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Make that two substantially upgraded roster spots for the Chicago Bears. A few hours after acquiring Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall via trade, the Bears convinced a starting-caliber quarterback to take their No. 2 job, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Jason Campbell is 30 years old and has started 70 NFL games. He has thrown 74 touchdowns against 50 interceptions and has a career passer rating of 82.4. That means he's experienced and has been effective, despite a career of constantly-changing offensive schemes. That's a combination many backup quarterbacks don't have.

You probably wouldn't be enthused if your team signed Campbell to be its unquestioned starter in 2012, not after two quarterback-needy teams -- the Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders -- sought upgrades. But as a backup? He's a home run.

The Bears' collapse in 2011 was a prime illustration of how valuable a backup quarterback can be. They found out too late that Caleb Hanie wasn't up to the job of replacing starter Jay Cutler when necessary. I think it's fair to say they would have had a better chance with Campbell.

Offseason victories don't count in the NFL standings, but they can lead to progress. The Bears are without question a better team than they were 24 hours ago. Phil Emery for president!

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

Free agency begins Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET

Chicago Bears

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

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

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

Detroit Lions

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

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

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

Green Bay Packers

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

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

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

Minnesota Vikings

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

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

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

We're Black and Blue All Over:

After four years of quarterback transition here in the NFC North, I was feeling a bit nostalgic and a little left out Tuesday night as the Indianapolis Colts' divorce with Peyton Manning became official.

I thought back to Brett Favre's departure from Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers' ascension in 2008. I remembered how the Chicago Bears swooped in to trade for Jay Cutler in 2009. A month later, the Detroit Lions made Matthew Stafford the No. 1 pick in the draft. And after two years of Favredemonium, the Minnesota Vikings jump-started their long-term plan by drafting Christian Ponder in 2011.

Manning's departure is the talk of the NFL and will be debated for years in Indianapolis, presuming his neck heals and he resumes his career elsewhere. But as we in the NFC North know, quarterback transitions are often sudden and painful, and they don't always seem to be the obvious decision at the moment.

Oh well. We might be booked for the moment, but I'll set our next transition cycle to begin around, say, 2018. See you then!

I guess we'll just spend the next six years taking our morning stroll around the NFC North:

• The Bears have informed quarterback Caleb Hanie that he won't be re-signed, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com. Kyle Orton is a possible replacement to back up Cutler.
• A source close to Lions running back Jahvid Best would be shocked if he isn't cleared to participate in football activities by this summer, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Best is recovering from multiple concussions.
• Lions linebacker Justin Durant believes the team will have one of the NFL's best group of linebackers if Stephen Tulloch an DeAndre Levy re-sign. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has more.
• The Green Bay Packers want running back Ryan Grant back in 2012 but he is expected to hit free agency, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• It's not clear if the Packers plan to bring back special teams-ace Jarrett Bush, according to Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers receiver Donald Driver spoke with Mike Spofford of the team's website about his "Dancing With the Stars" rehearsals.
• Politicians writing the Vikings' stadium bill might have to consider the possibility that electronic pull-tabs won't cover the total $398 million state commitment to the project, according to the Associated Press.
• Minneapolis officials still are trying to get a renovation of the Target Center as part of the Vikings' stadium bill, according to the Star Tribune.
• The Vikings have made clear they want to retain free-agent linebacker Erin Henderson, according to Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.

Previewing some of the big decisions facing NFC North teams early in the 2012 offseason:

Our Air and Space division boasts arguably the top grouping of starting quarterbacks in the NFL. We have a presumptive MVP in the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers, a 5,000-yard passer in Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions and, in the Chicago Bears' Jay Cutler, an upper-level starter who was having perhaps his best season before fracturing his right thumb in December. The Minnesota Vikings, meanwhile, are hoping for a big jump from first-round draft pick Christian Ponder in 2012.

