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The Green Bay Packers have released linebacker A.J. Hawk, tight end Donald Lee and safety Derrick Martin. The transactions were announced by general manager Ted Thompson.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- They're a tough out.

You don't want to see them in the playoffs.

Don't sleep on them.

Those clichés are among the populist hogwash you'll read and hear about the Green Bay Packers this week as they prepare for Sunday's wild-card game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Maybe it's natural to propagate those ideas for any sixth seed, which by definition is an underdog but has played well enough to earn a wild-card berth. But what we saw Sunday at Lambeau Field was enough to give any objective observer pause about hyping the Packers as the next incarnation of a wild-card Super Bowl team.

The Packers eked out a 10-3 victory over the Chicago Bears, a game they didn't seal until safety Nick Collins intercepted a pass at the Packers' 11-yard line with 10 seconds remaining. In what turned out to be a must-win game, the Packers' offense fell into one of the disturbing ruts that has defined its season. They were scoreless until 2 minutes, 39 seconds remained in the third quarter and failed to close out the game during a key fourth-quarter possession.

As the Packers learned in last season's postseason debacle at Arizona, it takes only the temporary collapse of one phase to end a postseason run. And as well as the Packers' defense and special teams performed Sunday, their offensive showing was weak enough to lose a playoff game on the road.

So went my initial thoughts as the final gun sounded Sunday. Part of me wondered if it reflected a harsh and too-literal reading of Sunday's game, but I found more than a few similar thoughts in the Packers' locker room. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, for one, noted that "everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief" but was the first to point out that Sunday's production probably won't cut it from this point forward.

"The thing you realize when you play in the playoffs is that it's the best of the best," Rodgers said. "You can't expect [the Packers' defense] to hold every team to three points. We're playing against a guy that had an MVP-type season in Michael Vick. They have a lot of weapons. Good special teams. Very solid defense. We need to carry our burden a little bit better next week and hopefully put some more points up and take some of the pressure off our defense."

Indeed, the Packers' defense suffocated a Bears offense that had scored 78 points in its previous two games. Using another of coordinator Dom Capers' creative blitz packages, the Packers sacked Bears quarterback Jay Cutler six times and intercepted him twice. (Sunday, Capers blitzed a defensive back 19 times, including 16 in the second half, according to ESPN Stats & Information.)

Capers' group limited six opponents to single-digit point totals during the regular season and finished the season as the NFL's second-best scoring defense (15 points per game). Defense is said to win championships, and it certainly is possible that Capers could shut down a playoff opponent on the road. But you can hardly expect a victory in such a manner, and Rodgers isn't the only Packers player who chimed in with that opinion.

"It will come down to us holding down our end of it," cornerback Charles Woodson said. "Our offense ... we don't expect them to score 10 points. We expect them to score 20 or more. Hopefully they do that next week. For us, we just feel like if they do, that we'll hold up our end of the bargain and we'll win."

In many ways, the Packers' offense has been an all-or-nothing outfit this season. They've scored at least 27 points in nine games this season, winning eight of them. On the other hand, their six losses this season have included these point totals: 3, 13, 17, 17, 20 and 27.

You don't have to look any further than the past two weeks. Last Sunday, the Packers scored 45 points and totaled 515 yards in a rout of the New York Giants. Playing against an admittedly high-caliber defense this Sunday, the Packers were stymied for almost the entire game.

Tramon Williams' 41-yard punt return set up their first score, a 23-yard field goal from Mason Crosby after the offense failed to score on three goal-line plays. Their touchdown, a 1-yard pass from Rodgers to tight end Donald Lee, came after their best play of the afternoon -- a 46-yard pass from Rodgers to Greg Jennings down the right sideline.

In what I thought was an honest analysis, Rodgers made little attempt to gloss over what he called the offense's season-long "inconsistency."

He added: "It's been a more frustrating year [than 2009] because we haven't played as well as maybe we did at times last year. ... We played a good Giants team and played excellent on offense and defense. Tonight was a struggle. It's nice to keep that momentum coming, but we can't have the kind of inconsistent performances that we've had this year that have forced us to be a No. 6 seed."

