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We're Black and Blue All Over:

Good Monday morning. Hopefully everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend. We're pretty much full speed ahead toward the NFL draft, which opens in just 17 days, and have plenty of ground left to cover. But first, let's ease back into the football routine with a tour around the NFC North:

• The Chicago Bears lost defensive lineman Amobi Okoye to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday night. It's not clear how intensely the Bears pursued him. Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com has more.
• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune examines whether the Bears' offensive line can improve without changing the personnel.
• Dan Pompei of the Tribune runs through the Bears' remaining needs.
• The Detroit Lions' offensive line is confident in its future, writes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
• Maintaining their level will be the Lions' biggest challenge in 2012, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• The family of former Lions receiver Charles Rogers doesn't want to comment publicly after his most recent legal entanglement. Andy Hoag of Mlive.com has more.
• Former Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Blair Kiel has died, notes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Packers hosted defensive lineman/linebacker Dave Tollefson on a visit, but Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette writes that it's unclear if they made Tollefson an offer before he signed Friday with the Oakland Raiders.
• Former Packers offensive linemen Daryn Colledge, Tony Moll and Jason Spitz will soon debut the third vintage of their "Fat Guys" label Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon. Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic brings us up to date on this important story.
• The Minnesota state legislature is nearing a session stalemate on a variety of important issues, including the Minnesota Vikings' stadium bill, according to Baird Helgeson of the Star Tribune.
• The Vikings are scheduled to meet with Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd, according to Gil Brandt of NFL.com.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Very quietly, as Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com writes, Green Bay Packers center Scott Wells has developed into a frontline NFL player.

It was just two years ago when the Packers tried to replace him with Jason Spitz. Now, Wells is locked in as the Packers' presumably long-term starter and in position for a relatively lucrative contract extension when his deal expires at the end of this year.

Wells hasn't allowed a sack this season and has been called for only two holding penalties since the start of the 2010 season. His experience and intelligence is an underrated reason why the Packers' offense is clicking so efficiently this season.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Packers tight end Andrew Quarless is hoping to play his way onto the field more often, writes Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers place-kicker Mason Crosby has taken a more relaxed approach during his streak of 21 consecutive field goals, notes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• The Chicago Bears "firmly believe they can coach their way out of any crisis," writes David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune.
• Bears coach Lovie Smith wants more production from defensive tackle Henry Melton, notes Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times. Smith: "I mentioned that to Henry today. He hasn't showed up as much. Whether teams have adjusted to him or whatever, we need to get more production from him because he's capable of it."
• Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com looks at the Bears' history against Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick.
• The Detroit Lions put a premium on disrupting the pocket, not sacks, writes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• The Lions lead the NFL with 33 three-and-outs, notes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
• Mike O'Hara of the Detroit News handicaps the NFC wild-card race.
• Supporters of the Minnesota Vikings' stadium project in suburban Arden Hills remain confident, writes Frederick Melo of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

FORT WORTH, Texas -- We've already covered the extent of the Pittsburgh Steelers' injury report, so let's move straight inside the Green Bay Packers' final injury and practice report of the 2010 postseason:

To assuage any concern, it would be "shocking" if receiver Donald Driver (quadriceps) does not play in Super Bowl XLV. That's the exact word coach Mike McCarthy used when asked Friday. He listed Driver as probable on the injury report, despite a second consecutive day of limited practice.

"I would be shocked if Donald Driver does not play Sunday," McCarthy said. "He would practice today if I would let him. He tweaked it in Wednesday's practice, and frankly I just do not want to take any chances at this point. ... Donald's played a lot of football, he knows the offense, he's had a whole week of preparation with the plan last week, so this is clearly just being safe with him."

Meanwhile, McCarthy listed linebacker Erik Walden (ankle) as questionable after another day of limited participation. Frank Zombo would start if Walden can not, but McCarthy said: "We'll take Erik up the game and see what happens. I have a good feel for what he can and cannot do. Sunday, I'm going to trust him and the medical staff to make that call."

