ESPN NFL

Receiver Randy Moss' late-night contract agreement with the San Francisco 49ers puts him on track for one more tour through the NFC North. Because the 2012 schedule matches us up against NFC West teams, Moss and the 49ers will play at the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings while hosting the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions.

When Moss first announced he would come out of retirement, we spelled out a series of criteria necessary for any team serious about signing him. The 49ers have most of them. They have a strong and established coaching staff led by Jim Harbaugh, along with and an assistant head coach/special teams in Brad Seely who has personal experience with Moss during their time with the New England Patriots. You wonder if quarterback Alex Smith has the arm strength and mental toughness to handle Moss, but rare is a team that has all of its Moss-related bases covered.

Having covered Moss at various points in his career, I wish the 49ers — and especially Harbaugh — the best of luck. It hasn't ended well for Moss at any of his previous five NFL stops, and it was interesting that CSNBayarea.com columnist Ray Ratto suggested Harbaugh is strong-minded enough to pull the plug on Moss if necessary. That's the easy part. Coaxing a positive combination of production and relative harmony, while living with the inevitable challenges to authority, is the hard part.

It isn't a good sign that Moss blamed the "world-wide media" for giving him "a bad rap" during a conference call with Bay Area reporters Monday night. There is no doubt that Moss has had plenty of bad things written about him, almost all of which he earned through his pathologically contrarian behavior. Any true change in Moss' attitude must start with ownership of his shortcomings.

But with that said, we should consider ourselves fortunate that the NFC West and NFC North will match up in 2012. Moss is one of the best receivers in the history of the game, and we'll get at least one more chance to see him play. He is nothing if not entertaining.

Saturday should be busy and rewarding for those of us in the NFC North.

At 5:30 p.m. ET, the Pro Football Hall of Fame will announce its class of 2012. Former Minnesota Vikings Cris Carter and Chris Doleman are among those on the ballot. So is Green Bay Packers outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene and former Detroit Lions guard Dick Stanfel, a nomination from the Seniors Committee.

I'll plan to weigh in on the blog shortly after the announcement, whether we have good news or bad news. We focused our attention Friday on Carter, but don't rule out the candidacies of Doleman, Greene and Stanfel.

Then, we'll turn our attention to the new "NFL Honors" award show that will, in the span of a few hours, reveal all of the league's individual awards. It kicks off at 9 p.m. ET, so it'll be a late night.

I'm thinking the NFC North has a reasonable chance to dominate the evening, considering Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is the likely MVP and Vikings defensive end Jared Allen could win the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford should be in the running for the Comeback Player of the Year Award. I made a case earlier this season for Packers coach Mike McCarthy as the NFL's coach of the year, but most everyone expects San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh to win it.

Now go out and enjoy your Saturday. We'll reconvene early this evening.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

As most of the NFL moves into the offseason, everyone, it seems, wants a piece of the Green Bay Packers.

As we noted Wednesday, the Kansas City Chiefs interviewed offensive coordinator Joe Philbin for their head-coaching job Wednesday. Although interim coach Romeo Crennel is the favorite for the job, AFC West colleague Bill Williamson reports that Philbin is a serious candidate as well. Philbin has another interview scheduled with a second team as well, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Meanwhile, the Oakland Raiders interviewed Packers director of football operations Reggie McKenzie for their general manager job, and McKenzie is considered a top candidate for the job. He could also emerge as a candidate for the Chicago Bears' general manager opening.

Director of college scouting John Dorsey turned down an opportunity to interview for the Indianapolis Colts' general manager job, according to Schefter. Finally, quarterbacks coach Tom Clements remains a candidate for the Penn State head-coaching job.

Coaches of teams on a bye can interview until this weekend. Front office executives aren't bound by those rules.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Packers receiver Greg Jennings (knee) returned to practice Wednesday and is set to play in the Packers' divisional playoff game on Jan. 15.
• Could Brad Jones emerge as one of the Packers' starting linebackers in the playoffs? Silverstein looks into it for the Journal Sentinel.
• Packers coach Mike McCarthy needs to brush up on his overtime playoff rules, notes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Detroit Lions have been holding receiver Calvin Johnson (Achilles) out of practice this week, but he will play Saturday night against the New Orleans Saints. Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com has more.
• Lions receiver Titus Young has matured over the past month, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions center Dominic Raiola wasn't happy to hear that San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh is preparing to face the Saints in the second round of the playoffs. Chris McCosky of the Detroit News explains.
• Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune reviews some possible general manager candidates for the Bears.
• Former Bears receiver Sam Hurd was indicted on two drug-related counts Wednesday, reports Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune looks at coach Lovie Smith's search for his next offensive coordinator.
• Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times writes that Smith should promote offensive line coach Mike Tice to the job.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com has a list of every Minnesota Vikings player's contract situation.
• The Vikings are hoping to negotiate a truce with their Metrodome landlords, who say their lease should extend another year because of a little-known clause. Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press has more.
• Vikings coach Leslie Frazier hasn't ruled out a 3-4 defense for 2012, notes Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune.

