that point, however, Frazier's response should be closely monitored. Two days before a game against the team's biggest rival, Cook was allegedly strangling his girlfriend because she had spoken to an ex-boyfriend. Will Frazier immediately welcome back a player who displayed such judgment?

If receiver Bernard Berrian was deactivated for a game because he missed some meetings, as reported by the St. Paul Pioneer Press, what's the appropriate internal discipline for Cook? We'll find out soon enough.

I'm sure many of you assumed the Minnesota Vikings finally got fed up with receiver Bernard Berrian's nonchalant attitude when they waived him Tuesday. You might be right, but I tend to think they were more frustrated with his ineffectiveness than his personality.

You could read Tuesday's transaction as the latest move to break up the tenured-veteran status new coach Leslie Frazier inherited, a process that ostensibly began with the dismissal of left tackle Bryant McKinnie in training camp. But the reality is Berrian has never been an effervescent personality or a team leader. It's not in his makeup. He's quiet and sensitive and slips easily into sourpuss mode.

Berrian, of course, was more than tolerable when he was averaging 20.1 yards per catch in 2008. But over the past three seasons, we've seen a decline in production that made his continued employment baffling. The Vikings probably saw all they needed to see last season, when he managed just 28 receptions in 14 games. But with few explosive weapons in their passing game, they decided to give him one more try this season with new quarterback Donovan McNabb.

After seven catches and two game-day deactivations, it became clear that pairing him with a new quarterback wasn't going to help. With rookie Christian Ponder taking over for McNabb and the Vikings staring at a 1-6 record, now was as good of a time as any to move on.

It's quite possible that an incident behind the scenes sparked the timing of the decision. But the explanation really isn't important. We've seen it with our own eyes. If you need a reminder, check out the chart below.

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

FALLING

1. Patience of Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions defensive tackle: Suh forcefully and emotionally defended himself Monday against allegations of what would have been some sketchy trash talk by the Atlanta Falcons. Suh vehemently denied he called for the Falcons to bring out a medical cart when quarterback Matt Ryan injured his left ankle. Falcons receiver Roddy White stood by that allegation during an interview with the NFL Network on Monday night, so someone is not telling the truth. Crazy things get said and done on NFL fields all the time. But based on the passion of Suh's defense, you have to assume (and hope) he's not the one lying here.

2. Minnesota Vikings locker room: Coach Leslie Frazier has plenty on his management plate as he enters Week 8 of his first season as a permanent head coach. Cornerback Chris Cook, a rising young player on a roster of veterans, has been jailed since Saturday morning on domestic violence allegations. Receiver Bernard Berrian has apparently run afoul of team discipline on a number of occasions, resulting in two game-day deactivations and a looming departure from the organization. And although it went underplayed late last week, Frazier absorbed some rare and direct public criticism from soft-spoken defensive tackle Kevin Williams, who challenged Frazier's assertion that the defensive line hasn't played physically. Williams told the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "If you want to call somebody out, call who you're talking about out." There are growing pains in any head coaching transition, and Frazier is dealing with it on a number of fronts.

3. Silliness of criticizing Clay Matthews, Green Bay Packers linebacker: Matthews had a sack of Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder, bringing his season total to three. But I thought his performance Sunday was a perfect example of how a rush linebacker can make a tremendous impact without sack totals. For one, his run defense was excellent. He was in on tackles that limited the Vikings to 2, 1, 2, minus-2, and minus-5 yards on rushing plays. On the latter, he beat Vikings left guard Steve Hutchinson to the backfield by several steps, as noted by Pro Football Focus.

RISING

1. Tim Masthay, Green Bay Packers punter: It hasn't been a stellar season for Masthay, who entered Sunday's game against the Vikings with the second-worst net average (30.4) in the NFL. But he made the most of his three punts at the Metrodome, averaging 55.3 net yards. According to Mark Simon of ESPN Stats & Information, that net average was the third best by an NFL punter in the past 35 years (minimum three punts). Masthay's 64-yard punt in the fourth quarter was especially important, flipping field position at a time when the Vikings were trying to get into position for a go-ahead score. The punt, downed at the Vikings' 2-yard line, increased the Packers' win probability from 75 to 80 percent, based on data from games compiled over the past 10 years.

2. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears running back: Forte notched his third 100-yard rushing game in the past four weeks Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It's almost impossible right now to distinguish him from the top running backs in the game, as ESPN analyst Andrew Brandt writes for the National Football Post. Forte's 1,091 all-purpose yards is 211 yards ahead of the next-best mark in the NFL, and he has accounted for more than 50 percent of the Bears' offense. With Forte and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the NFC North might have the top two MVP candidates through Week 7.

3. Charles Woodson, Packers cornerback: Two interceptions Sunday brought Woodson's NFL-leading total to five after seven games. You can note that four of the five have come against rookie quarterbacks Ponder and Cam Newton, but I haven't noticed any asterisks in league rankings lately. Plus, half of what makes a good defensive player is getting in position to make plays that will eventually be afforded you. Woodson might not be blanketing receivers as he once did, but his playmaking has been a huge equalizer for the Packers' defense.

After the Minnesota Vikings' 33-27 loss to the Green Bay Packers, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Given the ratty state of the Vikings' offensive line, you could argue that tailback Adrian Peterson had one of the best games of his career Sunday and is producing one of the best seasons of his life. His 172 yard-yard effort Sunday was the fifth-highest total of his career and the most since he totaled 180 yards in Week 1 of the 2009 season. Sunday, however, the Vikings were using their backup center (Joe Berger) and had only part-time services of right guard Anthony Herrera, whose balky knee forced him to give way to rookie Brandon Fusco. In spite of everything, Peterson is on pace for the second-highest season rushing total of his career. Those are the kinds of accomplishments that get buried in a lost season.
Kevin SeifertThe Minnesota Vikings take their turn in the examination room after losing to Green Bay.
2. Here's another performance that can get lost in a 1-6 season: Defensive end Jared Allen has been in on at least one sack in all seven games this season. His 11.5 sacks in seven games surpasses the 11 sacks he had for the entirety of 2010, and he continued to punish the Packers in games when left tackle Chad Clifton doesn't play. You always expect the motors of elite players to continue running regardless of the circumstances, but we all know that doesn't always happen. Allen has set an example that some other Vikings players would be well-advised to follow.
3. Coach Leslie Frazier has a program-setting decision to make on cornerback Chris Cook, who spent the weekend in Hennepin County jail after being arrested on domestic assault charges and missed Sunday's game. Cook's attorney told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that his client denies strangling his girlfriend. But Cook remained jailed Monday morning and a court appearance was canceled. There have been six player arrests for the Vikings in the past nine months. Obviously the issues are different in each case, and it's impossible to keep players out of trouble at all times. The Vikings would love to get Cook back on the field after watching Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers make mincemeat out of them Sunday. But Frazier also needs to make clear that off-field issues can and will impact a player's career, or at least his tenure with the Vikings, or run the risk of sending a tacit message of loose discipline.

And here is one issue I still don't get:

What made the Vikings think that veteran receiver Bernard Berrian was worthy of another chance in 2011, even if it was on a renegotiated contract at a reduced rate? Berrian had been invisible for two seasons since averaging 20.1 yards per catch in 2008. It was generally thought that he never connected with quarterback Brett Favre over the stretch, but maybe Favre was on to something. Berrian has now been deactivated twice for games this season, once as a disciplinary measure and on Sunday for reasons that Frazier wouldn't explain. Frazier said that Berrian's future will be discussed this week. If he is released, Berrian will go down as the worst veteran acquisition in an otherwise admirable time period for the Vikings.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Week 7 brought our division a little bit closer. Yes, the Green Bay Packers are 7-0. But the Detroit Lions' second consecutive defeat dropped their record to 5-2, just one game ahead of the now 4-3 Chicago Bears. And the Bears could even themselves out in the loss column while on their bye this weekend if the Lions can't win this Sunday at the Denver Broncos.

We'll have plenty to discuss this week even as the Packers join the Bears on their bye. The health of Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, the future of Minnesota Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian and the fallout from Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder's first NFL start are all on our agenda.