Rodgers expressed particular concern about the Packers' running game, which fell dormant Sunday despite the return of rookie James Starks. Three Packers running backs -- Starks, Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn -- combined for 39 yards on 16 carries -- and Rodgers was the leading individual rusher with 21 yards. It was the fourth game of the season in which Rodgers had earned that distinction.

Rodgers, who suffered calf cramps Sunday, laughed and said: "Unless I'm able to be calf-cramp free and have some sort of 40- or 50-yard run next week, I don't believe that me being the leading rusher for us is going to equate to a win."

Coach Mike McCarthy acknowledged that Sunday was not the offense's "best day" but fairly noted how well the Packers' defense and special teams performed. (In addition to Williams' punt return, they also downed four punts from Tim Masthay inside the Bears' 20-yard line.) And when I asked Williams what opponents should fear most about the Packers, he said "everything" before laughing and qualifying his answer.

"We feel we're one of the teams that can win it and probably one of the teams that's feared in this whole thing," he said. "Hopefully we can go out and perform the way we can or we should. If our offense performs the way that they can, it's going to be a great playoffs."

I wouldn't disagree. But we've seen enough this season, and were reminded on Sunday, why it's wrong to promote the Packers as a lock for that development.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- A few thoughts after the Green Bay Packers held on for a 10-3 victory over the Chicago Bears.

What it means: As it turned out, the Packers needed this win in order to qualify for the playoffs. After a nervous afternoon at Lambeau Field, the Packers put together enough of a surge late in the third quarter and early in the fourth to win it. It wasn’t over until safety Nick Collins clinched the game with a red zone interception with 10 seconds remaining. As the No. 6 seed, the Packers will play at the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC’s wild-card round. The day and time will be announced soon.

What I was surprised by: Bears coach Lovie Smith played his starters for the entire game despite having nothing tangible to play for in this game. Before kickoff, the Atlanta Falcons had clinched the NFC’s No. 1 overall playoff seed, leaving the Bears locked in at No. 2 no matter the outcome of this game. Two Bears players left with injuries -- linebacker Nick Roach and safety Major Wright -- but both probably would have been on the field even if Smith had rested his starters. I don’t necessarily disagree with Smith’s decision. As we discussed earlier in the week, there is something to be said about maintaining a winning mindset. But it’s just a matter of fact: The Bears’ good fortune when it comes to health continued Sunday.

Turning point Part I: With the Packers trailing 3-0 more than halfway through the third quarter, Tramon Williams broke off a 41-yard punt return to put the ball at the Bears’ 44-yard line. The play energized the crowd and ultimately led to Mason Crosby's 23-yard field goal.

Turning point Part II: The Bears appeared to have converted a third-and-15 late in the third quarter to put the ball on the Packers’ 40-yard line. But Chester Taylor's 15-yard reception was wiped out because Smith had called a timeout just before the snap, apparently to avoid a delay of game penalty. Ouch.

Turning point Part III: Much like last Sunday against the New York Giants, the Packers’ winning push got a huge boost from a long pass down the right sideline to receiver Greg Jennings. This time, quarterback Aaron Rodgers found Jennings past cornerback Zack Bowman for 46 yards early in the fourth quarter. Safety Danieal Manning was late to help but tackled Jennings at the Bears’ 1-yard line.

Turning point Part IV: Normally first-and-goal isn’t a high-stress play, but the Packers had botched an earlier goal-to-go series after Williams’ punt return. This time, however, Rodgers found tight end Donald Lee for a play-action touchdown pass that looked pretty similar to the one he threw to Lee last week against the Giants.

What's next: The Bears have a first-round bye. The Packers will be in Philadelphia either Saturday or Sunday.

