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We're Black and Blue All Over:

Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman kicked off the draft-day trade speculation season by hopping on the NFL Network during Senior Bowl practices and declaring: "It will be, I think, very busy on draft day. We're the third overall pick, so we'll be looking at all the options. If someone wants to come up and get our pick, we’re going to be more than willing to listen."

As we've discussed before, the presence of Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III would make the Vikings an obvious trading partner for a quarterback-needy team at No. 3. In the past, Spielman has said there are a few players in each draft that he would never pass up an opportunity to select, regardless of the trade offer.

You wonder if USC offensive lineman Matt Kalil will be one of those players. The Vikings are in need of a left tackle and usually teams need to devote a high draft pick to get one. Three more months to go.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Vikings are preaching steady improvement but not a revival in 2012, according to Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune checks in with new Vikings defensive coordinator Alan Williams.
• The NFL doesn't consider Los Angeles a viable option for relocation in 2012, writes Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers endorsed quarterbacks coach Tom Clements to replace Joe Philbin as the team's offensive coordinator, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Rodgers thinks there is a "strong possibility" that Philbin will bring Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn to the Miami Dolphins, notes Wilde.
• David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune suggests that Phil Emery is likely the Bears' new general manager: "But given the stability Emery offers and the job requirements as [team president Ted] Phillips defines them, I will be surprised if the Bears hire anybody else."
• Bears offensive coordinator Mike Tice has been communicating daily with quarterback Jay Cutler, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• Former Bears offensive lineman Kevin Shaffer is working with draft prospects at the Senior Bowl, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune wonders if Alex Van Pelt will be the Bears' new quarterbacks coach/passing coordinator.
• Detroit Lions offensive lineman Johnny Culbreath paid a $412 fine after being charged Monday with possession of marijuana. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has more.
• Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham is happy that defensive backs coach Tim Walton will remain with the team, according to Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.

In discussing a mailbag question Wednesday, we saw no indication that the Detroit Lions were planning any changes to their defensive coaching staff after a late-season slide. Thursday, general manager Martin Mayhew confirmed that defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham had signed a new contract to return in 2012.

The same goes for offensive coordinator Scott Linehan and special teams coordinator Danny Crossman. So there you go: all three will be back.

Cunningham's future wasn't an unreasonable discussion point, but coach Jim Schwartz had never suggested anything but support for his friend and longtime colleague.

Mayhew spoke Thursday to a group of Detroit-area writers, acknowledging that the Lions have some difficult offseason work ahead of them. He said he will approach receiver Calvin Johnson about a contract extension, presumably to lower a projected $22 million cap number, but said a deal this offseason isn't "something that absolutely has to be done." As we discussed Monday, if the Lions don't extend Johnson, he would be eligible for a crushing franchise tag figure of about $26.4 million in 2013.

Mayhew also said he hopes to re-sign defensive end Cliff Avril and left tackle Jeff Backus, both of whom are eligible to become unrestricted free agents. Mayhew wouldn't commit to using the franchise tag on Avril if the sides can't come to an agreement before the free agent market opens in March.

Here are reports from Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News, Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com and Tim Twentyman of the Lions website.

Accepting our invitation to respectfully treat the Detroit Lions as NFL big boys now, Scott of Missoula, Mont., asks about potential repercussions for the team's late-season defensive problems:

Is it unreasonable to ask if Gunther Cunningham's job should be in jeopardy? No. 23 in total defense, 22nd against the pass, and 23rd against the run (but realistically second to last, if we're talking about average per carry). Given the money spent on linebackers in the offseason, and especially given the quality of personnel on the defensive line, the Lions' ineptitude against the run is downright inexcusable. Do you see the Lions considering a move at D-Coordinator?

In the Lions' rebuilding mode, the question would be moot. When he was hired in 2009, coach Jim Schwartz made a point to emphasize the importance of continuity -- both with scheme and in coaching. The only significant change he made on his staff in his first two offseasons was swapping out special teams coordinators.

But after winning 10 games and making the playoffs, it's at least a reasonable discussion point. Cunningham presided over a defense that, as we discussed last week, was one of the NFL's worst over the final seven weeks of the season. I've republished the applicable chart in this post.

The slide roughly coincided with injuries to cornerback Chris Houston and safety Louis Delmas. Linebacker Justin Durant was also limited by a hamstring injury. But injuries or not, it was eye-popping and a warning sign to see the Lions allow a combined 90 points and 1,176 yards in losses to the Green Bay Packers (Week 17) and the New Orleans Saints (wild-card playoffs).

In most situations, the defensive coordinator would at least come under review after that kind of performance. In Detroit, it's complicated by the fact that Schwartz has a defensive background himself and that Cunningham is a longtime friend and colleague.

So to answer Scott's question, yes, it's reasonable to ask about Cunningham's future. But Schwartz gave no indication it could be tenuous while speaking to reporters Monday. Asked if he expected his coordinators to return in 2012, Schwartz answered in the context only of losing assistants to promotions elsewhere.

"I would expect [coordinators to be back]," Schwartz said. "But when you, particularly the offense, perform the way that we did last year, coaches are going to get recognition. People are always going to try to get a piece of the success that you've had, whether it's been developing a young quarterback, dealing with injuries or anything else. We certainly have guys that are deserving. We have guys that will end up being coordinators on our staff that are position coaches right now. We have guys that are quality control coaches that will get position-type jobs. That's part of the NFL and it’s part of success and it's something we're going to have to deal with at some point over our time here."

Obviously, Schwartz wouldn't have announced his intentions at that moment. But all has been quiet from Detroit since then, even as other NFL teams scramble to shuffle their staffs. If something changes, we'll let you know.

