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It's been a relatively quiet Saturday here in the NFC North, which is not unexpected given the Tuesday start to the NFL's player acquisition period. But this gives us a chance to catch up on some divisional odds and ends in quick-hitting fashion, of course.

Item: The Minnesota Vikings' stadium bill will need a special legislative exemption to proceed after missing a Friday deadline to be approved by at least one committee.
Comment: Such exemptions aren't unusual, but for the moment the bill is stalled and is not supported from the most powerful state legislator, House Speaker Kurt Zellers. State leaders hope to adjourn the 2012 session next month.

Item: The Chicago Bears have re-signed safety Craig Steltz to a two-year contract worth $1.64 million.
Comment: You never know what could happen with the Bears' always-changing safety position, but for now we have to assume that Steltz projects as a backup and special-teams player. Coach Lovie Smith's current favorite safeties are Major Wright and Chris Conte.

Item: The Washington Redskins have signed two former NFC North defensive backs, cornerback Cedric Griffin and safety Brandon Meriweather.
Comment: It's fair to say that both players had down years in 2011. Or, as Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel put it in this epic tweet: "Hard to find 2 more ineffective, near-worthless players in NFC-N than CB C. Griffin and S B. Meriweather. #Redskins signed them both. Wow."

Item: Former Green Bay Packers center Scott Wells' new contract with the St. Louis Rams is worth $24 million over four years, with $13 million guaranteed, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Comment: That's not a bad haul for a 31-year-old center. We don't know what the Packers were offering, but I don't think Wells gave them a chance to match.

Item: Multiple media outlets report that the Detroit Lions could get visits from free-agent offensive lineman Eric Winston and safety LaRon Landry.
Comment: Winston has been visiting with the Kansas City Chiefs, and he wouldn't go to the Lions unless a deal with the Chiefs doesn't materialize. Landry has had injury problems but might be a classic case of needing a change of scenery.

The Minnesota Vikings' roster moves Saturday were more symbolic than they were surprising.

It has been clear for some time that cornerback Cedric Griffin would not return in 2012, and the recent injury history of guards Steve Hutchinson and Anthony Herrera made now a logical time to part ways with them as well. The trio were three of the team's longest-tenured players, with a combined 19 years spent in some fashion with the organization, and their departures mark the start of what is expected to be a major roster overhaul under new general manager Rick Spielman.

A few thoughts:

• The departures clear more than $10 million in salary cap space, giving the Vikings a little more than a $20 million surplus this offseason. That's enough for them to be a significant player in the free-agent market if they choose to.
• Unless there have been contract talks that have gone unreported, another longtime veteran could follow these players out the door. Middle linebacker E.J. Henderson is a pending free agent and dealt with a balky knee for much of last season.
• Releasing both starting guards is a strong indication that the Vikings will draft USC left tackle Matt Kalil at No. 3 overall and move former left tackle Charlie Johnson to one of the guard spots. I would consider the other starting guard spot fluid at this point.
• Hutchinson made it through six years of the landmark seven-year contract he signed prior to the 2006 season. The Vikings made him the highest-paid guard in NFL history, believing he was a unique player for the position and one they could build the rest of a championship line around. Indeed, Hutchinson was named an All-Pro in the first four of those seasons before injuries slowed him down. He probably would have been good for another year, and perhaps he'll play elsewhere in 2012, but the Vikings deemed his $7 million cap hit too high for a rebuilding scenario.
• We discussed Hutchinson's candidacy for the Pro Football Hall of Fame last summer. He is a seven-time All-Pro, was a member of the NFL's all-decade team of the 2000s and was one of the best players at his position during this generation.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

A day after former New Orleans Saints defensive linemen Anthony Hargrove denied he was motivated by a bounty in the 2009 NFC Championship Game, a former Green Bay Packers linebacker has spoken out strongly against the idea of bounties as well.

Brady Poppinga, who spent last season with the St. Louis Rams, told Alex Marvez of FoxSports.com that the story has painted too many players with a broad brush.

Poppinga: "I just can't sit there and be silent. I look at this as an opportunity to share with the public that we, as football players, are not barbaric and out to try and destroy everything in our path. Football is my profession and I take it seriously. It's an art form. It's technical, strategic and takes a lot of intelligence to play. When this came out, it started to confirm the idea that football guys are idiots. That's not who we are. Ninety-five percent of the guys are very intelligent. It's just guys who love to go out and play a physical game."