The relatively settled nature of those starters overshadows what could be division-wide change in their backups. The Packers' Matt Flynn, the Lions' Shaun Hill and Drew Stanton, the Bears' Caleb Hanie and the Vikings' Sage Rosenfels are all pending free agents. Let's look at the decisions awaiting each team:

Packers: Flynn could draw interest as a potential starter from several teams, most notably the Miami Dolphins -- who hired former Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin as their head coach last week. The Packers' only chance to keep him would be to use their franchise tag, requiring a commitment of about $14 million in cash and cap space. That's not going to happen. The logical successor is third-string quarterback Graham Harrell, and the Packers might have revealed their intentions by promoting him to the active roster late this season when he began receiving interest from other teams.

Lions: Quarterback depth is valuable, but you wonder if a team with tight salary cap problems can afford to keep two vested veterans behind their franchise quarterback. Hill ($3.02 million) and Stanton ($900,000) accounted for about $4 million in cap spacein 2011, and if the Lions desperately wanted to shave that figure, they could promote Stanton and sign him to a cheaper contract than what Hill was paid last season. But Hill has a longtime association with offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and is generally considered one of the most reliable backups in the NFL. There are no easy answers here.

Bears: Hanie's disastrous stint as Cutler's replacement might have sealed his exit from Chicago. But the Bears will have new offensive leadership with coordinator Mike Tice and a quarterbacks coach/passing coordinator who has yet to be hired, so it's possible the new regime will have other thoughts. The Bears didn't think enough of rookie Nathan Enderle to start him in a meaningless Week 17 season finale, making it hard to imagine his ascendance to No. 2. That could leave veteran Josh McCown, another pending free agent, as an option. Or the Bears could seek help on the free agent market themselves.

Vikings: The situation in Minnesota is less clear-cut. Ponder remains the starter, and 2011 backup Joe Webb is under contract for 2012. Webb was impressive in one start and appearances in 10 other games, accounting for five touchdowns, but the Vikings' continued commitment to Ponder suggests they might look for other ways to use Webb. If he develops into a hybrid receiver/quarterback/returner, it's possible the Vikings would want an established veteran behind Ponder. That could be Rosenfels, a longtime favorite of general manager Rick Spielman, or he could come from elsewhere.

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

Arrow indicates direction team is trending.

Final Power Ranking: 20
Preseason Power Ranking: 13

Biggest surprise: The Bears installed little-known Henry Melton into the critical "three-technique" position on their defensive line, hoping that the converted running back/defensive end could play the role of interior playmaker last filled by Tommie Harris about five years ago. Melton had his ups and downs, but he finished with seven sacks in 15 games. The only defensive tackle in the NFL with more sacks was Tommy Kelly of the Oakland Raiders, who had 7.5. Melton will have to even out his game to be a long-term starter, but no team is going to turn down seven sacks from an interior defensive lineman.

Biggest disappointment: Backup quarterback Caleb Hanie spent nearly four years in the organization before the Bears called on him for extensive service. No matter the situation, that's a reasonable timeframe for a quarterback to develop into a useful asset. When Hanie took over a 7-3 team, it was fair to think he could navigate the Bears toward the playoffs. Instead, he was benched after four consecutive losses, punctuated by nine interceptions and 19 sacks, and helped scuttle the Bears' postseason hopes. You can't blame Hanie for everything that went wrong during that stretch, but the quarterback is the most important player on the field and Hanie obviously didn't do enough to win a game. The Bears deserve some blame for failing to develop him, but in the end the responsibility lies with the player.

Biggest need: Amazingly, it's a toss-up between two positions that annually draw offseason discussion around this team: receiver and safety. Quarterback Jay Cutler has obvious chemistry with receiver Earl Bennett, but it's also clear that Devin Hester is best left primarily as a returner and that veteran Roy Williams is on his last legs. The Bears traded away tight end Greg Olsen because he didn't fit into now ex-coordinator Mike Martz's system, and they enter this offseason with a far-too-limited number of reliable pass-catchers. Meanwhile, there is reason to believe that 2011 third-round pick Chris Conte merits a look as a starting safety in 2012, but 2010 third-rounder Major Wright hasn't shown much progress and the Bears desperately need a playmaker in the back end.

