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We're Black and Blue All Over:

Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher confirmed Tuesday night that he isn't likely to participate in organized team activities (OTAs) -- and probably not veteran minicamp, either -- as he rehabilitates a sprained knee suffered in a Week 17 game against the Minnesota Vikings. Urlacher told reporters that he expects to be ready to start training camp, a completely reasonable schedule that nevertheless highlights one of the few holes on the team's roster.

Namely: Who would play for Urlacher if he was injured during the regular season?

According to ESPNChicago.com's Jeff Dickerson, second-year linebacker Dom DeCicco -- an undrafted free agent in 2011 -- will take the majority of snaps during the offseason. If nothing else, the Bears should know at the end of the spring whether DeCicco is capable of filling in for Urlacher in a regular-season environment, or whether they would need to look elsewhere. Finding a long-term replacement for Urlacher, 33, remains one of the most important challenges facing this franchise.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Urlacher, via Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune: "It's getting better. I'm on schedule, so I feel good. At this stage, I know the defense pretty well. I'm not worried about being out there and not knowing what I'm doing.''
• Bears receiver Brandon Marshall on his reunion with quarterback Jay Cutler and quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates, via Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times: "That just doesn't happen in sports. You don’t have a Pro Bowl receiver and a Pro Bowl quarterback and one of the most talented minds in football in Jeremy Bates back together. It just doesn't."
• Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com thinks the Detroit Lions can contend for the Super Bowl -- "[b]ut only if this team can harness what is an amazing lack of self-control. The Lions remain one of the least disciplined teams in football."
• Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News: "Dumb stuff happens in football, as in life. But the Lions have too much at stake now to be dealing with it, way too much to gain and way too much to lose. The spate of player incidents -- mostly minor -- is not a sign of a rambunctious team losing its way. But it's a pointed reminder that young talent is unpredictable, and a warning that the Lions' rough edges still need work."
• Lions cornerback Chris Houston isn't ready to be anyone's mentor, writes the News' Chris McCosky.
• Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel covered the MACC Fund charity event in Milwaukee headlined by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
• Packers coach Mike McCarthy on his 2012 team, via Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "This is clearly the most experienced football team in conjunction with the most talent that I've had a chance to coach."
• Tom Oates of the Wisconsin State Journal: "The Green Bay Packers’ all-defense, all-the-time draft has already achieved one of its goals. The six rookie defenders have supplied a jolt of energy for a defense -- and a team -- that might have grown a little complacent after following up its victory in Super Bowl XLV with a 15-1 regular season in 2011."
• Packers linebacker Clay Matthews on moving to the right side, with rookie Nick Perry taking over on the left side, via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "The misnomer about the position is that we're stuck to one side. On paper, it's going to say 'left outside linebacker' or 'right outside linebacker.' Really, those positions are interchangeable, so the faster we can get [Perry] up to speed, the faster we can have some fun moving him around, flying around and making some plays together."
• Packers defensive end Anthony Hargrove didn't have much to add about his role in the New Orleans Saints' bounty story after Tuesday's OTA, according to Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• The Packers' defensive additions in the draft were "expected" and "necessary," according to linebacker Desmond Bishop via Rob Demovsky of the Press-Gazette.
• Dave Campbell of the Associated Press looks ahead at the Minnesota Vikings' three-week stay for training camp.
• The Vikings have signed a total of seven of their draft picks, according to Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

It took longer than expected. Preliminary decisions were questioned. Debates extended into the wee hours. We went through a first draft, then a second and even a third. Countless observers were consulted. It wasn't until I had a full week to mull the 2011 All-NFC North team that I was prepared to make the big reveal.

Via Twitter, @jpberthiaume asked: "Do people really care about these 'teams?'" I guess it's a fair point. I doubt few, if any, of the players listed in the chart wrote a fifth-grade essay about their plans to one day make the All-NFC North team on ESPN.com, even if it was only because the NFC North hadn't yet been formed in those days and ESPN.com was operating out of a Bristol-based closet.

