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Even a quiet week by NFC North standards leaves us with some loose ends to tie up over the weekend. I see many of your blog comments and Facebook responses, all of your mailbag submissions and every one of your @replies on Twitter. Proceed accordingly.

Several readers think Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier had more to do with this "unfortunate timing" than I debited him for in Tuesday's post about his future. Randal of Cambridge wrote: He is mostly to blame for the 2011 lost year. They could have been one or two steps further into rebuilding. He pushed for the Donovan McNabb trade but even more damaging was when the season was lost in late October; Frazier did not see what he had in his young players. It was inexcusable to play Jared Allen and Brian Robison as much as they did. He should have given the following players more playing time: DE D'Aundre Reed, DE Everson Griffen, G Brandon Fusco and T DeMarcus Love. And signing Benny Sapp was a mistake. There must have been some practice squad CB from another team who could have been given a chance.

Kevin Seifert: I'm torn on how much blame Frazier should get in that regard. If given the choice, few if any coaches are going to take the long-term road. The Vikings made it to the NFC Championship Game in 2009 and were torn apart by internal strife in 2010. Frazier thought they could be competitive in 2011 with a decrease in tension, especially if he could find a veteran quarterback to replace Brett Favre.

In truth, the Vikings would have had a much better record in 2011 if McNabb fit the bill, but his shortcomings have been well-discussed. What Frazier really needed last season was a general manager to tell him that a quick fix lasts only as long as the next one. Frazier needed a general manager to reassure him that he would be evaluated based on what he did with the tools he was given, rather than allowing him to influence the choice of tools themselves.

Rick Spielman's promotion has created that type of structure, and we now see the Vikings taking the longer-term approach that Frazier understandably eschewed when given a choice in 2011.

As far as playing untested youngsters to evaluate them for future years, I've always considered that idea on a case-by-case basis. Only players that have demonstrated in practice that they're ready for such a chance should play. It's reasonable to wish Griffen would have gotten a few more snaps from Robison, but I'm not going to hold it against Frazier for limiting his rookie offensive linemen last season. The Vikings' top priority at the time was to develop quarterback Christian Ponder, and Frazier was obligated to use the best offensive linemen he had -- regardless of their futures -- to facilitate that.

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Wil of Minneapolis wonders if Spielman and owner Zygi Wilf will evaluate Frazier on a curve as a result of the roster overhaul: Do you think that Rick, Zygi, and Frazier had a goal and expectations meeting about the 2012 season? Although no one wants to tell the public we expect a 6-10 or 4-12 record, this youth movement and historical records from other teams would probably indicate that. I think it's only fair to have reasonable expectations of Frazier and the football product. After all, the Vikings can easily go 0-6 in the NFC North alone!!!

Kevin Seifert: That's the unfortunate part of the timing, in my view. It's reasonable to have non-tangible expectations and goals in the first year of a coach's tenure, but generally teams want to see progress in the second year.

The Vikings finished 3-13 last season and are competing in a division that features two 2011 playoff teams along with a much-improved Chicago Bears team. Say the Vikings finish 4-12 or 5-11. That would give Frazier a 10-28 or 11-27 record in two-plus seasons. Most coaches deserve three years to make an impact, but at the very least, it wouldn't be an easy decision to bring back a coach with that kind of record.

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Rick of Moorhead, Minn., notes the list of players invited to the NFL draft and writes: Shea McClellin invited to NYC for the draft? Doesn't that indicate he will go the first night? I thought he was more like mid second round. Green Bay might be the team to take a shot, but it seems like a reach at 28.

Kevin Seifert: McClellin is a Boise State defensive end who would probably project as a linebacker in the Packers' 3-4 scheme. He has been a so-called quick riser in the draft, but whether he is a first-round pick remains to be seen.

Regardless, the NFL invites a cross-section of players so they can have at least some live interviews on site during the first two nights of the draft, which includes the first three rounds. Don't forget that receiver Randall Cobb was in New York when the Packers made him the final pick of the second round last season.

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Facebook friend Steve asked if the new deal Lance Briggs received from the Chicago Bears has a "no more whining about contracts" clause.

Kevin Seifert: Ouch. At the very least, it bought the Bears two more years of relative peace. At that point, Briggs will be approaching his 34th birthday and, like most players at that age and his position, will probably be thrilled to have a job.

As several reports have noted, Briggs will earn $6.25 million this season and $5.75 million in 2013. He'll also be in position to earn $5.275 million in 2014.

In the end, Briggs got less than $2 million in "new money" with this renegotiation. But it just shows that teams don't always have to break the bank to make a player happy. They just need to show a gesture of love, and in this case that's all it took for Briggs.