Team MVP: Part of me wants to say that tailback Matt Forte deserves the award. Amid a public negotiation about his expiring contract, Forte was leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage when he suffered a season-ending sprained knee in Week 13. But the Bears' collapse after Cutler's injury, especially before Forte was sidelined, demonstrated how valuable he really is. The Bears averaged 32 points per game during a five-game winning streak prior to his injury. In a 1-5 finish, they averaged 14.2 points per game. Sometimes, as they say, you don't know what you've got until it's gone.

Whither Hester? In Week 10, Hester returned a punt 82 yards against the Detroit Lions for his 18th career touchdown return. That left him one behind Deion Sanders' NFL record. But illness and a sprained ankle dramatically limited Hester's impact thereafter. He caught only four passes in the Bears' final seven games, and over that stretch he managed three returns for more than 30 yards. Hester is the type of player who could have helped overcome the ineffective offense Cutler left behind. His disappearance is a little-mentioned, but highly important, factor in their 8-8 final record.

After the Chicago Bears' 17-13 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Kevin SeifertThe Chicago Bears take their turn in the examination room after defeating the Vikings.
   There isn't much the Bears can do this offseason before deciding on the future of offensive coordinator Mike Martz. When trying to guess their plans, keep in mind that the Bears didn't intend for his contract to expire after the season. They reportedly offered him an extension last winter, but Martz reportedly turned down the deal. The decision would have put Martz in position to seek a significant raise, or possibly a head coaching job, if the Bears had another playoff run. But after finishing 1-5 after quarterback Jay Cutler's season-ending injury, Martz's status is unclear. As we discussed last week, the Bears will have to decide how important continuity is to them and to what degree they hold him accountable for the post-Cutler struggles.
2. There is an alternate way to view the Bears' offensive struggles, and thus Martz's performance: The offense didn't struggle because of Cutler's injury, but instead because Caleb Hanie -- the backup Martz has reportedly never been sold on -- replaced him. I was left wondering if that's how Martz feels after awkwardly crossing paths with him Sunday. The backstory: I was doing my regular Sunday morning appearance with 1500 ESPN on the second floor of the Metrodome press box, which houses booths for radio, television and assistant coaches alike. Asked how Martz's legacy might be viewed, I brought up several points we've discussed on the blog -- that the Bears' late-season slump suggested Cutler was more responsible for their midseason success than Martz. Unknown to me, Martz was already in the Bears' booth and must have heard my answer. He popped into the hallway and said: "How did the quarterback play last week? How did the quarterback play last week?" Then he walked away. (Podcast here, about halfway through Hour 1.) Indeed, the backup with a long-time Martz connection, Josh McCown, had played decently against the Green Bay Packers in Week 16, completing 67.9 percent of his passes for 242 yards in a 35-21 loss. Martz's handpicked quarterback proved to be better on less than a month's notice than Hanie was after two years in the system. Does that lessen the blame we can justifiably direct toward Martz? Perhaps.
3. Tailback Matt Forte had a Pro Bowl season even though a sprained knee cost him the season's final four games. Like Martz, his contract has now expired. But unlike Martz, this issue will take months to resolve. The easiest play for the Bears will be to make Forte their franchise player and pay him a relatively reasonable $7.7 million or so in 2012. Based strictly on economics, that would be a smart move for the Bears. But it would also leave Forte, one of their best players, to assume the risk of a career-threatening injury with no financial guarantees beyond the season. After seeing three NFL running backs receive more than $20 million guaranteed as part of new contracts in the past six months, Forte isn't likely to be happy with franchise money. What happens next will depend on whether either side is willing to close a significant financial gap too large to overcome during negotiations last summer. The worst-case scenario is Forte holding out rather than sign his franchise tag.