The Rams' defensive coordinator, of course, is now Gregg Williams -- the same man accused of organizing the Saints' bounty system. I'm guessing Poppinga won't be playing for Williams in 2012, and I'm guessing he would be fine with that.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel doesn't think Packers general manager Ted Thompson will be active in free agency.
• Three people testified Thursday that the girlfriend of Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chris Cook complained that he strangled her during a domestic incident in October. The woman has since recanted her story, according to David Hanners of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Legislation for the Vikings' stadium proposal has been written, according to Mike Kaszuba of the Star Tribune.
• It was surprising to hear Vikings coach Leslie Frazier speak of Cedric Griffin's possible future with the team, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press considers South Carolina cornerback Stephen Gilmore as a possible Detroit Lions draft pick.
• Chris McCosky of the Detroit News looks at the Lions' salary-cap issues.
• The Free Press offers a photo gallery of secondary players the Lions could pursue in free agency.
• The family of former Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson, who committed suicide last year, has settled his bankruptcy case. Jared S. Hopkins of the Chicago Tribune has more.

Our friends at Football Outsiders have put together a series previewing each NFL team's offseason needs, using their unique statistical analysis to support their assertions. Football Outsiders' work requires an Insiders subscription to view in full, a contradiction that always elicits a giggle from NFC East colleague Dan Graziano. But I'm authorized to provide you a snippet from each of our teams. Herewith:

Chicago Bears: Most everyone has the Bears pegged to pursue wide receivers in free agency and/or the draft, and Outsiders doesn't discount that possibility. But based on its analysis of the Bears' 2011 season, offensive tackle should be the Bears' top priority. Left tackle J'Marcus Webb allowed 10 sacks and was "among the worst [left tackles] in the league." The Bears' running game, meanwhile, was stuffed for a loss or no gain on 24.1 percent of its runs, a "catastrophic" figure blamed mostly on poor run blocking.

Detroit Lions: Like the Bears, Outsiders thinks the Lions need to upgrade their offensive line more than anything else. Based on Outsiders statistics, the Lions had the second-worst run-blocking offensive line in the NFL in 2011. Center Dominic Raiola and right guard Stephen Peterman were particularly to blame. Outsiders' analysis suggested that running backs Jahvid Best and Kevin Smith actually had above-average seasons based on the yardage available to them.

Green Bay Packers: We all know the Packers need more pass rush; Outsiders ranked them last in the NFL in its adjusted sack rate (ASR) in 2011. Outsiders' analysis suggests the pass rush would improve if the Packers focus their upgrade efforts along the defensive line, giving it better push up front but also opening up lanes for linebacker Clay Matthews.

Minnesota Vikings: Perhaps "the worst secondary in the league." That should tell you all you need to know. Here's one of many sobering statistics from 2011: Cornerback Cedric Griffin allowed an average of 10.5 yards on every pass thrown in his direction, and teams had a 38 percent success rate against him. Both totals were among the bottom five of all cornerbacks in Outsiders' statistical study.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

There aren't many expectations for the next installment of the oldest rivalry in the NFL.

The Green Bay Packers are favored over the Chicago Bears by anywhere from 12.5 to 13 points, according ESPN.com's daily composite of betting lines. The Bears haven't been such underdogs to the Packers since 1998, according to R.J. Bell of Pregame.com.

