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GREEN BAY, Wis. -- I'll soon be headed out to the Green Bay Packers' second practice of the summer. It starts at 8 p.m. ET and I'll have a few thoughts sometime before midnight. But first, let's hit some important tidbits from the Minnesota Vikings' reporting day at Minnesota State University, Mankato:

(Information via video of coach Leslie Frazier's news conference.)

• Until quarterback Donovan McNabb is eligible to practice Aug. 4, Joe Webb will work with the first team. Frazier said he wanted to go with the player who has "the most experience."
• The Vikings will open camp with two Hendersons working with the first-team defense. E.J. Henderson will resume his role as the middle linebacker, while his younger brother Erin Henderson will be working on the outside. Frazier said he wants Erin Henderson to replace free agent Ben Leber, whom the Vikings have not re-signed.
• Cornerback Cedric Griffin (knee) and right guard Anthony Herrera (knee) won't be ready to start camp, Frazier said.

Last weekend, I suggested locking up leaders from the NFL and NFL Players Association in the Phantom Zone until they reached a new collective bargaining agreement. C.J. of Milwaukee took me up on a request for better ideas. Check it out, and then follow me to Google to find out what "Room 101" is.

How about putting them both in Room 101 (the torture room) from George Orwell's 1984? If you recall, in that room everyone is forced to face their worst fear -- for Winston Smith in the novel, it was having a cage affixed to his face with hungry rats who'd eat his face if he didn't confess.

"For [NFL commissioner] Roger Goodell, it would be having a judge rule the NFL has lost its anti-trust exemption, the players being given unlimited free agency, TV contract money being split 80/20, with the 80 going to the players, and owners being forced to pay back their communities for the stadiums bought and built for them.

"For [NFLPA executive director] DeMaurice Smith, it would be a judge ruling that the players are indentured servants, with no free agency until 8 years have passed, the TV money going 80/20 to the owners, an end to signing bonuses, and players have to clean up the stadiums after games.

"These tortures would go on simultaneously, with the judge sitting in a cage affixed to Goodell's and Smith's face. The judges would be Gilbert Gotfried (for Smith) and Larry the Cable Guy (for Goodell)."

Sounds good to me.

What would your Room 101 be?

And don't say you know mine.

It is NOT an NFL season without Brett Favre.

Really, it's not.

No chance.

I'm always lurking in the mailbag, on Twitter and Facebook.

Onward...

Jordan of Madison noted ESPN.com's ranking of the NFL's top 10 defensive players and writes: I think the people who didn't rank Ndamukong Suh from the Detroit Lions in the top ten defenders couldn't have seen him play. When the season's over, where do you think he'll end up ranked? I'm a hardcore Packers fan and even I think he'll be in contention for DPOY.

Kevin Seifert: Thanks for the question, Jordan. It was my turn this week to write the global Power Rankings post, so I didn't get a chance to address the NFC North angle as much as I would have liked.

Suh appeared on five of the eight ballots, including mine, and finished No. 11 overall and only two points out of the top 10. I thought Suh deserved to be on the list after seeing him play this season. But even if you didn't see him play, you should remember he was one of two first-team All-Pros at his position in the entire league.

I was able to get Suh comfortably on my list because I made a point of valuing pass rushers over pass defenders. For that reason, cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha and Charles Woodson didn't make my cut, nor did safety Ed Reed. Based on this value system, at least, I can't think of a better alternative than an interior disruptor like Suh who has the skills to finish off plays and end a season with 10-plus sacks.

I imagine the only hesitation among my fellow voters was that Suh has only one year's experience. There is no reason to think his performance will fall off, but some people like to see elite-level production for more than one year. Regardless, I doubt we're having this conversation next year. Suh's skills, and the continuing growth of the Lions' defensive line, makes that a pretty safe bet.

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Dave of Minneapolis writes: What is your take on Mayor Coleman's stadium plan? I understand it is not liked by anybody really except St. Paul, but I think it addresses the needs of all of the current stadium issues in the Twin Cities. It seems like the most sensible approach (he sure did put St. Paul in front of everybody else though). The St. Paul Saints need a new facility the most.