After the Green Bay Packers’ 45-17 victory against the New York Giants, here are three issues that merit further examination:

Kevin SeifertFollowing their win against the New York Giants, the Packers take their turn in the examination room.
1. In discussing the explosion of the Packers’ passing game Sunday, I didn’t spend enough time noting how well the Packers protected quarterback Aaron Rodgers against the team that entered the game leading the NFL in sacks. Rodgers was sacked twice and hit on three other occasions in the course of 41 dropbacks. By most accounts, left tackle Chad Clifton controlled Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora, and the Packers smartly rotated help to right tackle Bryan Bulaga, limiting pass rusher Justin Tuck to one sack. Tuck got decent penetration on a second-and-goal play in the third quarter, but on that occasion, Rodgers calmly stepped up in the pocket and found tight end Donald Lee for a key touchdown. "My initial reaction is that our guys did a nice job," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. By the way, Rodgers became only the second Packers quarterback to throw for at least 400 yards and four touchdowns in the same game. The other was Don Horn, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. It was also the first time since 1953 that the Giants had allowed an opponent to do it.
2. I’ll let Packers receiver Greg Jennings explain what is so fun and interesting about the rise of backup tailback John Kuhn in the Packers' offense: "The thing about John Kuhn is that when he [enters] the game, the fans know he’s getting the ball. The defense knows he’s getting the ball. And he never disappoints them." Indeed, Kuhn has been a nearly unstoppable conversion machine of late. Sunday, he touched the ball eight times. Six of them resulted in first downs and three went for touchdowns. In his past two games, according to ESPN Stats & Information, Kuhn has 11 first downs on 17 touches. He also made a smart move after an 8-yard scoring run in the second quarter, encouraging the Packers’ extra-point team to hurry onto the field because he thought his knee might have hit the ground before he crossed the plane. The Packers obliged, and the Giants missed an opportunity to challenge.
3. Yes, you saw it right: Rodgers made an exaggerated "safe" sign after sliding at the end of a 15-yard run in the first quarter. His failure to do so two weeks ago, of course, played a role in his second concussion of the season. "I got a lot of texts the last two weeks from friends and family," Rodgers said. "Slide was the main subject there." Afterwards, Rodgers pointed at Dr. John Gray, one of the Packers' team physicians. Rodgers: "I basically was teasing Dr. Gray all week -- really the last couple of weeks -- because he's been talking about being smart outside of the pocket. So I slid and did the safe signal and pointed over at Dr. Gray that I was thinking about what he had told me."

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

Even after 16 weeks of the season, I'm not sure whether I trust Jordy Nelson or James Jones as the Packers' No. 3 receiver. Both have made huge plays this season, including Nelson's 80-yard touchdown reception to open Sunday's scoring. But both have also made huge mistakes that could ultimately make the difference in a playoff victory or loss. Sunday, Nelson fumbled while trying to extend for a first down, his third lost fumble of the season. And Jones dropped what would have been a long touchdown pass. They are both dynamic playmakers in their own right, but it would be nice to see them tighten down as the playoffs approach.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Week 12 brings us this revelation: The Chicago Bears are in the proverbial driver's seat in the NFC North. The standings with five games left in the season:

1. Chicago Bears (8-3)
2. Green Bay Packers (7-4)
3. Minnesota Vikings (4-7)
4. Detroit Lions (2-9)

The Bears have both a full-game lead over the Packers and an advantage in the top two tiebreakers for division championships. First, the Bears won the teams' Week 3 matchup, giving them the early edge in head-to-head record. And the Bears (3-0) also have a better division mark than the Packers (3-1), accounting for the second tiebreaker. The third is record against common opponents, which is too complicated for my pea brain to figure out at this point.

