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A few thoughts on the end of another late-game victory for the Detroit Lions:

What it means: The Lions won their third consecutive game, two of which have come on the road, and now have a chance to elevate out of the NFC North basement for the first time in three seasons. A victory in next Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Minnesota Vikings will ensure it. Sunday’s game should be an instant classic in recent Lions history.

What I liked: The Lions scored the final 17 points to complete a comeback from 10 points down in the fourth quarter. A 53-yard touchdown reception by tailback Jahvid Best, Dave Rayner’s 47-yard field goal and DeAndre Levy’s 30-yard interception return accounted for the scoring. Levy’s decision to cut back at about 10-yard line was a smooth, veteran and knowledgeable football play.

What I liked II: Cornerback Nate Vasher intercepted Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne to set up Rayner’s field goal and also made a textbook tackle of Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown on the final play of the game, keeping Brown in bounds with the Dolphins out of timeouts. Vasher seemed buried two years ago in Chicago, and his career took him to San Diego and finally to Detroit. But Sunday, we got a reminder of how good of a player he once was.

What I liked III: Nate Burleson’s 30-yard block of Dolphins cornerback Vontae Davis in the fourth quarter allowed tailback Best to maneuver downfield for his touchdown. Burleson basically face-guarded Davis across the field and down the right sideline before pancaking him near the goal line. Best got the credit for the score, but it wouldn’t have happened if Burleson hadn’t stayed with Davis.

Secondary woes: The Lions began the game without safety Louis Delmas, who was deactivated because of a concussion, and I checked my Lions roster a few times to identify some unfamiliar numbers. At different point, you saw Eric King, Prince Miller and Tye Hill playing in the Lions’ beleaguered secondary. While Vasher bailed out the secondary, it’s worth noting that Hill should have intercepted a Henne pass late in the second quarter. But the ball glanced off his hands and into those of Davone Bess for a 13-yard touchdown that gave the Dolphins a lead heading into halftime.

What I wasn’t sure of: Receiver Calvin Johnson wasn’t on the field for much of the fourth quarter. Did he have an injury? There was no official announcement that I saw or heard. *Update: Johnson had an ankle injury.

What’s next: The Lions will return home for their season finale to take on the Vikings, who might or might not have played their Week 16 game against the Philadelphia Eagles by then.

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

Biggest surprise: Veteran cornerbacks Dre Bly and Eric King were among six cornerbacks released. The Lions' secondary was hardly exemplary during the preseason, but you figured Bly or King would make the team to provide some level of veteran presence. As it stands now, the Lions' cornerbacks include starters Chris Houston and Jonathan Wade, rookie Aaron Berry and newcomer Alphonso Smith. I'm not saying it was a mistake to cut Bly and King. Just a bit surprising. Defensive tackle Landon Cohen, meanwhile, saw the Lions overhaul his position in the offseason, but seemed to make enough plays in training camp and during the preseason to earn a roster spot. Instead, his spot went to Andre Fluellen. Finally, the Lions chose Aaron Brown over DeDe Dorsey for the final running back spot. Dorsey made two big plays in the preseason finale, but coaches chose Brown's speed and potential special teams contribution.

No-brainers: I give the Lions credit for releasing linebacker Vinny Ciurciu. He entered training camp as a player focused on special teams, but spent most of it filling in for injured middle linebacker DeAndre Levy. Ciurciu hasn't played much linebacker in his career, and unfortunately for him, the extended time revealed that he wouldn't be able to hold down the position should he be called on in a relief role during the season.

What's next: The Lions need to settle their secondary following this weekend of flux. Who is their nickel back? What about the dime? Will rookie Amari Spievey remain at safety or move back to cornerback to provide more depth? The team is also going to need to spend some more time looking for depth at linebacker. It wouldn't be a surprise to see them focus at that position over the next few days.

Before anyone starts doing cartwheels over the Detroit Lions' latest swindle/trade, let's remember one thing: Good cover cornerbacks are never, EVER reasonably available when under contract. You can get them, but it almost always requires a ridiculous contract on top of premium trade terms.

