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After the Detroit Lions' 45-28 loss to the New Orleans Saints, here are three issues that merit further examination:

Kevin SeifertAfter their first playoff appearance since the 1999 season, the Detroit Lions are due for a checkup.
1. The success of 2011 will bring the Lions a busy offseason and some difficult decisions. Coach Jim Schwartz has completed three years of a four-year contract and likely will get a new deal. Receiver Calvin Johnson will have an astronomic salary-cap number approaching $20 million, making him a strong candidate for a contract extension that would lower his 2012 cap figure. Defensive end Cliff Avril, middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch and cornerback Eric Wright will all be unrestricted free agents. Avril led the team in sacks (11), Tulloch led the team with 111 tackles and Wright was second with four interceptions. They'll be a costly trio to re-sign, especially Avril, who might require a franchise tag.
2. We wondered last week how much the Saints would blitz quarterback Matthew Stafford, who faced five or more pass rushers on a lower percentage (24) than any other NFL starter during the regular season. As it turned out, the Saints blitzed on 55 percent of his dropbacks, the most of any game in his career. Stafford accounted well for himself, throwing for 380 yards and three touchdowns and not taking a sack. He did throw two interceptions, but that was after the Lions had fallen behind by two scores in the fourth quarter. The best NFL quarterbacks invite the blitz because they're confident they'll find the resulting mismatches, and Stafford belongs in that category.
3. Our other big point of discussion last week was whether the Lions could pressure Saints quarterback Drew Brees with their front four and then capitalize on potential mistakes. That's how you win a shootout. The Lions did get some incremental pressure, despite blitzing on only 10 percent of Brees' dropbacks, but it wasn't enough to throw him off his game. Schwartz suggested his team had an uphill battle in that regard. "The officials took the approach of letting them play," Schwartz said. "There weren't going to be any holding penalties in this game, and that showed in the protection they were able to get." Indeed, the Saints did not have a holding call among their three penalties. The Lions had one, against right tackle Gosder Cherilus.

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

Why did a whistle blow after defensive end Willie Young sacked Brees in the second quarter? Brees fumbled, and linebacker Justin Durant scooped up the ball at the Lions' 38-yard line to began what would have been a touchdown return. Presumably, a member of Tony Corrente's crew blew the whistle because he thought it was an incomplete pass rather than a fumble. We don't know that for sure, though. But in such instances, NFL rules require the play to be ruled dead upon recovery. Schwartz was none too pleased. "Every other time in this league, they let that play go and they don't blow the whistle," Schwartz said. "… For some reason in this game, they decided to blow the whistle when that would have been seven points." It wasn't a play that cost the Lions a game, but it is one for which they deserve an explanation.

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FALLING

1. Secondary play in Chicago and Minnesota: Between the two of them, the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings have maybe one or two defensive backs who should be considered 2012 starters heading into the offseason. Bears cornerback Charles Tillman qualifies, and perhaps Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield will as well if he returns healthy from a fractured collarbone. Otherwise, the Bears and Vikings need a serious overhaul to their defensive backfields. Both teams tried season-long rotations at safety, neither of which led to any personnel conclusions, and cornerback play outside of Tillman has been atrocious for both teams. It will probably be a multiyear process for these franchises to rebuild these positions. With Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Jay Cutler in this division, they better hurry.

2. Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings quarterback: We all remember ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer's harsh criticism of Ponder shortly after the draft. In brief, Dilfer said Ponder looks the part of an NFL quarterback but quickly falls from his comfort zone and loses accuracy under pressure. Dilfer softened some of that analysis after Ponder's relatively strong debut, but we should note that Ponder has been one of the NFL's worst quarterbacks against extra pass-rushers this season. According to ESPN Stats & Information, he is completing about 39 percent of his passes when opponents send five or more pass-rushers. The only player with less success against the blitz? Denver Broncos quarterback/running back Tim Tebow. It's not necessarily a warning sign if a rookie doesn't perform well under pressure, but to this point Ponder's performance hasn't veered much from Dilfer's original analysis.

3. Marion Barber, Bears running back: Barber's mental errors in a loss earlier this month to the Broncos, and his inability to keep his troublesome calf healthy, would seem to spell the end of his short tenure with the Bears. Kahlil Bell's hard-charging 123-yard performance Sunday night offers the Bears a much younger option for the role of backing up starter Matt Forte. It was a nice run, as they say.