NEW ORLEANS -- Congratulations are in order for the Detroit Lions. Graduating from preschool is a momentous occasion for any young pup, and that is where I see the Lions now that their 2011 season is in the books.

Saturday night's 45-28 loss to the New Orleans Saints should be the last time the Lions are graded on a curve, cheered for their effort or applauded for an accomplishment other than a victory. It's true: No one expected them to beat the Saints, who now are 9-0 at home since the start of the regular season. And few if any will have harsh words after the Lions collapsed in the fourth quarter against the NFL's hottest quarterback.

But after returning to relevance this season, the Lions have earned themselves big-boy treatment moving forward, both inside the organization and outside. Expectations for this team will rise in 2012, for good reason. They won't be celebrated for a winning season or even a playoff berth. With a 23-year-old quarterback teaming with the NFL's best receiver in a pass-happy league, the Lions should neither sneak up on anyone nor have their success be considered a surprise.

"We know we're building something really good," defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch said. "We have really good players. We have a lot of potential. ... But this is where we expect to be. Now we expect to go further. We expect to do more. I don't think in the future, people around the league are going to be surprised that the Detroit Lions are in the playoffs. This is where we belong. This is where we're going to be for a long time."

For the old Lions, we would note that they led the Saints at halftime and trailed by only three points, 24-21, as the fourth quarter began. Moving forward, we'll note that their defense -- shaky for much of the game -- got run over in the fourth quarter. The Saints put up 21 points and 192 yards in the final 9 minutes, 53 seconds of the game, running away with a playoff game the way prospective champions always do.

We won't hold Saturday night's Lions to that standard, of course. None of their players had won a postseason game wearing a Lions uniform. No one in the organization younger than 54 had been born the last time the Lions won a playoff game on the road. This wasn't a team that would know how to react in such a situation. That should never be the case again, however.

"It was a learning experience for our whole team," said quarterback Matthew Stafford, who threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns in his first playoff start but also forced a pair of fourth-quarter interceptions. "We'll be back. We have a confident bunch of guys. Obviously it hurts right now, but we'll be ready to go."

Stafford and receiver Calvin Johnson sit at the center of that confidence and the inevitably rising expectations for the team. Stafford targeted Johnson on 15 passes Saturday night despite a Saints defense dedicated to stopping him, connecting for 12 receptions, 211 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In their past four games, Stafford and Johnson have combined for an incredible 771 passing yards and six touchdowns.

Considering the NFL's shift toward the passing game in recent years, the Stafford-Johnson duo is enough on its own to expect big things from the 2012 Lions. If there is a concern, it's a defense that allowed a postseason-record 626 total yards Saturday night. In its final two outings of the 2011 campaign, the defense allowed 90 points and a whopping 1,176 yards.

On Saturday night, we'll note that those games came against two of the best offenses in the NFL -- the Saints and Green Bay Packers. Moving forward, it'll be fair to ask why the Lions couldn't hang better with the best of the best.

Defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham took his 2011 approach to an extreme Saturday night, sending four or fewer pass-rushers on 90 percent of Brees' drop-backs, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Lions got some incremental pressure on him, sacking Brees twice, hitting him four times and forcing a second-quarter fumble.

The Lions forced some errant passes, noted coach Jim Schwartz, "but we weren't able to capitalize on those errant passes." Overall, Brees torched the Lions for 33 completions in 43 attempts for 466 yards and three touchdowns.

Schwartz, to be clear, already had moved to 2012 mode when he met with reporters afterward. He angrily pointed at three dropped interceptions, three fourth downs the Saints converted and the Saints' 7-for-11 performance on third down.

"This game was all about missed opportunities on defense," he said.

I didn’t walk away thinking the Lions had botched a legitimate chance to win. I felt the same way I felt heading in: The Lions needed to play a perfect game to beat the Saints in this environment. They couldn’t drop one interception, let alone three. They couldn’t miss a single tackle, much less the dozen or so Saints tailback Pierre Thomas and others ran through. (The Saints gained 92 of their 167 rushing yards after contact, according to ESPN Stats & Information). They couldn’t miss a single opportunity to pad their first-half lead, let alone punt after both takeaways.

I wouldn't expect Schwartz to agree. He is the coach and has been the driving force behind reversing the Lions' losing culture. Next season, I'll be right there with him. The Lions will no longer be an oddity, an unknown quantity or a feel-good story. They enter the offseason as one of the NFL's upper-echelon teams, and it's time we all raised our standards and treated them accordingly.

To their credit, most Lions players are already there.

"I feel good about what we have coming back, but this is a hard one to swallow right now," center Dominic Raiola said. "I'm stunned. One and done. Yeah, it was a successful season, I think. I don't think anyone predicted us to go to the playoffs. But you don't want to hang your hat on this. We weren't just happy to be in the playoffs. We're disappointed right now."

Really? A member of the Detroit Lions disappointed to have lost a playoff game? That's the way it should be. My, how far they've already come. Play time is over.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Thanks to everyone who participated in Thursday's late-night Twitter discussion on the draft ramifications of the Indianapolis Colts' last-second upset of the Houston Texans. From an NFC North perspective, here's what I can tell you: If you're hoping the Minnesota Vikings will parlay the result into the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 draft, you need to root for another Colts victory.

Based on research from ESPN Stats & Information, the Vikings would lose the tiebreaker with the Colts if they both finish 2-14. The St. Louis Rams would likely have the No. 3 pick in that scenario if they are also 2-14.