The Lions had to do neither Saturday afternoon in order to pry Alphonso Smith away from the Denver Broncos. Instead, general manager Martin Mayhew sent No. 4 tight end Dan Gronkowski to the Broncos. And that's it. As of now, at least, there are no indications that the Lions included any draft picks for Smith, who was the No. 37 overall pick of the 2009 draft. *Update: Reports are emerging that the Lions might send a low-round pick to Denver to complete the deal. We'll bring it to you officially when it is announced.

It's rare that a team gives up on a highly-drafted cornerback after one year. It was especially painful for Denver which, as my AFC West colleague Bill Williamson recently pointed out, traded its 2010 first-round pick (No. 14 overall) to jump back into the second round in 2009 to draft Smith. But he was buried deep on the Broncos depth chart this summer and would have been released were it not for this trade.

That said, Mayhew had every reason to make this trade. Even though Gronkowski had a strong preseason, there was little chance he would play in a tight end group that includes established veterans Brandon Pettigrew, Tony Scheffler and Will Heller. Cornerback is a much more important position than tight end, and the Lions' need there is acute.

Chris Houston and Jonathan Wade finished the preseason as the starting cornerbacks, with Eric King working at nickel. But Smith will get every opportunity to turn around his career in Detroit, at minimal cost to the Lions. Advantage, Detroit.

As we enter the final week of the preseason, position battles and depth chart competition should be nearing their conclusion. No clear answers generally means trouble. So with that timing in mind, let's take a look at the key summer issues in each NFC North locale:

Chicago Bears
Unsettled positions: Both safeties and strongside linebacker
Comment: The safety issue will come down to how quickly rookie Major Wright can return from a fractured finger. If it's soon, he could be the free safety with Chris Harris at strong. If not, the Bears might have to patch the position together with Harris at free safety and Danieal Manning or Craig Steltz on the strong side. Meanwhile, Nick Roach seemed to have the linebacker job won before having knee surgery. Can Pisa Tinoisamoa hold him off?

Detroit Lions
Unsettled positions: No. 2 cornerback, strong safety
Comment: Jonathan Wade held down the cornerback job in camp until a finger injury knocked him from the lineup. Eric King or Dre' Bly could be his short- and/or long-term replacement. C.C. Brown was the first-team strong safety for most of camp, but his hand was in a cast last week. Randy Phillips has been the primary replacement, but fellow rookie Amari Spievey was moved from cornerback to safety last week.

Green Bay Packers
Unsettled positions: Left guard and punter
Comment: Daryn Colledge won the left guard job by default after a hip flexor slowed rookie Bryan Bulaga. Tim Masthay appears to have an edge on Chris Bryan in the punting battle, but the Packers will take the competition through the end of the week.

Minnesota Vikings
Unsettled positions: No. 2 cornerback, strong safety, center, third-down back
Comment: Rookie Chris Cook appears on the brink of beating out Lito Sheppard and Asher Allen for the right cornerback job. Tyrell Johnson is trying to hold off Jamarca Sanford at safety. That battle is too close to call. The Vikings are worried that center John Sullivan's calf injury has put him too far behind to be ready for the Sept. 9 season opener at New Orleans, leaving them to decide whether to play backup Jon Cooper or move over right guard Anthony Herrera. The Vikings have rotated Adrian Peterson, Toby Gerhart and Albert Young in the third-down role and might use a combination when the season begins.

We're Black and Blue all over:

As you probably noticed, we opened the second week of NFC North training camps a bit out of order. Our first Monday post was the formal Green Bay Packers Camp Confidential, and now we're following up with our daily trek around the division. Hope we didn't throw anyone off. I don't often throw my changeup.

We start with the Detroit Lions, where starting cornerback Chris Houston was (temporarily, I presume) demoted to the second-team defense after receiver Calvin Johnson beat him for a big play Sunday. Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham barked at Houston, according to Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press, and put Eric King into Houston's spot. Dre Bly moved up to nickel.

As we discussed in the Lions Camp Confidential, Houston is drawing Johnson often in practice coverage. That's almost not fair. Based on what I saw, I would be really surprised if Houston isn't one of the Lions' starting cornerbacks Sept. 12 at Chicago. But it's clear that very few Lions players are guaranteed starting roles.