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

Where does this season leave linebacker Lance Briggs? As you recall, Briggs requested a trade during the preseason when the Bears refused to renegotiate his contract. That deal now has two years left on it. He's scheduled to earn $3.75 million in 2012 and $6.25 million in 2013 before it expires, when Briggs will be 33. So did Briggs gain leverage by playing out the 2011 season, getting him more than halfway through the original six-year deal? Or would the Bears be even less inclined to address it now that he is a year older? I'm not sure where this will go. It wouldn't be difficult for the Bears to throw one of their top players a bone, but the same could have been said about the situation last summer. The real question is how far Briggs is willing to push it. Will he reiterate his demand for a trade?

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

Five nuggets of knowledge on Week 17:

Lambeau Field rematch: The season's first game between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions was a tense, physical and emotionally-charged Thanksgiving Day affair that included two ejections and eventually ended in a 27-15 Packers victory. The rematch figures to be less intense. The Packers are hoping to become the sixth team in NFL history to win 15 games in the regular season, but they aren't likely to sacrifice their health to do it. It's likely that coach Mike McCarthy will empty his bench at some point, even if most of his regular players start the game. Historically, the Packers have been strong finishers regardless of the circumstances. They have won their final regular-season game for eight consecutive years, the best active streak in the NFL, and are 16-1 in regular-season finales since 1994.

Lions positioning: The stakes are simple for the Lions. A victory would be their first in the state of Wisconsin in 20 years, ending the longest streak of consecutive road losses to one opponent in NFL history at 19. It would give them their first 11-victory season since 1991, and would also clinch them the NFC's fifth seed in the playoffs and a first-round matchup at the winner of Sunday night's game between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. Even if they lose, the Lions would still be the fifth seed if the Atlanta Falcons lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Otherwise, they will be the No. 6 seed and face a trip to play either the New Orleans Saints or the San Francisco 49ers.

Unleash Flynn: McCarthy hasn't said much about his personnel plans for Sunday's game, but he apparently told former NFL quarterback and current broadcaster Rich Gannon that backup Matt Flynn will get at least some action. Starter Aaron Rodgers has suggested that Flynn is ready to compete for another team's starting job, and Flynn could sign elsewhere this offseason as a free agent. But there is a limited amount of regular-season tape to evaluate Flynn on, and none of it is from this season. So that makes whatever time he gets in Sunday's game particularly valuable to his future.

Quarterback issues: The Chicago Bears will start 32-year-old journeyman quarterback Josh McCown at the Metrodome on Sunday, which I suppose is merited after his better-than-expected performance Sunday night against the Packers. But I strongly agree with Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune, who wrote this week that the Bears would be ignoring the central flaw of their season by not giving rookie Nathan Enderle extensive playing time. Backup quarterback Caleb Hanie flopped after taking over for injured starter Jay Cutler, sparking what is now a five-game losing streak. Part of developing backup quarterbacks is getting them regular-season playing time. If you can't squeeze a rookie quarterback into a Week 17 game after you've been eliminated from the playoffs, when can you? If Enderle is so ill-prepared that the Bears deem him unfit for even that assignment, they might as well cut their losses with him now.

Vikings stakes: I wonder if Vikings fans are rooting for a victory or loss Sunday against the Bears. A win would allow them to avoid tying the franchise record for most losses in a season (13). They would also circumvent their first winless division record in team history. On the other hand, a loss would give the Vikings a top-three pick in the 2012 draft. A victory could drop them as far as No. 6. One thing is for sure: Everyone will be rooting for the Vikings to get into a goal-line situation. Coach Leslie Frazier has already said he'll give the ball to tight end/H-back Jim Kleinsasser, who will be playing in his final career game.