The very first comment on this week's Have at It illustrated why it needed to be a very NFC North-centric discussion. I asked you to debate who was most deserving of the NFL's Coach of the Year award, and mike feuerborn wrote: "Jim Harbaugh. No brainer."

Yes, I would expect Harbaugh, the San Francisco 49ers coach, to be the top candidate in a national, 32-team vote. But on an NFC North scale, the question boils down to Mike McCarthy of the Green Bay Packers and Jim Schwartz of the Detroit Lions. Your discussion revolved around three points:

• Those who think the coach of a 14-1 team deserves more recognition than the coach of a 10-5 team.
• Those who think McCarthy had more talent to work with and less obstacles to hurdle, making Schwartz's performance more impressive.
• Those who think the Lions' midseason loss of control traced back to Schwartz's chasedown of Harbaugh in Week 6, making him at fault for a stretch that nearly scuttled their season.

Let's hit all three points.

McCarthy's 14-1 record this season and 20-1 mark since last December, including the 2010 playoffs, generated the most civil discussion. Wrote BigSlammy: "The Packers played all season with a target on their backs, especially late in season when their record made them every other team's Super Bowl. Throw in the O-line injuries and there you have it. More success on a bigger stage: McCarthy."

Added mikedr9: "No denying what Schwartz has accomplished in Detroit, and in any other year he would be my choice. But it just came in the same year as McCarthy has guided the Packers through a phenomenal stretch."

"Give it to McCarthy," wrote LKP The Fever Wins, "but then he hands it directly to Aaron Rodgers."

Which of course, leads to the second point. McCarthy has the NFL's presumptive MVP playing quarterback and seven of his players were named to the Pro Bowl earlier this week. The Lions have what many would consider a talented roster, but in the end only one of their players -- receiver Calvin Johnson -- made the Pro Bowl.

"When Schwartz got to Detroit there were only about five NFL-caliber players on the whole team," wrote bobbyg640. "He has got the team in the playoffs. I thought McCarthy deserved it last year, but this year I believe Schwartz is more deserving. It is a lot harder to create success than to continue it."

Gandychr wondered "how hard is it to coach a team with Aaron Rodgers and a team with no new players" and added: "[Schwartz] has been able to manage the injuries with the offense and the shenanigans on the field while managing the media. 10-5 as a Lions fan is a dream come true."

It's an undeniable accomplishment to take a team to the playoffs three years after it finished 0-16. But many of you weren't willing to consider Schwartz through that lens. Ryaninhof57 wrote that the Lions' "lack of discipline" during portions of this season "falls onto Schwartz for losing control of his players and encouraging the stupidity." AllHaleMegatron described him/herself as "a lifelong Lions fan" that "bumped my head on the car door" and "bled Blue & Silver" but still sided with McCarthy: "That doesn't make me blind to what has been going on this season as I watch EVERY game I can. Schwartz is definitely an honorable mention but I think he tainted his COY chances with the HarbaughGate scandal. It was stupid and unprofessional of him to get so bent out of shape about a slap on the back.

"I GOTTA go with McCarthy on this one. He led his wildcard team to a SB championship and then turned right around and almost ran the board through the regular season."

My take? I think it's an awfully slippery slope to start grading coaches on a curve based on the perceived advantages they've been handed. Why do we hold a talented roster against a coach's performance? Who is to say the coach didn't play an important, or even the critical, role in developing those players into elite performers? Or in putting them in position to maximize their skills? Aren't both of those part of a coach's job?

I understand how boring the Coach of the Year award would be if it was awarded annually to the coach whose team has the NFL's best record. The job Harbaugh did in ending the 49ers' eight-year playoff drought, for example, and resurrecting the career of quarterback Alex Smith merits substantial recognition.

I was among those who was critical of Schwartz's postgame charge toward Harbaugh, and a reasonable person could argue that it at least indirectly contributed to some of the incidents that held the Lions back during a 2-5 stretch. But in the end, there is no disputing Schwartz had one heck of a season. He has the Lions at 10 victories, and of his five losses, four have come to playoff teams. The fifth was to the Chicago Bears, who probably would have made the playoffs were it not for quarterback Jay Cutler's broken thumb.