I'll be reporting from the final stop of our training camp tour -- Mankato, Minn. -- in a few hours. For now, let's continue around the NFC North:

• Cunningham has been "on the warpath" lately, writes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com.
• Chris McCosky of the Detroit News: "Slow and steady goes the progress for tight end Tony Scheffler."
• It looks like the Chicago Bears are giving second-year player Lance Louis a legitimate chance to win the starting right guard job, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• Bears tight end Greg Olsen caught six touchdowns during a red zone drill Sunday night, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• Bears running back Matt Forte isn't worried about losing his starting job, writes Mike Mulligan of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Minnesota Vikings cornerback Lito Sheppard: "I don't think my game has dropped off any at all." Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune has more.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com writes that too much of the Vikings offense has been sidelined during training camp to make a true evaluation.
• Albert Young is making a push for the Vikings' No. 2 running back position, according to Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Packers rookie Morgan Burnett got a little case of the jitters during Saturday's Family Night scrimmage, according to Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• It still looks like the Packers have a one-man backfield, writes Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

Of the eight divisions, the NFC North reports to camp the latest. All four teams arrive July 30.

Figuring Brett Favre will report to Minnesota sometime after the Vikings break camp in Mankato, Minn., that seems fitting. All good things come to those who wait.

The NFC North, once known as a pounding-the-rock division, is now one of the more interesting for quarterback play. Favre, who is expected to return, and Aaron Rodgers of the Packers are among the league’s elite quarterbacks. Jay Cutler of the Bears hopes to regain that status after a poor 2009 season. The Lions drafted Matthew Stafford with the hope of him being one of the next great ones.

FOUR BIG QUESTIONS

Chicago Bears: Can new offensive coordinator Mike Martz add enough offense to the Bears to catch up to the Vikings or Packers?

Martz adds five to six points a game to any offense he’s around, so there is no question the Bears will be better on offense. Cutler likes what he sees, but the Bears must tighten their defense because the season will be a roller-coaster ride if they play 27-24 games every week. Keep an eye on the defense -- it ranked only 17^th in 2009 -- in camp and during the preseason.

Detroit Lions: Can the Lions generate enough of a running game to make it easier on Stafford?

Probably not. The Lions averaged only 25.6 rushing attempts a game last season, meaning Stafford needed to complete 24 or 25 passes a game for the offense to be good. Keep an eye on rookie RB Jahvid Best in camp. He will add explosiveness. Last year’s starter, Kevin Smith, is coming off knee reconstruction and may not be ready to earn quality first- and second-down yards.

Green Bay Packers: What’s the biggest concern on defense?

The Packers must sort out their cornerback situation in camp. Al Harris is coming off a major injury, so they must make sure that Tramon Williams is ready to take over if Harris is not ready for the start of the regular season. They also must develop Pat Lee as a key backup just in case.

Minnesota Vikings: While they wait for Favre to return, what is the main job of the Vikings’ offense this summer?

Ensuring that Adrian Peterson protects the football would be nice. Peterson has an NFL-high 20 fumbles the past three seasons. Vikings head coach Brad Childress knows that Peterson’s aggressive style sometimes will lead to fumbles, but a repeat of late-season fumbling issues by Peterson would not be good. Peterson fumbled twice and caused a turnover on a third play when he botched a handoff in the second quarter against the Saints in the NFC Championship Game.

HOTTEST SEATS

Bears: Head coach Lovie Smith. This is an easy one. Smith is on the hottest seat in the division. If the Bears don’t have a winning record this season, anyone who isn’t a McCaskey or a Halas will lose his job. It’s win or else.

Lions: Right tackle Gosder Cherilus: Former Redskins veteran Jon Jansen was signed to be an insurance policy, but Jansen came out of the offseason program in competition for a starting job. The right tackle job is there for the taking. Cherilus is big and physical, but he’s on the hot seat.

Packers: Safety Atari Bigby. The Packers rewarded free safety Nick Collins with a four-year, $30.4 million contract. Bigby isn’t happy that he was given the $1.759 million restricted tender and hasn’t signed it. Plus, the Packers drafted strong safety Morgan Burnett in the third round and seem to like him.