The NFC North had two of the best Week 16 performances by quarterbacks, and a third that came as a surprise to just about everyone. Let's take a closer look:

Aaron Rodgers
Week 16 passer rating: 142.7
Week 16 QBR: 95.9
Tell-tale number: In addition to setting a career high with five touchdown passes, Rodgers avoided a sack Sunday night for the first time in a game all season. He also had a nifty 12-yard run on third-and-5, leaving Chicago Bears linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs in a heap behind him.

Matthew Stafford
Week 16 passer rating: 137.6
Week 16 QBR: 96.9
Tell-tale number: According to QBR, at least, Stafford had the fifth-best game in the NFL this season on Saturday. In the first half against the San Diego Chargers, Stafford completed 21 passes -- 14 for first downs -- for a number of big gains to put the Lions ahead 24-0. Of his 260 first-half yards, 201 came in the air and 59 after the catch.

Josh McCown
Week 16 passer rating: 76.8
Week 16 QBR: 70.8
Tell-tale number: McCown still has his mobility at age 32. He scrambled eight times for 38 yards, including three times for first downs, and also converted a two-point play.

Christian Ponder
Week 16 passer rating: 75.2
Week 16 QBR: 47.3
Tell-tale number: By design or otherwise, Ponder has been extraordinarily conservative in recent games. Saturday was his third consecutive game with an average yards per attempt of 5.5 or lower.

In case you missed it, the Chicago Bears have made the relatively easy decision to replace quarterback Caleb Hanie for Sunday night's game against the Green Bay Packers. Veteran Josh McCown will get the first chance in practice Wednesday, reports my ESPNChicago.com colleague Jeff Dickerson.

A much more difficult decision looms ahead: Should the Bears bring back Hanie next season as Jay Cutler's backup, or has he played his way out of any future role with the team?

As they evaluate Hanie's performance, I'm sure they'll come across an oddity that will take some time to sift through. In short, Hanie made most of his plays when under pressure and most of his mistakes when he had all the time he needed.

ESPN's Stats & Information judges each NFL pass to determine whether it was thrown "under duress," defined as any time a quarterback is forced from the pocket, had his throwing motion altered or faced a defender with a clear path in his line of sight. When under duress, Hanie threw all three of his touchdown passes and two of his interceptions. When not under duress, he threw seven interceptions.

Some context: Hanie is the only NFL quarterback with at least 80 attempts this season who hasn't thrown at least one touchdown pass when not under duress.

An optimist would suggest that Hanie has the hard part figured out -- how to perform under pressure -- and was just over-thinking the rest of the time. On the other hand, a cynic would wonder why a quarterback with nearly four years of NFL experience couldn't perform better when given the best opportunity to do so.

Hanie's future is tied into some bigger decisions that have yet to be made, most notably whether the Bears will re-sign offensive coordinator Mike Martz. But whoever evaluates Hanie's 2011 performance will have to reconcile its counterintuitive nature.

Few people would dispute that Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Hanie has played poorly enough in his four-game stint to merit a search for better options. Bears coach Lovie Smith apparently agrees, as Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com reports.

Veteran Josh McCown will get the first practice repetitions this week, according to Dickerson, and probably would have to have a horrible week not to start Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers. McCown hasn't started a game since 2007 and has appeared in only four games in the past four years, but the Bears don't have many options.

You could make a reasonable argument that, at the end of what appears to be a lost season, rookie Nathan Enderle might be a better choice. McCown, after all, was coaching high school football earlier this fall and is highly unlikely to return next season.

But however unlikely it might seem, the Bears are not yet eliminated from playoff contention. I'm guessing Smith would have a tough time conceding that possibility by starting a rookie who, as the No. 3 quarterback, has gotten almost no practice repetitions with the Bears offense this fall.

If the Bears are officially eliminated this weekend, which would happen if they lose to the Packers, Enderle would seem like the better option for their Week 17 game at the Minnesota Vikings. More to come, I'm sure.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The San Francisco 49ers' convincing victory Monday night over the Pittsburgh Steelers denied the Green Bay Packers an opportunity to clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Packers' next chance will come Saturday at CenturyLink Field, where a 49ers loss to the Seattle Seahawks would do the trick.