With that said, however, McCarthy hasn't just presided over the NFL's best record. He has elevated the Packers' overall performance over what won Super Bowl XLV, even as his defense has slipped. The Packers didn't just have a great season. They went on a ride that put them among the best teams in the history of the league based on consecutive victories.

I'm not sure how it will shake out in the voting, but I don't see how you can ignore the coach's role in matters of such achievement. If I had a vote, McCarthy would be my choice for both the NFC North and NFL Coach of the Year award. Sometimes, the simplest answer is the right one, even if it's not initially obvious.

After the Detroit Lions' 27-15 loss to the Green Bay Packers, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Kevin SeifertAfter falling to 7-4 following a loss to the Packers, the Lions take their turn in the examination room.
   Lost in the discussion over Ndamukong Suh's third-quarter ejection was how critical the accompanying penalty and his subsequent absence was. You almost forget that the Lions had stopped the Packers on third-and-3 at their 3-yard line. The Packers probably would have set up to kick a short field goal in hopes of taking a 10-0 lead. Instead, they got another set of downs and ultimately scored a touchdown on John Kuhn's 1-yard run. The penalty cost the Lions four points, and it also opened the floodgates for the Packers' offense. In the end, they scored 20 points with Suh off the field. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 10 of 15 passes when Suh was in the game. Afterward, he hit on seven of nine and averaged 16.9 yards per attempt. According to ESPN Stats & Information, all seven of those completions came against the Lions' four-man pass rush, one obviously watered down without Suh.
2. As fallout from the Suh incident continues, it's probably only a matter of time that people start connecting Suh's style with the personality and approach of fiery coach Jim Schwartz. That's essentially what Yahoo! Sports' Jason Cole wrote in the aftermath of Thursday's events. Cole made clear that Schwartz wouldn't encourage a player to do what Suh did Thursday. But, Cole wrote, "It's no surprise that Jim Schwartz's Detroit Lions are out of control" and added: "It's also not much of a surprise that the same coach who earlier this season stormed after San Francisco counterpart Jim Harbaugh is now watching his team's best player face a suspension for losing his cool." Schwartz's role in the incident with Harbaugh doesn't excuse Suh for his actions. But I agree with Cole in this sense: The coach sets a tone for his program. If the coach occasionally flies out of control, that's the example for decorum he has set for his players -- consciously or otherwise. The bottom line, according to ESPN Stats & Information, is that the Lions have had more personal fouls called against them since the start of Schwartz's tenure in 2009 than any other NFL team. Patterns always emerge over time.
3. It's amazing how central running back Kevin Smith became to the Lions offense in such a short time, and that's why the Lions are keeping their fingers crossed on further tests to his right ankle. Smith touched the ball on four of the Lions' first five plays and had 10 touches in just over a quarter of play. X-rays were negative on the injury, and Fox analyst Jimmy Johnson reported on air Thursday that the Lions believe Smith has a high ankle sprain. Starter Jahvid Best (concussion) was at the game, but there is no indication when or if he will return or if he will play again this season. The Lions will have to hope that their extended weekend will give Smith enough time to heal. It's obvious they deem him a preferable option over current incumbents Maurice Morris and Keiland Williams.

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

How many defensive starters will the Lions have to replace for their nationally televised Dec. 4 game at the New Orleans Saints? It's quite possible Suh will be suspended. And the Lions finished Sunday's game with half of their secondary sidelined by injuries. Things got so thin that veteran Rashied Davis was pushed into emergency duty as a cornerback. Safety Louis Delmas (knee) and cornerback Chris Houston (knee) didn't return after their injuries, leaving Chris Harris and a combination of Aaron Berry and Brandon McDonald in their respective places. The Saints lead the NFL in total offense (436.9 yards per game) and are second in scoring (31.7).