RISING

1. Home-field advantage: The Packers have a quirky history when it comes to playing at home in the playoffs. In the big picture, the state of Wisconsin has provided one of the best home-field advantages in professional sports. The Packers are 15-3 all-time at home in the playoffs, including games played in Milwaukee. But those three losses have come in their past five playoff games at home: In 2003 to the Atlanta Falcons, in 2004 to the Vikings and 2007 to the New York Giants. One of the two victories, meanwhile, came in overtime to the Seattle Seahawks. Recently, at least, opponents haven't been intimidated by playing at Lambeau Field.

2. Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions tight end: A significant debate erupted in 2009 when the Lions used the No. 20 overall pick to draft Pettigrew, passing up offensive lineman Michael Oher and receiver Percy Harvin, among others. But the Lions insisted that a multi-faceted tight end was critical to their offense, and they have followed through by utilizing Pettigrew as much as any team in the NFL. The Lions have used him as an extension of their running game, and although he is averaging a modest 8.7 yards per reception, his total of 76 catches ranks third among tight ends. By all accounts, Pettigrew is an excellent blocker as well. The Lions have gotten by this far with Jeff Backus and Gosder Cherilus as their tackles, minimizing the need for Oher. And while Harvin would have been a nice addition, the Lions have found value by signing veteran Nate Burleson and using a second-round pick to draft Titus Young.

3. T.J. Lang, Green Bay Packers offensive lineman: When the season began, how many people would have chosen Lang as the Packers' most valuable offensive lineman? Not me. Lang had been an inconsistent starter and player who couldn't find a position and was behind a rookie on the depth chart when the season began. But Lang outplayed first-round pick Derek Sherrod in camp to win the left guard job and has provided a seamless transition from departed starter Daryn Colledge. And when the Packers needed someone to jump over to right tackle after injuries to Bryan Bulaga and Sherrod, Lang successfully made the move. On Sunday night, at least, he held his own against Bears pass-rushers Julius Peppers and Israel Idonije. Center Scott Wells might be the Packers' best offensive lineman this season, but not many left guards could jump out to right tackle as well as Lang appeared to do Sunday night.

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

Chicago Bears: A high number of prominent players didn't practice Wednesday. The list included running back Marion Barber (calf), linebacker Lance Briggs (ankle), tight end Kellen Davis (back), receiver Devin Hester (ankle), defensive tackle Henry Melton (shin) and defensive end Julius Peppers (not injury related). Melton doesn't appear to have a great chance to play Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers.

Detroit Lions: Safety Louis Delmas (knee), defensive tackle Corey Williams (hip), right tackle Gosder Cherilus and defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch (neck) didn't practice. It doesn't appear that Delmas will be ready for Saturday's game against the San Diego Chargers.

Green Bay Packers: Left tackle Chad Clifton finally returned to practice Wednesday but it's almost impossible to imagine him playing Sunday against the Bears. Instead, T.J. Lang is likely to start at right tackle with Evan Dietrich-Smith at Lang's left guard spot. The healthy backups will be Ray Dominguez and newcomer Herb Taylor. Running back James Starks practice an could be on track to play Sunday. Running back Brandon Saine (concussion) also practiced, as did linebacker Desmond Bishop (calf). Defensive end Ryan Pickett (concussion) did not.

Minnesota Vikings: Cornerback Asher Allen and guard Steve Hutchinson both sat out practice Wednesday because of concussions. Joe Berger would start for Hutchinson if he can't play Saturday against the Washington Redskins.

After a week of public discussion about the issue, Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz did not bench any of the three players who received post-whistle personal fouls in a Week 13 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

Instead, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, Schwartz instituted a zero-tolerance policy that called for any offending player to be benched for the remainder of any game in which he committed that type of penalty. Several players mentioned the policy last week, but Schwartz would not confirm it. Still, Mortensen reported that Schwartz reminded players of it Saturday night in a team meeting.

Schwartz benched right tackle Gosder Cherilus in Week 2 after a late-game penalty in Week 1, prompting speculation that receiver Titus Young, kick returner Stefan Logan and/or tight end Brandon Pettigrew would suffer a similar fate Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. But all three made important contributions to a 34-28 victory.

Benching three prominent players sounds good in theory, but ultimately Schwartz didn't consider it realistic. He essentially became the parent that tells his children: "Don't do it again -- or else." Both the parent and Schwartz are hoping the threat is enough to avoid the "or else." So far, so good.

Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz has gone to great lengths this week to classify his team's penalty problems. He said Monday, in fact, that he is concerned about two kinds of penalties -- those that occur before the snap and after the whistle -- and has zeroed in on five of the latter as the source for national discussion about the Lions' discipline.

The implication has been that five penalties over the course of 12 games falls short of a systemic, program-wide issue. That characterization, however, glosses over some unflattering big-picture trends.