So I'll let you be the judge. This is annually a fun exercise, even if it doesn't lead to a deep understanding of the human condition or even reveal any breakthroughs about the just-completed season. If nothing else, it offers us a blank template to recognize the best-performing players in the division without the hindrance of the politics and reputation.

Some notes on some of the tight decisions, for which I seriously received input from multiple angles:

• One of the fiercest debates came at wide receiver. Everyone agreed that the Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson deserved one spot, but there was a split about the other two. Did the Green Bay Packers' Greg Jennings, who missed three games because of a knee injury, deserve an automatic bid? And if he did, should the Packers' Jordy Nelson or the Minnesota Vikings' Percy Harvin get the third spot? I thought Jennings' 67 receptions, 949 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games merited a spot. And ultimately I chose Nelson over Harvin. I realize Harvin caught 87 passes in a punchless offense and added 345 rushing yards to his total, but in the end I couldn't overlook a player who scored more touchdowns (15) than all but four players in the NFL this season. Plus, as Hatterbot pointed out: "Rushing yards don't count in the WR category."

2011 All-NFC North Team

Pos.	Player, Team
OFFENSE
WR	Calvin Johnson (DET)
WR	Greg Jennings (GB)
WR	Jordy Nelson (GB)
LT	Jeff Backus (DET)
LG	Rob Sims (DET)
C	Scott Wells (GB)
RG	Josh Sitton (GB)
RT	Bryan Bulaga (GB)
TE	Jermichael Finley (GB)
QB	Aaron Rodgers (GB)
RB	Matt Forte (CHI)
DEFENSE
DE	Jared Allen (MIN)
DT	Kevin Williams (MIN)
DT	Ndamukong Suh (DET)
DE	Julius Peppers (CHI)
OLB	Clay Matthews (GB)
MLB	Brian Urlacher (CHI)
OLB	Lance Briggs (CHI)
CB	Charles Tillman (CHI)
CB	Charles Woodson (GB)
S-NB	Tramon Williams (GB)
S	Louis Delmas (DET)
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK	Mason Crosby (GB)
P	Tim Mastay (GB)
PR	Devin Hester (CHI)
KR	Percy Harvin (MIN)
ST	Corey Graham (CHI)