With a few days to assess the situation after the Chicago Bears' 31-20 victory over the San Diego Chargers, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Kevin SeifertFollowing their win over the Chargers, the Bears take a seat in the examination room.
   More than anything, my initial reaction to Sunday night's news on quarterback Jay Cutler was surprise. Cutler gets knocked around as much as any quarterback in the NFL, but Sunday will mark only the second missed start in his career since becoming the Denver Broncos' full-time starter in 2007. (The other was the result of a concussion suffered last season.) The 2010 NFC Championship Game notwithstanding, some of us might have taken his availability for granted. The acquisition of Cutler in 2009 brought stability to a position that had been a revolving door. The last quarterback to be the Bears' unquestioned starter for three consecutive seasons was Jim Harbaugh. Of all things with the potential to derail the Bears' playoff push, I'm not sure any of us considered a prolonged absence from their starting quarterback. That's a credit to Cutler's durability and toughness.
2. A natural way to get quarterback Caleb Hanie into the flow is the screen game, which Cutler was running as often as any quarterback in the NFL. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Cutler has thrown 33 screen passes this season, the sixth-most in the league. The Bears have gained 244 yards on screens, good for No. 5 in the NFL. Some early screens would also help neutralize the Oakland Raiders' hard-charging defensive line this Sunday, an important factor in the debut of any quarterback.
3. For most of last Sunday's game, the Bears couldn't cause many problems with their four-man pass rush. During the first three quarters, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers completed 17 of 22 passes against the Bears' standard rush, according to ESPN Stats & Information, including two touchdowns. Rivers did throw two fourth-quarter interceptions against a four-man rush, but you also have to consider his increased desperation given the score of the game. Like most defenses, the Bears are much better when they can count on their front four and leave their extra pass-rushers in coverage.

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

While Cutler is away, it's natural to assume the Bears will shift their offense even further toward tailback Matt Forte. But as ESPN Stats & Information points out, Forte is already one of the busiest (and most productive) players in the NFL. Even with Cutler in the lineup, Forte has accounted for 41.8 percent of the Bears' offense. The Jacksonville Jaguars' Maurice Jones-Drew (43.3 percent) is the only player who has accounted for more. Increasing Forte's role sounds good in theory, but putting it into practice might be more difficult than it sounds. If we thought of the idea, don't you think opposing defenses would realize it as well and adjust accordingly?

By now you've probably heard that the NFL has fined Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk $10,000 for flashing his middle finger at the team's bench during last Sunday's game against the St. Louis Rams, a story first reported by Fox Sports' Jay Glazer.

Hawk has apologized for the gesture and said it was an inside joke with teammates he declined to name. Regardless, the discipline has conjured the Hypocrisy Police. They are wondering why Hawk received a five-digit fine for his one-digit salute, while neither Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz nor San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh were disciplined for their part in last Sunday's postgame fracas at Ford Field.

Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe was among the first to take to Twitter: "A.J. Hawk fined 10k for flashing a middle finger as an inside joke. Harbaugh and Schwartz fined nothing for fighting. #doublestandardmuch"

Part of me wants to note that there are two different sets of circumstances here. The other is begging me to quote the NFL's own 2011 standards for game-related discipline. Here it is:

"It is important to note that the unsportsmanlike conduct rules apply to all personnel in the team area, including players, coaches, team employees, and officials. Lack of respect or other unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated during games or at other times, including postgame interviews. This includes abusive, threatening, insulting, or profane language or gestures, and physical acts by coaches, players, and other club personnel directed at opponents, officials, game personnel, or fans."

Normally I like to push back on the Hypocrisy Police, but in this case they have a point. It's true that NFL players are governed under a collectively bargained system of discipline they have tacitly agreed to. And yes, we should point out that Schwartz and Harbaugh didn't actually fight. Harbaugh did slap Schwartz on the back during their post-game handshake, and Schwartz bumped Harbaugh's shoulder from behind. But otherwise there was just a lot of yelling, screaming and "hold-me-backs."

Coaches aren't governed under the CBA, but they are supposed to be held to the standard quoted above. The NFL said neither man was disciplined because they didn't fight. But I think you could make an argument that their behavior was "unsportsmanlike" and "threatening," not to mention "insulting" and "profane." I don't think anyone would have protested had they been fined.

So where does this leave us? Hawk has no room to complain about his fine. He got caught in an act that is clearly covered under the rules he plays under. The coaches? Quite frankly, they caught a break. The money itself is not as big of a deal as is the message: The NFL tacitly condoned a coach melee on one of its fields minutes after an emotional game. We'll file that away for the next one.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

We had quite the busy Tuesday, from a quarterback transition in Minnesota to a trade in Detroit to our SportsNation chat to some early work in the NFC North laundromat. It all overshadowed a blunt message delivered by NFL officials following a stadium meeting with Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton.

Here's what NFL executive vice president Eric Grubman told reporters about the current political climate: "We're worried about a stalemate. A stalemate means there's no lease or the lease is about to expire. There's no plan for a stadium, and there's an alternative plan in another city. That's a stalemate. And the alternative wouldn't include Minnesota. That is, in the way we look at it, a crisis."

(Coverage from the Star Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press.)