After all, we still have more than a month of football left to be played. All this means is that the Bears need no help to win their first NFC North championship in four years. The Packers must win at least one more game than the Bears, and possibly two, from here on out to win the title.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times on the Bears' 31-26 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles: "This had nothing to do with luck or a soft schedule or sidelined adversaries or the possibility that Michael Vick's body clock was set to Kazakhstan time. This had everything to do with a Bears team that, finally given an opportunity against a real, live, talented opponent, rose to the occasion and made us naysayers say, in so many words, yea. With a 31-26 victory over the Eagles on Sunday, the Bears proved they belong among the top teams in the NFL"
• The Bears had a simple but effective approach to slowing down Vick, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler upstaged Vick in what was the signature game of his Bears career, writes David Haugh of the Tribune.
• Bears safety Chris Harris provided a key interception, notes Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• Special teams hurt the Packers in their 20-17 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, writes Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "The Packers have nothing to be ashamed of, and their overall performance would have been good enough to win against most opponents. But not against the Falcons, who own the best record in the NFL and improved to 19-3 at home under coach Mike Smith." They are also 19-1 in those games when quarterbacked by Matt Ryan.
• Tight end Donald Lee was stunned to be deactivated for the game, according to Rob Demovsky of the Press-Gazette. Lee: "I think either last Monday or Wednesday I heard that some guys are going to have to compete to be [active] for this game, but I didn’t think in a million years it would be me. That’s just the way it is. Sometimes things work out different from what you hope for."
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com wonders how big of a problem it will be if the Packers can't rely on their running game in December.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com on the nature of the Vikings' 17-13 victory over the Washington Redskins: "Who knows where all those good vibes would have gone if the Redskins hadn't been so determined to clown away this game?"
• The Vikings relied on rookie tailback Toby Gerhart for 22 carries after starter Adrian Peterson was lost with an ankle injury. Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune has more.
• ESPN.com's John Clayton reports that former New York Jets sideline reporter Jenn Sterger provided the NFL with additional information last week about its investigation of Vikings quarterback Brett Favre. A second interview of Favre could result.
• Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press playfully ridicules Favre's 10-yard run in the fourth quarter.
• Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com provides a thorough film breakdown of the Detroit Lions' 45-24 loss on Thanksgiving Day to the New England Patriots.

ATLANTA -- Here are some highlights of the inactive lists in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.:

• The Green Bay Packers deactivated tight end Donald Lee and will start rookie Andrew Quarless. Tom Crabtree and Spencer Havner will be available in reserve.
• As expected, the Packers will have only three safeties available: Starts Nick Collins and Charlie Peprah, along with backup Jarrett Bush. Atari Bigby (hamstring) and Anthony Smith (ankle) are inactive.
• The Minnesota Vikings deactivated receiver Bernard Berrian, who has been dealing with a groin injury for the past three weeks. Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin will start against the Washington Redskins.
• Rookie Vikings cornerback Chris Cook won't play. Cook was added to the injury report Friday because of a knee injury, but after the way he played last week against the Green Bay Packers, you wonder if this was just a soft demotion.
• Ryan Cook will start at right guard for the Vikings, replacing the injured Anthony Herrera.

After the Green Bay Packers' 45-7 victory Sunday over the Dallas Cowboys, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Kevin SeifertFollowing their win over the Cowboys, the Packers take their turn in the examination room.
   Quick: After taking in Week 9 action, what NFC teams can you say are definitely playing better than the Packers? Maybe the New York Giants? The Atlanta Falcons? For me, the list stops there. At the season's midpoint, the Packers are essentially where we thought they would be: among the top teams in the conference. They have taken a winding road to get there, and we of course have no assurances they will stay. But if they can beat an NFL team by 38 points, even if it's the semi-professional Cowboys, then you're definitely clicking on most cylinders. That the Packers could get to this point despite their long injury list is a tribute to their entire organization.
2. We can have our jokes about the Packers' decision to keep four tight ends and three fullbacks on their original 53-man roster, but they have made sure it paid off. Tight ends Donald Lee and Tom Crabtree stepped in Sunday night with rookie Andrew Quarless sidelined by injury, and I loved the Packers' three-fullback alignment in the second half -- John Kuhn flanked by Korey Hall and Quinn Johnson. If you're going to keep an unbalanced roster, you better find use for your surplus. Good for the Packers for finding a way, even if it's unconventional.
3. We'll have to do some digging and find out if one team has ever had two different players win back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards. Last season, Packers cornerback Charles Woodson won it. This year, linebacker Clay Matthews is making a strong push. Through nine games, he has 10.5 sacks. He also returned an interception 62 yards for a touchdown Sunday night. There aren't many players around the league who are dominating at his level right now.