• I went with the Lions' Rob Sims at left guard in part on the advice of John McTigue of ESPN Stats & Information, who noted that Sims was the only NFC North left guard to play the position for 16 games this season. Sims also had the best pass-sack ratio (19.7 passes per sack) of the group, based on video study.
• There is no doubt that the Lions' Brandon Pettigrew (83 catches) had a more productive season then the Packers' Jermichael Finley (55). But the Lions often used Pettigrew as a substitute for their punchless running game, and that's why his per-catch average of 9.4 yards was lower than any other tight end with at least 30 catches. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the average pass to Pettigrew this season traveled 6.5 yards in the air. The average pass to Finley traveled 11.4 yards. Finley caught five passes of at least 30 yards. Pettigrew's longest was 27. Both players had their share of drops, combining for a total of 15, but I thought Finley made a bigger impact on his catches than Pettigrew did.
• I really debated the Bears' Julius Peppers and the Lions' Cliff Avril at defensive end. Avril (11.5) had a half-sack more than Peppers (11) and forced twice as many fumbles. But one of the advantages we have on this team is investigating beyond the conventional numbers. Our friends at Pro Football Focus (PFF) credited Peppers with 53 quarterback pressures, the second-highest total in the NFL. Avril ranked No. 8 with 37, but in a close race, I chose the maximum mumber of plays impacted over Avril's slight edge in "playmaking" statistics.
• I used a similar approach in choosing the Vikings' Kevin Williams and the Lions' Ndamukong Suh as my defensive tackles. It's true that the Bears' Henry Melton led the NFC North's defensive tackles with seven pressures, but PFF had Suh with 27 quarterback pressures, an NFL high for an interior lineman. Williams tied for No. 3 with 25. Melton wasn't that far behind at 23, but I also took into account that the Bears nearly benched him for inconsistency at one point in the season. (Coach Lovie Smith in November: "He hasn't showed up as much. Whether teams have adjusted to him or whatever, we need to get more production from him because he's capable of it." Meanwhile, I thought Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji took a step backward in 2011. PFF credited him with only 10 stops (the cumulative number of plays made that constitute an offensive failure) in 842 snaps.
• If you want to say I chickened out at linebacker, go ahead. I originally left open the middle and one of the outside spots, but in the end I went with our division standbys: Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. For starters, Briggs was one of six non-offensive linemen to play 100 percent of his team's snaps in the NFL this season. There's something to be said for being available to your team. And while I do think that the Packers' Desmond Bishop and the Lions' Stephen Tulloch had good seasons, I couldn't find a statistic or an opinion that convinced me they were better than Urlacher. Someday, there will be turnover among NFC North linebackers. But it didn't happen this season.
• Safety play was poor throughout the NFC North, so I'm not at all ashamed to have chosen a third cornerback to replace one of the safeties on this team. It came down to the Lions' Chris Houston and the Packers' Tramon Williams. Both had their ups and downs in coverage. Houston had five interceptions and two touchdowns in 14 games, while Williams had four interceptions and one touchdown in 15 games. In the end, I chose Williams because I think it was pretty clear he was pushing through a really limiting shoulder injury for much of the first half of the season.
• I chose the Packers' specialists, kicker Mason Crosby and punter Tim Masthay. Crosby converted 24 of 28 kicks, including a 58-yarder, and ranked third in the NFL with 49 touchbacks. Masthay downed a division-high 23 punts inside the 20-yard line despite a division-low 55 punts.
• I mistakenly left off a coverage specialist from our original post. There should be no debating that the Bears' Corey Graham deserves that spot.
• Go ahead. Rip away....

Coming later this week: Some supplementary NFC North awards, including our top coordinators.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Chicago Bears will play their top rivals Sunday night without their top two running backs and appear to be bracing for limited duty from receiver/kick returner Devin Hester.

Hester is active but the Bears also have receiver Max Komar in uniform for the first time all season.

Matt Forte (knee) and Marion Barber (calf) are inactive, as expected. Kahlil Bell is expected to get his second NFL start.

The Bears also deactivated rookie quarterback Nathan Enderle, meaning that deposed starter Caleb Hanie is the only quarterback available to play in relief of new starter Josh McCown.

The Green Bay Packers will have linebacker Desmond Bishop (calf) in uniform for the first time since Thanksgiving Day. Meanwhile, defensive end Mike Neal (shoulder) is in uniform, but the Packers announced that Howard Green will start for Ryan Pickett at left defensive end and that C.J. Wilson will start at right defensive end.

The team also confirmed that T.J. Lang will start at right tackle and Evan Dietrich-Smith will start at left guard.

Checking in on Thursday's newsbits in the NFC North:

Chicago Bears: Tight end Kellen Davis (back) and defensive end Julius Peppers (not injury related) returned to practice Thursday. Still missing were linebacker Lance Briggs (ankle), running back Marion Barber (calf) and kick returner/receiver Devin Hester (ankle). None have been ruled out for Sunday's game at Lambeau Field.

Detroit Lions: Cornerback Don Carey (concussion), safety Louis Delmas (knee), defensive tackle Nick Fairley (foot), defensive tackle Corey Williams (hip) and defensive end Willie Young (ankle) all missed practice. The Lions re-signed cornerback Brandon McDonald to bolster their depth as Carey's concussion lingers.

Green Bay Packers: Running backs James Starks (ankle) and Brandon Saine (concussion) participated fully in practice and should be ready to play Sunday night. Linebacker Desmond Bishop (calf) and offensive lineman Chad Clifton (hamstring/back) made it through their second consecutive day of practice. Defensive lineman Howard Green (foot) was limited in practice. Defensive end Ryan Pickett (concussion) has still not been cleared.