The rest of the players on the Packers' injury report -- left tackle Chad Clifton (knees) and offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf) -- were listed as probable.

Getting inside the Wednesday practice report for Super Bowl XLV, culling from the injury and pool reports of Wednesday's activities:

Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers practiced in the unheated TCU indoor practice facility for about two hours. Center Maurkice Pouncey (ankle) did not practice, and coach Mike Tomlin appears to be targeting Friday as a day for Pouncey to test his ankle. The Steelers' only limited player was defensive end Aaron Smith (triceps), whose chances of playing Sunday are "fading," Tomlin said.

Green Bay Packers: Players and coaches got a nice tour of the Dallas-Fort Worth area Wednesday. They conducted the preliminary portion of their practice -- what coach Mike McCarthy calls a "jog-thru" -- at the team hotel. Then they bussed to their designated practice facility at Southern Methodist University, where they put on their pads, and then took a short trip to Highland Park high school's indoor facility. The Packers seem likely to follow the same drill Thursday and Friday. All Packers players participated in at least a portion of Wednesday's practice. That includes linebacker Erik Walden (ankle), offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf) and left tackle Chad Clifton (knees). Walden will start Sunday if healthy. "How Erik responds to this practice will be big," McCarthy said. "He practiced and took reps in every team drill. That was the high end of what we were going to try to give him today. It'll be great if he feels good tomorrow."

Explaining the first practice report of Super Bowl XLV bye week:

Pittsburgh Steelers: Center Maurkice Pouncey (left ankle) has the most significant injury among the six players who sat out Wednesday's practice. Doug Legursky replaced him Wednesday and would start for him if necessary. AFC North colleague James Walker broke down the injury and Pouncey's chances of playing earlier Wednesday. Also sidelined were safety Will Allen (knee), cornerback Bryant McFadden (abdomen), safety Troy Polamalu (Achilles), receiver Emmanuel Sanders (foot) and tackle Jonathan Scott (ribs). Defensive end Aaron Smith, who is hoping to make it back from a triceps injury, participated on a limited basis.

Green Bay Packers: As we noted earlier this week, the Packers won't practice until Friday. But the NFL still required a practice report Wednesday for injury updating purposes. Had they practiced Wednesday, linebackers Erik Walden (ankle) and Frank Zombo (knee) would not have participated. Linebacker Desmond Bishop (ankle), tackle Chad Clifton (neck), linebacker A.J. Hawk (neck), receiver Greg Jennings (knee) and offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf) would have been limited. Meanwhile, quarterback Aaron Rodgers said Wednesday he did not suffer a concussion in Sunday's NFC Championship Game, as has been speculated. He was not listed on the Packers' practice report.

CHICAGO -- We don’t yet have the Chicago Bears’ gameday roster decisions, but the Green Bay Packers were prompt this morning.

Safety Atari Bigby is active and so is offensive lineman Jason Spitz. Cornerback Pat Lee is inactive, meaning he isn’t a candidate to return kickoffs. Here are the rest of the Packers’ deactivations:

• Quarterback Graham Harrell
• Running back Dimitri Nance
• Cornerback Josh Gordy
• Linebacker Frank Zombo
• Offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith
• Offensive lineman Nick McDonald
• Defensive lineman Jarius Wynn

Getting inside the Friday practice report:

Chicago Bears: With temperatures hovering in the single digits for most of the day, the Bears wisely practiced indoors. The only limited player was safety Chris Harris (hip), who was able to participate in part of practice but is questionable for Sunday's NFC Championship Game. Harris has vowed to play but hedged a bit Friday. Harris: "We'll see. I think I'll be fine. I'm hoping to be fine. I was able to get a little work in here today indoors, so we'll definitely see before the game. ... You got to be smart, you definitely have to be smart about it. If it happens to bother me to a significant extent, then absolutely, I'd come out of the game. I wouldn't play tough guy for my own gratification to say I played in the NFC Championship Game." If Harris can't play, rookie Major Wright would make his first NFL start.