On paper, at least, it's difficult to disagree. The Bears will send out a quarterback in Josh McCown who hasn't started a game in four years and wasn't on an NFL roster until a few weeks ago. And the Packers have won five of the past six meetings between the teams.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Packers need to run the ball more effectively in the first half of games, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. This season, they have called runs on 29 percent of their first-half plays.
• Time is running out for the Packers to extend some veteran contracts, including that of tight end Jermichael Finley, and have them count at least some on this year's salary cap. Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has more.
• Packers coach Mike McCarthy is not requiring players and coaches to spend Saturday night in the team hotel, as is protocol for Sunday games. Saturday night is Christmas Eve, notes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Bears need to improve at tight end, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz on rookie quarterback Nathan Enderele, via Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com: "It's just too much of an unknown right now. We're trying to win. So he'll have his time, I'm sure, but right now this is the best opportunity for us to win."
• Bears coach Lovie Smith on naming McCown the starter, via Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times: "I haven’t seen a lot from Josh. And sometimes if you don't like what you have, you have to look at your other options. We just have to have faith that we can play better -- we can do some things to help him out a little bit more, people around him can play a little bit better."
• Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com writes about the Detroit Lions' "Wide 9" defense.
• Lions place-kicker Jason Hanson, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press: "I'm the Grinch. I hope nobody here is too excited because it doesn't mean anything until you do it and we're just close. And we've pulled some games out, and you look back and you go, 'How did we do that?' You can only do that so many times and so hopefully we've used that up and we're just going to go beat some teams instead of pulling them out."
• The Lions could be short at safety Saturday against the San Diego Chargers, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder feels he played too conservatively last Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• The future is uncertain for Vikings linebacker E.J. Henderson, according to Mark Craig of the Star Tribune.
• The Vikings will probably have to use cornerback Cedric Griffin on defense Saturday against the Washington Redskins, according to Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

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.

The Minnesota Vikings will attempt to slow down the New Orleans Saints' passing game with a cornerback duo of Asher Allen and Benny Sapp. Former starter Cedric Griffin has been benched, and it's not clear what role he'll play Sunday.

As we noted earlier in the week, the Vikings' pass defense hasn't been, uh, good this season. They haven't intercepted a pass in eight games, tying an NFL record.

Griffin has struggled to return from his second torn anterior cruciate ligament. Sapp re-joined the team last month.

We'll keep you posted.

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

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

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

Quite frankly, that will take some adjustment in vision.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And here are the teams with the five worst differentials:

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

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

After the Minnesota Vikings' 34-28 loss to the Detroit Lions, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Kevin SeifertFollowing their loss to the Lions, the Vikings take a seat in the examination room.
   Joe Webb plays quarterback like he's the point guard on a run-and-gun basketball team. He gets the ball and takes off, looking to make a play somehow via some means. That mentality probably isn't conducive to being a long-term starter at quarterback, but if it wasn't clear before, it's now obvious: Webb has enough playmaking skills to merit a regular place in the Vikings' offense -- somewhere. Plans to use him purely as a receiver never materialized, mostly because the Vikings felt they needed him for depth at quarterback. One of the Vikings' top offseason goals should be to devise a role that maximizes Webb's multi-positional skills, perhaps in a way that -- gasp! -- has never been done before. Webb might not be a full-time quarterback prospect, but it doesn't make sense to have him holding a clipboard on the sideline.
2. If Webb is one of the top priorities of the offseason, then making a clinical evaluation of starter Christian Ponder's recent performance is the most important. Ponder has seven turnovers in his past two games and 10 in his past four. You could make an argument that he shouldn't have played Sunday after a hip pointer dramatically limited his practice time last week, but there are going to be times in his career when he'll need to play competently when less than 100 percent. It's not alarming in itself when a rookie quarterback commits piles of turnovers. So it's important not to overreact to what's happened. To me, real concern will be merited if it continues into next season. The jump between a quarterback's first and second year is arguably the most important in his career, and I think it's fair for the Vikings to expect significant improvement this offseason..
3. The Vikings' defense deserves some credit for limiting the assumed damage the Lions' offense would inflict on their undermanned secondary. Quarterback Matthew Stafford managed 227 passing yards. One of them was a 56-yard scoring pass to receiver Titus Young. That means Stafford had 171 yards on his other 19 completions. The biggest reason was another monster game from defensive end Jared Allen, whose three sacks returned him to the top of the NFL's leaderboard. His total of 17.5 is a career high and 2.5 higher than the next-best performer this season. Can Allen pick up another 5.5 over the Vikings' final three games to set a single-season NFL record? It's probably the most interesting aspect remaining in this lost season for the Vikings.