Minnesota Vikings: The decision by USC quarterback Matt Barkley to return to school could have an indirect impact on the Vikings. If the Vikings ultimately want to trade down from their perch atop the first round, it would have helped to have another blue-chip quarterback to increase the value of their pick. Meanwhile, cornerback Asher Allen and guard Steve Hutchinson (concussion) missed practice for the second consecutive day.

KANSAS CITY -- The Green Bay Packers will look for their 14th victory of the season Sunday without two of their top tailbacks.

James Starks (ankle) and Brandon Saine (concussion) were both deactivated for Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Starks missed two days of practice last week and Saine didn't practice at all.

The Packers will use Ryan Grant and John Kuhn as their primary runners. That's not an ideal number, but it's not an untenable situation for one game.

Others on the inactive list: Quarterback Graham Harrell, linebacker Desmond Bishop, tackle Chad Clifton, defensive end Ryan Pickett and receiver Greg Jennings.

Getting inside the NFC North's Friday injury report:

Chicago Bears: Receiver Devin Hester tweaked his ankle this week and is questionable for Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. Defensive lineman Henry Melton (shin) is also questionable and unlikely to play.

Detroit Lions: Cornerback Aaron Berry (shoulder) and defensive end Lawrence Jackson (thigh) are doubtful and not expected to play Sunday at the Oakland Raiders. Safety Louis Delmas (knee) is questionable, but his status is less clear. Also questionable are linebacker Justin Durant (hamstring), defensive lineman Nick Fairley (foot), running back Kevin Smith (ankle) and cornerback Eric Wright (hamstring). Smith and Wright seem to have decent chances to play. Cornerback Chris Houston (knee) is probable and should play.

Green Bay Packers: The Packers ruled out defensive lineman Ryan Pickett (concussion), and won't take him on their trip to the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend. Linebacker Desmond Bishop (calf) was also ruled out, but linebacker A.J. Hawk (calf) is probable. The Packers will make game-time decisions on two running backs: James Starks (ankle) and Brandon Saine (concussion). If neither can play, the Packers will go with Ryan Grant and John Kuhn as their running backs for Sunday's game. Guard Josh Sitton (knee) appears to be a go, but is technically listed as questionable. Meanwhile, the Chiefs confirmed that Kyle Orton will start at quarterback for them, his second start against the Packers this season. Orton also started in Week 4 while playing for the Denver Broncos.

Minnesota Vikings: Every player on the 53-man roster, except cornerback Chris Cook, will be available for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. That includes running back Adrian Peterson, who has missed three consecutive games because of a high ankle sprain. Coach Leslie Frazier said that Peterson's snaps could be limited depending on soreness.

Taking a look at Wednesday's newsbits in the NFC North:

Chicago Bears: Defensive lineman Henry Melton (shin) didn't practice. Safety Major Wright (shoulder) was limited. Meanwhile, quarterback Jay Cutler (thumb) told ESPN 1000 that there is an "outside" chance he will be ready to play in the Bears' Week 16 game at the Green Bay Packers. But Cutler admitted he didn't think it was a "good or definite or a real possibility."

Detroit Lions: Cornerback Chris Houston participated in a portion of practice Wednesday for the first time since spraining his knee Nov. 24. The Lions are hopeful of getting him back in the lineup in time for Sunday's game at the Oakland Raiders. But safety Louis Delmas (knee) remained sidelined, as did running back Kevin Smith (ankle) and linebacker Justin Durant (hamstring). Cornerback Aaron Berry (shoulder) did not practice. Defensive tackle Nick Fairley (foot) was a limited participant.