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It's time for our semiannual reminder about "balance." Mitch of Green Bay writes: At the rate you are discussing the Packers, it'll take you all of next season to "even things out" after how much Bears talk is going on the past few days. Anonymously, another reader added: Five of the last six blog posts have Bear headlines. There are three other teams in the NFC North. You should be a little more balanced in your reporting.

Kevin Seifert: I realize that readers filter in and out of the blog network, so it bears repeating: News doesn't occur in neat and equal 25 percent increments between our four teams. I have no interest in manufacturing posts to maintain daily balance when experience shows that everyone will get their turn over time. If you're taking a three-day, three-week or even a three-month snapshot, you'll almost certainly find an unequal proportion of posts relative to our four teams.

There were interesting things to write about the Bears this week, including the Briggs extension, and that's where I focused my time. Where will we look next week? Only The Shadow knows what evil lurks in the heart of all men.

Let's catch up after a busy Wednesday of newsbits here in the NFC North:

Chicago Bears: Cornerback D.J. Moore, who has missed three games because of an ankle injury, is expected to practice without restrictions this week and could resume his role as the Bears' nickel back for Sunday's game at the Denver Broncos. … Quarterback Jay Cutler had the stitches removed from his surgically-repaired right thumb. He hopes to resume throwing in the next week or so but said on ESPN 1000: "It's just time and time is not really on our side right now."

Detroit Lions: Missing from practice were safety Louis Delmas (knee), defensive tackle Nick Fairley (foot), cornerback Chris Houston (knee), defensive end Lawrence Jackson (thigh) and running back Kevin Smith (ankle). … According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, receiver Rashied Davis appeared to be taking practice repetitions from rookie Titus Young, who is a candidate to be benched for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings. Receiver Nate Burleson told reporters that coach Jim Schwartz has announced "a zero-tolerance policy" against "bonehead mistakes." Schwartz said: "Guys that hurt the team aren't going to be available to be able to do things like that. We are going to do everything we can to win the football game."

Green Bay Packers: Linebacker Erik Walden, arrested November 25 after a domestic incident with his girlfriend, was charged Wednesday with misdemeanor disorderly conduct-domestic abuse. He is free on bond and has a hearing scheduled for Dec. 27. Coach Mike McCarthy said the situation is under review but that Walden will start Sunday against the Oakland Raiders. … Linebacker Desmond Bishop (calf) doesn't appear likely to play Sunday, but fellow linebacker A.J. Hawk (calf) has a better chance. Neither Bishop nor Hawk practiced Wednesday. Cornerback Charles Woodson (concussion) was a limited participant in practice. … The Packers promoted quarterback Graham Harrell from the practice squad to the active roster because, according to Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, the Buffalo Bills were trying to sign him.

Minnesota Vikings: Quarterback Christian Ponder (hip) and running back Adrian Peterson (ankle) both sat out practice. Ponder is expected to play Sunday against the Lions. Peterson's status is less clear. Defensive end Brian Robison (concussion) also missed practice, as did left guard Steve Hutchinson (illness).

We learned a couple of important facts in Week 1 after Green Bay Packers cornerback Charles Woodson punched New Orleans Saints tight end David Thomas.

First, for disciplinary purposes, the NFL views a punch and a kick the same way.

Second, neither a punch or a kick mandates an automatic ejection despite widespread belief that it does.

Third, the NFL fine system is based on a variety of factors, including previous offenses. Woodson, for example, received a $10,000 fine for his punch, which is a standard level for second offenses of unsportsmanlike conduct.

Given that context, it's understandable the NFL fined Minnesota Vikings defensive end Brian Robison $20,000 for kicking Green Bay Packers guard T.J. Lang in the groin last Sunday at the Metrodome. Like Woodson, Robison was penalized 15 yards in the game but not ejected.

I can't explain exactly how the NFL arrived at $20,000 for Robison, but it's possible he has received multiple fines during previous seasons. (Not all fines are publicized.) Regardless, Robison has already apologized for the incident and done everything he could do to move on from it.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The kick seen around the (NFL) world Sunday was "cowardly," according to the recipient. It was "something that hopefully I won't repeat in the future," according to the kicker.

So went the reactions of Green Bay Packers offensive lineman T.J. Lang and Minnesota Vikings defensive end Brian Robison to the latest NFC North altercation that is sure to be replayed about a couple hundred or so times before it loses steam. For those who missed it, Robison kicked Lang squarely in the groin after Mason Crosby's 39-yard field goal in the second quarter of the Packers' 33-27 victory.

"It is what it is," Robison said. "It happened. There's nothing I can do about it. It's something that if I could go back, I wouldn't have done it. There's nothing I could do about it now. There was a penalty, and hopefully it won't happen in the future."

Said Lang: "It was really surprising. You don't want to see that in a football game. I think it was a pretty cowardly move on his part. I don't think I did anything to get that reaction."

Lang said he and another Packers player stopped Robison from shooting a gap during the field goal attempt.