The Lions have committed an NFL-high 28 personal fouls this season, according to an ESPN Stats & Information analysis based on all qualifying penalties. That's seven more than the next-highest team, the Tennessee Titans. Overall, 25 of the NFL's 32 teams have committed 15 or fewer such penalties. Considered broadly, the Lions have been called for nearly twice as many personal fouls as a quorum of teams.

Since Schwartz began his tenure in 2009, meanwhile, the Lions have led the league in personal fouls and are second only to the Oakland Raiders in total penalties.

I'm well aware that statistical studies have found little correlation between penalty totals and winning percentage. But I think we can agree that 15-yard penalties, by their nature, exert a disproportionate impact on a game.

The five penalties Schwartz has focused on include:

• Right tackle Gosder Cherilus' post-whistle shove in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh's stomp of Green Bay Packers guard Evan Dietrich-Smith in Week 12.
• Post-whistle extracurriculars by receiver Titus Young, tight end Brandon Pettigrew and kick returner Stefan Logan in Week 13 against the New Orleans Saints.

"Obviously the last two weeks," Schwartz said, "we haven't done a very good job with that and it's been situations that have put the team in a bad position."

In reality, a 15-yard penalty for pushing a player after the whistle hurts the team precisely as much as a late quarterback hit, a horse collar or any other personal foul. They might emanate from different motivations -- Schwartz considers the five penalties in question to be "selfish" compared to others that result from aggression -- but that's of minimal consequence in terms of game impact.

I'm sure the Lions don't agree with every personal foul they've been called for this season. That's no different than any team. The truth is that they might absorb a few extra calls because of the reputation they've earned for aggressive play.

But if you eliminate all five of the penalties Schwartz is concerned with, the Lions would still lead the league in personal fouls. That alone suggests the problem runs deeper than a handful of mistakes over a course of a long season. Just my two cents.

I just got done catching up on Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz's nearly-30 minute news conference with local reporters Monday. Without saying it directly, Schwartz clearly paved the way for further discipline against the three players who committed personal foul penalties in Sunday's 31-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

How that manifests itself is yet to be determined, however. Receiver Titus Young saw only a couple of snaps after his second-quarter penalty, and that could represent his punishment. But Schwartz also will have to deal with kick returner Stefan Logan and tight end Brandon Pettigrew, whose late-game extracurriculars enraged Schwartz and led to a meeting with team captains on the Lions' charter plane.

"Unsportsmanlike conduct is a selfish penalty," Schwartz said. "It makes one player feel good and the rest of the team [is hurt]."

Schwartz noted on a number of occasions that right tackle Gosder Cherilus was benched for the Lions' Week 2 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs because of a personal foul he committed the week before. If he continues to follow that template, it stands to reason that Logan, Pettigrew and Young will have their playing time curtailed, if not eliminated altogether, for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings.

"We had one [post-whistle unsportsmanlike conduct] in the opener," Schwartz said. "We addressed it. We went a pretty long time without another one. … We had Gosder, we had [Ndamukong] Suh. We had three guys this week."

Suh is serving a two-game league-mandated suspension for his ejection from the Lions' Thanksgiving Day game against the Green Bay Packers. Putting Cherlius and Suh in the same sentence with Young, Logan and Pettigrew would seem to suggest looming discipline. Schwartz said it is important to be "consistent" but careful to avoid overreacting or "putting more [emphasis] on one situation."

Cherlius' benching wasn't obvious until the morning of the Lions' game against the Chiefs. We might not know how Schwartz has decided to handle these latest instances until this Sunday. But the precedent has been set, and Schwartz ran the media through that template Monday. You might think Schwartz would be taking a risk by benching three prominent players during a playoff race, but I would suggest the Lions won't make the playoffs unless they get this situation under control first.