Green Bay Packers: Guard Josh Sitton (knee) returned to practice and linebacker A.J. Hawk (calf) was a full participant. But left tackle Chad Clifton (hamstring) did not practice and has already been declared out for Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Linebacker Desmond Bishop (calf), running back James Starks (ankle), defensive end Ryan Pickett (concussion) and running back Brandon Saine (concussion) all sat out practice. Meanwhile, new Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel said that quarterback Kyle Orton will start Sunday if healthy. Orton has already started once against the Packers this season, a 49-23 loss while playing for the Denver Broncos in Week 4. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he would be the first quarterback to start two games against the same opponent for two different teams in 13 years. Kerry Collins started against the Atlanta Falcons as a member of the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints in 1998.

Minnesota Vikings: Quarterback Christian Ponder (hip) was a full participant in practice and is expected to start Sunday against the Saints. Tailback Adrian Peterson (ankle) practiced on a limited basis and could be on track to return after a three-game absence. Receiver Greg Camarillo (concussion) was the only player who missed practice Wednesday.

After the Green Bay Packers' 46-16 victory over the Oakland Raiders, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. There isn't a single active NFL player with a medical degree, but they see injuries of various degrees every day. They can read body language and see between the lines better than us. So for what it's worth, Packers players didn't like what they saw when receiver Greg Jennings needed help getting off the field in the third quarter after suffering what to this point is being called a sprained left knee. "It didn't look very good," quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. Added defensive lineman B.J. Raji: "I saw the degree of anguish he was in. Anytime a grown man is being carried by his teammates, that's never a good sign." We should get more information later Monday, but for now the Packers are hoping the injury is something Jennings can return from when they open the playoffs in five weeks.
2. The Packers' plan for inside linebacker A.J. Hawk was to play him for no more than 30 snaps in the second half as a preliminary step in returning to full-time duty after suffering a calf injury last month. Given the game situation, McCarthy scrapped the plan and decided to give Hawk another weekend to recover. McCarthy indicated Hawk will return to his full-time role Wednesday during practice. There doesn't appear to be any indication that Hawk or fellow starter Desmond Bishop (calf) could lose playing time to replacements Robert Francois and D.J. Smith, both of whom have played well. Francois had nine tackles and his second interception in the past three weeks Sunday, while Smith had 10 tackles Sunday. Bishop is hoping to return to practice this week.
3. The Packers are entering a critical week for their offensive line. It's clear they're not totally thrilled with Marshall Newhouse's performance at left tackle, and that's what led to the decision to rotate him Sunday with rookie Derek Sherrod. Veteran Chad Clifton hasn't played in two months because of hamstring and back injuries, but the Packers think he'll be ready to practice this week. So what should the Packers do now, and what should their playoff approach be? Should they get Clifton back in there, hoping his conditioning allows him to play full games? Should they stick with a Newhouse-Sherrod rotation and use Clifton only in an emergency? I can't imagine the Packers turning to Sherrod, a rookie left tackle, with the playoffs looming. I'm guessing if Newhouse had played better in the past few weeks, these questions wouldn't be necessary.

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

If Jennings misses extended time, I wonder if tight end Jermichael Finley can be counted on to be the top playmaker in the offense. Without Jennings to account for, it's possible that defenses will focus in on Finley as their top priority. But receiver Jordy Nelson has made opponents pay all season for single coverage, and he now has 10 touchdowns in 13 games. Perhaps he will see more attention if Jennings is sidelined. Regardless, Finley has been relatively quiet and not entirely reliable over the past month. He did not catch a pass Sunday against the Raiders and has nine receptions in the last four games, six of which came in Week 12 against the New York Giants. Finley is also nearing double digits in dropped passes, depending on whose statistics you look at. But he'll have every opportunity to carry the passing game in the coming weeks.

Getting inside the Friday injury report:

Chicago Bears: Safety Major Wright (shoulder) was ruled out of Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos. Craig Steltz is expected to start in his place. Other than quarterback Jay Cutler (thumb) and running back Matt Forte (knee), all other players will be available.