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf has never threatened to move the team if a stadium isn't approved, and the current thinking is that he would sell the team before it came to that. But Grubman's message should not be viewed as a mere threat. It stands to reason that eventually, and regardless of who owns the team, the NFL will move the franchise if a stadium isn't built.

There is much work to be done in Los Angeles before a team could move there, but the situation in Minnesota has obviously drawn the NFL's concern. The Vikings' lease at the Metrodome expires on Feb. 1, 2012. Dayton is hoping to call a special session of the state legislature to approve a plan for a new stadium, but to this point state legislators have yet to agree to the Vikings' proposal. Stay tuned.

Continued around the NFC North:

• Acquiring quarterback Donovan McNabb "made no sense" for the Vikings, writes Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.
• Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "The switch from Donovan McNabb will at least temporarily placate a fan base that clearly is aghast at what has unfolded in 2011. The organization appears to be withering on the vine, from top to bottom. I'd still be hard-pressed to tell you just who is in charge of the operation. Little slices of power have been distributed far and wide. The lack of organizational leadership is astounding."
• Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "If the vote were today, Aaron Rodgers almost surely would be the NFL’s most valuable player for 2011."
• Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel profiles Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop.
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com goes behind the scenes with Packers rookie Randall Cobb.
• The Detroit Lions had some red zone issues on offense Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, writes Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News.
• Justin Rogers of Mlive.com looks at the Lions' acquisition of running back Ronnie Brown.
• Brown to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press: "From a football standpoint I feel like I have a lot left. I haven't had a lot of carries, so there's not a lot of wear and tear. And I think with the injury thing ... all those things are non-factors now."
• Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo spoke with safety Chris Harris, who had requested a trade. Angelo, via Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com: "We're all on the same page now."
• Bears safety Brandon Meriweather, who like Harris has been benched, is staying positive. Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times has more.
• Mike Mulligan of the Chicago Tribune: "You couldn't help but laugh Sunday at the contrast of coaches Jim Harbaugh and Jim Schwartz combusting in Detroit while Lovie Smith and Leslie Frazier stared across the sidelines from each other here in Chicago. The Jims almost came to blows while Lovie and Leslie seemed engaged in a lowest-pulse-rate contest."

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Tuesday is the NFL trade deadline. Traditionally it is nothing like the frenzies in other sports, given the relative difficulty of joining a new team at midseason in football. But there are some interesting NFC North angles to consider regardless. Among them:

Would the Detroit Lions consider trading for a running back? Starter Jahvid Best is dealing with his second concussion of the past three months, and his immediate status is uncertain.

Would anyone make a huge offer for Chicago Bears tailback Matt Forte, who is having a career year but is unsigned after this season? It's highly unlikely that the Bears would trade Forte, but you wonder what another team might be willing to part with.

Will the Bears ship out safety Chris Harris, who has asked for a trade?

Is there any connection between the trade deadline and the Minnesota Vikings' decision to delay a decision on the status of starting quarterback Donovan McNabb? Is it possible they will shop McNabb to a quarterback-needy team, possibly the Oakland Raiders, if they decide to make a change to rookie Christian Ponder?

Based on history, at least, Tuesday will pass without a trade in the NFC North. But it's worth keeping an eye on regardless.

Continuing around the division:

• At least two teams have had internal discussions about a trade for Forte, according to Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune.
• Harris told Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times that he feels "disrespected."
• Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com writes that the Bears should part ways with offensive coordinator Mike Martz in the offseason.
• The NFL did not fine Lions coach Jim Schwartz or San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh for their roles in Sunday's postgame fracas. According to the league, "there was no fighting and thus no basis for a fine." I also think the league doesn't feel compelled to offer deterrence for other NFL coaches. Sunday was a once-in-a-generation event.
• Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press: "Neither deserved a suspension, but if graciousness and sportsmanship still count for anything, Goodell should've made an example of these two by lightening their wallets."
• Schwartz on Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford's performance Sunday, via Carlos Monarrez of the Free Press: "It's not one of Matt's better games, for sure."
• Schwartz said that Best didn't begin complaining of concussion symptoms until long after the game. But Chris McCosky of the Detroit News notes that Best wasn't on the field for the team's final few drives.
• The Green Bay Packers weren't happy when cornerback Sam Shields tried to run back an interception in the end zone Sunday, notes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com. Shields suffered a concussion on the play.
• Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel takes a look a the Packers' imperfections.
• The Packers are still hoping to get defensive end Mike Neal back after midseason, writes Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com looks at the tape of the Vikings' loss to the Bears, noting that receiver Percy Harvin played on only 44 percent of the team's snaps.
• The Vikings should find out what Ponder can do against the NFL's best team, writes Bob Sansevere of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune: "Starting Ponder from Day 1 might have been a tough sell. Not anymore."