After Detroit Lions' 31-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Kevin SeifertFollowing a loss to the Saints, the Lions take their turn in the examination room.
   Lions coach Jim Schwartz benched right tackle Gosder Cherilus in Week 2 because of a personal-foul penalty he committed at the end of a Week 1 victory. It was an aggressive, clear precedent for future offenses, and it seemed to work in Cherilus' case. But the message seems lost among many of Cherilus' teammates. If he wants to recapture control of this team, Schwartz needs to sit multiple players for next Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings, including receiver Titus Young, kick returner Stefan Logan and tight end Brandon Pettigrew. Given the Cherilus precedent, anything less will imply tacit consent and almost certainly disappoint veteran players who are hoping to make their first legitimate playoff push in Lions uniforms. For two consecutive weeks, post-whistle penalties have played a direct role in the outcome of Lions games.
2. The Lions' mistakes Sunday night weren't just of aggression. They were of technique as well. Reasonable people can debate the merits of the first offensive pass interference penalty against receiver Nate Burleson. But after a call like that is made, Burleson needed to adjust to ensure that he didn't give officials a chance to make it again. Instead, Burleson was whistled two more times and negated a total of 67 passing yards. In records dating back to the start of the 2011, ESPN Stats & Information couldn't find a prior instance of a player receiving three offensive pass interference penalties in one game.
3. Sunday night gave us our first glimpse of rookie defensive tackle Nick Fairley, who started for the suspended Ndamukong Suh. Fairley responded with three tackles and his first NFL sack before leaving in the second quarter after appearing to re-injure his surgically repaired foot. Schwartz said Fairley's foot isn't broken but that it's "sore." It's been obvious that Fairley has been doing his best to play through what clearly wasn't a fully healed injury this season, and he deserves credit for that. It's not clear whether he'll need more time away to heal, but Lions fans should be excited about what Fairley could do next season when he is presumably fully healthy.

And here is one issue I don't get:

The Lions held the Saints 10 points below their home scoring average, but 31 points was still too much to give up on this night. With cornerbacks Chris Houston and Brandon McDonald sidelined, it's not surprising that Saints quarterback Drew Brees completed 15 of 18 passes outside of the numbers. But with Suh out and Fairley injured, you wonder if the Lions should have moved off their season-long strategy of mostly four-man rushes. They entered the game rushing four or fewer on 79 percent of opponents' drop backs, and Sunday night that percentage was 77 percent. Against that front, Brees completed 22 of 28 passes for 297 yards and three scores. Brees does well against the blitz, too, but perhaps the Lions needed to mix it up more on this occasion.

We have been discussing the Thanksgiving Day showdown for three days under the "Thanksgiving Feast" tag, but here are some final thoughts on the fast-approaching game between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions:

Respect for Packers: The last time an undefeated team played on Thanksgiving, it lost to the Lions. That team happened to be the 1962 Packers, a coincidence that has served as one of several narratives fueling national discussion about the Lions' chances Thursday. Las Vegas does not agree, however. The Packers are a strong favorite on the road, up to seven points based on ESPN.com's composite review of betting lines. I'm among those who think the Lions match up well with the Packers, but facts are facts. The Packers are one of four teams in NFL history to win the first 10 games of a season by at least six points. Not even that 1962 Packers team, considered one of the best in pro football history, managed that feat. This year's team has been remarkably consistent, with a close call or two but no real scares on the way to 10-0.

Revisionism: There is no doubt that the Lions defense beat up the Packers offense in last season's 7-3 victory at Ford Field. They sacked quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Matt Flynn four times, knocked Rodgers out with a concussion late in the first half and held the Packers to a season-low 13 first downs. That performance has served as the template for those who think the Lions have a credible chance win Sunday. But let's also remember that the Packers missed on two golden opportunities in that game for touchdowns, either of which would have given them a victory. Receiver Greg Jennings got behind Lions safety Amari Spievey in the first quarter but inexplicably bobbled the ball into the air, allowing a surprised Spievey to make the interception. And Flynn overthrew Jennings on what would have been a touchdown on the Packers' final possession. This is not to discredit the job the Lions did that day. It's just a reminder that it took two to tango on that occasion.

Facing Calvin Johnson: Two important trends will collide in this game: The Packers have given up gobs of passing yards this season, and Lions receiver Calvin Johnson has taken his game to another level. Opponents are averaging nearly 290 passing yards per game against the Packers and have 18 touchdown passes against them. But it's worth noting that the Packers have had success against Johnson since Dom Capers joined them as defensive coordinator in 2009. In three games over that span, Johnson has caught a total of nine passes for 130 yards; he does have three touchdowns in those games. Cornerback Charles Woodson has taken the majority of the responsibility for covering him in those games.

Mr. Smith arrives: We probably haven't told enough of the Kevin Smith story this week. Two weeks after the Lions re-signed him, Smith appears set to return to the starting lineup. His continued production would obviously help balance the Lions' offense, but it's worth watching what kind of impact he can have in pass protection as well. You would think he will be at least one line of defense against Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews, who has typically lined up over right tackle this season and has an otherwise favorable matchup with Lions right tackle Gosder Cherilus.