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

The Vikings have been in an unusual situation for some time with cornerback Cedric Griffin. It's rare that a player returns in a full-time role after tearing the ACL in both knees, and at the beginning of the season, the Vikings decided to give Griffin a chance to do it. It became obvious long ago that Griffin wasn't playing the same kind of physical, tight coverage that marked his best seasons with the team. But as Frazier admitted last week, the Vikings didn't have any better options. So until Sunday, at least, they left Griffin on the field to fend for himself. NFL players never want to tap out, so Griffin gamely kept trying even as he continued to get beat. The Vikings finally found mercy Sunday and benched him. Griffin should have been quietly thankful, but instead he appeared angry. My guess is he is upset about the pending end of his career, at least in Minnesota, but I don't know for sure.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

FROM AN OUTPOST ALONG HWY. 29 IN WISCONSIN -- I've started the trek back to NFC North blog headquarters but wanted to stop and get the blog caught up. It also seemed like a good idea to get some sleep and sit out the wintry mix I'm seeing out the window.

Sunday night's wild finish in Dallas essentially added a contender to what is now a four-team wild-card race in the NFC. As the ESPN.com playoff standings show, the Detroit Lions currently hold of the No. 6 seed by virtue of their 8-5 record. At 7-6, the Chicago Bears are looking up at the Lions and Atlanta Falcons, but have the advantage over the 7-6 Dallas Cowboys because of a better conference record.

In the weekly ebb and flow of the NFL season, things are looking up for the Lions. They will get defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh back from his NFL suspension Monday and are set to face an Oakland Raiders team that I can tell you from first-hand observation is playing terribly right now.

The Bears are reeling at the moment. Normally I would say they have a favorable home matchup approaching Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, who will have a short week of practice after playing Monday night against the St. Louis Rams, but that's what I said about the Bears two weeks ago when they hosted the Kansas City Chiefs. Such is life….

Let's take a quick spin around the division, shall we?

• Bears running back Marion Barber made two crucial mistakes late in Sunday's 13-10 loss to the Denver Broncos. Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com takes you through them.
• Barber rarely speaks to the media and didn't break that policy after Sunday's game. Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times wasn't impressed.
• Bears defensive end Israel Idonije thought he had a chance to block Matt Prater's 51-yard field goal in overtime, notes Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune.
• Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher offered an already-infamous quote about Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. Urlacher: "He’s a good running back."
• Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press after the Lions' victory against the Minnesota Vikings: "Wins are the only currency that counts in December. The Lions' 34-28 collective sigh of relief keeps them in the NFC playoff hunt, but they still resemble a team gunning for big game with nothing more than a cap pistol. This isn't a good team. It's a lucky team."
• Lions defensive end Cliff Avril, who has a career-high nine sacks, made a difference on the final play of the game. Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News takes us through it.
• The Lions are learning what it takes to sacrifice themselves for a playoff run, writes John Niyo of the News.
• Lions cornerback Alphonso Smith continues to be a playmaker, writes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• Green Bay Packers tailback Ryan Grant had a big day Sunday against the Oakland Raiders. Gary D'Amato of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel explains.
• Packers players are bracing for life without receiver Greg Jennings, who suffered a left knee injury Sunday. Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has more.
• Tom Oates of the Wisconsin State Journal on the Packers gunning for 16-0: "That’s admirable, but is it prudent?"
• Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "Suddenly, the ghost of Joe Webb is hovering over the Vikings organization."
• Sunday showed that the Vikings need to get Webb on the field somehow, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press goes behind the scenes on the final play of the game.
• The Vikings benched ineffective cornerback Cedric Griffin, who wasn't happy about it and hinted he wants to leave the organization. Mark Craig of the Star Tribune has more.

After the Minnesota Vikings' 35-32 loss to the Denver Broncos, here are three issues that merit further examination:

Kevin SeifertFollowing their loss against the Broncos, the Vikings take a seat in the examination room.
1. Coach Leslie Frazier has deserved some criticism this year, but let's cut him a break from demands that he should have allowed the Broncos to score once an interception gave them possession at the Vikings' 15-yard line. As the theory goes, the Vikings would have been better off giving the Broncos a 39-32 lead and then launching their own potential game-tying drive rather than letting the Broncos run off the rest of the clock and kick a short field goal to win. I checked with ESPN's analytics team to see if the Vikings would have increased their mathematical win probability with such an unorthodox move. The short answer from Alok Pattani was no, based on an ESPN model built off thousands of individual play results over the past decade. The Broncos had a 95.3 percent chance to win the game the moment they made the interception. Had the Vikings allowed an immediate touchdown, their chances of driving the field for a touchdown on their ensuing possession and ultimately winning the game in overtime was 2.5 percent. So statistically speaking, the Vikings had a better chance of stopping the Broncos' final possession, as they tried to do, than pulling off a non-traditional miracle.
2. Frazier made a starling admission Monday at his weekly news conference when asked about struggling cornerback Cedric Griffin. In essence, Frazier said Griffin wouldn't be playing if the Vikings had a better option. Griffin is trying to come back from the second of two career ACL tears and has looked hesitant and a step slow all season. Frazier: "He's not the Cedric we saw before the second ACL injury and he's tried to battle through some things. But his confidence level has not been where it needs to be to able to play at a high level in our league. I'm sure it has a lot to do with coming off a second ACL. We're just so depleted depth-wise that we have to have him out there. I know he'd like to play better. I know he's trying to play better. It's been a tough year for him." That said, I would imagine that Griffin won't open training camp in 2012 as a starter.
3. Quarterback Christian Ponder played most of Sunday's game with a hip pointer and is going to be limited, at best, in practice this week. Frazier said the team's medical staff is confident Ponder will be ready for Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions, but it's interesting to note that Frazier shot down the idea of newly-acquired backup Sage Rosenfels as a potential replacement if Ponder suffers a setback. Joe Webb would take whatever first-team snaps that Ponder doesn't this week. I'm fine with that. A 2-10 team might as well give young players every opportunity to gain experience provided they're equipped to give a credible performance.

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

Frazier told the truth Sunday when he expressed incredulity at how bad his defensive backs covered the Broncos' receivers. But given the situation, I'm not sure what anyone expects right now. The Vikings opened the game without a single defensive back who deserves to be part of their long-term plan. Antoine Winfield, Chris Cook, Husain Abdullah, Tyrell Johnson and Asher Allen -- five of their top seven Week 1 defensive backs -- were inactive for the game. Few teams have the depth to absorb that kind of attrition.

After the Minnesota Vikings' 45-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Kevin SeifertFollowing their loss to the Packers, the Vikings take a seat in the examination room.
   The Vikings talked big last week about ending the Packers' run at an undefeated season. Instead, they produced their most lethargic performance of the year. Defensive end Jared Allen called it "disgusting" and fellow defensive end Brian Robison felt compelled to say via Twitter: "We have not quit." When a team lays that kind of egg on national television, public discussion naturally turns to the effectiveness of the head coach. I'm not ready to go there yet with Leslie Frazier. He took over a complicated situation and is trying to navigate a roster transition while still prodding the remaining veterans. As an organization, the Vikings are approaching their situation as a remodel rather than a rebuild. They might have underestimated the work ahead of them.
2. There is a line of thought in the NFL that you don't play rookies and/or backups just to play them, or in the blind hope that they will provide an upgrade over the status quo. But the Vikings have enough low-functioning players to justify it at several positions. I see no reason why rookie defensive tackle Christian Ballard shouldn't continue to start ahead of Remi Ayodele. It's worth seeing whether rookie safety Mistral Raymond is any better than Tyrell Johnson, Jamarca Sanford or Husain Abdullah. In basketball terms, at 2-7 and after displaying the kind of lethargy we saw Monday night, the Vikings need to empty the bench. If nothing else, it's a method for holding players accountable. No one has tenure in the NFL.
3. Amid it all, we should note that Allen continues to bring it hard on every play this season. He was in the face of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers all game, finishing with seven tackles, including three for a loss, and one sack to bring his season total to 13.5. I would imagine his NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidacy will be negatively impacted by the Vikings' poor team performance, but that's too bad. One of this generation's best pass-rushers is having the best season of his career. Allen's production and energy level have never been higher. He's setting an example that, quite frankly, isn't being noticed by enough of his teammates.

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

What does the future hold for cornerback Antoine Winfield, whose season is probably over after fracturing his collarbone Monday night? He will be 35 when the 2012 season begins and has been limited by injuries in two of the past three seasons. The Vikings have uncertainty across the board at cornerback, from fellow starter Cedric Griffin to second-year player Chris Cook, who is inactive because of legal issues. And it's worth nothing that the Vikings negotiated a de-escalator into Winfield's most recent contract, one that would pay him $7 million if he is a starter but about $3 million if he is a nickelback. Winfield is part of an old guard of Vikings defenders who eventually will be phased out. Will it be this offseason?