Detroit Lions: Safety Louis Delmas (knee) and cornerback Chris Houston (knee) are doubtful and not expected to play Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. Linebacker Justin Durant (hamstring), who did not practice Thursday or Friday, is questionable. So is defensive tackle Nick Fairley (foot), who did not practice all week. The Lions signed free agent defensive tackle Jovan Haye and waived cornerback Brandon McDonald, presumably for more depth along the defensive line.

Green Bay Packers: Running back James Starks (ankle) and linebacker Desmond Bishop (calf) missed a third day of practice Friday and were declared out for Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders. Tackle Chad Clifton (hamstring) and linebacker Vic So'oto (back) were also declared out. But linebacker A.J. Hawk (calf) practiced for the first time since suffering the injury Nov. 24 and is listed as questionable. D.J. Smith is expected to start for Bishop, and Robert Francois would play for Hawk if he isn't able to go Sunday.

Minnesota Vikings: Quarterback Christian Ponder (hip) and running back Adrian Peterson (ankle) practiced Friday as limited participants. Neither player is close to 100 percent, and Ponder took only a handful of practice repetitions all week. The Vikings listed both players as questionable for Sunday's game. At 2-10, you wonder if the Vikings will risk further injury to either of their marquee offensive players. Joe Webb would start at quarterback if Ponder can not.

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

Five nuggets of knowledge on Week 14:

Seeking rest: Sunday against the Oakland Raiders, the Green Bay Packers will be going for their 19th consecutive victory, which would stand alone as the second-longest streak in NFL history. More important, they would clinch at least the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs and thus a first-round bye. (Even if they lose to the Raiders, the Packers could clinch the bye with a loss by the New Orleans Saints.) The value of that week seems clear when you take a look at the Packers' increasingly lengthy injury list. Right guard Josh Sitton (knee) has already been ruled out. Left tackle Chad Clifton hasn't played in more than two months. Linebackers Desmond Bishop and A.J. Hawk have been sidelined for two weeks of practice by calf injuries. It's also possible that running back James Starks (ankle) will need some time away. The Packers aren't in disproportionate shape relative to the rest of the NFL at this time of year, but their injuries have piled up in recent weeks.

Moving east: The Raiders caught a break a few weeks ago when the NFL moved the kickoff from 1 p.m. ET to 4:15 p.m. ET. West Coast players traveling east historically struggle in early games, which start at 10 a.m. according to their body clocks. The Raiders are 4-2 on the road this season, but haven't won in the Wisconsin in 24 years. You would think the Packers' defense would try to jump on the Raiders' offense early in the game. The Packers have made a relative habit of sending at least one extra pass-rusher this season, doing so 45.4 percent of the time -- the fourth-highest mark in the NFL. And for what it's worth, Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer has a 59.3 passer rating against the blitz this season, the second-lowest mark in the NFL. He has thrown three interceptions, taken eight sacks and completed only 53.6 percent of his passes against five or more rushes this season.

Change of sentiment: My, how times have changed in the NFC North. As recently as last season, we approached the annual Minnesota Vikings-Detroit Lions matchups as presumed victories for the Vikings. Now, the opposite is true. Does anyone see the 2-10 Vikings mustering what would qualify as a massive upset in Detroit? The Lions, who have lost five of their past seven games, are whopping 12-point favorites, according to ESPN's compilation of various lines. On paper, at least, the Lions' passing game should have a field day against a decimated Vikings pass defense that has allowed its past seven opponents to complete 73 percent of their passes for 1,808 yards, 18 touchdowns and no interceptions, according to 1500ESPN.com.

Fighting chance: The Vikings haven't lost five consecutive games in the same season since 1997, and if they're going to avoid that Sunday, they'll need a monster game from defensive end Jared Allen. Truth be told, Allen had his way with Lions left tackle Jeff Backus in the teams' first matchup, beating him for three sacks. Allen, however, has cooled off a bit and has only one sack in his past three games. He'll likely hear his share of boos after again trashing the city of Detroit in a radio interview, but I'm guessing he won't mind.