Kevin Seifert: It might make sense in theory, but the reality is it's merely political cover and not something that would ever be accepted in the territorial political system of Minnesota. That's why I didn't write much on it this week.

It's true. St. Paul residents would be on the hook for a disproportionate amount of the tax increase that would help pay for the Minnesota Vikings' new stadium. But they would get no direct benefit, considering the stadium would be located 10 miles away in suburban Arden Hills. Coleman figures to face some backlash on that issue, so he had to come up with some kind of response that would demonstrate he was looking out for his constituents.

And to me, that's the main thrust of Coleman's proposal. It shifts the tax burden off St. Paul for the Vikings stadium, instead calling for a state-wide two-cent booze tax. Connecting alcohol and football is funny and perhaps darkly appropriate, but it's totally random from a political sense. Why should someone having a glass of wine be singled out to pay for a football stadium?

More good news if you live in St. Paul: It would create an entertainment monopoly for St. Paul's Xcel Center by shuttering Minneapolis' Target Center. It would also squeeze $27 million money to build a new baseball stadium for the independent St. Paul Saints.

So yes, ending the competition between the Target Center and Xcel Center makes some sense. And there's nothing wrong with building a small baseball stadium for the Saints. But Coleman has to know there is no reality inherent in this proposal.

The biggest problem of the Minneapolis-St. Paul sports market is that it has been developed with total disregard for the big picture and global vision. Coleman's plan is no less territorial, even if it is disguised as a global vision. Similar proposals help explain why the Twin Cities market, which includes the University of Minnesota, has two football stadiums, five basketball/hockey arenas and two outdoor ballparks for baseball. Enough already.

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Eric of Minneapolis writes: Has the NFLPA (or leaders of the former NFLPA) told the players to shut up yet? Between Adrian Peterson's "slavery" comments and Ray Lewis' crime spree suggestions, the players are looking like idiots. Granted, they do this a lot, but when they speak to the lockout like this, they rarely help their cause.

Kevin Seifert: I'm pretty sure owners weaved the anticipation of such statements into their lockout strategy. Whenever you have people speaking out of their expertise, which is what football players talking about social issues qualifies as, you're bound to see some outlandish rhetoric revealed.

But I will say I haven't noticed much lasting impact from these incidents. The public isn't turning on players because a few of them have spoken out. Players don't appear to be splintering because a few of them have said embarrassing things. The real focus is on whether the players can stay unified in the face of lost game checks. If players start speaking out on that issue, then they've got trouble.

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Via Twitter, @tonymission notes our recent Have at It discussion and wonders why I didn't account for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in a debate about which receiver, the Packers' Randall Cobb or the Detroit Lions' Titus Young, would have a more productive rookie season: The Lions aren't exactly an offensive juggernaut. playing W/#12 cant hurt

Kevin Seifert: Limited by 140 characters, my initial response was that there is still only one ball. Whether the Packers are quarterbacked by Rodgers or backup Matt Flynn, Cobb will still be competing with Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson, Jermichael Finley and perhaps James Jones for opportunities.

And you might not realize it, but the Lions actually threw 92 more passes than the Packers last season. Typically you throw more when you're losing, but the Lions definitely have a pass-first offense.

There's no doubt the quality of a quarterback impacts the production of a receiver, but the Lions are more proficient and ambitious than you're suggesting.

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Earlier this week, we discussed the Chicago Bears as a possible landing spot for soon-to-be-freed receiver Plaxico Burress. In a comment, stan994 wrote: "Though the Bears could use someone of such size to help out their receiving corps, it will never happen. The Bears ownership does not like off-field incidents and Burress has too much of that. They got rid of Tank Johnson due to off-field reasons. They got rid of Cedric Benson for off-field reasons. It is very clear that ownership will not tolerate certain behavior and Burress certainly has crossed those lines."