But first, a look at local coverage from Sunday's action:

• David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune on the Bears' tight win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in London: "This trip across the Atlantic always was about the destination, so there's no need to nitpick problems along the journey. Like a British pound is worth more than a dollar, the NFL exchange rate on this win gives it added value for the Bears."
• With that said, the Bucs certainly gave the Bears added opportunities to win. Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune looks at quarterback Josh Freeman's four interceptions.
• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler made no excuses for his shaky game, writes Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
• Bears tailback Matt Forte has already surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for rushing this season, notes Dickerson.
• Both teams looked affected by jet lag, writes Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Although his leg injury doesn't appear serious, Stafford hasn't played well in the past two weeks. Writes Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press: "The NFL figures you out eventually. When you think you’ve got the biggest, most explosive array of fireworks, it’s only a matter of time before someone finds an extinguisher. The Lions’ offense is under water right now. There’s nothing dazzling about a total of two touchdowns and four plays of plus-30 yards in the past two games."
• Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News: "The Lions' offense isn't going to be dynamic every week, especially with so much required of the quarterback. As long as Stafford's ankle isn't damaged badly, they can crank it back up. But as reality checks go, this was a wincing one. Stafford was touched and struggled with his touch, a sight these Lions can't afford to see."
• Lions running backs Maurice Morris and Keiland Williams combined for 94 yards on 18 carries, notes Justin Rogers of Mlive.com.
• Packers offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse after giving up a pair of sacks to Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "There were a lot of ups and downs. It's never going to go smoothly and never going to go the way you think it will, so you just have to keep playing and improve. I definitely have some stuff to work on, but the way we kept battling, it was fun to see."
• Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "[H]ardly anything coach Mike McCarthy's team does is easy."
• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "Make no mistake, the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings don’t like each other."
• Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press on the Vikings' quarterback transition: "The difference between the two was astounding. The offense looked much quicker with Ponder taking shots down the field."
• Vikings coach Leslie Frazier's trust in his defense wasn't rewarded, notes Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.
• Frazier said the organization will discuss the future of Berrian this week, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Vikings safety Husain Abdullah admitted to busting coverage on the Packers' 79-yard touchdown pass to receiver Greg Jennings. Mark Craig of the Star Tribune has more.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Greetings from the Metrodome, where I've been keeping an eye on the two early games in the NFC North while also watching Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback Christian Ponder start his pregame warm-ups about an hour ahead of most other players.

The Vikings have one surprise on their list of inactive players: Receiver Bernard Berrian won't play for the second time in three games. Berrian didn’t appear on the injury report this week; his previous deactivation was for disciplinary reasons, according to coach Leslie Frazier.

As expected the Vikings will be without four other key players: cornerback Antoine Winfield (neck), cornerback Chris Cook (arrest), center John Sullivan (concussion) and safety Jamarca Sanford (concussion). Asher Allen will start at cornerback alongside Cedric Griffin.

The Packers had no surprises among their list of inactives. It includes cornerback Sam Shields (concussion). Defensive end Ryan Pickett (concussion) is active, as expected. So is linebacker/fan favorite Vic So'oto.

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.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Minnesota Vikings appear to have avoided one obstacle to their suburban stadium proposal. The Ramsey County Charter Commission voted Tuesday night against using a voter referendum to decide whether to use $350 million in county taxes to help pay for the stadium in Arden Hills, Minn.

The commission must still vote to approve the tax, and citizens could petition for a referendum later. But the Vikings said that a referendum approved Tuesday night would have caused a delay that added $100 million to the total cost of a $1.057 billion project.

The Vikings didn't have much time to celebrate, however. A report commissioned by Gov. Mark Dayton suggests that Ramsey County could be left ill-equipped to deal with other county business if it devotes so much taxpayer money to the stadium. It also said the timetable to open in 2015 might be too "aggressive."

Dayton is prepared to call a special session of the legislature this fall if all stadium matters are agreed upon, but that does not appear imminent.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, possibly referring to Dayton's stadium report, cast doubt on whether the Vikings stadium will end up in Ramsey County, according to Bill Salisbury of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Pawlenty: "I'm not sure in the end it will end up in Ramsey County. I think you'll see some more data coming forward about sites and options ... as this unfolds."
• Mark Craig of the Star Tribune reflects on one of the better games of Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson's career.
• Vikings coach Leslie Frazier has two delicate matters to deal with in quarterback Donovan McNabb and receiver Bernard Berrian, writes Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.
• Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel profiles Green Bay Packers linebacker Erik Walden.
• Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette offers a scouting report on the Packers' next opponent, the St. Louis Rams.
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com goes behind the scenes with Packers special-teams ace Jarrett Bush.
• Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press offers this nugget on the Detroit Lions' playoff chances: "Since 1990, when the NFL went to its current playoff format, 32 of the 36 teams that started 5-0 have made the playoffs, according to STATS LLC."
• Chris McCosky of the Detroit News examines the Lions' nine-man wave of defensive linemen.
• Lions coach Jim Schwartz has put his players on an even keel, writes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• The Chicago Bears' offensive line had way too many breakdowns Monday night, writes Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com on Bears general manager Jerry Angelo: "Under Angelo's watch, the 2011 Bears have the worst offensive line (tight ends included) and the worst group of safeties in the NFL, and maybe the CFL, and arguably a bottom-five group of receivers -- though aside from a drop or two, you can't pin the Lions loss on them."
• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune: "Dane Sanzenbacher is the ultimate everyman, which is a polite way of saying anybody could be the leading wide receiver for the Bears."