And here is one issue I don't get:

The Packers have gotten a Pro Bowl performance this season from cornerback Tramon Williams in place of the injured Al Harris. Rookie Sam Shields, when healthy, has been more than solid as a nickel back. But the Packers don't have enough depth behind Shields to release Harris, as they did Monday morning, if they think he can still play. I can only assume that Harris hasn't shown enough from a physical standpoint during three weeks of practice to merit an addition to the 53-man roster. Generally speaking, I would rather have a slowed-down Harris playing in the dime defense than Jarrett Bush or even Brandon Underwood. I can only assume that the Packers believe Harris has slowed down too much.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Seven players and one coach remained on the Minnesota Vikings’ practice field Wednesday after their morning walk-through. Defensive backs coach Joe Woods and six cornerbacks stood in a semi-circle around quarterback Brett Favre, who was conducting a demonstration of receiver alignments, quarterback drops and other motions.

National headlines will continue to focus this week on the NFL’s investigation into allegations that he sent inappropriate photographs to a former New York Jets sideline reporter. Were it not for that ongoing story, however, we would all be talking about what could be his final game at Lambeau Field. (Don't forget: Favre has said this will be his last NFL season. Wink, wink.) And despite the investigation and the relative cooling of hostilities surrounding his departure, it was clear Wednesday that he was focused on doing whatever he can to defeat the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.

Favre said there was "not a lot" of insight he could give the Vikings' defense, but Wednesday’s tutorial appeared intense. Everyone from veteran Antoine Winfield to rookie Chris Cook were riveted for at least 10 minutes after practice. Last season, coach Brad Childress said, Favre actually served as a scout-team quarterback to mimic Rodgers during practice.

"The only thing I could have said or would say is try to put yourself in Donald Driver’s shoes, Greg Jennings, James Jones, Donald Lee," Favre said. "I was obviously with Aaron [Rodgers] for quite a while. … Just try to think like them and maybe conceptually speaking, some of the things that they might do."

Favre and the Vikings defeated the Packers twice last season, by scores of 30-23 and 38-26. Did Favre provide any useful insight? He said Wednesday that he can "sometimes" predict a Packers play based on pre-snap alignments but cautioned his audience about changes that could be inserted to ward off his knowledge.

In one case, Favre said, the Packers changed a play that included all slant routes to be "all slants and go."

He added: "So you have to be cautious. You can almost talk yourself in or out and talk to your guys and say, 'Here's what comes in this play,' and then your guy gets beat. You still have to react to it. … They're going to get their big plays and be productive. [But] I don’t think they need to change anything. They give you some looks that are, I don’t want to say somewhat predictable, but they are still hard to stop."

Hard-core Packers fans might have wretched at Wednesday’s post-practice scene, but Favre made no apologies.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “… The passion for the game, that’s one thing that hasn’t wavered.”

More to come.

As painful as it might be, let's take a moment to update the Green Bay Packers' astonishing injury report. The bottom line: The Packers will definitely be without tight end Jermichael Finley, linebacker Nick Barnett, safety Derrick Martin and tight end Donald Lee for the next several weeks. A number of other players could also fall in that category based on progress (or lack thereof) this week. A rundown:

• Finley: He will have surgery to repair what the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports is a torn meniscus in his right knee. Coach Mike McCarthy said he would be "surprised" if the injury ended Finley's season. It's more likely he'll miss between three and six weeks.
• Barnett: There is now "some hope" that a wrist injury will not cost him the rest of the season, McCarthy said. But surgery scheduled for Wednesday likely will cost Barnett at least six weeks.
• Lee: He has a chest sprain, McCarthy said, that will cost "maybe a couple weeks."
• Martin: A knee sprain is likely to cost him several weeks.
• Quarterback Aaron Rodgers: McCarthy said he will miss some practice time "at minimum" this week but wouldn't rule him out of Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins. Still, given the heightened state of awareness on brain issues in the NFL, it wouldn't at all be surprising to see Rodgers miss his first game since becoming the team's starter in 2008.
• Linebacker Clay Matthews: He missed a month during the preseason because of a hamstring pull, but McCarthy said the latest hamstring injury was "not as severe as the first time." Whether Matthews can make it back in one week, however, is uncertain.
• Defensive end Ryan Pickett: An ankle sprain has left his status uncertain for this week and beyond.

All told, the Packers could play the Dolphins without seven players who were Week 1 starters. We have a long practice week ahead of us, but this injury report is just incredible. I think we can all agree that it will require a highly effective patchwork effort for the Packers to get where they want to go this season.

Just so you know what the Packers are up against, let's take a look at Weeks 6 through 12 of the Packers' 17-week schedule:

Week 6: Miami Dolphins
Week 7: Minnesota Vikings
Week 8: at New York Jets
Week 9: Dallas Cowboys
Week 10: Bye
Week 11: at Minnesota Vikings
Week 12: at Atlanta Falcons

Graham Gano kicked a 33-yard field goal in overtime Sunday to give the Washington Redskins a 16-13 win over the Green Bay Packers.

What it means: Now 3-2, the Packers are once again a game behind the Chicago Bears in the NFC North. The Packers have to be sick after not only losing a game they controlled for most of the afternoon, but also after seeing another injury to a significant player. The Packers led for the first 58 minutes, 39 seconds of the game. I didn't see every snap while in transit, but watching Mason Crosby's 53-yard field goal attempt bounce off the left upright near the end of regulation must have been painful.

Injury of note: Tight end Jermichael Finley didn't return after suffering a knee injury in the first quarter and was later seen standing on the sidelines with crutches. The Packers already were playing Sunday without tailback Ryan Grant, right tackle Mark Tauscher, linebacker Nick Barnett, linebacker Brandon Chillar and safety Morgan Burnett. Losing Finley for any amount of time would represent the biggest blow by far. We'll keep you updated on any details that arise, but for now Packers fans everywhere are holding their breath. Making matters worse, the Packers also played much of the game without veteran backup tight end Donald Lee, who didn't return after suffering a shoulder injury. That left rookie Andrew Quarless playing key minutes in a close game.

Think about it: The Packers' two losses have both come with less than five seconds remaining in the respective games. Chicago Bears place-kicker Robbie Gould booted a 19-yard field goal with four seconds remaining in Week 3. Sunday, Gano's 33-yard field goal came on the final play.

Flags fly: The Packers added another nine penalties to their season total, including two that helped the Redskins get Gano in position for an easier field goal attempt in overtime. Linebacker Brady Poppinga's holding penalty gave the Redskins another set of downs after failing to convert third-and-1 from the Packers' 30-yard line, and a pass interference call three plays on cornerback Charles Woodson got the Redskins out of a third-and-15 at the 30.

What's next: The Packers hope to rebound next Sunday at Lambeau Field against the Miami Dolphins.

Packers tight end Jermichael Finley was carted off the field after Green Bay's second offensive play against the Redskins.

Two plays later, defensive lineman Ryan Pickett stayed down briefly. He walked off the field with help.

After scoring the first touchdown of the game, tight end Donald Lee suffered a shoulder injury and was ruled out for the rest of the game.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

An unusual dynamic will begin playing out Sunday here in the NFC North. While the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers continue a weekend pause to fortify and finalize their rosters, the Minnesota Vikings will start their practice week in anticipation of Thursday night's season opener in New Orleans.

Sunday's schedule will roughly mirror a typical NFL Wednesday, including a full practice and slate of media interviews. I'll be at the Vikings' facility, where quarterback Brett Favre is among those expected to talk. I'll also keep track of significant roster moves after the noon ET expiration for waiver claims.