"We caught his legs and pushed him," Lang said. "He landed on his back. I didn't say anything to him. He just responded."

Robison described the block a bit differently and implied he was provoked. He said officials "always catch the second guy" and added: "From what I hear, it didn't show up on the TV copy. But if you watch the game, you can clearly see that he kind of picked me up in midair, put me on my back and started coming toward me. So I was automatically in defense mode.

"It was in the heat of the moment. In hindsight, I wish it wouldn't have happened."

I'm not sure if a body slam, even if it occurred that way, necessitates a groin kick in retaliation. So kudos to Robison for owning up to what was an overreaction at the very least.

Asked if he was OK after the kick, Lang laughed and said: "Well, I'm glad I already had one son." He also tweeted: "Glad to report my genitalia are in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery!"

Turning serious during a postgame interview, he added: "I don't think there is any room in the game for that kind of move. We'll see if there is any [discipline]. From what it sounds like, the TV cameras caught it pretty well. I think it should be the same as a punch."

Expect Robison to receive an NFL fine. Unless, of course, the league decides it wasn't a fight. We've already seen precedent for how the league treats contact between two team employees that falls short of a fight.

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

FALLING

1. Donovan McNabb, Minnesota Vikings quarterback: We've noted many times that McNabb deserves only partial blame for the Vikings' woes this season. The lockout, an imbalanced roster and some uninspired work from offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave have all contributed. Regardless, you have to wonder if McNabb has made the final start of his NFL career. Coach Leslie Frazier officially is still mulling his starter for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers, but it doesn't usually bode well for an incumbent when the coach doesn't immediately express support. If Christian Ponder assumes the job and stays healthy for the remainder of the season, what options would McNabb have in 2012? He would have been benched in consecutive years by two different organizations. I'm not sure if another team would offer him its starting job. Earlier this month, Sports Illustrated reported McNabb will strongly consider retirement if that scenario plays out.

2. Perspective on postgame handshakes: I promise this will be my final comment on Sunday's postgame fracas at Ford Field. I've been surprised at how many people think this incident has been overblown. Rarely, if ever, in the modern history of the NFL has one head coach been restrained from going after another, regardless of provocation. To find even a similar example, the Pro Football Hall of Fame went back to a Chicago Bears-Los Angeles Rams game -- in 1947. After the game, a dirty affair from another era that featured five ejections and 16 penalties, a Bears player chased Rams coach Bob Snyder into the locker room and sparked a brawl. And this list of coaching confrontations, compiled by Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times, hardly compares to what we saw Sunday. What exactly was Schwartz going to do Sunday if he reached Harbaugh? Were they going to fight right there on the field? When something so out of the ordinary occurs relative to history, it is by definition a significant event.

3. Vikings pass defense: The Vikings have gotten decent push from defensive ends Jared Allen and Brian Robison this season, but they were largely stymied Sunday night by a Chicago Bears offense that held back extra blockers in pass protection. Robbed of the protection usually afforded by Allen and Robison, the Vikings' secondary was revealed as an undermanned group that doesn't have an anchor as long as veteran is Antoine Winfield (neck) sidelined. The Vikings rank No. 24 overall in NFL pass defense. They continue to run a rotation at safety between Tyrell Johnson and Jamarca Sanford, and cornerback Cedric Griffin is gamely fighting through his second return from an ACL tear in as many seasons. All secondaries are better when they have a pass rush, but the Vikings' is a real liability if Allen and Robison can't get consistent pressure.

RISING

1. James Jones, Packers receiver: Jones wasn't happy with his playing time early in the season. But after agreeing to sit tight and wait his turn, Jones has caught a touchdown pass in each of the Packers' last three games. In fact, three of his last seven receptions have gone for touchdowns. Over that stretch, Jones has pulled himself even with the slew of receivers the Packers have behind Greg Jennings. Jordy Nelson has 20 receptions this season. Jones has 15. Donald Driver has 12 and Randall Cobb has nine.

2. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears quarterback: We'll get to this in more detail later Tuesday, but Cutler has put together his best two games of the season over the past two weeks. He's completed 71 percent of his passes over that stretch with three touchdowns and no interceptions. He's even made a believer of Total Quarterback Rating, which gave him a season-high 91.4 score after Sunday's victory over the Vikings. It's interesting that Cutler has a better sense for what the Bears offense can do, and not do, than coordinator Mike Martz.

3. Desmond Bishop, Packers linebacker: Tackles are an unofficial statistic, but I usually prefer to use the set based on review from each team's coaches. Based on that film review, Bishop had a stunning 20 tackles in Sunday's victory over the St. Louis Rams. That unofficially gives Bishop a team-high 72 tackles through six games. He also has three sacks and a forced fumble. Consider that at this time last season, Bishop was only two games into his replacement of injured starter Nick Barnett. He has now blossomed into a key ingredient of a championship defense.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Thanks to the miracle of modern travel, I was able to hustle back to NFC North blog headquarters Sunday night while keeping an eye on the Chicago Bears' impressive prime-time victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Thanks to ESPNChicago.com for covering me on the late-night Rapid Reaction.