Vikings: Backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels. Before Favre joined the Vikings last season, Rosenfels competed against Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job. Rosenfels left the offseason program as the fourth quarterback, behind rookie Joe Webb, who was drafted to play receiver. Rosenfels’ seat is burning.

SECRET WEAPON

Bears receivers: Want a weird stat? The Bears are tied with the Vikings for most Pro Bowl players at wide receiver. That’s right. The Vikings have Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin. The Packers have only Donald Driver as a Pro Bowler, although Greg Jennings has been on the Pro Bowl radar the past couple of years. Bears wide receivers Devin Hester and Johnny Knox have each been to the Pro Bowl. The problem is that each made it as a returner, not a receiver. Those trips vouch for their athletic abilities, but it makes them ultimate secret weapons in the Mike Martz offense. Hester has receiving skills similar to Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers, but he tends to wear down the more routes he runs. Plus, he is challenged by the adjustments receivers must make on routes. Knox’s game is speed, but the second-year player still must polish his receiving skills.

Martz and the Bears said they like their receiving corps, but how good is it? If Hester and Knox are raw talents who can turn into solid receivers, the Bears could emerge as one of the league’s surprise offenses.

Another receiver to follow in training camp is Devin Aromashodu. This is Aromashodu’s fifth team, but Jay Cutler treated him as though he were his favorite receiver in the second half of last season. He caught 22 passes in the final five games. It’s hard to categorize Bears receivers into who is the legitimate No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3. It will be interesting to see how this sorts out in camp.

WILD CARD: DETROIT’S SECONDARY

How quickly the Lions’ secondary jells this summer could determine the fate of Detroit’s division rivals. In many ways, the Lions are the wild card of this division because the Vikings, Packers and Bears are each counting on two wins against Detroit if they want to get a better seeding in the playoffs or, in the case of the Bears, make the playoffs.

No secondary has undergone more change the past two offseasons than the Lions’. Detroit’s passing defense was abysmal last season, ranking last in the NFL. Opponents threw for 266 yards a game, with a 68.1 completion percentage and a 107.0 QB rating. Obviously that won’t cut it in a division that features Favre, Rodgers and Cutler.

Safety Louis Delmas, a second-round pick in 2009, seems to be a good piece to build around. Lions coach Jim Schwartz must sort out whether Ko Simpson, Marquand Manuel or C.C. Brown is the strong safety to pair with Delmas.

It’s a roll of the dice at cornerback. Eric King is the only corner returning from last season, but he started only one game for the Lions. The Lions acquired Chris Houston from the Falcons in a trade and have high hopes for third-round choice Amari Spievey. The Lions also have Jonathan Wade and Dre’ Bly, who played for Detroit from 2003-2006, but he’s 33.

» NFC North Weaknesses: Bears (7/6) | Lions (7/7) | Packers (7/8) | Vikings (7/9)

The Lions’ second-year staff is in the midst of a massive rebuilding project. It has done excellent work in this regard, but more time is needed. Even with a wealth of early draft picks and some free-agency money to spend, the Lions just couldn’t address every need on a team that failed to win a single game before Jim Schwartz & Co. took over.

The area that is still in the most need of help is cornerback. Of course, when you add a supreme talent like Ndamukong Suh at defensive tackle, a lot of defensive deficiencies tend to improve. It is too early to speculate on such things, but in the first round of the 2011 draft, my money is on Detroit adding a corner.

As it stands today, Chris Houston (acquired from Atlanta) is probably the Lions’ No. 1 cornerback. That isn’t to say that Houston is a terrible player, but he was far from spectacular last season and was more of a detriment rather than asset in the Falcons’ poor pass defense.

The Lions did add 33-year-old Dre' Bly on July 2 and used a very early third-round selection on Amari Spievey. Bly is probably the No. 2 corner for now and Spievey is a solid enough prospect who could contribute right away, specifically in sub packages, but his ceiling is probably that of a No. 2 corner. Spievey is not the player you want matched up against Greg Jennings or Sidney Rice for the foreseeable future.