As best as he could Monday, Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz tried to move past the national headlines he earned for his role in Sunday's postgame fracas. Schwartz said he spoke with NFL officials Monday morning, acknowledged the episode was "regrettable" and said there will be "nothing" between him and San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh moving forward.

"It's unfortunate," Schwartz told reporters. "The game is played by the players on the field. We certainly don’t want things like that to occur. There are competitive people in the league, and I think we need to do a better job of just leaving it to the players on the field."

Asked if he was planning to apologize outright, Schwartz said: "It was a regrettable situation. Particularly that it detracted from what happened in the game. I think I'll just leave it right there."

Schwartz implied Sunday that Harbaugh provoked him with a shove and an obscenity during their postgame handshake. What Schwartz said Monday, then, was the closest he was going to get to an apology. "Regrettable" means he wishes it didn't happen. It isn't quite "I'm sorry I did it."

After the handshake, Schwartz bumped Harbaugh from behind and chased him some 40 yards down the field before security officials restrained him from getting any closer. The physical contact and the subsequent scene could draw NFL discipline, but none had been announced as of early Monday afternoon.

Schwartz said he spoke briefly with Harbaugh after the game and likely will again, adding: "It is what it is. It happened. It was very regrettable. It's something where there is nothing going forward between us personally or the two teams."

Hopefully it is. What Harbaugh did or didn't do is irrelevant as it relates to the Lions. Moving forward, you can only hope Schwartz knows that the captain can't be the craziest passenger on the ship.

Many of us have enjoyed his fist-pumps and his sideline taunts, most recently when he implored Harbaugh to "know the rules" during the first quarter Sunday. (Schwartz didn't deny saying that when asked Monday, but suggested Harbaugh couldn't hear him from across the field.)

But as much fun as it has been to watch Schwartz's passion rise to the surface, he crossed the line Sunday. He can't possibly expect his players to maintain their composure in emotional times if he can't.

Onward and upward …

After the Detroit Lions' 25-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, here are three issues that merit further examination:

Kevin SeifertFollowing their first loss of the season, the Lions take a seat in the examination room.
1. Lost in the post-game fracas was the fact that running back Jahvid Best suffered his second concussion since the start of training camp. It's unclear when it happened, but he last touched the ball with 10 minutes, 20 seconds remaining in the game. There is never a good time to play doctor, whether it's about a concussion or another injury. But it's worth reviewing the facts. Best's college career ended in 2009 with a frightening concussion while playing at Cal. He also suffered a concussion in the preseason. That's at least three in the past two calendar years. No NFL player will have a long career if concussions become a chronic and repeated injury. The definition of "chronic and repeated" is subjective, but Best is approaching that point if he hasn't reached it already.
2. I thought a key exchange occurred just before halftime. The Lions mounted a late drive that pushed the ball to the 49ers' 8-yard line after a 15-yard pass to receiver Nate Burleson with 1:30 remaining in the second quarter. But a chop-block penalty on tight end Brandon Pettigrew negated the play and caused a 30-yard turnaround. Ultimately, place-kicker Jason Hanson was wide right on a 52-yard field goal attempt with 55 seconds remaining. The 49ers took over at their 42-yard line, moved 21 yards, and got a 55-yard field goal from David Akers. Coach Jim Schwartz said afterwards that he had no second thoughts about the Hanson attempt. "It was within Jason's range," he said. "We have a lot of confidence in him making those plays. But that's a six-point turnaround right there." It was also the final margin of victory. Of course, Delanie Walker's six-yard touchdown reception on fourth down was the winning score. Make sure you note what Walker told NFC West colleague Mike Sando. According to Walker, the 49ers were confident in the matchup they would get on that final play.
3. Schwartz's fourth-quarter challenge allowed the Lions to take a 19-15 lead with 13:48 left and it also helped them avoid falling victim to the NFL's infamous "in the process" rule for a second consecutive season. We all know what happened to receiver Calvin Johnson in 2010. So why did referee Mike Carey reverse Sunday's call on Nate Burleson's 5-yard scoring catch? Burleson: "The way it was explained to me, Calvin hit the ground with his knees, so his body was on the ground. I didn't go to the ground, so the two feet I got in prior to basically catching my fall out of bounds doesn’t matter." So in Burleson's case, the "process" ended when he landed in the end zone because he never fell to the ground. I understand it technically but still think the NFL needs to clean up that rule in a big way.