Kevin Seifert: There are perhaps a half-dozen reasons why Burress to the Bears seems unlikely, and this is one of them. Another is the Bears' seemingly cemented philosophy of avoiding big-name receivers after the failure of free agent acquisition Muhsin Muhammad and the departure of Bernard Berrian.

I'm quite sure the Bears will be tossed into in the public discussion next week when Burress is released. But I agree with stan994. It's hard to envision a scenario where it happens.

We've had some early evening developments that merit a mention before morning:

• Minnesota re-signed cornerback Benny Sapp, its primary nickel back last season who also started seven games for in place of an injured Antoine Winfield. Sapp could figure as an Opening Day starter in 2010 if cornerback Cedric Griffin (torn anterior cruciate ligament) is not fully recovered. Sapp signed a two-year contract worth $4.2 million, according to Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune.
• Chicago released running back Kevin Jones, a predictable outcome after the signing of free agent tailback Chester Taylor. Jones missed all of last season because of torn ankle ligaments.
• I hesitate to post this bit of information, for fear of Packer Nation reaction. But here goes: Green Bay signed free agent receiver Charles Dillon, who spent time in Indianapolis' 2008 training camp. Dillon played last year for Spokane of af2. (That's arena football for the uninitiated.)

We’re all about communication here on the NFC North blog, even if it’s sometimes one-way. You can get at me through the mailbag link, on Facebook or via Twitter.

Let’s see what was on your mind this week:

Gary of Goshen, Ind., writes: Is there really a chance that the Lions might trade Calvin Johnson? If it is true, wouldn't this be detrimental to their offense and the development of Matthew Stafford? Especially since Stafford and Johnson seemed to be making progress when they were healthy. This just seems like a move that would cause the Lions fans to have even less faith in the organization.

Kevin Seifert: As best as I can tell, this whole discussion began last week via Drew Sharp’s column in the Detroit Free Press. As a columnist, Sharp was doing his job by offering an opinion. Beyond that, however, there is no evidence the Lions would actually consider it.

Personally, I can only think of one reason to trade Johnson: To secure an overwhelming and unprecedented bounty that would dramatically accelerate the Lions’ rebuilding process. I’m talking about three first-round picks and other considerations. Otherwise, there’s every reason to think the Lions should build around Johnson rather than cash him in.

He’s only 24 years old. If Johnson were a running back, you might be concerned that he would start declining by the time the Lions get their act together. But a receiver can be successful well into his 30’s. And let’s be clear. Johnson isn’t just a good receiver. He’s one of the most unique athletes in the game, one capable of making extraordinary plays well into the next decade.

I agree with you, Gary, on the Stafford angle. If you draft a rookie quarterback to play right away, you’re committed to continue building around him. That can’t include trading the one teammate who can consistently beat defenders. Even if a trade eventually brought more talent around Stafford, the interim could be devastating.

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Kevin of Olathe, Kan., writes: The Vikings have not allowed a 100 yard rusher in 35 odd games. What is the NFL record in that department?

Kevin Seifert: Actually, the streak has now reached 36 games after Cincinnati's Cedric Benson fell four yards short Sunday at the Metrodome. Vikings media maven Jeff Anderson checked on this question with the Elias Sports Bureau, the official record-keeper of the NFL. According to Elias, numerous teams went more than 60 games without giving up a 100-yard rusher during previous eras when 100 yards was a much less common accomplishment. So we’re a long way away from challenging history.

By the way, the last player to run for 100 against the Vikings? Green Bay’s Ryan Grant, who managed 102 yards on Nov. 11, 2007. Don’t say I never told you anything.

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Billy of LaCrosse, Wis., writes: The situation exists that two Week 17 games this year could be repeated the following week in the wildcard round of the playoffs. One such instance is Green Bay and Arizona. The way I see it, if both are in already, which they likely will be, and slated to face each other, and the result would make exactly zero difference as to home field advantage, wouldn't it be beneficial for both teams for either one to forfeit, or agree to tie?