Green Bay Packers: It was even colder in Green Bay on Friday, with temperatures just above 0. With the doors of their indoor facility open, the Packers practiced in 18-degree weather, according to coach Mike McCarthy. Only two players among the Packers' 53 are an injury question for this game. Linebacker Frank Zombo (knee) was ruled out, while offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf) sat out Friday's practice and is listed as questionable.

Getting inside Thursday's practice report:

Chicago Bears: For the second consecutive day, the Bears practiced outdoors. Conditions in Lake Forest, Ill., were partly sunny and 20 degrees. Receiver Earl Bennett and cornerback Zack Bowman, who missed Wednesday's practice for personal reasons, were returned Thursday. Safety Chris Harris (hip) again missed practice but continues to insist he will be ready for the game. Finally, linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa didn't practice. He has struggled with a knee injury during the second half of the season. ESPNChicago.com's Jeff Dickerson suggests the move was precautionary, noting Tinoisamoa also sat out last Thursday's practice.

Green Bay Packers: Practice took place in an indoor facility with the doors open, which brought the temperature to 29 degrees, according to coach Mike McCarthy. Linebacker Frank Zombo (knee) again was the only player to sit out practice. Limited participants included defensive end Cullen Jenkins (calf), running back John Kuhn (shoulder), linebacker Clay Matthews (shin), defensive end Ryan Pickett (ankle), offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf) and cornerback Charles Woodson (toe). Everyone but Zombo remains on track to be available Sunday.

Because we're at the Epicenter of Humanity and all, we'll be elevating to daily injury and practice reports. Let's get right to it, pulling from a variety of media sources:

Chicago Bears: Coach Lovie Smith took his team to its outdoor practice field in Lake Forest, Ill., where the conditions were partly cloudy and 24 degrees. The only player who missed practice for injury reasons was safety Chris Harris, who has a hip pointer. Harris is insisting he will be ready for this game. Receiver Earl Bennett and cornerback Zack Bowman also missed practice for non-injury reasons -- both are expecting babies this week, according to ESPNChicago.com's Jeff Dickerson.

Green Bay Packers: Coach Mike McCarthy had the Packers on their outdoor field, where the conditions were cloudy and 16 degrees, and also in their indoor facility -- where McCarthy said the temperature was between 29 and 32 degrees. Linebacker Frank Zombo (knee) was the only player who sat out practice. Limited were left tackle Chad Clifton (knees), defensive end Cullen Jenkins (calf), running back John Kuhn (shoulder), cornerback Pat Lee (hip), linebacker Clay Matthews (shin), defensive lineman Ryan Pickett (ankle) and offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf). At this point, Zombo appears to be the only player on the Packers' 53-man roster who is a health question for this game.

Getting inside the Friday injury report a day before Packers-Falcons:

Green Bay Packers: Linebacker Frank Zombo has been declared out. Safety Atari Bigby (groin) is questionable but has a good chance to be available. Offensive lineman Jason Spitz would have returned to practice Friday if the Packers had held one, and for that reason he is listed as questionable. Fullback Korey Hall (knee) is questionable, but seems to have a decent chance of being available. All other members of the 53-man roster should be available.

Atlanta Falcons: Cornerback Brian Williams (knee) is doubtful. The Falcons listed six players as questionable, but all of them participated in Friday's practice and appear on track to be available Saturday.

Updating the injury situations for this weekend’s pair of division playoff games:

Chicago Bears: Cornerback Charles Tillman didn’t practice Wednesday because of an illness. All other players participated in at least a portion of practice.

Seattle Seahawks: Linebacker Lofa Tatupu (concussion) didn't practice and was the only player listed on the Seahawks injury report. Coach Pete Carroll told Chicago-area media that Tatupu is on track to play Sunday.