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

I'm well aware that I stepped onto a media island by blaming Schwartz more than 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh for the post-game fracas. Some of you noted that a few former NFL coaches, now national broadcasters, said they would have done the same thing Schwartz did based on Harbaugh's behavior. Not all of them would, however. Appearing on NBC, Tony Dungy said "protocol is not for you to retaliate" and added: "Whatever [Harbaugh] said, it didn't merit that." Dungy also said that Schwartz should "be a bigger man" and should have gone into the Lions locker room and told players: "I hope we see these guys again" rather than charge after Harbaugh. At worst, Harbaugh was overexuberant. At best, Schwartz was out of line. There was aggression, but no animosity, in Harbaugh's physical contact. There absolutely was malice in the shoulder bump Schwartz gave Harbaugh, and in what he apparently was trying to do while security held him back a few seconds later. There is no equalizing their actions, at least not to me. Now we await the NFL's verdict.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Thanks to the miracle of modern travel, I was able to hustle back to NFC North blog headquarters Sunday night while keeping an eye on the Chicago Bears' impressive prime-time victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Thanks to ESPNChicago.com for covering me on the late-night Rapid Reaction.

Week 6 left us in a state that makes me feel privileged to cover the NFC North. We have:

1. The Green Bay Packers, who at 6-0 are the last undefeated team in the NFL.
2. The Detroit Lions, whose coach certainly made it interesting for us after their first loss of the season.
3. The aforementioned Bears, who put together a complete game in advance of their trip to London next weekend.
4. The Vikings, who could be on the brink of a quarterback change to rookie Christian Ponder. The Vikings also have a big week on their stadium front, with meetings scheduled with Gov. Mark Dayton and league officials starting Monday in an effort to create an agreement that could lead to a fall special session.

We'll get to all of it, eventually. But first, let's catch up on local coverage of Sunday's action:

• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler on the team's reconfigured offense Sunday night, via Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune: "We stuck to what we can do out there."
• The Bears scaled back Cutler's drops and added more people, most notably tight ends, to their pass protection. Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com explains.
• It's important to take into account the Vikings' "poorly played, poorly coached and lackluster effort," writes Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com. Added Isaacson: "The Bears are what they appear to be after six games -- a .500 team no matter how they spin it."
• Devin Hester had two touchdowns Sunday night, including a 98-yard kickoff return, but left with a chest injury, notes Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Vikings defensive end Brian Robison on the loss, via Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com: "It's humiliating. That's the only word I can think of right now. It's simply humiliating."
• Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune: "It's amazing that an offense featuring Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin and Visanthe Shiancoe can look so alarmingly inept and predictable. But it did for a variety of reasons. So here's the question: What exactly is this team's identity on offense, other than hope and pray Peterson can save the day? They don't have a Plan B when a team stuffs the run the way the Bears did Sunday night."
• Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press thinks the Vikings should have a fire sale.
• For the record, Vikings coach Leslie Frazier was noncommittal about the status of his quarterback position after Ponder relieved starter Donovan McNabb in the fourth quarter. Frazier, via Jeremy Fowler of the Pioneer Press: "We've got to sit down and talk about a lot of things."
• The Packers' defense had three sacks Sunday and limited the St. Louis Rams to three points but wasn't satisfied with its effort, writes Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk after television cameras caught him making an obscene gesture to the Packers' sideline, via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "I'm stupid. I don't even realize sometimes when I'm out there that anyone's out there; the TVs or anything I know it got caught on TV. … It's kind of been a running joke with some of my teammates. There was no anger or malice or anything. It was a joke and I kind of got caught up in the emotions of the game. I definitely apologize if any kids or anyone else saw it. I have a daughter myself so I wouldn't want her doing that. I got excited and got caught up in the game and it was just a bad joke. I definitely won't do it again."
• Packers nickelback Sam Shields suffered a concussion after trying to run out an interception from the end zone Sunday, notes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• The Packers have now won 12 consecutive games, including playoffs, and tied the franchise record. Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel has more.
• The Lions' postgame fracas was less important than its late defensive failure Sunday, writes Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press.
• John Niyo of the Detroit News on the episode: "But there's really no explaining the reaction of the coaches after this one, and I'm guessing the NFL commissioner's office will agree upon further review. Clearly, this was not the proper way to 'complete the process' of the traditional postgame meet-and-greet."
• Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press: "But it's unacceptable when coaches make fools of themselves, as [Jim] Harbaugh and [Jim] Schwartz did."
• Lions running back Jahvid Best suffered a concussion late in Sunday's game, notes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com: "Jim Schwartz's outburst at the end of the game was overboard, even if Jim Harbaugh antagonized him."