Week 6 left us in a state that makes me feel privileged to cover the NFC North. We have:

1. The Green Bay Packers, who at 6-0 are the last undefeated team in the NFL.
2. The Detroit Lions, whose coach certainly made it interesting for us after their first loss of the season.
3. The aforementioned Bears, who put together a complete game in advance of their trip to London next weekend.
4. The Vikings, who could be on the brink of a quarterback change to rookie Christian Ponder. The Vikings also have a big week on their stadium front, with meetings scheduled with Gov. Mark Dayton and league officials starting Monday in an effort to create an agreement that could lead to a fall special session.

We'll get to all of it, eventually. But first, let's catch up on local coverage of Sunday's action:

• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler on the team's reconfigured offense Sunday night, via Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune: "We stuck to what we can do out there."
• The Bears scaled back Cutler's drops and added more people, most notably tight ends, to their pass protection. Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com explains.
• It's important to take into account the Vikings' "poorly played, poorly coached and lackluster effort," writes Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com. Added Isaacson: "The Bears are what they appear to be after six games -- a .500 team no matter how they spin it."
• Devin Hester had two touchdowns Sunday night, including a 98-yard kickoff return, but left with a chest injury, notes Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Vikings defensive end Brian Robison on the loss, via Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com: "It's humiliating. That's the only word I can think of right now. It's simply humiliating."
• Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune: "It's amazing that an offense featuring Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin and Visanthe Shiancoe can look so alarmingly inept and predictable. But it did for a variety of reasons. So here's the question: What exactly is this team's identity on offense, other than hope and pray Peterson can save the day? They don't have a Plan B when a team stuffs the run the way the Bears did Sunday night."
• Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press thinks the Vikings should have a fire sale.
• For the record, Vikings coach Leslie Frazier was noncommittal about the status of his quarterback position after Ponder relieved starter Donovan McNabb in the fourth quarter. Frazier, via Jeremy Fowler of the Pioneer Press: "We've got to sit down and talk about a lot of things."
• The Packers' defense had three sacks Sunday and limited the St. Louis Rams to three points but wasn't satisfied with its effort, writes Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk after television cameras caught him making an obscene gesture to the Packers' sideline, via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "I'm stupid. I don't even realize sometimes when I'm out there that anyone's out there; the TVs or anything I know it got caught on TV. … It's kind of been a running joke with some of my teammates. There was no anger or malice or anything. It was a joke and I kind of got caught up in the emotions of the game. I definitely apologize if any kids or anyone else saw it. I have a daughter myself so I wouldn't want her doing that. I got excited and got caught up in the game and it was just a bad joke. I definitely won't do it again."
• Packers nickelback Sam Shields suffered a concussion after trying to run out an interception from the end zone Sunday, notes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• The Packers have now won 12 consecutive games, including playoffs, and tied the franchise record. Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel has more.
• The Lions' postgame fracas was less important than its late defensive failure Sunday, writes Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press.
• John Niyo of the Detroit News on the episode: "But there's really no explaining the reaction of the coaches after this one, and I'm guessing the NFL commissioner's office will agree upon further review. Clearly, this was not the proper way to 'complete the process' of the traditional postgame meet-and-greet."
• Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press: "But it's unacceptable when coaches make fools of themselves, as [Jim] Harbaugh and [Jim] Schwartz did."
• Lions running back Jahvid Best suffered a concussion late in Sunday's game, notes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com: "Jim Schwartz's outburst at the end of the game was overboard, even if Jim Harbaugh antagonized him."

After the Minnesota Vikings' 34-10 victory against the Arizona Cardinals, here are three issues that merit further examination:

Kevin SeifertFollowing their win against the Arizona Cardinals, the Vikings take a seat in the examination room.
1. I honestly don't get what people expected from quarterback Donovan McNabb this season. He is generally a well-respected NFL citizen. So when the Vikings acquired him this summer from the Washington Redskins, no football person was going to come out and say how far his career had plummeted. But the evidence was all there for the taking. The Washington Redskins were willing to give him away for a sixth-round draft pick and take their chances with Rex Grossman and John Beck. The Vikings were able to leverage McNabb into a contract worth $5.05 million, one that befits a top backup. And that's the way he has played so far this season: Like a veteran seat-warmer. McNabb has been inaccurate on short and deep passes and has mustered one victory in five games. None of this should be a big surprise, nor should coach Leslie Frazier's decision to retain him as his starter. Frazier wanted a veteran to start ahead of a rookie he didn't think would be ready to play. The NFL doesn't have enough good quarterbacks for a team to find a high-functioning one who can fit that description. Frazier got a seat-warmer who is playing like one.
2. Let's give defensive end Brian Robison some credit. A few of us wondered if the Vikings had made the right decision by allowing starter Ray Edwards to depart via free agency and inserting Robison into the starting lineup. Robison had been a backup for four seasons, and usually you are what you are by that point. But Robison's two-sack day Sunday brought his season total to 4.5, tying his career high. (It's also three more sacks than Edwards has for the Atlanta Falcons, but that's an apples-to-oranges comparison.) The Cardinals couldn't single-block Robison on Sunday, and his forced fumble on quarterback Kevin Kolb in the first quarter was one of the key plays in springing the Vikings to a 28-0 lead.
3. I didn't think it was possible, but tailback Adrian Peterson ran with more purpose than I've seen him with the possible exception of the 2009 NFC Championship Game. That's not to say there are games that he doesn't run hard in. But you could just see in Peterson's eyes and movement that he wasn't going to be denied. The most impressive of his three touchdown runs was the last one. I doubt that rookie cornerback Patrick Peterson will forget coming in high and taking a 5-yard ride into the end zone. It's difficult for a non-quarterback to accomplish, but all superstars at times need to will their team to scores. Peterson did that Sunday.

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

This is truly a question I don't know the answer to: How does the Vikings' mostly veteran roster truly feel about McNabb? Most veterans want an experienced quarterback to avoid the roller coaster performances of a rookie. They want someone who knows where to throw it, gets them the ball on time and mostly on target. McNabb has done those things only sporadically this season. Are players OK with what they've seen? Or are their eyes starting to wander toward rookie Christian Ponder? Of course, players would know better than us if Ponder has a chance to be any better at this point.

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.

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

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 4:

Speed rushers: Two weeks ago, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali put four hits on Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. Last week, Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen sacked him three times while fellow defensive end Brian Robison brought him down twice. Hali and Allen are two of the NFL's best pass rushers. Sunday, the Lions will face the best. No NFL player has more sacks this season (5.0) or over the past three seasons (51.5), than the Dallas Cowboys' DeMarcus Ware. Stafford has had success getting the ball downfield despite facing those elite rushers. But the Lions probably don't want to find out how much damage Ware can do. They would be well-advised to devote more attention to him than Hali and Allen saw. Tight end Brandon Pettigrew is one of the NFL's top blockers at his position. The Lions might need to utilize him in that regard Sunday.

"Statement game:" I personally hate that phrase and think it's mostly irrelevant in the world of the NFL. With that said, I think the Lions have their best opportunity yet to demonstrate how far they've come and to set their fan base into a frenzy heading into their Oct. 10 prime-time game against the Chicago Bears. The Cowboys are 2-1 and have designs on the NFC East title. The Lions, meanwhile, have won in Dallas only twice in their history. Last season, the Bears began walking with a little extra pep in their step after winning at Cowboys Stadium. The Lions could do the same. A win would give the Lions their eighth consecutive regular-season victory, dating back to last season. That would be their longest winning streak since taking nine consecutive games from 1953-54.

Faint hopes: The Denver Broncos have never won in the state of Wisconsin. They've lost seven consecutive road games and are one of three teams in the NFL whose pass defense has netted them zero interceptions this season. That's a bad combination for a 1-2 team traveling to Lambeau Field. Want some more? The Broncos have felt compelled to blitz on 41.9 percent of opponents' dropbacks this season, the sixth-highest rate in the NFL. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is completing an NFL-high 74.4 percent of his passes against the blitz. It's unlikely to work Sunday for the Broncos. On his weekly radio show, Rodgers noted that the Packers have seemed an afterthought from national observers. "Let everybody talk about Philly and Dallas and Washington and Detroit and Buffalo and we’ll keep on doing what we’re doing," he said. It's hard to imagine the Packers doing anything other than continuing to plug along Sunday.

Run to daylight: The Carolina Panthers are giving up an average of 117 yards rushing per game, the seventh-worst mark in the NFL. As we've discussed a few times, the Bears haven't paid enough attention to their running game this season. That has to stop Sunday. We can spend all the time we want discussing the return of Panthers coach Ron Rivera and tight end Greg Olsen. I'm sure they’re both pumped for this game. But the Bears can control it if offensive coordinator Mike Martz can find a way to get the running game going. The Panthers should be vulnerable in that area.