If the 49ers win again, the Packers can still secure the top seed with a victory Sunday night over the Chicago Bears.

At this moment, the Packers are 13-1, while the 49ers and New Orleans Saints are 11-3. The Packers have the tiebreaker over the Saints by virtue of their victory in the teams' Week 1 matchup.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Packers rookie offensive lineman Derek Sherrod fractured the tibia and fibula bones in his right leg Sunday, according to Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, and will be hospitalized in Kansas City for several days. He faces a long rehabilitation.
• Sunday wasn't the first December "road stinker" for the Packers in recent years, as Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes.
• Packers coach Mike McCarthy, via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "I'm more concerned with what goes on Tuesday to Saturday than I am Sunday night, and that was really the message to the team."
• Chicago Bears rookie offensive lineman Gabe Carimi has decided to undergo a second and more significant surgery on his right knee that will take four months to recover from, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Carimi has been on injured reserve since last month.
• Bears coach Lovie Smith is considering a quarterback change for Sunday night's game, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• Bears quarterback Josh McCown is rooting for Caleb Hanie to succeed, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune reviews the tape of the Bears' loss to the Seahawks.
• Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz on defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh's one-tackle game Sunday in Oakland, via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit News: "He didn't show up great on the stat sheet but affected the game."
• The Lions have turned the "ridiculous" into the "routine," writes John Niyo of the Detroit News.
• Justin Rogers of Mlive.com looks at why the Lions played off the Oakland Raiders' receivers Sunday.
• Minnesota Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson played 23 snaps in Sunday's loss to the New Orleans Saints, notes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Vikings cornerback Cedric Griffin is expected to meet this offseason with coach Leslie Frazier and vice president Rick Spielman to discuss his future, notes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune works on some of the Vikings' draft math.

Catching up on Mondays newsbits in the NFC North:

Chicago Bears: Receiver Johnny Knox had successful back surgery Monday, the team announced, and the prognosis for continuing his career is good. Meanwhile, coach Lovie Smith refused to name a starting quarterback for the Bears' next game, sparking speculation that he will bench Caleb Hanie for either Josh McCown or Nathan Enderle.

Detroit Lions: Coach Jim Schwartz said he hasn't ruled out any player on the active roster for Saturday's game against the San Diego Chargers. That includes defensive end Lawrence Jackson (thigh), cornerback Chris Houston (knee) and safety Louis Delmas, who had arthroscopic knee surgery on Saturday.

Green Bay Packers: Right tackle Bryan Bulaga has a sprained knee cap and isn't likely to play Sunday night against the Bears, coach Mike McCarthy told reporters. Rookie offensive lineman Derek Sherrod has already undergone surgery on his broken leg. McCarthy indicated the Packers will practice this week with T.J. Lang at right guard and Evan Dietrich-Smith at left guard, but he also said that veteran left tackle Chad Clifton is expected to return to individual drills Wednesday.

Minnesota Vikings: Two players are being monitored after suffering concussions Sunday: Left guard Steve Hutchinson and cornerback Asher Allen. Meanwhile, tight end Visanthe Shiancoe told reporters that some of his teammates quit in Sunday's loss to the New Orleans Saints. "Not a lot though," Shiancoe said. "Like a very small handful of guys."