Green Bay Packers: Two players missed practice Wednesday: Linebacker Frank Zombo (knee) and offensive lineman Jason Spitz (calf). The guess is that neither will be available Saturday night. Safety Atari Bigby (groin) participated on a limited basis and has a chance to play. The Packers don’t seem to have any other significant injury concerns.

Atlanta Falcons: The only player who sat out practice was cornerback Brian Williams (knee). My NFC South colleague Pat Yasinskas suggests that most everyone else on the roster is healthy.

After the Green Bay Packers' 7-3 loss to the Detroit Lions, here are three issues that merit further examination:

Kevin SeifertFollowing their loss against the Lions, the Packers take their turn in the examination room.
1. There can be no argument that the Packers opened this game flat, giving an amped up 2-10 team every reason to believe an upset could be achieved. Rookie tight end Andrew Quarless' first-quarter fumble, along with receiver Greg Jennings' inexplicable mishandling of what would have been a 73-yard touchdown, were the two most obvious examples. I realize most Packers players weren't on the roster the last time the team lost to Detroit, and maybe they thought a victory Sunday was inevitable. But when you're already trailing the division lead by a game and aren't high on the list of NFC wild-card contenders, you can't afford to take anything for granted. For reasons that can't be explained, it sure seemed the Packers did.
2. With three games remaining, the Packers need to prepare themselves for the real possibility of not making the playoffs. Sure, there are scenarios in which they can either win the NFC North or clinch a wild-card spot, but both would require help from other teams. They could be eliminated from contention for the division title as early as next week if they lose in a difficult game at the New England Patriots, and the Chicago Bears defeat the Minnesota Vikings. We won't jump the gun on analyzing the impact of missing the playoffs, especially considering the crippling list of injuries the Packers have suffered. So we'll just say the Packers have their work cut out for them to avoid serious disappointment.
3. Just last week, we noted quarterback Aaron Rodgers' running prowess and that he has been mostly smart about avoiding major contact. Sunday was not one of those cases. And in this instance, no one could blame an uncalled blow to the helmet, either. Instead of sliding at the end of his 18-yard run, Rodgers dove forward through two converging defenders. One of them, Lions linebacker Landon Johnson, hit him hard but cleanly on the shoulder as Rodgers fell to the ground. Rodgers' concussion appeared to occur when his helmet bounced off the turf. The most important priority for any quarterback is to be available, not to fight for extra yards at the end of a scramble.

And here is one issue I don't get:

The Packers' offensive line has been pretty stable this season, so it was a little surprising to see it get manhandled by a Lions defensive line that was playing without one starter (defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch) and another (defensive end Cliff Avril) whose playing time was limited by injury. I realize that left guard Daryn Colledge left with an injury, and that the Packers tried two replacements in Jason Spitz and T.J. Lang. But I think the Packers were still expecting more than 66 rushing yards against an opponent that entered the game with the NFL's No. 25 ranked rush defense. And giving up four sacks, all to Lions backups or injury replacements, was also unexpected.

Another week, NFC North style, has passed on our march to the regular season. All we had was a Pro Bowl receiver undergo surprise hip surgery in one locale, an abrupt change of quarterback plans in another and a message-sending preseason romp in a third. In a fourth, we discussed in detail the task ahead for its most important player.

Things were so crazy I felt like going Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett on the whole deal:

I ain't had a day off now in over a year
My Jamaican vacation's gonna start right here
Get the phones for me
You can tell 'em I just sailed away
Pour me somethin' tall and strong
Make it a hurricane before I go insane
It's only half past twelve but I don't care
It's 5 o'clock somewhere

Remember, I read all of your comments directed to the mailbag portal, Facebook or Twitter.

On with it...

Adam of Weston Super Mare, England, writes: Bearing in mind the Sidney Rice injury and a one year window of opportunity with Brett Favre, is there any chance the Vikings offer a second-round pick for Randy Moss? He is a UFA in 2011 so he wouldn't affect their long term plans. The team needs to do something.