Kevin Seifert: Well, they wouldn’t have that option. The NFL would require them to play the game to a final outcome. But I do think the scenario presents a number of interesting questions. Among them:

How much would each team play its regulars?

How do you game-plan for the first of a two-game series? Keep everything vanilla? Or do you throw a bunch of curveballs to give your opponent something to think about the following week?

If you’re the Packers, do you stay in Arizona to practice for the week? Or do you make the round-trip twice in as little as six days, depending on the postseason schedule?

As a Midwest-based blogger, I would vote for a December week in Arizona. But that’s just me.

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Pat of Des Moines writes: Let's face it, Lovie Smith is not cutting it for Chicago. I can't go on seeing him ruin my Bears. Is there any chance that he will actually get fired, and if so, will we see Mike Shanahan's name come up as a replacement given his previous experience with … Jay Cutler.

Kevin Seifert: A few weeks ago, I felt pretty confident Smith’s job was safe because the Bears would not want to pay the $11 million or so it would take to terminate his contract. Now, I wonder if the Bears will have a choice.

They’ve lost seven of their past nine games, their only victories coming against Cleveland and St. Louis in that stretch. The Bears defense has fallen to further depth despite Smith’s decision to take over as the de facto defensive coordinator. Who else is there left to blame?

As for Shanahan, Washington might have beat the Bears to the punch.

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Brandon of Calgary writes: Hey Kevin, just wanted to point out a couple things you may want to mention in your blog. 1) Aaron Rodgers now has a winning record as a starter (15-14). 2) Mark Tauscher shut down Adewale Ogunleye (one tackle) after Ogunleye called him out of shape last week.

Kevin Seifert: Thanks Brandon! I will say Tauscher probably still is out of football shape, and understandably so. That makes Ogunleye’s quiet game Sunday even more suspect.

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Dave of Eau Claire, Wis., writes: I was under the impression that there were four teams in the NFC North, not one. Apparently three of them got sucked into the 11th dimension today and are considered lost?

Kevin Seifert: I made a silent vow to avoid the Minnesota homer topic, but every Sunday I get 10-15 mailbag notes asking why I’m only focusing on one team. It’s very simple: I can only be at one game at a time. I don’t see much value in blogging expansively on a game I haven’t seen.

My approach has always been to provide the best coverage I can from the game I attend. Eventually, I will follow up on the other games to give those fans a place to gather and discuss. And we always circle back on every team in Monday’s Third and one feature. If anyone has any other suggestions, I’m all ears.

Matthew Stafford's 54-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson, off a well-conceived double play-action call, was a thing of beauty. Unfortunately for Detroit, there were few opportunities to revisit that play Sunday afternoon.

Cincinnati’s offense didn’t run up a high score and didn’t really light up the Lions' pass defense. But the Bengals controlled the ball throughout the game, holding it for 38:48, and ran 25 more plays than the Lions. Receiver Chad Ochocinco did total 137 receiving yards, but it was Cedric Benson's 111-yard performance that kept the Lions' offense on the sideline.

The Lions fell to 2-10 and are in the rough stretch of their schedule. They’ll play three of four games away from Ford Field, including next week at Baltimore, and in two weeks at San Francisco. Based on that schedule, coach Jim Schwartz’s team will have its work cut out to finish 2009 strong.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert

Holay-molay.

(Not sure what that means but I like how it sounds.)

I don’t think you can get embarrassed more thoroughly than what happened Sunday in Cincinnati. Chicago fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter, 31-0 in the second quarter and both teams had emptied their bench by the start of the fourth quarter. Adding to the insult was the career day of Bengals tailback Cedric Benson, who rushed for 189 yards on 37 carries against his former team.

I’m not sure what to be more alarmed about. Should it be the rare collapse of the Bears’ run defense? The total subversion of their own pass defense, which gave up five touchdown passes? Or another unsettling performance from quarterback Jay Cutler, who threw three interceptions and again had trouble containing his emotions on the field.