After the Chicago Bears' 38-14 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, here are three issues that merit further examination:

Kevin SeifertFollowing their loss against the Seahawks, the Bears take a seat in the examination room.
1. Generally, I'm not in favor of promoting untested players solely for the purpose of evaluation. There should be a justifiable reason for getting that player on the field. None of us have seen rookie quarterback Nathan Enderle in practice, or for that matter veteran Josh McCown. So we can't say that either player has demonstrated a capacity for better performance than current starter Caleb Hanie. On the other hand, prolonging failure based on the perceived lack of a better option isn't healthy, either. So after watching Hanie flail for a full four games, I think it would be reasonable to consider other options. And even though the Bears are still technically in the playoff race, it would be incredibly short-sighted to start McCown against the Green Bay Packers next Sunday night. McCown is the shortest of short-term backups. Hanie might have played himself off the 2012 roster, and Enderle's pedigree as a fifth-round draft choice suggests he should be in the mix for the No. 2 role. McCown is not, but he could always rescue Enderle if the rookie proves to be in over his head.
2. If you're an eternal optimist, you could use ESPN.com's Playoff Machine to find how the Bears could still make the playoffs. First, they would have to defeat both the Packers and Minnesota Vikings, on the road, without running back Matt Forte and receiver Johnny Knox and, probably, quarterback Jay Cutler. Then they would need the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions to lose their remaining games, and then hope to win some tiebreakers with the remaining field. The biggest obstacle would be finishing 2-0 themselves. They've lost four consecutive games in increasingly uncompetitive fashion and, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune points out, they've scored two offensive touchdowns in the past 188 minutes.
3. Lost in this four-game losing streak has been defensive end Julius Peppers' return to the double-digit sack club after a one-year absence. His sack/forced fumble in the end zone of Seahawks quarterback Tarvaris Jackson led to an Israel Idonije touchdown. Playing on a gimpy knee for much of the season, Peppers has 10 sacks, four pass knockdowns and three forced fumbles in 14 games. I have no idea how the voters will stack them for the Associated Press All-Pro team, but I would imagine Peppers is in the conversation for being one of the two defensive ends on the first team once again.

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

Hanie has been with the organization for four years under two offensive coordinators. Did the Bears miss that badly on their evaluation of him? Has he choked under the pressure? Or is it a combination thereof? I realize Hanie didn't have much regular-season experience when he took over for Cutler, and not all of his mistakes have solely been his fault. But can you see any measure of improvement from his first start to his fourth? Me either. Progress is a fair expectation for a player who has spent nearly four years on an NFL roster. Even some rookies would have pulled the ball down upon finding Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright closing in for a sack. Instead, Hanie inexplicably threw into the hands of defensive end Red Bryant for what turned out to be a touchdown. It's too bad, because Hanie is one of the nicest people in the Bears' locker room and someone who seemed to have received a career-changing break when Cutler was injured. Instead, it could be a career-ender.

Quarterback play in the NFC North has increasingly become a two-tiered affair, with the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions on the good side and the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings, uh, on the other side. Let's take a look at this weekend's action:

Aaron Rodgers
Week 15 passer rating: 80.1
Week 15 QBR: 44.5
Tell-tale number: Rodgers set a Packers record by throwing his 40th touchdown pass of the year, but his streak of throwing at least two per game ended at 13 consecutive games -- one short of setting an NFL record. Rodgers' QBR reflects four drops assigned to his receivers and also makes note of two first-down runs and a touchdown run. Still, finishing below 50 means that on the QBR scale Rodgers gave his team less than a 50-50 chance to win. Do you agree?

Matthew Stafford
Week 15 passer rating: 105.5
Week 15 QBR: 76.4
Tell-tale number: Stafford has now thrown at least four touchdown passes in five games of his young career. He is also 184 yards away from breaking the Lions' single-season record for yards in a season, set by Scott Mitchell in 1995 (4,338 yards).

Christian Ponder
Week 15 passer rating: 63.9
Week 15 QBR: 11.2
Tell-tale number: Whatever the opposite of downfield passing is what Ponder did Sunday. He averaged 3.87 yards per attempt against the New Orleans Saints. Yikes.