We're Black and Blue All Over:

DETROIT -- We awoke Tuesday morning with a pair of 5-0 teams in the NFC North. I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest it's the first time that's happened since the NFL went to this divisional format in 2002. (If I'm missing an instance, we'll chalk it up to sleep deprivation and call it a wash.)

The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers are the talk of the NFL right now, and as the Epicenter of Humanity, we would expect nothing less. Stay tuned later Tuesday to find out where they rank in ESPN.com's Week 6 Power Rankings. We'll hit on that and more Tuesday afternoon once I return to NFC North blog headquarters.

Until then, let's take a quick spin around the division:

• Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher said his team stinks defensively after a 24-13 loss to the Lions. Via Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com, Urlacher added: "We're playing like [expletive], that's what's going on. We're not playing good. We're not disciplined. We're not into our gaps. We're not physical."
• Bears tailback Matt Forte's strong game Monday night only adds to his case against Bears general manager Jerry Angelo, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler played his best game of the season Monday night, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• It doesn't appear that Bears receiver Earl Bennett (torso) is close to returning, according to Angelo via ESPNChicago.com.
• Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press on the scene at Ford Field: "It wasn't loud in the building, it was painful. The noise was a suffocating blanket, a pounding hammer, if you put your hands over your ears it only made it feel like you were under an crashing ocean."
• Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News: "The comeback team in a comeback city, tied together by talent and toughness? It may be trite, but if it fits, go for it."
• Lions rookie defensive tackle Nick Fairley did not record a tackle in his debut, notes Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News.
• Lions coach Jim Schwartz joked that he offered Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders a spot on the roster Monday night, notes Graham Couch of Mlive.com.
• The Green Bay Packers have options to replace left tackle Chad Clifton, notes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• The Packers aren't sure if Clifton will play again this season, according to Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Packers should be 7-0 headed into their bye week, suggests Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com breaks down the tape of the Minnesota Vikings' victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
• The Ramsey County Charter Commission could vote Tuesday night whether to put a referendum on the Vikings' stadium issue on the November 2012 ballot, notes the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• The Vikings won't banish receiver Bernard Berrian, writes Dave Campbell of the Associated Press.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

As we discussed last week, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had taken note of what he called "borderline disrespectful" comments made by Atlanta Falcons players since last year's playoff victory at the Georgia Dome. Falcons receiver Roddy White was among the principal talkers, saying he thought the Falcons were "the better team" despite the Packers' 48-21 victory.

It appears Rodgers wasn't the only one who noticed. Defensive lineman B.J. Raji laid it hard on the Falcons after Sunday night's 25-14 Packers victory. Via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com, here's what Raji said:

"We have better players, we have better coaches, we're a better team. Usually better teams win games. We settled down and played our game, and we won. … It's definitely another dagger in their chests. They've been talking the whole offseason. They were talking before the game. We don't worry about that. We're the champions. We play like champions. We coach like champions. People who talk generally don't get to where they want to go. And obviously with this team, it's evident."