Ties are broken in reverse order of strength of schedule (SOS), and the Indianapolis Star has an easy-to-read projection of each team's SOS through 16 games. The Rams currently have a lower SOS than the Vikings, but those figures could swap when you consider the Rams finish the season against the 10-4 Pittsburgh Steelers and the 11-3 San Francisco 49ers. The Vikings' final two games are against the 5-9 Washington Redskins and 7-7 Chicago Bears.

I know it's complicated and more than you're probably willing to think about on the morning of December 23. But in terms of the No. 1 overall pick, the Vikings' best-case scenario is for the Colts to win next weekend against the Jacksonville Jaguars. (Combined with two more losses by the Vikings, of course.) That would leave the Colts 3-13 and the Vikings sweating out the SOS tiebreaker with the potentially 2-14 Rams, which they have a good chance of winning based on Week 16 and 17 matchups.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Vikings coach Leslie Frazier expressed support for offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave and said he will return in 2012, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson is ready for a full-game workload, writes Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune.
• Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press speaks with Vikings defensive backs coach Joe Woods, whose group has had its struggles this season.
• It appears the Chicago Bears will start Kahlil Bell at tailback Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, according to Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune. Veteran Marion Barber hasn't practiced this week because of a calf injury.
• The Bears tried to sign free agent quarterback Matt Moore in July, according to Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• The Bears' offense has been at the root of their four-game losing streak, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher on the offense, via Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com: "We can’t let it get to us. Our mindset is [to] go back out there and take the ball away for our offense. That's all we can do; just go out there and try and get three-and-outs ourselves or take the ball away. We don't think about it. I mean, we have a hard enough time ourselves. We can't be worried about what happens on offense."
• Detroit Lions veterans Jeff Backus and Dominic Raiola aren't getting too hyped about Saturday's potential playoff-clinching game, writes Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press.
• The Lions are trusting tight end Brandon Pettigrew despite a series of drops this season, writes John Niyo of the Detroit News.
• Making the playoffs is "really important to us," according to Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham. Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com has more.
• The Green Bay Packers are getting back to basics in their efforts to limit drops, writes Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers tight end Jermichael Finley has been a social media lightening rod, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com examines the Packers' intentions for the Wildcat offense with receiver Randall Cobb.

Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen's annual stink bomb toward Detroit found a target this week.

Allen has made clear on a number of occasions over the years that Detroit is not his favorite road trip. This week, he told KFAN-1130 in the Twin Cities (via the Detroit Free Press) that Detroit is "gloomy" and added: "If I had to live in Detroit, I think I’d just drown myself in the river that was across the way."

I haven't noticed much outrage, at least on this blog, and so I largely have stayed away from what seemed to me to be clearly sarcastic sentiments. You all know that Allen can be a troublemaker and that he's made a sport of this before. But Friday, Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham, who coached Allen for four seasons in Kansas City, told reporters: "He’s not good enough to live here. I know him well, he should go back to California, Los Gatos, where all those nice people live. This is too tough of a town for him."

Cunningham also suggested Allen would be in danger if he wound up in the wrong Detroit neighborhood.

The uninitiated might be alarmed by some of the back-and-forth. The savvier of you will recognize the Lions have had enough "tough guy" episodes for one year. I consider this exchange nothing more than fun, and hope that those of you who will be at Ford Field on Sunday will treat it accordingly.

DENVER -- I hopped on radio shows in two NFC North markets Sunday morning while awaiting kickoff here at Sports Authority Field. The identical question arose in both conversations: Had the Detroit Lions hit their ceiling for the 2011 season?

The comparisons were eerie, even if you presumed a victory over the woeful Denver Broncos.

In 2007, of course, the Lions thrashed the Broncos 44-7 to complete a 6-2 start.

On Sunday, the Lions crushed the Broncos again, this time 45-10, to finish the first half of the season 6-2 and break a two-game losing streak.

In 2007, the Lions lost seven of their final eight games, sparking a horrific 5-47 tailspin.

Here in 2011, some national observers might be waiting for the bottom to drop out. It's happened before. But I really don't think this Lions team is going to collapse, in that way or any other, and I'm going to stick by the narrative we've crafted for the past few months. These Lions are legitimate playoff contenders who on Sunday displayed another trait of successful teams.

You might cast a skeptical eye on the significance of blowing out one of the NFL's worst teams. Well, I've got news for you. That's what good teams do. They take immediate control of the game and give the underdog but a glimmer of hope. The Lions didn't just win Sunday. They beat the tar out of the Broncos on their home field. They didn't play down to the Broncos' ineptitude.

"We did a great job of getting back to playing Lions football," defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh said, "and dictating the game to the other team and not having them dictate to us."

What is Lions football? No different than the identity we've been discussing for months: explosive plays on offense, a havoc-wreaking pass rush and a swagger that pushes the line of sportsmanship but rarely crosses it.

All three elements contributed to Sunday's victory.

The offense had seven explosive plays, defined as runs longer than 12 yards and passes longer than 16. Among them were touchdowns of 56 yards to receiver Calvin Johnson and 41 yards to rookie wideout Titus Young.

The defense sacked Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow seven times, using a rare uptick in blitz ratios to rattle Tebow in unprecedented ways. Tebow committed two turnovers, both of which were returned for touchdowns, and had completed only seven of his 21 passes when the Lions began sitting their starters at the end of the third quarter.

"With Tebow," defensive end Cliff Avril said, "we thought blitzing a little bit more would make him pay more attention to us than downfield."

Taking advantage of a rare occasion when he was the blindside pass-rusher, Avril had two sacks and two forced fumbles. He returned one of them 24 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, and cornerback Chris Houston returned an interception 100 yards for a score in the fourth quarter.