Someone will win: The 0-3 Minnesota Vikings play at the 0-3 Kansas City Chiefs. Something has got to give, right? A matchup of two winless teams after at least three weeks is relatively rare; it's happened six times in the past 10 years of NFL play. The Vikings haven't given up on their playoff hopes quite yet. After all, three teams have advanced to the postseason over the past 21 seasons after starting 0-3. But if the Vikings fall to 0-4 on Sunday, the most interesting question remaining in their season will be when rookie quarterback Christian Ponder will get on the field. When they acquired starter Donovan McNabb this summer, I don't think the Vikings believed they would be facing a Ponder Watch so early in the season.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Green Bay Packers appear to have avoided the worst-case scenario with right tackle Bryan Bulaga. Although his initial reaction suggested the knee injury was significant, Bulaga has been diagnosed with a sprain and a bruise but does not appear to have any fully torn ligaments, notes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Unless that diagnosis changes in the coming days, Bulaga won't miss the season but might not be ready to return for a few weeks. Marshall Newhouse will continue to take Bulaga's spot until that time, coach Mike McCarthy said. Rookie first-round draft pick Derek Sherrod, who spent much of training camp working at left guard, is behind Newhouse on the depth chart. Newhouse was a fifth-round draft choice in 2010.

Said McCarthy: "Marshall's a little bit ahead of Derek in the experience category, and that's why Marshall has this opportunity."

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Packers are hoping that safety Charlie Peprah will settle in after a rough initial start in place of Nick Collins, writes Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com breaks down the "play that didn't count."
• Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times writes that the career of Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is "being held hostage" by general manager Jerry Angelo. Hayes: "While most teams build their teams around their franchise quarterback, Angelo has hoped Cutler could elevate mediocre offensive talent while he tries to reload a defense undermined by years of poor drafts. Meanwhile, Cutler doesn't have the protection, scheme or weapons to match his rival, the Packers' Aaron Rodgers."
• The Bears' defense didn't match up well against the Packers' offense Sunday, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com: "The Chicago Bears' offense would be in much better shape if more players were as prepared and disciplined as undrafted rookie free agent receiver Dane Sanzenbacher."
• Could the Detroit Lions get defensive tackle Nick Fairley into Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys? The Detroit Free Press takes a look based on information from ESPN's Adam Schefter.
• The Lions know they need to improve their running game, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• Tight end Brandon Pettigrew's 11 catches last Sunday essentially served as the Lions' running game, notes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
• Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin played 74.5 percent of the Vikings' snaps Sunday against the Lions, notes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com, and might have had more had he not fallen ill on the sideline.
• The Vikings are the only people stopping tailback Adrian Peterson, writes Mark Craig of the Star Tribune.
• After three consecutive second-half meltdowns, the Vikings have some psychological work to do, notes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Defensive end Brian Robison: "It's something that now we have to get it mentally out of our head that the second half has not been very well for us. I think any time when it happens three weeks in a row it is [in our heads]."

A few thoughts on yet another amazing second half in the NFC North:

What it means: The Detroit Lions won at the Metrodome for the first time in 14 games, giving the Lions their first 3-0 start since 1980. The Vikings stunningly gave up their third consecutive halftime lead, this one a 20-0 advantage earned by thoroughly trashing the Lions in the first half. The Vikings have now been outscored 87-6 after halftime this season.

What happened?!: The Lions deserve all the credit in the world for coming back from such a big deficit, but it takes two to tango when one team outscores the other 26-3 after halftime. We'll have plenty of time for post-mortem, but there was one play I really didn't like for the Vikings. It was giving Toby Gerhart the handoff on a fourth-and-1 play at the Lions' 17-yard line in the fourth quarter. Even if you don't kick the field goal, I prefer to come up short with the ball in Adrian Peterson's hands.

MegatronWatch: I didn't see every play of this game, but it sure looked like the Lions got receiver Calvin Johnson in single coverage a lot in this game. Vikings cornerback Chris Cook made some nice plays on the ball, but in the end Johnson had his third consecutive two-touchdown game, including a leaping 32-yarder in the third quarter that got the Lions on the scoreboard. That gives Johnson six touchdowns in three games.

Injury report: It appeared that Vikings receiver Percy Harvin wasn't on the field late in the fourth quarter. Harvin, who missed a day of practice with the stomach flu, was reportedly vomiting on the sidelines.

Lions pass protection: Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 378 yards but was sacked five times. Tackles Jeff Backus, Gosder Cherilus and Corey Hilliard couldn't slow down Vikings defensive ends Jared Allen (three sacks) and Brian Robison (two). Stafford hadn't been sacked before Sunday's game, but it's clear the Lions have an issue on the edge. It might be their biggest vulnerability as they move into unchartered waters of competitiveness this season.

PonderWatch: Vikings quarterback Donovan McNabb hasn't played horribly this season, and on Sunday he threw for 211 yards. But should an 0-3 team be playing a 34-year-old quarterback while the future of the position stands on the sidelines? You'll hear that question a few times about Christian Ponder this week.

What's next: The Lions will play at the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday. The Vikings will travel to play the Kansas City Chiefs.