Rookie Watch: We've noted on several occasions the dueling rookie receivers on these teams. The Lions drafted Titus Young with the No. 44 overall pick of the 2011 draft, and the Packers selected Randall Cobb at No. 64 overall. Although they have filled much different roles for their respective teams, both players are in position to impact this game. Young has caught 28 passes as the Lions' No. 3 receiver, including touchdowns in two of their past three games. Cobb has been used more sparingly on the Packers' deep offense, catching 15 passes, but he has returned both a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns already this season.

We’re Black and Blue All Over:

The Chicago Bears are on their bye week, but they practiced Wednesday and welcomed back rookie right tackle Gabe Carimi to the practice field. Carimi hasn't played since dislocating his right kneecap in Week 2.

It's not yet clear if Carimi will be ready for the Bears' Nov. 7 game at the Philadelphia Eagles. But as Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com points out, the Bears will have an interesting dilemma when he is ready.

The Bears' latest offensive line configuration, with Lance Louis at right tackle and Chris Spencer at right guard, has worked well. Would the Bears break up that tandem to slide Carimi back into his right tackle spot? And if they do, who would go to the bench?

Generally speaking, first-round draft choices get the benefit of the doubt in these situations. It's hard to imagine Carimi being the odd man out. We could be a few weeks away from that scenario, however.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Bears are looking forward to getting receiver Earl Bennett back on the field after the bye, notes Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Bears rookie safety Chris Conte already has a nickname: The Birdman. Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune has more.
• Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press: "This is new territory for the [Detroit] Lions. They're losing, but it's not because they're bad, but rather because they're improving ... and opposing teams are taking them more seriously."
• Lions right tackle Gosder Cherilus is gearing up to face Denver Broncos rookie linebacker Von Miller this weekend, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• The Lions will face some notable veterans in the Broncos' secondary as well, notes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com writes there is a "real possibility" that cornerback Chris Cook has played his last game with the Minnesota Vikings.
• Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield said his neck injury is "more than a strain," writes Mark Craig of the Star Tribune.
• Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press looks at the matchup between Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder and Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton.
• The Green Bay Packers are blitzing nearly 40 percent of the time this season, according to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "Winning is extremely difficult in the NFL, yet the Packers are making it look easy."

A few notes from the two NFC North teams with games scheduled this weekend:

Detroit Lions: Quarterback Matthew Stafford (ankle) was officially listed as limited in practice. Rookie defensive tackle Nick Fairley (foot), who hasn't made much impact in his three games this season, didn't practice. Running back Jahvid Best (concussion), offensive lineman Gosder Cherilus (knee), receiver Rashied Davis (foot), defensive lineman Sammie Hill (ankle) and cornerback Chris Houston (back) also didn't practice.

Minnesota Vikings: Cornerback Antoine Winfield (neck) is going to test himself in a padded practice Thursday and could be getting closer to a return. Receiver Percy Harvin (ribs), offensive lineman Anthony Herrera (knee), running back Adrian Peterson (ankle) and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe (foot) all sat out practice. Herrera is likely to miss a few games and be replaced by backup center Joe Berger, presuming starting center John Sullivan (concussion) plays Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.

After the Chicago Bears' 24-13 loss to the Detroit Lions, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Kevin SeifertThe Bears and their suddenly vulnerable defense head to the exam room following a loss to the Lions.
   Last week, I suggested holding off on a full-scale panic about the Bears' defense. I'm still not there yet. But a second look at Lions tailback Jahvid Best's 88-yard touchdown run revealed a Bears defense that hardly looked like a group that has seen it all. Of course, the Lions got two great blocks at the point of attack to create the hole. Guard Stephen Peterman and center Dominic Raiola double-teamed defensive tackle Matt Toeaina, while right tackle Gosder Cherilus turned out defensive end Israel Idonije. But linebacker Brian Urlacher and safety Chris Harris filled the same gap, between Peterman and Cherilus. Peterman got a piece of Urlacher and Best cut inside of Harris. Meanwhile, linebacker Lance Briggs fell for quarterback Matthew Stafford's play-fake and chased tight end Tony Scheffler away from the play for a few steps before realizing it was a run. The Lions deserve credit for their blocking and Best's speed, but the Bears played themselves out of position as well.
2. By the end of the game, the Bears had moved right guard Lance Louis to right tackle and had inserted Edwin Williams at right guard. Right tackle Frank Omiyale was benched for a second consecutive week, and it's hard to imagine him starting Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings. We'll get more clarity as the week progresses, but in many ways it feels like the Bears are back where they were midway through last season: Playing mix-and-match until they can find even a semi-permanent arrangement of offensive linemen.
3. As we discussed earlier Tuesday in Stock Watch, quarterback Jay Cutler can't possibly feel great about the situation around him. Often Cutler makes it difficult on himself by making poor decisions, but on Monday night I saw a quarterback gamely trying to make the best of near-constant harassment and substantial limitations of his receiving corps. Even on a night when tailback Matt Forte rushed was rushing for 116 yards, Cutler was under duress more than any NFL quarterback in a game this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He took hits, dealt with an inexcusable nine false starts and kept looking for plays from a receiving group whose depth chart has been overturned by production. Dane Sanzenbacher and Sam Hurd were the Bears' leading receivers with six and four catches, respectively. When you see a player stand in as gamely as Cutler did Monday, you wonder what he might do with a better supporting cast.