Overall, Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham blitzed on 55.6 percent of Tebow's dropbacks. Entering Week 8, the Lions had the second-lowest blitz percentage (17) in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

That blitzing, and the havoc it caused Tebow, might have been enough to pull the Lions out of a tentative funk that had contributed to consecutive home losses against the San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons.

I asked Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford to describe what it means to play "like ourselves," as he described the Lions' performance Sunday.

"I think an aggressive team," Stafford said. "I think we're trying to make big plays, through the pass game, through the running game, on defense. We got playmakers on the field. That's something we haven't always had. We have it now, and we go for it. We're going to attack you."

Usually figuratively, and sometimes literally. The Lions were "disappointed," coach Jim Schwartz said, when a national website promoted this game as "Good vs. Evil," a natural if not unfair way of previewing a contest between the respective teams of Tebow and Suh.

Suh noted that "evil prevails" and said: "Hopefully we're going to continue to keep it that way, if they want to perceive us that way."

On Sunday, the Lions' biggest sin was mimicking the Tebow-generated "Tebowing" craze after a couple of big plays. "Tebowing" isn't going to make the list of what has most aggravated national observers about this Lions team, but at the midpoint of the season, I think we can accept that they're at their best when they push the envelope of aggressive play and freewheeling style.

It's carried them to where many of us thought they would be as November approached: in position to challenge for a playoff spot. Based on what we saw Sunday, there is every reason to believe they'll continue on that path.

"We have a long way to go," Schwartz said. "We need to play well in the second half of the year. You're going to have some rough spots in a season. And we did. We had two losses in a row. But to come on the road, to come on track ... I think there's a lot of positives there.

"You don't win any prizes or trophies in the first half of the season for stats or records. We have a long way to go, and I think our guys know that. But it was good to come back and be ourselves a little bit."

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Bernard Berrian, Minnesota Vikings receiver: Berrian took to Twitter on Sunday to note that he has been "open" for the past four years. I don't really care that one of his antagonists was a Minnesota state representative, one who happens to be a co-author of owner Zygi Wilf's stadium financing bill. No matter who he was speaking to, Berrian was wrong to imply that getting open means he has been doing his job. There are multiple reasons why he has been so unproductive in recent years, and they include some factors (such as quarterback accuracy) that are beyond Berrian's control. I'll have more on this topic later in the week, but for now understand that Vikings quarterbacks have targeted him on 67 passes over the past 20 games. Berrian has caught 30 of them. Berrian would be well-advised to evaluate what he does, or doesn't do, to fight for the ball before drawing attention to his production.

2. Insanity in Chicago: We've hammered Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz pretty well in recent weeks for his play calling. So we should note that the Bears came to their senses in several ways Sunday. First, they swapped receivers Roy Williams and Johnny Knox, returning Knox to his starting role. While Knox has own issues to work through, Williams needed to be held accountable for his lack of productivity. Martz called only 19 passes compared to 30 running plays. The reality is the Bears aren't in position to generate a ton of scoring on their own. Martz smartly and safely capitalized on the boost he got from the Bears' defense (one touchdown) and special teams (one touchdown, another set up and a blocked field goal).

3. Remi Ayodele, Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle: The Vikings’ new nose tackle has started four games and doesn’t have a single tackle. Nose tackles don’t typically pile up tackles, and Ayodele’s top job is to occupy multiple blockers. But you would think a nose tackle would fall on a running back at some point during a four-game stretch. Ayodele doesn’t play in the nickel, and according to Pro Football Focus, he has been on the field for only 76 of the Vikings' 259 defensive snaps. That in itself is an indictment of his contribution so far. But still ….

RISING

1. Gunther Cunningham, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator: I have no idea how long Cunningham is planning to coach. He's 65 and has been coaching for 42 years. But it's nice to see him having success as his career inevitably moves into its twilight. Lost in the publicity of the Lions' offensive explosion has been a defense that Cunningham has smartly tweaked to fit his personnel. When he arrived in 2009, Cunningham estimated he would blitz on 40 percent of his defensive snaps. Now armed with one of the NFL's best defensive lines, Cunningham almost never blitzes and instead allows his back seven to drop into coverage and make plays. All three of the Lions' interceptions Sunday of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo came against a standard four-man rush. Overall, Cunningham blitzed on 10.9 percent of the Cowboys’ offensive snaps. Good coaches never get old. They adapt.

2. Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers receiver: In his past 10 games, dating back to last season and including playoffs, Nelson has caught 42 passes for 741 yards and six touchdowns. He has effectively emerged as the Packers' No. 2 receiver, regardless of who starts, and absolutely earned the three-year contract extension he signed over the weekend. The Packers' top draft pick in 2008, Nelson is yet another example of a homegrown talent who worked his way through the Packers' in-house minor leagues to become a top contributor.

3. Matt Forte, Bears tailback: There are three players in Bears history to surpass 200 rushing yards in a game. One is Gale Sayers. One is Walter Payton. The other is Forte, who finished with 205 yards Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Through four games, Forte has been the Bears' best player. He is obviously their rushing leader, but he also has more than twice as many receptions as his next-closest teammate. Overall, Forte has touched the ball on 37.7 percent of the Bears’ snaps and has accounted for more than half of their total yards. Rarely do you see a player in a contract year make a better case for himself.

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

Five nuggets of knowledge on Week 3:

Early positioning: Last season, the Chicago Bears took the early advantage in the NFC North race with a Week 3 victory over the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field. This season, the Packers are hoping to put some early distance between them and their top rivals. A 3-0 start would be the Packers' first since 2007, but more importantly, it would give them a two-game lead over a Bears team that would be 1-2. (Technically it would be more than two games because of an early tiebreaker. But that breaks our unofficial rule on mentioning tiebreakers in September.)