After the Minnesota Vikings’ 24-20 loss Sunday to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, here are three issues that merit further examination:

Kevin SeifertFollowing their loss to the Buccaneers, the Vikings take a seat in the examination room.
1. Many of you thought the Vikings’ eight penalties hurt them much more than I suggested in Sunday’s column. It’s true that the timing of several were terrible. Defensive end Brian Robison’s encroachment penalty negated a third-down stop in the third quarter, extending a possession that ended in a Bucs field goal. And the fourth-quarter call against defensive end Jared Allen for roughing the passer tacked 15 yards onto a 19-yard play preceding a Bucs touchdown. But those penalties, and others, didn’t have to hurt the Vikings as much as they did. There are any number of things that could have happened to compensate for those mistakes, which are not unlike what many NFL teams make every week. More than anything, the Vikings need a counterpunch. They need to find a way to win despite a few mistakes rather than get knocked off their tracks.
2. It got lost in the shuffle Sunday, but safety Tyrell Johnson could have sealed the game by catching a gimmee interception three plays before the Bucs’ winning score. Johnson stepped in front of quarterback Josh Freeman’s ill-advised pass to tight end Kellen Winslow at about the 10-yard line, but the ball slipped from his hands. Safety Husain Abdullah’s reaction indicated he had a strong chance to make the interception had Johnson not stepped in front. Regardless, Johnson has to make that play. He’s still competing with Jamarca Sanford for a full-time starting job, but I’m not sure we’ve seen much to suggest Johnson deserves to play more.
3. Quarterback Donovan McNabb was sacked twice Sunday, on both occasions nullifying a terrific matchup they had set up in the flat. Each time, receiver Percy Harvin was matched against a Buccaneers defensive end in a zone-blitz arrangement. Mason Foster sacked McNabb the first time, and safety Sean Jones bottled him up on the second. You would like to think Harvin would have produced a nice gainer in each case had McNabb gotten the ball off.

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

Coach Leslie Frazier’s explanation for not using a timeout on the Buccaneers’ final possession was admirable but didn’t really make sense. Frazier said he considered using one of his three timeouts with about a minute remaining but decided against it. "I really thought we were going to stop them on defense," Frazier said, either through a turnover or by forcing the Bucs to kick a field goal. There’s nothing wrong with confidence, but in this case Frazier needed to hedge his bet. You’re not sending players a bad message by calling a timeout. You’re telling them you will stop at nothing to ensure the team has its best chance to win. Not calling a timeout in that situation ultimately cost the Vikings at least 30 seconds when they regained possession. They didn’t have enough time to take one timeout, let alone three. Frazier didn't equip his team as well as he could have for that regrettable but necessary possession.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

We mentioned this note in Tuesday's Stock Watch post, but it's worth repeating here in the Air and Space division: NFL teams combined for a single-week record total of passing yards in Week 1: 7,482.

That number was inflated by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who amassed 517 yards on his own. But it was also, well, deflated by the stunning total of 39 put up by the Donovan McNabb of the Minnesota Vikings. So if you take out the high and low numbers, you see that the other 30 NFL teams averaged 230 passing yards per game in Week 1.

There's no sense taking any cheap shots at the Vikings' total. We've already discussed it in a number of forums. But as preparations begin in earnest for Week 2, it's worth noting that statistically speaking, the NFL has never been more a passing league than it is right now. You can't win without one.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Vikings are close to a sellout of Sunday's home opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the game will be televised locally, notes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Vikings defensive end Brian Robison is trying to prove the proverbial doubters wrong, writes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• The Vikings' defense is seeking consistency, writes Myron P. Medcalf of the Star Tribune.
• Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher is tending to a personal matter involving his mother this week and could be away from the team for a few days, notes the Chicago Tribune.
• Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times tells the story of new Bears fullback Tyler Clutts.
• Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com on Bears tailback Matt Forte: "I'm no Jerry Angelo or Tim Ruskell, but Forte looks severely underpaid right around now."
• The Detroit Lions' special teams didn't have its best game against the Bucs last Sunday, writes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions tailback Jahvid Best ran 14 of his 21 carries up the middle Sunday, notes Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News.
• Justin Rogers of Mlive.com takes a second look at the Lions' 27-20 victory over the Bucs.
• Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel takes a closer look at the final play of the Green Bay Packers' 42-34 victory over the New Orleans Saints.
• Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette takes a first look at the quarterback the Packers will face this Sunday: rookie Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers.
• Packers coach Mike McCarthy on rookie Randall Cobb's decision to return a kickoff from 8 yards deep in the end zone, via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "That was a minus decision. We spent a lot of time on base rules, base adjustments, of coaching the gray area. Eight yards deep is not gray. That's something you learn from and you take them through where is the line of making it gray when you bring it out and when you don't."