Career trends: The Chicago Bears haven't had much luck replacing injured quarterback Jay Cutler, and now they'll try to replace tailback Matt Forte as well Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Veteran Marion Barber was once a hard-running feature back for the Dallas Cowboys, but the Bears signed him as a short-yardage specialist and change-of-pace back for Forte this season. The last time Barber averaged 4.0 or more yards per carry in a game that he rushed more than 10 times? Week 17 of the 2009 season.

Catching up on Thursday's newsbits in the NFC North:

Chicago Bears: Safety Major Wright (shoulder) missed his second consecutive day of practice.

Detroit Lions: The team confirmed via its Web site that cornerback Chris Houston and safety Louis Delmas both have sprained MCLs. That makes both players unlikely to be available for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings. It's a good bet that defensive tackle Nick Fairley (foot) will also be out. Running back Kevin Smith didn't practice Thursday but hasn't been ruled out of Sunday's game. Linebacker Justin Durant (hamstring) sat out practice after working as a limited participant Thursday.

Green Bay Packers: Cornerback Charles Woodson was cleared of concussion symptoms Thursday and should play Sunday against the Oakland Raiders. Running back James Starks (ankle) has missed the past two days of practice and will need to participate Friday if he is going to play. Linebackers A.J. Hawk (calf) and Desmond Bishop (calf) also missed practice again. Meanwhile, quarterback Aaron Rodgers will call into ESPN's Audibles show Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET. Finally, the Packers announced they have sold more than 185,000 shares of stock at $250 apiece since Tuesday. The total offering is 250,000 shares.

Minnesota Vikings: Quarterback Christian Ponder (hip) missed a second consecutive day of practice, and offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave sounded pessimistic about his condition while speaking to local reporters. Ponder will need to practice Friday in order to play against the Lions. Joe Webb has taken the first-team repetitions in practice this week. Tailback Adrian Peterson (ankle) participated in practice Thursday on a limited basis. He has a chance to play Sunday. For those already focused on next season, USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil said he has not decided whether to declare for the 2012 draft. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

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

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

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

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

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

After Green Bay Packers' 38-35 victory over the New York Giants, here are three issues that merit further examination:

Kevin SeifertFollowing their big win against the Giants, the Packers take a seat in the examination room.
1. With the San Francisco 49ers at 10-2, the Packers aren't going to clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs this week. But coach Mike McCarthy appears to have made up his mind on how he would approach the Packers' remaining regular season games if and when that does occur. As much as I would like to take an educated guess in hopes of looking good when it happens, it really would only be a guess. If McCarthy has confided in anyone, his decision hasn't leaked out. Most reads of his personality would suggest McCarthy would want to keep playing his starters, keeping the proverbial pedal to the metal in his aggressive Pittsburgh mindset. That's what helped the Packers get to and win the Super Bowl last season. But you also wonder if McCarthy will at least consider protecting quarterback Aaron Rodgers from a hard hit or two on the cold turf at Lambeau Field in December. Remember, the suspension of Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh will be over by the teams' Week 17 matchup.
2. The performances of backup linebackers D.J. Smith and Robert Francois were admirable considering the circumstances, but let's not fool ourselves into thinking that starters A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop weren't missed. Giants running back Brandon Jacobs totaled 59 yards on just eight carries, and quarterback Eli Manning threw all of his touchdown passes against the Packers' base 3-4 scheme that included Smith and Francois. The Packers had given up only two touchdown passes against their base 3-4 scheme in the first 11 games of the season. Nothing is official, but Bishop said on Twitter last week that he would return to the lineup Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.
3. Receiver Greg Jennings' juggling 20-yard touchdown in the third quarter stirred some debate, but referee Jeff Triplette got the call right. First, in a nuance that I myself had to brush up on, the so-called "process" requirement only applies in instances when the receiver falls to the ground, which Jennings did not. Second, Jennings intentionally used his left hand to secure the ball and didn't want to move it close to his body for fear it would appear as though he didn't have control. Here's how Jennings put it: "I was able to catch the ball, and I caught it on my fingertips, and all I could think was, 'Don't let the ball move.' I didn’t want to pull it in, I didn't want to do anything. I'm thinking, 'Don't let the ball move.'" It worked.