Sod wars: I firmly believe that constant public discussion about the playing surface at Soldier Field gives the Bears a level of competitive advantage. There is no doubt that some opposing players get caught up in concerns about loose sod and painted dirt. This week, the Chicago Park District re-sodded the field. Normally that would bode well for opponents. Loose sod is probably better than painted dirt. Regardless, the Bears have won nine of their past 10 NFC North games at home. The Packers were the only team to beat them in that stretch, a Week 14 victory in 2009. The Packers should feel fortunate they are playing at Soldier Field in Week 3 rather than Week 13.

Temptation: You have to think that Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz salivated this week as he watched film of a Packers defense that has given up 800 net passing yards in two games. He also knows that the Packers have lost safety Nick Collins for the season. But Martz backed himself into a corner this past Sunday by overdosing on passing plays in the Bears' 30-13 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Whether or not he sees a favorable matchup, he just can't come out firing against the Packers. And even if he did it, chances are it wouldn't work. First, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler won't have his most reliable receiver, Earl Bennett, who has a chest injury. And Cutler has struggled against the Packers' nickel defense since joining the division in 2009. When the Packers have five defensive backs on the field, according to ESPN Stats & Information, Cutler has averaged only 5.7 yards per attempt, throwing two touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Historical data: Is the NFC North in for a seismic shift this weekend? For the first time in 30 years -- and the first time in the Metrodome -- the Detroit Lions are favored to win a game in Minnesota. The last time the Lions won a game in Minnesota was Dec. 14, 1997, when quarterback Scott Mitchell threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to receiver Herman Moore with one second remaining in a 14-13 victory. The Lions also have an 11-game road losing streak in divisional play, the longest active streak in the NFL. All of that could end Sunday. The Vikings' discombobulated start to this season leaves them ill-equipped to handle a healthy and well-oiled Lions team that has sprinted from the gates this season. Vikings quarterback Donovan McNabb has lost seven of his past eight starts, a streak that began when his Washington Redskins lost to the Lions last season. The Lions are pushing for their first 3-0 start since 1980. We could go on and on …

Standard rush: You might envision Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham as a mad blitzer. When he joined the Lions in 2009, he predicted they would blitz on 40 percent of opponents' drop backs. But this season, at least, Cunningham is smartly capitalizing on his talented defensive line and leaving his back seven in position to make plays as often as possible. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Cunningham didn't send more than four pass-rushers on any of the Kansas City Chiefs' drop backs last Sunday at Ford Field. On the season, he has sent at least one extra rusher 17.6 percent of the time. That's the third-lowest percentage in the NFL. Given the Vikings' limited passing effectiveness this season, there is every reason to believe Cunningham will follow a similar path this Sunday. If you can play good pass defense with four rushers, why send more?

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Chicago Bears disappointed many of their fans and confused many of the players in their locker room when they traded tight end Greg Olsen just before training camp. But as Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune points out, Sunday's season-opening victory over the Atlanta Falcons provided a good explanation for the move.

Olsen's replacements, Kellen Davis and Matt Spaeth, lined up next to each other on a number of running plays to seal the edge. There were also some occasions when the Bears used an unbalanced line that essentially made the tight end a left tackle.

Olsen is a strong pass-catcher but an average blocker. Using him in the kind of role Davis and Spaeth played Sunday isn't the best utilization of his talents. You could argue the Bears could have adjusted their scheme to make better use of Olsen's skills. But if they weren't going to do that, it appears they have two tight ends who are better suited for the role that Bears tight ends will be asked to play.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Bears cornerback Charles Tillman now has 25 forced fumbles since 2003, the most among NFL cornerbacks. Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com has more.
• The Bears' opening schedule, which includes the New Orleans Saints and Green Bay Packers, doesn't appear as daunting as once believed, writes Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• The Detroit Lions' motivation to beat the Kansas City Chiefs isn't likely to come from defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham's history with the team, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• The Lions' meeting following Sunday's victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was "intense," defensive end Cliff Avril said, according to Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com. Coach Jim Schwartz was furious about a number of mental errors in the game.
• Lions receiver Calvin Johnson was a deep safety on the team's final play Sunday, notes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
• Based on video review, Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com credited Minnesota Vikings left tackle Charlie Johnson with allowing five quarterback pressures Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.
• More than quarterback Donovan McNabb is to blame for the Vikings' offensive woes, writes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• The Vikings' offense was "alarmingly inept and bland," writes Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune.
• The Green Bay Packers won't have a cakewalk in the NFC North, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• The Packers are finally on a normal regular-season schedule, writes Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Most of the Green Bay Packers' starting positions were set long before training camp began, and now the two positions with legitimate competition are beginning to favor at least a mid-August winner.

T.J. Lang appears to have moved ahead of rookie Derek Sherrod at left guard, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. And for at least the time being, the Packers have stopped their three-way rotation at right outside linebacker and installed Erik Walden as the player taking consistent first-team repetitions, writes Bob McGinn.