DETROIT -- I've already referred to Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz as a "sideline madman" this season. So what do we call him now following his stunning (over)reaction after Sunday's 25-19 loss to the San Francisco 49ers?

You've probably seen the video by now. If not, you'll soon see jubilant 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh bounding to midfield for the traditional coaches' handshake. Harbaugh wound up and gave Schwartz an excited handshake, followed by a hard slap to the back with his left hand.

Schwartz immediately turned around with a perturbed look on his face, chased Harbaugh down and bumped his right shoulder into Harbaugh's left shoulder. Schwartz then chased Harbaugh about 40 yards downfield to the players' tunnel and made a number of attempts to charge into a quickly growing mass of players, coaches and staffers to get at Harbaugh. Order was eventually restored, but afterward Schwartz neither apologized nor backed off his reaction.

"I went to congratulate Coach Harbaugh and got shoved out of the way," Schwartz said. "And then I didn't expect an obscenity at that point, so it was a surprise to me at the end of the game."

Asked for further details, Schwartz said: "I'll just leave it right there. I'm sure it's on video."

I'm wondering whether Schwartz will feel the same way after seeing the video. "Shoved out of the way" is a bit of an exaggeration. The exchange looked as though one of the coaches was having a hard time accepting his team's first loss of the season.

Schwartz said "there's a protocol in this league," implying that Harbaugh violated some unwritten rule of postgame sportsmanship. It's rich, to say the least, that Schwartz would be offended after a season of his exuberant fist pumps, cursing at officials and taunting opposing players. Those instances were fun and representative of the Lions' newfound passion, but this one violated protocol? Hmmmm.

Harbaugh might have been exuberant, but nothing that I saw him do was unsportsmanlike. If he directed an obscenity to Schwartz, it wasn't clear on video. And even if he had, it wouldn't be beyond the realm of an NFL coach to maintain his composure in that situation rather than charge after his counterpart.

Take a look at the photograph accompanying this post. There is a difference between being passionate and acting like a lunatic. Let's just say Schwartz approached the latter.

For his part, Harbaugh took the blame for shaking Schwartz's hand too hard.

"That is totally on me," Harbaugh said. "I shook his hand too hard. I really went in, and it was a strong, kind of a slap-grab handshake."

But to be clear: No handshake and no obscenity could merit Schwartz’s reaction. Either there is more to this story or Schwartz needs to take a few (dozen) deep breaths next time. If he had an issue with Harbaugh, he should have settled it on the phone Monday morning. To use a phrase I’ve heard him say a few times: Good grief.

As you know, I'm headed to Detroit this evening so I can be in place for Sunday's game between the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers. I'll be joined by NFC West colleague Mike Sando, who I hope can drag himself out of bed in time for what is a 10 a.m. PT kickoff.

In all seriousness, Sando has made a point to track the abysmal performance of West Coast teams when they play the early game in the Eastern time zone. As Sando noted earlier Saturday, the 49ers have lost 25 of the 29 non-division games that have started at 1 p.m. ET.

Two of their four victories have come this season, at the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals. So the 49ers have either learned to adjust their body clocks under new coach Jim Harbaugh, or they've fluked their way into a pair of victories they won't match for another six years.

Jumping on the team bus when your body clock tells you it's 6 or 7 a.m. is probably a bit jarring. So is crushing heads on the opening kickoff at 10 a.m. No matter what the 49ers have done this year, a trend that maintains an 86-percent rate seems pretty important to me.

This lockout needs to end.

With some (unwanted) spare time this week, I traveled to a dark, dark place.

Namely: The 1990s.

One night, I was checking out VH1's "40 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 90s." Prior to then, I hadn't realized the '90s were old enough to have confirmed one-hit wonders. I mean, shouldn't there still be hope for Right Said Fred, Lou Bega and the Crash Test Dummies?

A few days later, I was trying to do some actual work when I got stopped cold.

For the first time that I'm aware of, players born in 1990 are eligible for the NFL draft.

Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers was born Feb. 11, 1990.

USC offensive lineman Tyron Smith was born 19 stinkin' days before the start of 1991.

Every generation reaches that point. We're at the point where babies born during the Bell Biv Devoe period are headed to the NFL. It's time to pass the Geritol around. Wasn't it just yesterday that we watched the Jim Harbaugh-led Chicago Bears win the NFC Central, all while dreaming about the Cradle of Love girl?

(Or was that just me?)

Stay tuned for more ground-breaking NFC North coverage in a few hours.