In the meantime, let's take a Sunday morning spin around the division.

• Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler on if he is involved in a "bromance" with offensive coordinator Mike Martz: "You know, it's an interesting take." Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune explores their budding relationship.
• Bears running back Garrett Wolfe on making the team: "At this point in my life, I've accomplished more than anybody ever gave me credit for." Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times has more.
• The Bears tried to trade special teams ace Tim Shaw before releasing him, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
• The Detroit Lions should be busy adding, and possibly subtracting, cornerbacks and linebackers on Sunday, according to Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com.
• Lions defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch: "Potentially, we can be one of the best, if not the best, defensive line" in the league. We have talent, we have depth, we have the right people, we just have to put it together." Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has more.
• Kudos to Lions linebacker Zack Follett for this quote in Terry Foster's column in the Detroit News: "Man, I do get a lot of publicity for someone with just 10 career tackles."
• The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Green Bay Packers' decision to keep tight end Donald Lee: "In the end, the decision to keep Lee over touchdown-producing tight end Spencer Havner came down to the Packers acknowledging they can't go into the season with a budding third-year superstar, a young blocking specialist and a talented rookie with previous off-the-field issues without having someone like the venerable Lee around."
• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "The Green Bay Packers talk a good game when it comes to stressing the importance of special teams. But some of their actions Saturday to reduce their roster to 53 players didn't back up that claim."
• Packers safety/returner Will Blackmon on leaving with an injury settlement: "I'm at peace. I totally understand why. I'm going to do my part, then make it happen." Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com has more.
• The Vikings are putting everything toward winning the Super Bowl this season, writes Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune. The team could look much different after 2010.
• Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press believes the Vikings should put quarterback Tarvaris Jackson out of his misery.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com breaks down the Vikings' 53-man roster.

Check here for a full list of Green Bay's roster moves.

Biggest surprise: Spencer Havner was the Packers' No. 3 tight end last year and this summer, but his versatility seemed to make him a valuable part of the roster. He's a competent receiver, a good blocker, decent on special teams and also can play linebacker. Perhaps he wasn't good enough in any of those roles to justify a roster spot for. I don't know for sure. Regardless, the Packers chose veteran Donald Lee, rookie Andrew Quarless and also Tom Crabtree ahead of him. Meanwhile, we discussed the possibility that defensive back/kick returner Will Blackmon might get squeezed out. But it appears the Packers believe he isn't close to recovering fully from an October knee injury. They officially placed him on injured reserve, but he'll eventually be waived in accordance with an injury settlement.

No-brainers: The Packers parted ways with offensive lineman Allen Barbre, who had a disastrous seven-game stint at right tackle last season. It was about time. Like Blackmon, Barbre was placed on injured reserve, but eventually will be waived. On the other side of the equation, the Packers couldn't do anything but keep rookie cornerback Sam Shields. I'm not sure how much he'll play immediately, but he showed too much potential this summer to risk exposing to waivers.

What's next: Waiving Chris Bryan should mean that Tim Masthay will be the Packers' Week 1 punter, but we'll wait to get confirmation from the Packers on that. After parting ways with Blackmon and Jason Chery, it's not clear who will be the Packers' kickoff or punt returners. Likely candidates are running back Brandon Jackson and receiver Jordy Nelson. As of now, the Packers have more fullbacks on their roster (three) than running backs (two). I wonder if that will change in the coming days.

Earlier Thursday, we looked at four established NFC North players who reside on the proverbial roster bubble. Now, let's take a broader look at some key questions our teams face in determining the final composition of their rosters.

Will the Bears wipe out a good bit of their 2009 draft? Defensive lineman Jarron Gilbert, receiver Juaquin Iglesias and defensive lineman Henry Melton were the Bears' top three picks of that draft. They've all been invisible this summer and certainly haven't done anything to earn roster spots. Whether one is reserved for them is another question.

Can the Bears find room for special-teams stud Tim Shaw? He had 30 tackles on special teams last season but isn't much of a factor on defense. But he would qualify as a specialist, and there isn't always room for one on a 53-man roster. Do the Bears feel comfortable using him at linebacker, especially considering preseason injuries to Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Nick Roach? Uncertain.