(Throwing your hands in the air after an interception, as Cutler did on the ball that sailed over tight end Greg Olsen’s head, suggests you think the receiver didn’t run that right route. Poor form.)

There’s no doubting the Bengals are a fierce team this year, but to get blown out with such force suggests some serious problems for the Bears. You can look forward to a week of discussion about whether the Bears’ offseason coaching overhaul, culminating in coach Lovie Smith’s shift to defensive play-caller, should be considered a failure.

You could point out that last season the Bears worked themselves back into playoff contention after absorbing a 37-3 drubbing in Week 11 at Green Bay. But that was so last year.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert

Benson

The career turnaround of Cincinnati tailback Cedric Benson is a central storyline entering Sunday’s game against Chicago, and for good reason. Benson, the Bears’ No. 1 draft pick in 2005, has rushed for 1,278 yards in 18 games since the Bengals signed him last season.

That’s not much less than the 1,593 yards he produced in three injury-plagued and controversial years with the Bears. In an interview with ESPN the Magazine’s David Fleming, Benson describes how his career -- and his life -- back on track:

"I'm not so much a changed person as I am a better person. And I'm not so much of a changed runner as I am a better runner. It's a little bit of everything. I've taken a new, different, better approach to every aspect of my life and career: my dieting, the way I dress, the way I rest, the way I deal with other people, the way I carry myself, the way I am at work, the way I carry myself on the field and definitely how I am on Sundays. It's all a positive thing now. That was the biggest change. It's all gonna be positive. That's what I decided. If people aren't positive, I'm not gonna be around them. If the situation isn't positive, then I'm gonna see if I can change it or just move on from it.”

For more perspective on Benson’s new comfort level in Cincinnati, make sure you read this column from Melissa Isaacson of ESPN Chicago.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert

What’s going on with Green Bay linebacker A.J. Hawk? That’s the question asked Thursday by Greg A. Bedard of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

Hawk is technically a starter but isn’t involved in most of the Packers’ sub defensive packages. Brandon Chillar and Nick Barnett have been the inside linebackers on passing downs. As a result, Bedard writes, Hawk has played only 31 of a possible 125 snaps the past two games.

Hawk hasn’t said anything publicly to suggest he’s upset, but Bedard notes he sprinted off the field after Sunday’s game against Detroit at Lambeau Field and hasn’t been available for media interviews this week.

The bottom line is that the No. 5 overall pick of the 2006 draft has become a role player. Here’s how coach Mike McCarthy put it, in part: “You go through a process where you try to acquire good football players, and then if you get more than 11 then you have another set of problems.”

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Jason Wilde of ESPN Milwaukee checks in with Cleveland tackle Joe Thomas, a former Wisconsin star.
• Chicago coach Lovie Smith was vague when discussing his likely lineup at linebacker for Sunday’s game at Cincinnati, notes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune on quarterback Jay Cutler’s contract extension: “Besides a $6 ride on the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier or a $2.85 cheeseburger at Billy Goat Tavern, is there a better bargain in Chicago than Cutler? This was a rare negotiating game where both sides won, but nobody more than Bears fans.”
• Vaughn McClure of the Tribune examines the ridiculous blackball claims from former Bears tailback Cedric Benson.
• Minnesota’s defensive line likes the fact that Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger holds the ball in the pocket, according to this blog entry in the Star Tribune.
• In case you missed it, the Vikings released quarterback John David Booty from their practice squad. Again. Rick Alonzo of the St. Paul Pioneer Press has the story.
• George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press checks in on plans for Lions players during the bye weekend.

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

Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert

Taking a look at Chicago’s tailback as part of a larger ESPN.com project:

	AP Photo/Dave Martin
	Matt Forte's numbers have dropped significantly from his rookie season.

A half-yard per carry. About 19 yards per game. That’s the production dropoff that has taken Matt Forte from NFC North blue-chipper to the division’s biggest disappointment in 2009.