Kevin Seifert: Adam's sentiment was expressed universally by Vikings fans, at least those who contacted me, in the wake of Rice's hip surgery. And I'm convinced that's why so many people were disappointed when they instead acquired Greg Camarillo from the Miami Dolphins. It was a nice emergency trade, but it wasn't Moss.

It's true that Moss has suggested this is his last year with the New England Patriots because he hasn't been offered a contract extension. And it's a fact that Vikings quarterback Brett Favre wanted the Green Bay Packers to trade for him in 2007.

But the rest is pie-in-the-sky hopes and dreams. The big issue the Vikings face in dealing for any receiver, be it Moss or San Diego's Vincent Jackson or someone else, is the delicate financial situation they would be in.

Both Moss and Jackson are going to want new contracts. Rice wants a new contract as well, and to this point the Vikings have been unwilling. So do you make a trade for Moss or Jackson, giving them a new deal to ensure tranquility, and then tell Rice to just keep working hard when he returns? That's probably easier said than done.

I do think that most of the facts that led to Moss' departure from Minnesota have dissipated. The organization has changed inside and out, from the owner to the coaching staff to the quarterback. But as of now, it just doesn't seem like a realistic possibility.

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Allen of Fishers, Ind., writes: I keep seeing all these posts about Todd Collins and becoming the backup QB for the Bears. Some articles even talk about Dan LeFevour and how he could be the odd man out, but none are even mentioning anything about Matt Gutierrez. The Bears' website shows he's still on the roster but he isn't listed on the depth chart. Do you know the scoop on him? Is he still there? Where does he stand?

Kevin Seifert: Here's there, but the die is pretty much cast. The Bears guaranteed Collins a six-figure bonus to sign a contract this week. He gets that money whether he makes the team or not, so I think most of us agree that he is really going to have to flop not to make the team. There is no way the Bears are looking to throw away a dime, let alone $100,000.

I think they liked Caleb Hanie and planned for him to be Jay Cutler's backup, but Hanie's shoulder injury put them in a situation that was too risky. They needed an experienced and healthy backup behind Cutler.

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Sam of Buffalo, Minn., writes: I am extremely happy you are no longer fully covering the Vikings. Even when you were here I thought you to be a little weezle of a man who thought he was so clever in how he rights.

Kevin Seifert: Yep, you got me. I'll make sure to share your insight with my friend Weezy on our way to the Weezer concert.

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Andy of Chicago writes: I was wondering ... Chad Clifton, Mark Tauscher, and the Bryan Bulaga/Daryn Colledge left guard competition seem to get most of the discussion in the press. What about Josh Sitton and Scott Wells? Is it a good thing that we don't seem to hear much about them?

Kevin Seifert: Absolutely. Sitton was probably the Packers' most consistent lineman last season and has picked up this summer where he left off. Wells, meanwhile, has had a remarkable career turnaround. Remember last year at this time? He was about to lose his starting job to Jason Spitz. Now, there seems no question that Wells is the Packers' long-term center. That's quite a career turnaround.

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Kyle of Southern Michigan writes: Some interesting developments this week. Getting anxious that the strength of the Lions D-line & the possible weakness of the Bears.

Kevin Seifert: I'm guessing you're a Lions fan, making your anxiety a positive thing. But I would imagine Bears fans are a bit anxious about this Week 1 matchup as well. We've still got two weeks to go here, but at this point, the Lions-Bears opener has the feeling of a wild game.

You're right. The Bears have struggled to bring their offensive line together this summer, and the Lions' defensive line has played as well as advertised in the preseason. Put those two together, throw in some typical Week 1 craziness, and you've got the possibility of the Lions stealing a game on the road to start the season. We'll hit this theme a number of times over the next few weeks. For now, we're just planting some seeds. Maybe we'll call it the Anxiety Bowl.