Jonathan Wade, Eric King and Dante Wesley also will compete for the starting spot opposite Houston, but ideally, Detroit will want Spievey to win this job. Wade, King and Wesley are far from exciting and none has much upside at this stage of their respective careers. Spivey brings more physicality and ability to the position.

This secondary was horrific in 2009. It might be improved this year and the defensive line enhancement will help, but the cornerback position as a whole still needs a lot of work. Actually, besides Louis Delmas, this whole secondary is flat-out poor. Brett Favre, Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers may feast again.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Posting will be light Monday, based on the assumption that far less of you will be in front of your computers, phones and other Internet devices during the holiday. Hopefully, you're somewhere demonstrating your appreciation to the men and women of our armed forces.

[Narrator steps off soapbox.]

For those of you who happen to be checking out the blog today, I want to point you in the direction of Jeffri Chadiha's ESPN.com interview with Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher. In the piece, Urlacher acknowledges a new sense of urgency as he enters the final stages of his career. Meanwhile, here is a key passage that offers some context to Urlacher's verbal exchange with Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers:

He ignited even more controversy last week when he heard that Bears Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers had uttered some unflattering remarks about this year's team. After Urlacher learned of the comments, he basically told the Chicago Tribune that Sayers shouldn't be talking negatively about current Bears because he had never won anything in his day.

Urlacher is more diplomatic about that response now -- "I've never won a championship, either, but I just don't want to hear that stuff from one of our guys," he said -- but it's fair to assume Sayers' remarks inflamed Urlacher's own frustrations with the Bears. Four years ago, this team was in the Super Bowl. Ever since that point, it's been hampered by injuries, shaky personnel moves, and a recent inability to hang with Minnesota and Green Bay in the NFC North. The arrival of Cutler last year was supposed to help matters. It wound up only providing upset fans with one more reason to be unhappy.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune: "The one area on the Bears that still has holes like a honeycomb is cornerback. The problem isn't with starters Zack Bowman and Charles Tillman, even though the actions of Bears coaches are telling us they don't think Tillman is what he used to be. More on that later. The problem is with what's behind Bowman and Tillman. Or what's not behind them -- a proven backup. There is a clump of possibilities on the cornerback depth chart, but nothing really has separated the contenders. Minimally, the Bears will need three corners to play a lot, probably four when injuries are factored in."
• Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com: "One of the misconceptions about receiver Nate Burleson and his role with the Detroit Lions is that he needs to be a downfield threat to help take pressure off fellow receiver Calvin Johnson. Actually, it's just the opposite."
• Lions center Dominic Raiola is proceeding with caution as he anticipates team-wide improvement this season, writes John Niyo of the Detroit News.
• Lions cornerback Eric King made an impression during organized team activities, according to Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
• Chip Scoggins and Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune wonder if the Minnesota Vikings are thinking about adding at least one veteran to their offensive line before training camp.
• Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press takes a serious stance on the "X-Files" Twitter-talk between members of the Vikings and New Orleans Saints: "We've got players threatening to end careers by deliberately going after surgically repaired ankles and knees in the Vikings-Saints opener. We've got players offering to bet their paychecks on what happens in the game! Why is this being tolerated? This is like a hard-throwing pitcher threatening to hit somebody in the head. Would that be OK, too? And if that pitcher made his intentions public, wouldn't Major League Baseball be upset?"
• Plans for enhancing Lambeau Field, according to Don Walker of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, include: "simply adding more club seating -- anywhere from 6,000 to 8,000 more seats -- to concepts that include a barbecue-tailgate area, a Bavarian-style brew pub or a play-zone area."