Through five games this season, Forte is averaging 3.4 yards per carry and about 58 yards per game. As one of the NFL’s top rookies last season, he averaged 3.9 yards and almost 78 yards per game. Those numbers might not sound significant, but it’s been alarming for a team that has few personnel options at the position.

Considering that almost 40 percent of his season total came in one game against 1-5 Detroit, Forte in essence has been in a season-long slump. It’s too early to know where this will take us, but there seem to be three options:

1. The Bears have matched up against an exceptional collection of run defenses.
2. Chicago’s offensive line is playing worse than imagined.
3. Forte is simply an average back.

The final explanation is most frightening for the Bears, who lost backup Kevin Jones during the preseason and have never seemed to trust the diminutive Garrett Wolfe. From the moment he was drafted last season, Forte was named the heir to the Cedric Benson/Thomas Jones duo. The Bears haven’t hedged that bet, and so their 2009 fortunes are tied to Forte.

Regardless of the reason the Bears are not getting nearly the production they need from one of their key offensive players. (Note: An earlier version of this post contained an inaccurate number for Forte's receptions this season. He has caught 18 passes.)

Matt Forte game-by-game, 2009 Date Opponent Carries Yards Avg. TD Sept. 26 Green Bay 25 55 2.2 0 Oct. 5 Pittsburgh 13 29 2.2 0 Oct. 10 Seattle 21 66 3.1 0 Sept. 13 Detroit 12 121 10.1 1 Sept. 19 Atlanta 15 23 1.5 0 TOTALS -- 86 294 3.4 1

Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert

We spent plenty of time last week discussing the issue of how long Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers holds the ball. So before putting a ribbon on that story and shipping it out, let’s give Rodgers a chance to provide his own assessment.

As reported by Greg A. Bedard of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Rodgers doesn’t feel his timing has been a detriment on the way to 20 sacks this season. Here’s what he said Wednesday:

"I did hold the ball probably a couple times too long. But I'm playing quarterback the way that I know how to play quarterback instinctually, trusting my feet, trusting my time clock and that's going to happen at some point. I'm going to hold the ball too long, maybe feeling like I'm not under pressure, not seeing the pressure. But I'm not going to change."

Indeed, Rodgers said he threw too quickly during the Packers’ game at Minnesota last season and was doubly determined to go through his progressions Oct. 5 at the Metrodome. Eight sacks later, he has no regrets.

Rodgers: “We need to all do our jobs, myself included, and I'm going to do better and get the ball out of my hands as quickly as I can. But we need to protect a little better as well."

My informed speculation hasn’t changed: Everything always starts up front. If Rodgers were getting better protection, none of this would be an issue. Usually quarterbacks are praised for giving receivers as long as possible to break open.

When you get pasted repeatedly early in a season, it’s going to affect your rhythm and time clock. Rodgers gets sacked too much, but in my opinion it’s difficult to assign him more than tangential responsibility.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Jason Wilde of ESPN Milwaukee breaks down an interesting week on Twitter for Packers tight end Jermichael Finley.
• It appears the Packers will get back safety Atari Bigby (knee) this week, writes Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune is amused by all the talk in Chicago about receiver Terrell Owens, quarterback Kyle Orton and tailback Cedric Benson: “Reality check: Heading into a pivotal road game that may require five touchdowns to win, the Bears offense is better equipped with the players they have than the ones they don't who generated more discussion this week.”
• The Bears are going to have to account for Falcons defensive end John Abraham in Sunday night’s game, writes Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago.
• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Sun-Times looks at the chemistry between quarterback Jay Cutler and tight end Greg Olsen.
• The Lions continue benching starting players mid-game, writes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com. The latest victim was cornerback Anthony Henry.
• There will be a huge void if Lions receiver Calvin Johnson can’t play Sunday at Green Bay, notes Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News.
• Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford said he could feel his dislocated kneecap “a bit” during Wednesday’s practice, writes Nicholas J. Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press.
• This is about the most you’ll get from Minnesota nose tackle Pat Williams on a center. Asked about former Vikings center Matt Birk, who now plays for Baltimore, Williams said: “He’s all right.” Mark Craig of the Star Tribune has the story.
• Sean Jensen of the St. Paul Pioneer Press looks at the odd hours Brett Favre watches film at the team’s practice facility.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert

In his own way Monday, Green Bay receiver Greg Jennings made clear he could be helping the Packers more than he has to this point in the season.