The Falcons did defeat the Packers last year in the regular season, a game that now seems a distant memory. I'm not usually a big believer in the proverbial war of words, but the Packers sure got the last laugh on this one.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "If the Atlanta Falcons couldn't beat the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night at the Georgia Dome, what team can?"
• Packers coach Mike McCarthy did not immediately indicate the severity of left tackle Chad Clifton's hamstring injury, notes Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that Minnesota Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian was deactivated for Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals because he missed two meetings Saturday.
• Vikings quarterback Donovan McNabb "threw more bounce passes than Magic Johnson on Sunday," writes Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com: "Benching a veteran quarterback in favor of a rookie usually is a sign the season is a lost cause. For the Minnesota Vikings, benching Donovan McNabb may be their only hope."
• Here is ESPN.com/ESPNChicago.com's "Monday Night Football" Headquarters, where you'll find all of our cross-site coverage and videos.
• Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times: Whatever success [Chicago Bears quarterback Jay] Cutler has had in his limited time in Chicago has come in spite of what the team has given him, talent-wise."
• The Bears are hoping they don't have to blitz the Detroit Lions as often as they blitzed the Carolina Panthers last week, writes Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune.
• Only three current Lions players took part in the team's last "Monday Night Football" game, notes David Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Bears tailback Matt Forte should be the Lions' top priority Monday night, writes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• The Lions have been trying to pull out of their franchise stumble since a 1962 loss to the Packers, writes Jerry Green for the Detroit News in a great history lesson.

Circling back on our earlier post, Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier told reporters Sunday afternoon that receiver Bernard Berrian was deactivated as a "coach's decision" that was unrelated to his well-publicized but otherwise irrelevant Twitter exchange with a Minnesota state representative last week.

"Just looking at where we were as a team and what we're trying to get accomplished," Frazier said after the Vikings' 34-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. "That was it, just looking at the bigger picture of what we have to get done as a football team. That's not to say it will continuously be this way. But there were some things that we needed to get done that had to get done."

Frazier admitted that discipline was involved. But asked specifically about the Twitter episode, Frazier said: "No, nothing to do with that. Nothing to do with the Twitter issue."

Earlier, while speaking with the Vikings' flagship KFAN radio, Frazier said the Vikings "had some things we were taking care of internally and we made a decision that this was the best thing for our team today."

I, for one, feel better. I'm taking Frazier at his word here. Although he didn't offer specifics, Frazier seemed to suggest this was a football/locker room issue and not a political one.

You can absolutely make an argument for benching Berrian over his low production this season. And perhaps something happened behind the scenes, to this point unreported, that justified a one-game plummet down the depth chart. But punishing Berrian for a harmless-back-and-forth with a fan he was unlikely to know was an elected official stadium supporter? That would have been tough to justify.

A few thoughts on the Minnesota Vikings' first victory of the season, a 34-10 win against the Arizona Cardinals:

What it means: The Vikings avoided the second 0-5 start in franchise history with the first victory in Leslie Frazier's tenure as their permanent coach. (Frazier was 3-3 in an interim capacity last year.) They are now 1-4 heading into a two-game swing through the NFC North.

Salty atmosphere: Sunday might have been the brightest moment of the Vikings' season, but their inability to hold leads to this point made for a nervous and itchy crowd at the Metrodome. Not even a 28-0 first-quarter lead felt safe until midway through the fourth. Fans chanted for rookie quarterback Christian Ponder and booed the Vikings off the field at halftime when Frazier was content to take a 28-3 lead to the locker room rather than push the ball upfield.

First-quarter romp: The Vikings' big lead featured three Adrian Peterson touchdowns, but field position was the big story. Three of the four touchdown drives started inside the Cardinals' 26-yard line thanks to a pair of turnovers and a 22-yard punt return from Marcus Sherels. Their fourth scoring drive was aided by a 36-yard pass interference call on a pass that quarterback Donovan McNabb overthrew in the direction of receiver Michael Jenkins.

McNabbWatch: McNabb completed 10 of 21 passes for 166 yards and one rushing touchdown, once again playing below his career standards but well enough to ensure the starting job moving forward.

Edge rushing: The Cardinals couldn't block Vikings defensive ends Jared Allen and Brian Robison, each of whom finished with two sacks. Robison also induced an illegal-use-of-hands penalty on right tackle Jeremy Bridges, nullifying a touchdown that would have pulled the Cardinals to 31-17 midway through the fourth quarter.

Personnel changes: Frazier pledged to stay the course after an 0-4 start, but he did make two notable changes. As we've already discussed, receiver Bernard Berrian was deactivated despite not appearing on the injury report this week. We'll let you know how Frazier explains that move. Also, cornerback Cedric Griffin didn't play until the second series for what might have been a disciplinary reason. Griffin, meanwhile, didn't seem worse for the wear after Cardinals tailback Beanie Wells steamrolled him and dislodged his helmet in the second quarter. It was one of the most violent collisions of the NFL season, to be sure.

What's next: The Vikings will play in front of a national television audience next Sunday night at the Chicago Bears.