After the Minnesota Vikings' 24-17 loss Sunday to the San Diego Chargers, here are three issues that merit further examination:

Kevin SeifertAfter falling to the Chargers in the opener, Minnesota takes its turn in the examination room.
1. Quarterback Donovan McNabb told reporters that his passing production -- seven completions and 39 yards -- was "embarrassing." But it would be wrong and unfair to blame him alone for the Vikings' passing woes Sunday. McNabb was under pressure for a good portion of the game and, quite frankly, the passing offense is short on explosive playmakers outside of receiver Percy Harvin. McNabb isn't in a spot to get much help unless tailback Adrian Peterson starts averaging 150 yards per game or some gaudy number. That dynamic leaves me with a split thought on the immediate future of the position. On the one hand, it probably makes sense to leave rookie Christian Ponder out of this mess if the Vikings quarterback -- whoever he is -- will be put in such a tough situation. But part of me wonders if the Vikings would get any big-picture benefit out of treading water with McNabb, if it comes to that. You know what they say: If you're not moving forward, well, there is only one other way to go.
2. I understand why coach Leslie Frazier wasn't willing to let Harvin take every kickoff Sunday, even after Harvin opened the game with a 103-yard return. I don't think it has as much to do about injury as it does priority. As Devin Hester demonstrated in recent years with the Chicago Bears, it's awfully difficult to be a full-time receiver and a dynamic returner at the same time. There are only so many things you can focus on during a given week, and Harvin is the Vikings' quasi-No. 1 receiver. But I will ask this: Would it make sense to use him as a full-time returner at least until the Vikings get more flow in their offense? At the moment, the team's best scoring opportunity could be Harvin as a returner or at least a catapult for excellent field position.
3. I saw a portions of this game live while working in the Raymond James Stadium press box, and it seemed like every time I looked up at the screen, defensive end Brian Robison was making a play. He finished with three tackles, a half-sack and a tipped pass. One of his hits on quarterback Philip Rivers led to an Antoine Winfield interception. It's always interesting when a long-time backup gets a chance he probably thinks should have come a long time ago. The Viking gave Robison a genuine opportunity when they allowed Ray Edwards to depart via free agency. I'm sure he's determined to return the favor.

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

Quarterback Joe Webb made his 2011 debut as a Wildcat quarterback, taking two unproductive snaps in third quarter. I'm hoping the Vikings have a more creative plan in store for Webb than a few Wildcat plays per game. His athletic skills make him a candidate to play receiver, perhaps return kickoffs and be a factor in any number of trick plays that could involve throwing the ball. But that type of role requires training and practice, neither of which the Vikings were able to devote while Webb took the No. 2 quarterback snaps during most of training camp. It's nice that they forced Ponder to earn that job, but I hope they didn't sacrifice a more dynamic role for Webb in the process. This is an offense that needs all the playmaking it can get.

The writing has been on the proverbial wall since February, when the Minnesota Vikings signed reserve defensive end Brian Robison to an eye-popping contract worth $14 million, of which $6.5 million was guaranteed.

Backups don't generally receive that type of money. But if it wasn't before, it's now clear: The Vikings view Robison as the successor to free-agent left end Ray Edwards.

Edwards agreed to terms Friday with the Atlanta Falcons on a five-year contract that ESPN's Adam Schefter reports is worth $30 million, including $11 million guaranteed. To my knowledge, the Vikings never offered Edwards a long-term deal. And to be clear, he did not want to return after a series of events in February when the Vikings issued him a restricted free-agent tender but went ahead and gave Robison his lucrative deal.

So why did the Vikings choose Robison, with 13.5 career sacks, over Edwards, who had 16.5 sacks over the past two seasons? Coach Leslie Frazier has alluded to remaking a defensive line that had been aging, and the Vikings have now let Edwards walk and seem to have swapped nose tackle Pat Williams for free agent Remi Ayodele.

They are clearly confident about Robison's future, and I think they also have high hopes for second-year player Everson Griffen. And frankly, I think the Vikings drew a line at the amount of salary-cap space and cash they were willing to devote to one position. Between the two of them, defensive end Jared Allen and defensive tackle Kevin Williams are scheduled to earn nearly $16 million in base salaries this season. Combined, they will count about $19 million toward the $120 million salary cap.

Edwards brought a consistent pass rush that isn't easily replaced. But in the end, I'm guessing the Vikings couldn't justify another big financial commitment to make up for whatever drop-off they might realize.

Recent Vikings posts: Receiver Michael Jenkins might be a fit for the Vikings. Ayodele could be the Vikings' new nose tackle. The best way to view the acquisition of McNabb is as (expensive) insurance for Ponder. Rice wanted a fresh start. The Vikings made the right call to bring back place-kicker Ryan Longwell. Receiver Percy Harvin plans to play at about 10 pounds lighter this season. Adrian Peterson was surprised to see Rice leave. The Vikings have a tough decision on Peterson's contract.