Jennings’ 11 receptions is the lowest four-game total of his career, and while speaking to Wisconsin reporters, he did his best to toe the line between honesty and team-first mentality. Here’s part of what he said, according to Greg A. Bedard of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

"I feel like that when I get the ball in my hands, good things happen. Period. I mean, it's not an arrogant statement. It's not an 'I better get the ball' type deal. It's fact. And we always talk about being a real team, and what are the facts? Those are the facts. When we get the ball in our hands, we make plays."

Jennings went out of his way to avoid blaming quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He noted the Packers have 14 drops this season, including 10 from wide receivers, and also pointed out the 20 sacks Rodgers has taken. But he had an interesting suggestion for the Packers coaching staff if the offensive line’s woes can’t be corrected:

“If it is we can't protect, if that is the case, then let's take some of the stress off the offensive line. Period. Or off the protection. That's typically how it works. Will we do that? I don't know. If it's raining, I'm going to pull out an umbrella if I have one. If I don't have one, then I'm just going to get wet. If I have an option to make a correction, to make an adjustment, then why not make the adjustment?"

To me, that’s a stronger statement than a receiver saying he wants the ball. And I agree totally with the sentiment. The Packers can’t sit by much longer and wait to see if their offensive linemen can individually improve their pass protection skills in a regular-season setting. Schematic changes must be an option.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• It appeared that left tackle Chad Clifton (ankle) practiced Monday, but it’s not clear if he’s ready to return to the starting lineup after a two-game absence. More details in the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Meanwhile, Bedard reports that rookie T.J. Lang -- and not Daryn Colledge -- would start at left tackle Sunday against Detroit if Clifton can't play.
• My AFC West colleague Bill Williamson reports the Packers will work out former Denver running back Ryan Torain on Tuesday. Torain's once-promising career in Denver was curtailed by knee injuries.
• Chicago linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee) does appear ready to return to the starting lineup, notes Bob LeGere of the Daily Herald.
• Bears players and coaches are congratulating the development of their former tailback, Cedric Benson, who is thriving in Cincinnati. Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune has details.
• Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press: “The bottom line in this city is he won't get many [wins]. [Coach Jim] Schwartz is saying all the right things. He seems to be doing a good job. But Schwartz has one of the least talented rosters in the NFL, and there is only so much he can do about it.”
• The Lions have a long way to go in their defensive secondary, writes John Niyo of the Detroit News. Opposing quarterbacks are completing 73.3 percent of their passes.
• One injury I failed to point out Monday: The Lions have lost cornerback Eric King for the season due to a shoulder injury. Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com has details.
• Rick Alonzo of the St. Paul Pioneer Press looks at Minnesota’s next three opponents: Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Green Bay.
• On a radio show last week, Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre said he didn’t know whether he would play next season. Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune has a transcript.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert

An interesting bit of NFC North symmetry here: Former Chicago tailback Cedric Benson rushed for 127 yards Sunday in Cincinnati’s 17-14 win at Baltimore. Benson’s prolific day snapped the Ravens’ NFL-best 39-game streak without allowing a 100-yard rusher.

The Ravens play Sunday at the Metrodome, where Minnesota has now taken over with the league’s longest such streak. The Vikings have now gone 28 games without giving up a 100-yard rusher. Green Bay’s Ryan Grant was the last player to run for 100 yards against them, accomplishing the feat with 119 yards on Nov. 11, 2007.

Pittsburgh moves up to second place on the list. The Steelers, who host the Vikings in two weeks, have gone 22 games without allowing a 100-yard rusher.