Caleb Hanie
Week 15 passer rating: 33.3
Week 15 QBR: 19.6
Tell-tale number: Three more interceptions gives Hanie nine in four starts. He has also been sacked 19 times in those games. He is one of four active NFL quarterbacks without a victory when making a minimum of four starts. Curtis Painter is 0-8, John Beck is 0-7 and Josh Johnson is 0-5. Usually teams don't give quarterbacks many opportunities beyond the four Hanie has received.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Wow. Week 15 brought us some serious drama and a bunch of twists and turns. Three of our teams remain in the playoff picture, while the fourth -- the Minnesota Vikings -- have regained position for the No. 2 overall position in the 2012 draft. (That's according to ESPN Stats & Information's rendering of each teams' strength of schedule.)

We're going to hear a lot this week about the Green Bay Packers' first defeat, the chances of the Detroit Lions clinching a playoff berth and the future of the Chicago Bears following an increasingly disturbing four-game losing streak. We might even discuss the holiday week that is nearly upon us. (Six shopping days left!)

But while I make my way back to NFC North blog headquarters, let's make the rounds of local coverage around the NFC North:

• It's time for the Bears to bench quarterback Caleb Hanie, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com agrees that Josh McCown should start Sunday night against the Packers.
• David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune: "I wonder if [Bears coach Lovie] Smith or anybody else at Halas Hall sees how much recent events have damaged civic confidence in the Bears."
• The Bears' defense has not been able to carry the team this month, writes Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com.
• Receiver Johnny Knox will undergo surgery Monday to stabilize a vertebra in his back, but his scary injury Sunday is not expected to threaten his career. Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times has more.
• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette on the Packers' first loss of the season: "No one should be ashamed of their 13-1 record, and they remain on the brink of clinching home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. But what the Packers can't afford to do is continue playing like they did against the Chiefs and expect to advance very far in the postseason."
• Tom Oates of the Wisconsin State Journal: "But while there was no reason to mourn the passing of an undefeated season, there was something disquieting about the Packers being dominated by a down-and-out Chiefs team playing for a new coach (Romeo Crennel) and with a new quarterback (Kyle Orton). It was cause for alarm because the Chiefs exposed the Packers in ways no other team has. Not only did they show the rest of the NFL that the Packers can be beaten, they were kind enough to provide a blueprint for getting it done."
• The Packers' injury list is growing, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on the offense's role in the loss: "They had a good plan and we didn't execute. They got to me and executed with the four-man rush. We didn't throw it well, we didn't catch it well and we didn't play well." Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has more.
• Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News after the Lions' wild comeback victory over the Oakland Raiders: "This confirmed how quickly the Lions can travel from one end to another, and the precise way to do it. The path to the end zone goes from Matthew Stafford to Calvin Johnson, right down the field, right through the heart of the Raiders defense, right to the brink of the playoffs."
• Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press on Johnson's 214-yard game: "This was a performance for the ages, the kind that should shut up Johnson's three remaining doubters, two of whom just moved to a cave in South America."
• Lions safety Louis Delmas had arthroscopic knee surgery Saturday and missed his third consecutive game, notes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. Lions cornerback Chris Houston returned from a knee injury but was obviously limited.
• Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh made another unsolicited apology for his two-game suspension and confirmed he apologized via phone to Packers guard Evan Dietrich-Smith for kicking him on Thanksgiving Day. The Detroit Free Press has more.
• Don't forget about a key 5-yard scramble Stafford made for a first down late in the fourth quarter, notes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press on the Vikings' one-sided loss to the New Orleans Saints, who outgained them 573-207: " On Sunday, the Vikings were manhandled so badly by the half-interested New Orleans Saints that Dec. 18 may go down in history as the day that hope died."
• Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, via Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com: "At some point, you just have to say, 'What the heck? We're 2-12, what do we have to lose? Try to make every play.' A lot of people are probably going to get fired at this point anyways. What are you going to lose? Go out, make plays and try to put your best effort out there and win games."
• Quarterback Christian Ponder received a healthy dose of booing Sunday, according to Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Dan Wiedrer of the Star Tribune uses these words to describe the loss: "Pitiful. Sickening. Bloodbath. Comical. Ridiculous. Predictable. Lethargic. Lousy. Typical."