Obviously these arrangements could change at any time. Typically a first-round draft choice like Sherrod will have an advantage in a position competition, but the Packers aren't looking to make any projections when it comes to protecting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Walden, meanwhile, probably has more playmaking ability than Frank Zombo or Brad Jones. Stay tuned.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Packers have pulled back the practice reps even more for left tackle Chad Clifton to protect his knees, writes Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Cornerback Pat Lee made a stunning interception during practice Wednesday, notes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz has gotten into the head of backup quarterback Caleb Hanie, and not in a good way, writes David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune.
• Bears right guard Lance Louis left practice Wednesday because he was ill, forcing center Roberto Garza to slide over and reserve Chris Spencer to play center during team drills. Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com has more.
• Bears receiver Roy Williams is (playfully) lobbying quarterback Jay Cutler for more passes, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz stopped practice Wednesday and forced his team to run gassers to "expel" energy they had channeled into a number of practice fights, writes Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News.
• John Niyo of the Detroit News on the NFL's $20,000 fine of Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh: "For fans in Detroit, it's all the more exhilarating. Honestly, when's the last time Detroit had a defensive star who was cheered -- and feared -- quite like this guy already is after one full season?"
• Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham on Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, via the Detroit Free Press: "You've got one guy in the league, Nnamdi, and all he does is press. You ever see him make a tackle? He presses the wide receiver, and he's great at it. But there's more to playing DB than just pressing wide receivers."
• Minnesota Vikings tight end Allen Reisner is one of a handful of rookie free agents with a chance to make the final roster, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Seattle Seahawks receiver Sidney Rice told Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that the Vikings didn't demonstrate much interest in re-signing him.
• Vikings receiver Percy Harvin might not play in Saturday's preseason game against the Seahawks because of a rib injury, notes the Star Tribune.

On Wednesday afternoon, the NFL fined Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh $20,000 for his hit on Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton. A few hours later, Suh reacted incredulously and then accepted a suggestion that he is the NFL's version of Shaquille O'Neal.

"Shaq had the same problem when he was in the NBA," Suh told Detroit-area reporters. "He kept playing. NBA Hall of Famer soon to come, one of the greatest big men I've ever seen, so I hope to follow in his footsteps."

The "problem," as Shaq Suh apparently sees it: NFL officials don't recognize the effect of his superior strength on the regular joes around him. As you might recall, O'Neal believed NBA officials mistakenly called him for fouls when smaller players bumped him but then fell to the ground.

"Honestly," Suh said, "I really feel that I put the refs in a tough situation because of my strength. A lot of us players growing up and coming in, we're getting faster, stronger, and some guys just have incredible strength on that football field."

Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham backed the theory, saying: "There's no one that's ever played like this at defensive tackle."

I'm sorry. Even after discussing the issue with some of you on Twitter this evening, I don't get it. For this analogy to work, we would be saying that Shaq Suh is so strong that his otherwise legal contact with quarterbacks results in an exaggerated physical reaction that tricks officials into believing the hit merits a penalty.

In other words, a mere touch from Suh sends a quarterback flipping head over heels while spontaneously separating his helmet as well.

Let's all take a step back here for a moment. Suh has been fined for three hits to the quarterback in his career, and one -- maybe -- was a Shaq-like event. This past December, referee Ed Hochuli apparently assumed that Suh hit Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler on the back of his helmet after seeing Cutler's body lurch forward. Replays showed Suh hit Cutler just below the helmet on his upper back.

But Friday night, Suh wasn't penalized for the violence of his hit on Dalton. The penalty was for hitting Dalton after the pass, and the large fine was the result of two prior offenses. I still don't think it was a dirty play. It just wasn't legal. By NFL rules, it is Suh's responsibility to know whether the quarterback still has the ball and react accordingly.

In this case, Suh was no different than Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison or any other pass-rusher who has received hefty fines in the past year. We can argue night and day whether the NFL has overreacted to its goal of improving player safety. But in 2011, any player who hits a quarterback after the pass will run the risk of a penalty and an NFL fine. Whether he can crush a brick with his bare hand or move a mountain is immaterial.

Look, I think Suh is one of the best things to happen in the NFC North in a long time. There is no doubt he is a special athlete and player. But can we drop the dramatic victimization here? If there is any injustice, it's that the NFL is targeting defensive players to remedy an across-the-board issue.

In that vein, I'm sorry to report that Shaq Suh is in the same boat as every other defensive player in the league. He must manage his play within the confines of the NFL rules, fair or not, and accept the consequences when he doesn't. There should be no exceptions, even if you can leap tall buildings in a single bound.

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The same question surfaced at every stop on my NFC North training camp tour. In some form or fashion, division rivals wanted to know: Have the Detroit Lions improved as much as advertised?

After all, Lions Fever long ago engulfed the blog/region/nation. A four-game winning streak to end 2010, the return of quarterback Matthew Stafford and an exciting draft class all suggested the Lions were ready to break free from a decade of disappointment.

But even after spending three days in the Detroit suburbs, I still don’t think I’ve seen the 2011 Lions. What I saw was Lions Lite.

By the time I arrived at Lions camp, the team’s top three draft choices -- defensive tackle Nick Fairley, receiver Titus Young and running back Mikel Leshoure -- had been sidelined by significant injuries. Left tackle Jeff Backus (pectoral) wasn’t practicing and neither was backup Jason Fox (foot). Tight end Brandon Pettigrew, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen after suffering an ankle injury.

What’s important, however, is that the franchise had neither panicked nor fallen into a funk. Leshoure’s is the only season-ending injury, and it was obvious even to an amateur observer that the Lions still have a talented collection of players on the practice field, one that romped to a 34-3 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in its preseason opener Friday night. Many in that collection are entering their third year in the same system, and all of them are determined to give us something the NFC North has never seen: a four-team division.

"This team can be great," said receiver Rashied Davis, a part of two Chicago Bears teams that advanced to the NFC Championship Game. "I really think that. It is a great bunch of guys and there really is tons of talent."

THREE BIG ISSUES

1. Backus' status: The Lions are equipped to absorb injuries at many positions, but left tackle isn’t one of them. Fox’s injury has only exacerbated the issue and left the Lions using players who would otherwise be relegated to their third team at the most important position on the line.