For those interested, Elias Sports Bureau produced this list of the longest such streaks since 1990:

Consecutive Games Without Allowing A 100-Yard Rusher Games Teams Years 46 Baltimore Ravens 1998-2001 39 Baltimore Ravens 2006-2009 39 Philadelphia Eagles 1990-1992 34 San Diego Chargers 1993-1995 30 Pittsburgh Steelers 2005-2007

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Those of you with ESPN Insider subscriptions can view this comprehensive Football Outsiders analysis of the NFC North's salary cap situations.

Individual cap numbers have grown less significant to the general public in recent years as the salary cap ceiling has grown exponentially. Most NFL teams can fit every player they want under their cap limit. Some have resorted to artificially inflating cap numbers to consume excess space, a polar reversal from the frenzied cap years of the late 1990's -- when teams were forced to release players or renegotiate their contracts in order to make the cap work.

With all that said, I thought I'd give you a snippet of FO's analysis. You might have heard of the term "dead money." It refers to the amount of cap space devoted to players who no longer are on the roster. Some degree is unavoidable, as teams release players all the time when they are in the midst of multi-year contracts. The player no longer receives the cash, but by NFL rule he still counts partially against the team's cap allotment.

Careful planning and reasonable contracts can limit dead money, leaving more cap space to use for players who are on the roster. Below, you'll see the player on each NFC North team that consumes the most amount of "dead money." This year, Minnesota has done the best job of limiting its excesses. Here you go:

Chicago Bears

Tailback Cedric Benson ($2.509 million)

Detroit Lions

Defensive tackle Cory Redding ($7.333 million)

Green Bay Packers

Defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila ($1.571 million)

Minnesota Vikings

Tailback Maurice Hicks ($300,000)

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

It didn't take long for some of you to dig up the answer to Wednesday's trivia question, which asked you to name the four players from the 2005 draft who still remain on their original NFC North roster.

In fact, bmhess06 posted the correct answer exactly 12 minutes after we hit the "publish" button:

1. Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers (1st round, No. 24 overall)
2. Green Bay safety Nick Collins (2nd round, No. 51 overall)
3. Chicago quarterback Kyle Orton (4th round, No. 106 overall)
4. Green Bay linebacker Brady Poppinga (4th round, No. 125 overall)

The other 26 players have either moved on or are free agents. (For you math majors, that translates to a 13 percent success rate.) The failure list includes a stunning four first-round picks and an eight of the first 58 players taken in the draft. The first-round picks:

• Chicago running back Cedric Benson (No. 4 overall)
  
• Minnesota receiver Troy Williamson (No. 7 overall)
  
• Detroit receiver Mike Williams (No. 10 overall)
  
• Minnesota defensive end Erasmus James (No. 18 overall)

Black and Blue teams weren't the only ones who swung and missed in the 2005 draft. San Francisco hasn't gotten much out of the No. 1 overall pick, Alex Smith. Tennessee slightly misjudged the character of cornerback Pacman Jones.

But when you consider the state of play last season in the NFC North -- its .390 winning percentage was the third-lowest among all divisions -- you have to attribute at least part of it to the 2005 draft.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Interesting move today in Bearsland. Chicago released receiver Mark Bradley, a former second-round draft pick who at one point seemed to have the inside track on a starting position, and claimed cornerback Marcus Hamilton on waivers from Tampa Bay.

Hamilton made his NFL debut against the Bears last Sunday at Soldier Field, finishing with two defensed passes. The Buccaneers waived him Monday, probably hoping they could sneak him onto their practice squad.

Bradley's career was never the same after he tore an ACL during his rookie year in 2005. Some hoped he could replace Bernard Berrian in the starting lineup this season, but he had a quiet training camp and was only on the field for one snap in three games, according to the Chicago Sun-Times' weekly playing time analysis.

Quarterback Kyle Orton is now the only remaining member of the Bears' 2005 draft class. Running back Cedric Benson was their top pick, and Bradley was second.