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

I guess I hadn't been keeping track, so I'm glad that Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel was. Before Sunday, Packers place-kicker Mason Crosby hadn't hit a game-winning field goal since Week 1 of his rookie season in 2007. And Sunday was only Crosby's fifth opportunity in so-called decisive moments of Crosby's career. He had previously missed from 52 against Minnesota in 2008 and had a 38-yarder blocked by Chicago in 2008. He also missed a 53-yarder in 2010 at Washington. It's worth noting that Crosby admitted he was rooting for the possibility Sunday, going so far as to say that he was "glad" that receiver Jordy Nelson "didn't keep running down the sideline" on the 27-yard play that got the Packers into field-goal position. That’s the kind of mentality you want from your place-kicker.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Green Bay Packers had no surprises on their pregame list of inactives, but the New York Giants had one: Center David Baas was a late scratch because of headaches. Earlier Sunday, the Giants learned they wouldn't have backup Stacy Andrews, who was hospitalized with blood clots.

The Giants also will be without receiver Mario Manningham. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw is active.

The full list of Packers inactives: Cornerback Davon House, linebacker A.J. Hawk, linebacker Desmond Bishop, linebacker Jamari Lattimore, guard Josh Sitton, tackle Chad Clifton and tight end D.J. Williams.

D.J. Smith and Robert Francois were announced as the replacements for Hawk and Bishop, but we'll see what alignment the Packers actually open the game with.

Getting inside the Friday injury report on what has become a frantic day here in the NFC North:

Chicago Bears: The Bears listed two players as questionable for Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs -- Defensive tackle Anthony Adams (back) and cornerback D.J. Moore (ankle). Neither is expected to play.

Detroit Lions: Safety Louis Delmas (knee) and cornerback Chris Houston (knee) are doubtful for Sunday night's game at the New Orleans Saints. Neither practiced this week and both are expected to miss the game. Running back Kevin Smith (ankle) is questionable but told reporters he would play Sunday night. Cornerback Brandon McDonald (thigh) did not practice this week and is listed as questionable. The Lions might end up starting Aaron Berry at cornerback and using Alphonso Smith at nickel. Finally, running back Jahvid Best (concussion) has been cleared to begin working out, according to the Lions' website. Best is on injured reserve and can't play again until next season.

Green Bay Packers: Rookie linebacker D.J. Smith is likely to make his first NFL start Sunday against the New York Giants after the Packers ruled out inside linebackers A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop, who have calf injuries. Robert Francois could start at the other inside spot, but you never know when defensive coordinator Dom Capers will come up with a new alignment that minimizes the number of inexperienced players on the field. Smith will call the defensive signals. Tight end Andrew Quarless missed practice Friday because of a groin injury but is probable. Meanwhile, Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw (foot) returned to practice Friday and is expected to play Sunday.

Minnesota Vikings: As we noted earlier, the Vikings ruled tailback Adrian Peterson (ankle) out for the second consecutive game. He has never missed three consecutive games in his career. Receiver Percy Harvin (illness) missed practice and is listed as questionable, but at this point the Vikings believe he will play Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Middle linebacker E.J. Henderson (shoulder) returned to practice but is questionable for Sunday's game. Cornerback Asher Allen (shoulder) and tight end Kyle Rudolph (quadriceps) are also questionable, but coach Leslie Frazier indicated that Henderson and Rudolph have good chances to play. Finally, guard Anthony Herrera (knee) is probable and should play for the first time in more than a month.