Torn pectoral muscles usually require season-ending surgery. The Lions haven’t revealed the severity of the injury, but their insistence that Backus will be ready for the regular-season opener suggests the muscle isn’t completely torn. Backus hasn’t missed a game in his 10 previous seasons, and quite frankly the Lions are banking on his durability in this instance.

"You've just got to go on history there," coach Jim Schwartz said. "He has started 160 straight games. … Jeff is obviously experienced and is a hard worker and doesn’t need every single rep in training camp. We can afford to take it slow with him and get him back the right way rather than have to rush him back too soon."

In the end, the question isn’t likely to be whether Backus plays, but if the injury has (temporarily) diminished his effectiveness. After all, an offensive lineman needs full extension and strength in his arms to ward off pass-rushers.

2. Stafford's return: I know it might ring hollow for those of you concerned about his health, but Stafford was zinging the ball all over the field during my time in Lions camp. He is now completely at ease in coordinator Scott Linehan’s offense and clearly bulked up this offseason to better prepare for the rigors of a 16-game season.

I saw Stafford loft 25-yard touch passes into the back of the end zone just as easily as he rifled 30-yard ropes over the middle. I realize that practice throws don't always predict game performance, and I know that his biggest challenge is durability and not ability. But to the extent that he could over three days of camp, Stafford sure looked like a quarterback who is ready to break through to NFL stardom.

"It's hard because he’s missed a lot of time on field," Linehan said. "But you can see the ownership he’s taken in this offense. He spends a lot of time with the players, with the system and in the building. It’s not just me talking in the meeting rooms anymore. He’s spot-on. He’s going to have a great career. I really think that."

3. Secondary issues are now secondary: The Lions' systematic rebuild of their defense is now two-thirds complete. They’ve built one of the best defensive lines in the game. They have three credible starters at linebacker. All that remains is the secondary.

Right?

The Lions weren't as worried about their secondary during the early portion of training camp as some other people were. Safety Louis Delmas has been a constant presence, having regained his health following offseason surgery on his groin. Cornerback Chris Houston re-signed after a brief foray on the free-agent market, strong safety Amari Spievey reported to training camp in good physical condition and new cornerback Eric Wright has been a consistent playmaker during team workouts.

I saw Wright end a team drill with a strong anticipatory interception of Stafford. A few days later, defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham had this hyperbolic but revealing assessment: "To me, there’s only one athlete like this in the NFL. And he’s old. That’s Champ Bailey. [Wright] is a pure, one of the most outstanding athletes to come out of the draft in a long time."

The Lions have some decent depth behind Wright and Houston. Aaron Berry has again impressed coaches when he has been healthy, and the Lions should get back Alphonso Smith (foot) before the start of the regular season.

The secondary might be a weak link on a relative scale, but it might not be as weak as some might have feared.

BEST RELATIONSHIP

A second consecutive offseason spent working together has left Stafford and Calvin Johnson in position to do some serious damage. It’s obvious to anyone watching Lions practice that the two have developed a level of chemistry that only time can bring.

"I feel like he trusts me that I'm going to put the ball in a good place to give him a chance," Stafford said, "and I definitely trust him when I put it up there that he's going to come down with it or nobody is."

Injuries have limited the two to 13 games over the past two seasons, but there is a feeling in Lions camp that the pair is ready to break out in 2011. The duo got off to a strong start Friday night on a back-shoulder touchdown pass to end the Lions’ first possession.

UNANSWERED QUESTION

What is the true impact of Leshoure’s injury? It’s hard to know because we’re not entirely sure how the Lions planned to use Leshoure and Jahvid Best. Was Leshoure going to be the change of pace? Or was Best?

If Leshoure continued his early-camp performance, it’s very possible it could have been the latter. Best himself said the team had given him no indication whether he would get 20 carries per game, 10 carries per game or fewer.

"I was figuring that about midway through the preseason it was really going to start to show," Best said.

So what now? For the short term, at least, Best is firmly entrenched as the No. 1 back. In Friday night’s preseason opener, Best was either the ball carrier or the intended target on seven of 11 plays run by the Lions’ first-team offense.

But if the Lions’ aggressive move to draft Leshoure told us anything, it's that they don’t want Best carrying the entire load. The first candidate to be his running mate is newcomer Jerome Harrison, who was the first back off the bench Friday night. It’s too early to know if Harrison is up to the job, but the Lions really want to get Best some help -- from somewhere.

OBSERVATION DECK

• For the first time in a long time, place-kicker Jason Hanson isn’t guaranteed a spot on the roster. For that matter, the Lions also have a legitimate challenger to punter Nick Harris in Ryan Donahue. But Hanson’s roster battle with Dave Rayner has generated some attention. Schwartz said that "everyone on our 90-man camp roster has a chance to make the team." He noted that Hanson is kicking "very well," as is Rayner. "It’s a good situation for us," Schwartz said. Both kickers were booming kickoffs well into the end zone during my stay at camp. (Given the NFL’s shift of kickoffs to the 35-yard line, that’s to be expected.)
• Cunningham joked (I think) that he "took the over" on the pre-camp weight of Spievey and defensive tackle Sammie Lee Hill. He was pleasantly surprised. The Lions are especially pleased with the way Spievey has taken ownership of his position. He looked lean and active during the early part of camp and appeared healthy as well. "Amari's in great shape," Cunningham said. "His communication skill is much higher than it was, and he and Delmas really know each other."
• Most linebacker groups have a run-stopping plodder who is an obvious candidate to leave the field in the nickel. But with DeAndre Levy, Stephen Tulloch and Justin Durant, the Lions really don’t have one. Tulloch was leaving in the nickel during the portion of camp I watched, but he is a quick linebacker in his own right, and Schwartz insisted the Lions will mix and match their nickel lineups this season. "Our group gives us the flexibility to do that," he said.
• Coaches couldn’t stop raving about Rashied Davis’ impact on the locker room. "There’s a guy I can’t say enough about," Linehan said. "That’s the kind of pro you want to have. I’m able to show the young guys that this is a 32-year-old veteran that is a special-teamer. Been in this league X amount of years because he just does everything 100 percent and right. That’s just been a great example for those guys."
• One of my favorite sights of Lions training camp the past two years: veteran defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch’s insistence that he touch the ball on every play. Sometimes that means reaching one step over from his current position. Often, however, it means chasing a ball carrier as far as 30 yards downfield. By the way, it appears Vanden Bosch is fully recovered from neck surgery that ended his first season with the Lions.
• Will Wright re-establish his career with the Lions? He has the raw skills to do so, and now he has a defensive line that will, without question, make his job easier. "The D-line plays hard and it’s relentless," Wright said. "It’s contagious. From a total defensive standpoint, those guys rub off on us, especially the defensive backs."