How many running backs will the Detroit Lions keep? We know that Jahvid Best is the starter, and veteran Kevin Smith would be the likely No. 2 if he were completely healthy. But does Smith's offseason knee surgery make the Lions nervous? And if so, do they keep five backs behind Best -- Smith, Maurice Morris, Aaron Brown, DeDe Dorsey and fullback Jerome Felton -- or does one get released?

If they keep an extra back, could the Lions take a roster spot from the quarterback position? That's not out of the question. The Lions have established Shaun Hill as the long-term backup to starter Matthew Stafford. So is there any reason to keep Drew Stanton on the roster?

Will the Green Bay Packers keep five tight ends? We mentioned the possibility of veteran Donald Lee meeting the end of the line. It's also possible that Tom Crabtree could be sneaked onto the practice squad. But you could make an argument that all five tight ends are among the Packers' top 53 players. General manager Ted Thompson has made odd numerical choices before; last year he kept three fullbacks for what is mostly a one-back offense.

Will both players who entered 2009 competing for the right tackle job be cut? It's very possible that Allen Barbre and Breno Giacomini have played their way off the team. This year's backup tackles are more likely to be Bryan Bulaga and T.J. Lang.

How will the Minnesota Vikings establish more depth at cornerback? Right now, their starters are Antoine Winfield and either Lito Sheppard or Asher Allen. The nonstarter in that group is the likely nickelback, but beyond him the Vikings have no viable candidates for depth. A waiver claim or trade would seem a near-certainty.

How many receivers can the Vikings keep? Bernard Berrian and Percy Harvin are locks. You would think Greg Lewis makes the team, along with Greg Camarillo. Will Javon Walker make the Week 1 roster as a No. 5 receiver? Or would the Vikings be wary of guaranteeing his 2010 salary? Signing him back as early as Week 2 would allow them to pay him on a weekly basis.

Earlier: Final-week position battles and players on the bubble.

Preseason play mercifully will end Thursday night, opening what is really a five-day window for NFL teams to settle on their final 53-man rosters and practice squads. Some teams will begin making cuts as soon as Friday morning. Everyone must be down to 53 by Saturday at 6 p.m. ET, but waiver claims, trades and other player movement could continue as late as next Tuesday before Week 1 practices begin in earnest.

As we approach the NFL's flea market season, let's identify one player who seems most at risk on each NFC North team.

Chicago Bears

Player: Running back Garrett Wolfe
Comment: We've been waiting for Wolfe's speed to translate into regular playmaking for three years, and his time might now be up. Although he's been a good special-teams player in the past, Wolfe is on the wrong side of the Bears' Matt Forte-Chester Taylor tailback tandem. If the Bears keep a third running back, it could be second-year player Kahlil Bell.

Detroit Lions

Player: Offensive lineman Jon Jansen
Comment: Jansen started two games last season as an emergency fill-in and has spent the summer competing with Gosder Cherilus for the starting right tackle job. But if Cherilus wins the job, as expected, the Lions might choose a younger player such as Corey Hilliard as a backup.

Green Bay Packers

Player: Tight end Donald Lee
Comment: The Packers have five tight ends that probably should make the team: Jermichael Finley, Spencer Havner, Tom Crabtree, rookie Andrew Quarless and the veteran Lee. But that's a high number, and you wonder if Lee wouldn't be the odd man out. He's scheduled to make $2 million this season, all of which would be guaranteed if he's on the Week 1 roster. That's premium money for a part-time player.

Minnesota Vikings

Player: Kickoff specialist Rhys Lloyd
Comment: A kickoff specialist is a luxury reserved for only the biggest, most consistent boomers in the NFL. Lloyd, on the other hand, doesn't have a touchback this preseason and has been a big disappointment. It's possible the Vikings will give him time to straighten out, but their health-induced duress at other positions might make his roster spot too valuable.