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

The Bears have been historically fluid at safety under coach Lovie Smith, and so I guess it shouldn't be surprising that we've reached Week 6 with little to no idea if the Bears have one credible safety on their roster, let alone two. Veteran Chris Harris returned to the lineup Monday night, but he got exposed while trying to cover Lions receiver Calvin Johnson downfield in the second quarter. Brandon Meriweather, signed just before the season, has yet to demonstrate he is an improvement over Major Wright, whom the Bears spent most of the offseason planning to use as a starter. You have to think it's a matter of time before we see rookie Chris Conte in the lineup.

DETROIT -- Make no mistake: The Detroit Lions gave their city a first-in-a-generation scene Monday night.

Michael Buffer bellowed the pregame introductions. Barry Sanders took the field as an honorary captain. A record crowd at Ford Field induced nine false-start penalties and later emptied into the streets as if the French Quarter had been transported north. Detroit's burgeoning cadre of celebrity fans, including pop stars Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker, held court in the Lions' postgame locker room.

It's a sight I won't soon forget. Neither will the 67,861 in attendance nor the Lions' still-gestating roster. But to me, the takeaway memory of the Lions' 24-13 victory over the Chicago Bears was the evidence that Monday night won't be a once-in-a-lifetime event.

The Bears matched up well against the Lions, largely stifling their offense and moving the ball decently against their defense. At halftime, the Bears led 10-7. But no matter how the Lions play, they have a critical ingredient that helps any good team navigate dips in efficiency: the ability to score easy touchdowns. In the NFL, that attribute is known as "explosiveness," and for the Lions, it is the ultimate equalizer.

The Lions won Monday night largely because of three huge plays:

1. Receiver Calvin Johnson's 73-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.
2. Running back Jahvid Best's 88-yard scoring run in the third quarter.
3. Best's 43-yard run in the fourth quarter, which put the Lions in position for a game-clinching field goal.

Those three plays totaled 204 yards, or 51.6 percent of the Lions' total offensive output Monday night. They had 191 yards on their other 43 plays, an average of 4.3 yards per pop.

"Our playmakers answered the bell tonight for us," receiver Nate Burleson said. "We knew we were going to need that."

It probably didn't surprise the national television audience when quarterback Matthew Stafford caught the Bears trying to defend Johnson with a single-high safety in the second quarter. Johnson blew past strong safety Chris Harris, and free safety Brandon Meriweather was too late providing help.

But Best was another story. He had averaged 3.2 yards per carry over the Lions' first four games and hadn't produced a run longer than 19 yards. Most of us had written off both him and the Lions' running game, but the mistake was forgetting what Best can do when he gets in the open field.

Crushing blocks from right guard Stephen Peterman and right tackle Gosder Cherilus opened a crease at the 12-yard line in the third quarter, and Best said: "I figure if I get in the open field, nobody should catch me. I knew nobody was going to catch me from behind."

It sounds simple, but not every NFL team has one player like Johnson or Best, someone who can turn a relatively simple play into a game-changing touchdown.

It's true that the Bears have been vulnerable to the kind of runs Best broke. Entering Week 5, they were allowing 5.3 yards per rush between the tackles, the NFL's third-worst mark. And some of you might like Best to provide more of a consistent threat.

Since joining the Lions last season, Best has five carries that have totaled 229 yards. He has averaged 2.9 yards on his other 238 carries. But what he did Monday night helped win a key NFC North game and, more importantly, will have ramifications for the rest of the season -- even if he never comes close to replicating it.

"When you have a quarterback like we have, when you have a receiver like we have, you're probably not going to be a team that's going to run the ball 40 times a game," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "So we're going to do what it takes to win the game, and we have a lot of explosiveness in our pass game. You saw the way it was able to be effective. We ran the ball well enough to be able to set it up."