We're Black and Blue All Over:

In Thursday's Camp Confidential on the Chicago Bears, we discussed the leadership void following the departure of center Olin Kreutz. Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher seemed like the most logical candidate to fill it, and Urlacher discussed that subject with Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune.

Urlacher doesn't expect to be more vocal than he normally is, but will continue to make players accountable for mistakes.

"We don't need a guy to go yell at everybody,'' Urlacher told the Tribune. "Our guys, they don't act like [dummies]. They follow rules. They practice hard. They lead by example.''

It's not necessary to have a rah-rah motivator screaming all day long. What the Bears need is a veteran player who others can watch and emulate. Urlacher has the capacity to be that player.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com examines the Bears' defense through the eyes of coordinator Rod Marinelli.
• Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times isn't sure if the Bears and tailback Matt Forte are in "the same zip code" in contract negotiations.
• Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy switched his upcoming night practices to daytime for two reasons, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com. First, he wants their "body clocks" on regular-season time. Second, night practices were making for some long days.
• Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes that Packers defensive back Jarrett Bush is playing cornerback "with far more confidence and aplomb than he ever has. His one-on-one coverage has been better than it's ever been and his mistakes fewer and far between."
• The Packers have already inserted Morgan Burnett into the starting strong safety job ahead of veteran Charlie Peprah, writes Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• It's difficult to see what direction the Minnesota Vikings are headed, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Vikings quarterback Donovan McNabb and receiver Bernard Berrian are both looking to put 2010 behind them, writes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• McNabb is not fazed by the fact that he's on a one-year contract, notes the Star Tribune.
• Detroit Lions starters will see action for about a quarter in Friday night's preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, notes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com.
• Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham has been quieter than normal during training camp practices, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News: "The Lions line is an enigma wrapped in bandages these days, and I'm certainly not here to tell you it's great. You'd pelt me with over-ripe zucchini if I did. I always think it could use an upgrade. But I am here to say it might be better than we think, and each side -- pro-line, anti-line -- overreacts to disprove the other."

» Best of NFC: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

As part of Best of the NFL Week on ESPN.com, here are five bests for the NFC North:

Best game face, Lovie Smith: Chicago Bears fans have grown frustrated over the years with Smith's placid sideline demeanor. They wonder why Smith isn't more emotional and if he could possibly be as disconnected from the game action as he appears to be. I actually think it's a positive attribute. Smith always projects calm amid the chaos of an NFL sideline. If the head coach is flipping out during the game day roller coaster, what can he expect from players?

Best coach-GM tandem, Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson: All successful NFL men have some level of ego about them, but the important factor in the Green Bay Packers' leadership is that neither McCarthy nor Thompson appears to have ambitions for the other's job. Thompson stocks the team and McCarthy runs it as he sees fit. The best example of their ability to work together: McCarthy has never, ever expressed any public dissatisfaction with Thompson's reluctance to participate in veteran free agency. Many coaches would be outraged. Thompson, meanwhile, doesn't appear interested in questioning McCarthy's strategic decisions or inserting himself into daily operations of the locker room in any way.

Most excitable, Gunther Cunningham: The Detroit Lions' defensive coordinator has always had a fiery personality. (Don't believe me? Check out his star turn on HBO's Hard Knocks a few years ago when he was with the Kansas City Chiefs.) Cunningham is a hoot to watch on the sideline, often literally spitting out his words and leaving little left to the imagination. One of Lions coach Jim Schwartz's primary game day tasks is to keep Cunningham below the boiling point.

Best schemer, Dom Capers: The Packers' defensive coordinator has enjoyed a career renaissance in two years with the Packers. It might be too late to earn him another shot as a head coach, but Capers has re-certified himself as one of the most innovative minds in the game. The Packers seemingly have a different defense for every game, and Capers isn't afraid to reveal a new look at any time. One of many examples: A new zone blitz call in the NFC Championship Game surprised Bears quarterback Caleb Hanie and led to nose-tackle B.J. Raji's interception return for a touchdown.

Best aura, Leslie Frazier: The Minnesota Vikings' new coach carries himself with an admirable combination of confidence, humility, passion and patience. Mix it all together and the subconscious message is this: I'm in control. Make no mistake, that aura is a crucial ingredient of leadership. Frazier is neither overconfident nor nervous. Like any coach, Frazier will have to demonstrate that his initial impression is accurate. He'll also have to prove himself as an administrator and from a global scheme standpoint. But from the start, players will have no question about the authenticity of their leader.