After Detroit’s 37-23 loss to Chicago, here are three (mostly) indisputable facts I feel relatively sure about:

1. The Lions hired two well-respected defensive minds last winter in head coach Jim Schwartz and defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham. But in the end, opponents gashed them at nearly the same rate as they did last season. After the Bears put up 418 total yards Sunday, the Lions once again finished last in the NFL in yards allowed (392.1) and points (30.9) per game. Their run defense actually improved slightly, moving up from No. 32 to No. 25, but their pass defense plummeted to No. 32. Opposing quarterbacks had an incredible 107 passer rating. Of all the players directly involved in pass defense this season, only one stood out as a long-term keeper: Rookie safety Louis Delmas. The Lions have a long way to go on that side of the ball.
2. The most positive aspect of the Lions’ season was the emergence of multiple members of their draft class, with Delmas at the top of the list. Delmas, linebacker DeAndre Levy, quarterback Matthew Stafford and defensive tackle Sammie Lee Hill all figure as starters in 2010. The same goes for tight end Brandon Pettigrew when he returns from knee surgery. But the Lions’ talent pool is so thin that it will take several years of similar drafts to pull its roster to NFL standards.
3. Backup tailback Maurice Morris rushed for 228 yards in three starts after Kevin Smith was lost for the season, including 65 yards Sunday against the Bears. That represented an uptick from Smith’s 13-game production, but it’s still hard to avoid the conclusion that the Lions must address their offensive line more seriously in future offseasons. Their decision to mostly stand pat last winter was not rewarded. Perhaps this is the year they find a replacement for left tackle Jeff Backus, who could then move to left guard.

And here is one question I’m still asking:

What kind of season would the Lions have had if they didn’t finish the year with 17 players on injured reserve? That list includes significant contributors like Stafford, Pettigrew, Smith, right guard Stephen Peterman and cornerback Eric King. Linebacker Ernie Sims, receiver Calvin Johnson and cornerback Phillip Buchanon were also limited by injuries for much of the season. From the first day of training camp, the Lions were the most hobbled team in the NFC North. I imagine the Lions will spend a good part of their offseason evaluating their training, strength and conditioning practices.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert

Detroit fans received a rude education Sunday on the NFL’s heightened interest in quarterback safety. Edward of Detroit led off our SportsNation chat with a question about the second-quarter roughing call that reversed a Lions interception and ultimately led to Pittsburgh taking a 14-6 lead at Ford Field.

Here was the situation: The Steelers faced a third-and-4 at the Lions’ 45-yard line. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's pass to receiver Hines Ward was intercepted by Eric King at the 41-yard line. But referee Ed Hochuli whistled Lions defensive tackle Landon Cohen for a roughing penalty, returning the ball to the Steelers 15 yards downfield. Five plays later, Pittsburgh extended its lead on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger to tight end Heath Miller.

When you watch the replay, you see Cohen take an inside spin move and get past Steelers right guard Trai Essex. Just after the ball is released, Cohen swipes his right arm on Roethlisberger’s left knee as he dives to the ground. Roethlisberger falls awkwardly, in part because of the traffic around him.

A year ago, Cohen almost certainly wouldn’t have been penalized. But as you probably know, the NFL strengthened its roughing-the-passer rules this offseason in response to New England quarterback Tom Brady's season-ending knee injury in 2008. Here is the relevant addition to the rules:

A defender cannot initiate a roll or lunge and forcibly hit the passer in the knee area or below, even if he is being contacted by another player.

Essex gives Cohen a light shove just before contact with Roethlisberger, which some fans might consider a mitigating circumstance. But as you can see from the wording above, it’s now almost irrelevant if you’re blocked into the quarterback. It might not look like roughing or seem particularly egregious in the course of an NFL game. But the way I read it, Cohen absolutely was in violation of the rule as now constituted.

You can criticize the league for putting defensive players in a near-impossible situation. But unfortunately for the Lions, Hochuli made the right call based on the new rule.

Now, for our Challenge Tracker, which went unchanged this week:

NFC North Challenge Tracker Team Coach Challenge Overturned Success rate Chicago Lovie Smith 4 1 25.0 Detroit Jim Schwartz 2 0 -- Green Bay Mike McCarthy 3 1 33.3 Minnesota Brad Childress 2 1 50.0 Source: NFL

Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert

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

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

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

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

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

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

Continuing around the NFC North:

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

Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert

Making sense of the Friday injury report:

Chicago Bears: Defensive end Alex Brown (ankle) returned to practice Friday and is listed as questionable on the injury report. But it’s fully expected he’ll play Sunday at Seattle. On the other hand, the Bears are unlikely to face Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. He’s doubtful because of a rib injury, meaning Seneca Wallace is likely to start for the Seahawks.