Indeed, the Lions' third touchdown came on a play-action fake to Best. That's how tight end Brandon Pettigrew got wide open for an 18-yard touchdown reception. On Monday night, Stafford completed all five of his play-action passes, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Hereafter, Lions opponents who overlook Best, or lose track of him, will do so at their own peril. NFL teams fear players who can score on their own and build game plans around them. The Lions have two great equalizers in their arsenal, and that's the scene I'll remember from Monday night.

"I don't think we proved anything," Stafford said. "We go out ... expecting to win every game."

With big-play weapons such as Johnson and Best, the Lions have every right to feel that way. I don't know where this magical season will take them. But they've shown us they have the ingredients to continue winning well into January.

Now, wouldn't that be a scene to remember?

A few thoughts on yet another amazing second half in the NFC North:

What it means: The Detroit Lions won at the Metrodome for the first time in 14 games, giving the Lions their first 3-0 start since 1980. The Vikings stunningly gave up their third consecutive halftime lead, this one a 20-0 advantage earned by thoroughly trashing the Lions in the first half. The Vikings have now been outscored 87-6 after halftime this season.

What happened?!: The Lions deserve all the credit in the world for coming back from such a big deficit, but it takes two to tango when one team outscores the other 26-3 after halftime. We'll have plenty of time for post-mortem, but there was one play I really didn't like for the Vikings. It was giving Toby Gerhart the handoff on a fourth-and-1 play at the Lions' 17-yard line in the fourth quarter. Even if you don't kick the field goal, I prefer to come up short with the ball in Adrian Peterson's hands.

MegatronWatch: I didn't see every play of this game, but it sure looked like the Lions got receiver Calvin Johnson in single coverage a lot in this game. Vikings cornerback Chris Cook made some nice plays on the ball, but in the end Johnson had his third consecutive two-touchdown game, including a leaping 32-yarder in the third quarter that got the Lions on the scoreboard. That gives Johnson six touchdowns in three games.

Injury report: It appeared that Vikings receiver Percy Harvin wasn't on the field late in the fourth quarter. Harvin, who missed a day of practice with the stomach flu, was reportedly vomiting on the sidelines.

Lions pass protection: Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 378 yards but was sacked five times. Tackles Jeff Backus, Gosder Cherilus and Corey Hilliard couldn't slow down Vikings defensive ends Jared Allen (three sacks) and Brian Robison (two). Stafford hadn't been sacked before Sunday's game, but it's clear the Lions have an issue on the edge. It might be their biggest vulnerability as they move into unchartered waters of competitiveness this season.

PonderWatch: Vikings quarterback Donovan McNabb hasn't played horribly this season, and on Sunday he threw for 211 yards. But should an 0-3 team be playing a 34-year-old quarterback while the future of the position stands on the sidelines? You'll hear that question a few times about Christian Ponder this week.

What's next: The Lions will play at the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday. The Vikings will travel to play the Kansas City Chiefs.

A few thoughts on the Detroit Lions' 48-3 romp over the Kansas City Chiefs:

What it means: The Lions are 2-0 for the first time since 2007 and have won six consecutive regular season games, dating back to last season, for the first time since 1995. Say what you want about the Kansas City Chiefs, who have been outscored by 79 points in two games and lost running back Jamaal Charles in this game to a serious knee injury. But the Lions' 48-3 dismantling gave them the largest margin of victory in the regular-season history of the franchise. Lions Fever is catching!

Good for Schwartz: Lions coach Jim Schwartz benched right tackle Gosder Cherilus in favor of backup Corey Hilliard, adding some teeth to his Week 1 rebuke of a key Cherilus penalty. I'm not sure if that's a permanent move or whether it served merely to clarify how serious Schwartz is about cleaning up what he called "stupid" football. But it worked. The Lions weren't perfect, but they committed only one turnover and were penalized four times. The offense didn't appear to struggle with a backup right tackle in the game, piling up 411 total yards.

StaffordWatch: Quarterback Matthew Stafford has been one of the most impressive quarterbacks in the NFL through two weeks. He's the first Lions quarterback since Gary Danielson in 1984 to post passer ratings of at least 100 in each of a season's first two weeks, and it's amazing how comfortable he appears in the Lions offense. Schwartz said after the game that Stafford "knows where to go" with the football, and that's something that only comes with consistent practice in the same scheme. So far this season, Stafford is completing 65.3 percent of his throws. He has seven touchdown passes and a passer rating of 112.0.

Pass defense: The Lions pummeled Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel, sacking him twice, hitting him on three other occasions and intercepting him three times. Three of their four starting defensive backs -- safety Amari Spievey, cornerback Chris Houston and cornerback Eric Wright -- each had an interception. This game was a defensive player's dream. It was 14-3 midway through the second quarter and 20-3 at halftime. The Lions just pinned their proverbial ears back and sold out against the pass.