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FALLING

1. Chances of a new contract for Matt Forte, Chicago Bears tailback: We've been discussing the risks and rewards of giving big money to a running back for months. Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com recently posted some updated thoughts. But it's worth noting that the better Forte plays this season, the more sense it makes for the Bears to avoid a long-term deal and instead use the franchise tag on him next spring and possibly beyond. Forte's MVP pace has elevated his value substantially since the start of training camp. The Bears can either pay out an ever-increasing total of guaranteed money, or wait until the spring, when they can lock in Forte for less than $8 million in total compensation. Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson, who is averaging 2.8 yards per carry this season after receiving $30 million in guarantees, is providing the latest cautionary tale.

2. Cedric Griffin, Minnesota Vikings cornerback: How many times have you heard about an NFL player continuing his career after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in both knees? That's what Griffin has done after suffering those two serious injuries in less than a year, missing only 14 games over a two-season span because of the timing in each case. But the Vikings will take some time during their bye week to evaluate his play and determine whether a demotion is in order. It's a cruel business, but Griffin's admirable push to get back on the field and do his job has revealed him to be less effective than he once was. When he was drafted in 2006, Griffin was considered a cornerback/safety. Is it time to give the latter a try?

3. Sack totals for Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions defensive tackle: Let's be clear from the top. A defensive tackle can have a fine season without recording a single sack. But lost in the national conversation about whether Suh is a dirty player, and his scheduled meeting Tuesday with NFL officials, has been a noticeable decline in his sack production. Suh has three sacks through eight games, tying him with 22 other players for No. 26 in the NFL. Through eight games of his rookie season, Suh had 6.5 sacks on the way to 10 for the season. As we've discussed many times, good fortune is one of several key factors in running up high sack totals. Sacks are but one measure of an effective defensive tackle. So take the drop-off for what you will.

RISING

1. NFC North in prime time: The NFL's top division is preparing for a nice run of national exposure. Three of our four teams will appear on "Monday Night Football" over the next two weeks, first the Bears (at the Philadelphia Eagles) and then the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers (at Lambeau Field). The Packers and Detroit Lions have a pretty meaningful Thanksgiving Day game looming, and the Bears and Packers will stage their second matchup of the year on the night of Christmas. And we're just getting into the flexible portion of the NFL's national schedule!

2. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings tailback/receiver: That's right. Peterson caught five passes for a career-high 76 yards in Sunday's victory over the Carolina Panthers. Included in that mix was a 19-yard touchdown on a middle screen. For reasons I don't fully understand, the Panthers' defense was playing deep against the Vikings' receiving corps, leaving Peterson with room to roam underneath. It sounds simple, but quarterback Christian Ponder was smart enough to take advantage. "I will take that all day," Ponder told reporters. Peterson hasn't always been the smoothest of receivers. But screens and checkdowns are an easy way for a young quarterback to deal with pressure, and there is no better player in the open field than Peterson once he gets the ball in his hands.

3. Jason Hanson, Detroit Lions place-kicker: Hanson drilled his fourth field goal of 50 or more yards this season in Sunday's victory at the Denver Broncos, a nice eight-game accomplishment for any kicker but one especially noteworthy for a 20-year veteran. Only two NFL kickers, Sebastian Janikowski and Josh Scobee, have converted more attempts of 50 or more yards. I know we've mentioned Hanson before in Stock Watch. But he continues to excel at an elite pace. Overall, Hanson is tied for first among NFL kickers with 17 field goals. His only miss this season has been from 52 yards.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Green Bay Packers returned from their bye week Monday to a dose of reality: A rare full-padded practice.

Under the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), NFL teams can have more than one full-pads practice in a given week only once during the season. Coach Mike McCarthy chose this one.

Mike Spofford of Packers.com wrote that Monday "harkened back a bit to an August training-camp practice" and added: "Offensive linemen and tight ends were banging head-on against pass-rushers. Receivers were getting jammed one-on-one by defensive backs at the line of scrimmage. Running backs were trying to run interference against blitzing linebackers."