Detroit Lions: Defensive end Cliff Avril (hamstring), cornerback Eric King (shoulder) and linebacker Ernie Sims (shoulder) are not expected to play Sunday against Washington. Cornerback Phillip Buchanon (neck) has been limited in practice and is questionable but seems more likely than not to play. Defensive tackle Grady Jackson (knee) is probable and will play.

Green Bay Packers: Rookie defensive lineman B.J. Raji tweaked his ankle Thursday in practice and is questionable for Sunday’s game at St. Louis. The minor setback doesn’t bode well for him making an impact in Sunday’s game. Tailback Brandon Jackson (ankle) also suffered a setback Thursday and won’t play Sunday. Fullback Korey Hall (shoulder/concussion) is questionable and would be replaced on the active roster by rookie Quinn Johnson if he can’t play. As expected, safety Nick Collins (shoulder) is probable and will start opposite Derrick Martin in St. Louis.

Minnesota Vikings: Middle linebacker E.J. Henderson (shoulder) participated in a limited portion of practice Friday but is questionable for Sunday’s game against San Francisco. This appears to be a true 50-50 scenario. If Henderson can’t play, rookie Jasper Brinkley is the likeliest candidate to replace him. Other possibilities are outside linebacker Ben Leber and reserve/special teams ace Heath Farwell. Receiver Percy Harvin missed practice for the second consecutive day because of an illness and is questionable. He was feeling well enough Friday to attend meetings, however. Update: Harvin is suffering from migraines, as reported on ESPN's NFL Live.

Posted by ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert

Here’s a bad sign for a Detroit defense that will need every advantage Sunday at New Orleans: Cornerback Phillip Buchanon won’t play because of a neck injury. Eric King will start in Buchanon’s place.

Buchanon intercepted Saints quarterback Drew Brees twice in a game last season while playing for Tampa Bay. Here’s the full report from Nicholas J. Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

The Rod Hood sweepstakes, won Tuesday by Cleveland, means that at least two NFC North teams will continue to seek depth at cornerback. Hood visited both Chicago and Detroit in recent weeks, revealing some level of concern in both markets.

The Bears are practicing without two incumbents, Charles Tillman and Trumaine McBride, who continue to recover from offseason surgery. Cornerback Corey Graham has been moved to safety, leaving Zac Bowman and rookie D.J. Moore as the team's top backups. Veteran Ken Lucas visited earlier this offseason before signing with Seattle, and it's clear the Bears would like to add some extra bodies at the position.

The Lions, meanwhile, have been collecting bodies at cornerback since the moment the NFL rang the free agency bell. They acquired Anthony Henry from Dallas and signed Phillip Buchanon and Eric King; Hood and Chris Carr are among the veterans who visited but signed elsewhere. Incumbent starter Travis Fisher, meanwhile, was released.

You would assume that Buchanon and Henry will have a good chance to enter training camp with the first team, but the Lions aren't in a position to turn down interest at the position.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert

Wednesday is turning into a pretty busy day at Detroit's practice facility with a list of visiting free agents that continues to grow.

The Detroit Free Press just reported that defensive end Vonnie Holliday is en route to Allen Park, Mich., where he will join nose tackle Grady Jackson and offensive lineman Daniel Loper. The Sporting News has reported that tight end L.J. Smith, who spent the past six seasons with Philadelphia, could also arrive Wednesday for a visit. (The link to that story is no longer active, however.)

The Lions opened free agency with about $35 million in salary-cap space, and their strategy this offseason is now clear: Improve their roster from "depleted" to "functional" at as many positions as they can. Already, they've signed running back Maurice Morris, receiver Bryant Johnson and cornerback Eric King. They also acquired cornerback Anthony Henry in a trade with Dallas.

None of these players are so-called "first-tier" free agents, but as a group they can help the Lions improve in the short term. After a series of unproductive drafts under former general manager Matt Millen, the Lions had little choice but to take this type of approach to free agency.

Ultimately, the Lions will have to improve their draft production. But in the short term, this is a necessary approach.