What's next: The Lions will open their NFC North schedule by traveling to play the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome, where they haven't won since 1997. Hmmmmmmm ...

TAMPA, Fla. -- I scrambled up to the press box here late Sunday afternoon, seeking verification of some basic facts. Namely: The current year and the final score of the game that had just concluded at Raymond James Stadium.

No, I hadn't fallen into a heat-induced delerium. In fact, I had just left the Detroit Lions' air-conditioned locker room. Therein, I heard:

Quarterback Matthew Stafford talk about the latest ailment that forced him to stagger off the field.

Coach Jim Schwartz rant about "stupid" football and "inexcusable" mistakes, promising that "it's not going to be a real pleasant film session" on Monday.

Guard Rob Sims express his conviction that coaches would "jump us on a whole bunch of stuff" in the coming days.

Hmmm. Tapping into my long history as a reporter, I confirmed that Sunday's game in fact took place in 2011. The Lions defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-20 in a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated, winning their season opener for the first time in four years and putting on display many of the components that caused so many of us to catch Lions Fever this offseason.

That Stafford's "injury" was nothing more than cramps, and that Schwartz was able to discuss Sunday's troubles in the context of a victory, marked the start of a new era that only the Lions could indoctrinate. They are far from perfect and in fact could have botched Sunday's game. But overcoming injuries and "bad football," as Schwartz called it during a different portion of his rant, is half the battle in the NFL. There are no perfect teams, and just about every one of them has a knucklehead like Lions right tackle Gosder Cherilus, whose fourth-quarter unsportsmanlike conduct was almost certainly what Schwartz was referring to when he said: "There are some things that happened in this game that are inexcusable and will not continue."

Indeed, Cherilus' post-whistle shove of a Bucs defender stopped the clock with 1 minute and 24 seconds remaining and the Bucs out of timeouts. It gave the Bucs enough time to mount a potential game-tying drive, but ultimately they ran out of time. It also gave Schwartz exactly what any coach wants: A victory with plenty of material to humble his players with moving forward.

You see what's happening here, right? One of Schwartz's biggest tasks this season will be to shield players from the hype we've all created for them. It's always preferable to have players who believe they can be good than to be convinced that they already are.

But let's make no mistake here. For the most part, what we saw Sunday verified what we thought about the Lions this summer. Playing in a heat index that reached 94 degrees, the Lions controlled the game from start to finish. Frankly, much of the Bucs' success came after Lions breakdowns, namely Aqib Talib's 28-yard interception return for the touchdown and Sammie Stroughter's 78-yard kickoff return.

Indeed, Schwartz said, "They couldn't really move the ball on our defense but they had 10 points in the first quarter mainly because of two mistakes."

But Stafford and receiver Calvin Johnson connected for two highlight-reel touchdowns -- one a 36-yard play on fourth down after Talib bit on a double move, and the other a 1-yard pass Stafford shoved in Johnson's direction during the third quarter just as his right calf seized.

"During the process of dropping back, I was losing it," Stafford said. "I bet I looked pretty stupid on TV. He made me look pretty good once again."

I'm sure it took the breath of many Lions fans to see Stafford on his back on the sidelines while athletic trainers worked on his leg. But he never missed a snap, finishing with the second 300-yard game of his career and the Lions' first on opening weekend since Bobby Layne threw for 364 yards in 1953.

Stafford made a handful of mistakes himself, throwing high for tight end Will Heller on Talib's interception and nearly throwing a second on a pass behind running back Jahvid Best. But Stafford appeared in command of the offense from the start, and the Lions never trailed after the 36-yard play to Johnson.

"We didn't play our best football out there but we still got a win," Stafford said. "That's a good sign. Obviously you won't want those mistakes to keep coming back. We've got to fix those."

As Stafford and the offense rolled up 431 total yards, the Lions' defense largely shut down Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman. Middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch served in a modified spy role, sacking Freeman once and finishing with two quarterback hits. Freeman had 98 passing yards through the first three quarters, and the Bucs a total of 128 yards, before the Lions' late-game breakdowns.

"This is the beginning of something special and I'm glad to be a part of it," Tulloch said. "It's crazy when you win and you know you can play better. That's what makes this so exciting. We can just keep working."

That's what I think will distinguish this edition of the Lions. Trust me, I understand why Schwartz was upset. Any coach would have been in that situation. But he doesn't get to rain on our parade. "We can just keep working" is much different sentiment than "back to the drawing board." The Lions are done with that place. This is, after all, 2011.