Here's the best thing I'll say about NFL preseason games: They're not completely worthless.

I can't in good conscience hype up any of them, but I do think we can glean at least some pertinent information. So with that in mind, let's sketch out preseason Week 1 in the NFC North, all of which will take place Saturday night.

Chicago Bears
Opponent: San Diego Chargers
Location: Qualcomm Stadium
Time: 9 p.m. ET
Personnel notes: Starters could play as much as two quarters. Tight end Brandon Manumaleuna (knee) and wide receiver Earl Bennett (hamstring) might not play.
My focus point: Cohesion of an offensive line that began taking shape this week. Do we see obvious missed assignments and clogged running lanes? Or does the line protect quarterback Jay Cutler and provide room for running backs Matt Forte and Chester Taylor?

Detroit Lions
Opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
Location: Heinz Field
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Personnel notes: Running back Kevin Smith (knee), tight end Brandon Pettigrew (knee), safety Louis Delmas (groin), place-kicker Jason Hanson (knee), linebacker DeAndre Levy (back) and defensive end Jared DeVries (leg) are among those who have been ruled out.
My focus point: Will quarterback Matthew Stafford take his sharp practices into a game situation?

Green Bay Packers
Opponent: Cleveland Browns
Location: Lambeau Field
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Personnel notes: Starters will get about 20 plays of action. Prominent scratches could include linebacker Nick Barnett, safety Will Blackmon (knee), linebacker Clay Matthews (hamstring) and guard/center Jason Spitz.
My focus point: Does rookie safety Morgan Burnett, who might have to open the season in place of Atari Bigby, know what he's doing?

Minnesota Vikings
Opponent: St. Louis Rams
Location: Edward Jones Dome
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Personnel notes: Starters will play a couple series at best. Prominent scratches could include receivers Sidney Rice (hip) and Percy Harvin (migraines), center John Sullivan (calf), tailback Adrian Peterson(hamstring), cornerback Cedric Griffin (knee) and linebacker E.J. Henderson (leg).
My focus point:The performance of right cornerback candidates Lito Sheppard, Chris Cook and Asher Allen.

Two newsworthy developments took place Monday when the Green Bay Packers reassembled for training camp: Pro Bowl linebacker Clay Matthews was sidelined for two weeks by a strained hamstring, while rookie offensive linemen Bryan Bulaga was thrown into the competition for the starting left guard position.

First things first...

Matthews suffered the injury during Saturday night's Family Night scrimmage, and coach Mike McCarthy indicated the injury was similar to the one that limited Matthews for a good portion of last spring and summer. McCarthy said "I would definitely estimate it being at least two weeks."

In the meantime, look for Brad Jones and Brandon Chillar to work as the first-team outside linebackers when the Packers are in their base defense. It goes almost without saying that Matthews is critical part of the Packers defense, but I wouldn't get worked up about a two-week absence in August.

On the other hand, I am going to get a little worked up about the Bulaga move. But first, let's get McCarthy's full explanation:

We felt to this point that he has earned an opportunity to compete for a starting position. Our intent throughout the spring and going into training camp was to work him exclusively at left tackle. I have been very impressed with his body of work to this point, and we're going to give him an opportunity to compete with Daryn Colledge and Allen Barbre at the left guard position.

At this point, I can't tell you if this move is more about Bulaga's good work or a reflection on the job that Colledge, Barbre and Jason Spitz have done at left guard. But as we've discussed before, the Packers have been unable to resist the siren of shuffling young offensive linemen based on short-term need. In some cases -- Colledge chief among them -- the constant change has limited overall development.

I understand the argument of getting your best five offensive linemen on the field, but we all know Bulaga is the Packers' left tackle of the future. It's by far the most difficult offensive line position to fill, and everything we can see about Bulaga suggests he can handle it. So why oversaturate him with a temporary move to left guard? I don't have an answer to that question -- unless his arms really are too short.