A padded practice doesn't necessarily mean full contact, but it at least allows for some physical drills. The Packers are preparing for Sunday's game at the San Diego Chargers, who are probably spent after a 23-20 overtime loss at the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Tight end Jermichael Finley said that he hopes to sign a long-term contract with the Packers but won't be upset if they place the franchise tag on him next season. Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has more.
• The Packers promoted running back Brandon Saine from the practice squad to replace the injured Alex Green, notes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Packers defensive back Sam Shields has been cleared to practice after recovering from a concussion, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News: "Go ahead and say it, even if it's premature, even if it sounds kind of funny and almost never gets said around here. The Lions are a playoff team. Yep, they are. Or should be. Or will be."
• Lions receiver Nate Burleson, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press: "We're not champions, we're not in the playoffs, but we've proven that we can contend with some of the best in the league. Now we have to go out there and have the same type of focus the second half of the season."
• Birkett speaks to Lions receiver Titus Young about jumping into the Denver Broncos' stands after scoring his first NFL touchdown.
• Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times hands out first-half grades to the Chicago Bears.
• Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com looks at the possibility of placing the franchise tag on Bears running back Matt Forte.
• The Bears seem to be following the same script in 2011 that they followed in 2010, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com reviews the tape of the Minnesota Vikings' 24-21 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
• Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune reviews the first victory of rookie quarterback Christian Ponder's career.
• The Vikings are trying to decide if veteran cornerback Cedric Griffin, who has two surgically repaired knees, should continue as a starter, notes Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.

After the Minnesota Vikings' 24-21 victory over the Carolina Panthers, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Kevin SeifertFollowing their win over the Panthers, the Vikings take a seat in the examination room.
   There was plenty to like about quarterback Christian Ponder's first NFL victory, but the word many people keep returning to is "poise." It's difficult to tell from Ponder's movement or body language whether a play is running perfectly or has totally broken down. There is also no discernible change in his blood pressure between a first-quarter series and a potential game-winning drive. I think that's why Ponder is having some early success in critical situations. Sunday, he completed nine of his 10 third-down attempts, converting seven into first downs. And in both of his NFL starts, he has led long fourth-quarter scoring drives. Sunday's game-winning drive took 7 minutes, 10 seconds off the clock, traveling 72 yards on 13 plays. At the start of his NFL career, Ponder has at least demonstrated the game isn't too big for him.
2. A couple of encouraging events occurred in the final few plays of the game. On a second-and-3 play from the Vikings' 14-yard line, safety Husain Abdullah got excellent position on Panthers tight end Greg Olsen to break up a pass in the end zone that would have given the Panthers a lead with 50 seconds remaining. It's rare and notable when you see a member of the Vikings' secondary make a play like that. Second, coach Leslie Frazier wisely called a timeout after the Panthers failed to make a first down one play later. If nothing else, Frazier bought his team about 30 seconds to get into position for a winning field goal and avoid overtime if Olindo Mare had converted a 31-yard field goal. It's worth noting that Frazier missed an opportunity to save his offense some time in a similar situation last month against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Live and learn, right?
3. Somehow the Vikings survived against the Panthers' offense with cornerback Asher Allen locked in single coverage against receiver Steve Smith for a good portion of the game. Allen, a third-round draft pick in 2009, opened the season as the Vikings' dime back but has started the past two weeks because of Antoine Winfield's neck injury and Chris Cook's suspension. Allen has made some progress since his rookie season but wouldn't be the first choice of many people to match up with Smith, who caught seven passes for 100 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown. It's notable the Vikings tapped Allen for that role and not veteran Cedric Griffin, who is gamely trying to play on a pair of surgically repaired knees.

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

Did you have Marcus Sherels atop your list as the Vikings' surprise young player of the first half? I can't say I did. In winning the punt return job, and now assuming the kickoff return role while Percy Harvin and Lorenzo Booker nurse injuries, Sherels has proved to be a shifty and aggressive open-field runner. His 78-yard kickoff return Sunday didn't directly lead to a score but helped flip field position early in the Vikings' favor. Sherels ranks No. 13 in the NFL with an average punt return of 10.6 yards, including a 53-yard scamper in Week 3 against the Detroit Lions. The Vikings don't have a roster spot dedicated for a return specialist, so Sherels is making the most of his opportunity thus far.