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I won't try to break down the reasons why Green Bay Packers receiver Donald Driver won the prestigious "Mirror Ball" trophy Tuesday night as the champion of the reality show "Dancing with the Stars." No point in that.

What I will say is that watching the last few weeks of the show was a good reminder about the value of stepping out of your comfort zone. Driver is a great athlete and competitor, and perhaps he was already a good dancer before this show. But his emotional reaction to winning was an indication of how hard he needed to work to secure this accomplishment, and how much satisfaction he felt upon achieving it.

(Having Packers fans supporting you in the viewer voting doesn't hurt, either.)

Driver will have a few whirlwind days of publicity but could re-join the Packers for offseason workouts as early as next week. His agent, Jordan Woy, tweeted: "Congrats to Donald Driver winning DWTS!! Now it is time to get ready for another season with the Packers!"

Here are some other Packers reactions via Twitter:

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers: Speaking of teammates, am so proud of @Donald_Driver80 and his accomplishment tonight!!! Enjoy the whirlwind the next few days quickie!!!

Tight end Tom Crabtree: Donaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaald Driiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ?#titletown? ?#GoPackGo? ?#dwts? ?#football? ?#dance? ?#America

Linebacker A.J. Hawk: Congrats @Donald_Driver80, Champion, not even close!

Guard Josh Sitton: My little cousin @biigwilly won the sate baseball championship tonight an @Donald_Driver80 won dwts ! What a great night! Congrats guys!!!!!

Receiver Randall Cobb: Quickie has to write a book about this! Congrats to @Donald_Driver80!!!

ESPN analyst Andrew Brandt, a former Packers executive: Donald! Remember skinny 7th round pick coming in saying he would make a name in GB. Great story.

Have a wonderful evening.

I think we're close to moving on from Thursday's debate on how typical the now-infamous speech of former New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is on a relative scale. The initial reaction of many was to suggest Williams was speaking in metaphor and that the general populace would be stunned to know what is routinely said behind the closed doors of NFL locker rooms.

I fully accept that the violence of football starts at the top and is a central factor in the popularity of the game. But it also seems reasonable to make a distinction between accepted violence and inexcusable thuggery, and that's why I was so glad to see Green Bay Packers guard Josh Sitton speak out early Thursday on that issue.

Most every defensive coach encourages violence and intimidation, but it's flat-out apocryphal to suggest they all target individual players for serious and specific injuries as Williams did. That's not how everyone plays the game. But I don't want Sitton to stand as the sole representative of that viewpoint, so let's pass along similar thoughts from a number of other sources.

Via Twitter, former All-Pro defensive end/linebacker Jason Taylor said Williams is "trippin'." He added: "Playing hard and hitting hard is one thing. Going after ACL's and heads......not cool. … Saying someone flinches..ok. Wanting to hit everything moving and intimidate...ok. Calling someone a prima donna..fine ACL and Head... NO!"

Former NFL defensive lineman Seth Payne, who had a 10-year career with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans, tweeted: "Guys claiming Gregg Williams' behavior was normal in NFL are out of line. Played for 5 DC's and never heard anything remotely like that. … I'm not saying it didn't happen elsewhere. I'm just saying you can't claim it's business as usual in the NFL."

Meanwhile, speaking on the NFL Network, former Detroit Lions coach Steve Mariucci said he heard portions of Williams' speech on the radio while in the car and "almost drove off the road." Mariucci said he "was shocked and disturbed" and that Williams "obviously crossed the line."

Former Baltimore Ravens coach and Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Brian Billick expressed similar disdain during an NFL Network appearance.

"I've been in this game, man and boy, for better than 40 years," Billick said, "and the back of my hair bristled up a little bit. Because this whole process, people say, everybody does that. Well, no we don't. I've never in my 40 years heard or heard of somebody talking with that specificity, the intent to injure a player. That was shocking to me."

Surely these coaches have an interest in protecting how people view the profession. But let's not get caught up in self interest here.

Look, I realize reasonable people can debate both sides of almost any issue. We can all get along here. I guess I'm just challenging you to avoid assumptions and generalizations based on what might appear to be a consensus view coming from those with better access than you or I to the innermost sanctums of the game. There might be a consensus on the commonality of Williams' aggressive style, but as you can see, there are people with insider credibility who disagree about the normalcy of his methods.

By now you've either heard, or heard about, the explosive speech former New Orleans Saints Gregg Williams gave before January's playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers. In it, Williams encourages his players to injure specific 49ers opponents and reportedly made a hand signal that suggested he would reward the first injury with cash.

The release of the audio has spurred wide reaction, but to me the most disappointing one is the one that suggests it was typical in content and style to what NFL players regularly hear. If you read through ESPN analyst Tim Hasselbeck's Twitter timeline, you can see a pretty good discussion on that topic.

To me, that's an unfair over-generalization that glosses over the line Williams crossed. It's no different than saying every Democrat advocates for welfare and every Republican rails against science.

There are plenty of NFL coaches who do their jobs differently, and no less effectively, than the way you heard Gregg Williams do his. So I was glad to see at least one active player stand up for them Thursday morning via Twitter.

Green Bay Packers guard Josh Sitton listened to the audio and tweeted: "Gregg Williams sounds like a complete [expletive]. Glad he got suspended!"

When asked by a follower if Packers coaches talk to players that way, Sitton replied: "hell no."

It's fair to point out that Packers players, much like their division opponents in Minnesota, have a significant and emotional tie-in to this story. The NFL's official report on the Saints' bounty program mentioned four targeted quarterbacks by name. One was the Packers' Aaron Rodgers and another was Brett Favre when he played for the Vikings.

I don't want to come off as a prude. I understand that football is controlled barbarianism and that it's common for coaches to encourage players to "knock the [expletive] out" of their opponents. But the Williams speech, especially the references to causing specific injuries to certain players, goes way beyond the line of acceptable violence in the NFL. This is not normal, it shouldn't be acceptable and I'm glad that Sitton, for one, was willing to say so.

*UPDATE: Sitton has added a few more thoughts in tweets directed at ESPNMilwaukee.com corporate cousin Jason Wilde. Tweeted Sitton:

"I want to be clear. Our sport is violent and you are supposed to hurt one another, but this guy took it over the top. trying to take someone out of a game or end a career is a chicken [expletive] move! we work our entire lives to make it to the NFL. And some guy wants to pay players to hurt people. NOT cool! next thing you know some [expletive] will be waiting for me by my car with a crowbar! That's some Tonya Harding [expletive]!"

A year after the Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl XLV with more than a dozen prominent players on injured reserve, the following sentence is particularly jarring: The Packers will open the playoffs Sunday with 21 of their original 22 starters in place.

The only exception is Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins, who was lost for the season in Week 2 because of a serious neck injury. Their offensive line worked through a number of short-term injuries, but the return of tackles Chad Clifton and Bryan Bulaga ensure the Packers their original five starters for the first time since Week 3.

The shift in injury karma covers my portion of this week's NFC 411 video below.

Most everyone is well aware that Clifton missed 10 games after tearing a hamstring in Week 5, but the Packers were already playing without Bulaga at that point. Bulaga sprained his knee in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears, reinjured it in Week 15 and missed a total of four games.

Coach Mike McCarthy apparently has chosen Clifton over Marshall Newhouse as his left tackle for the playoffs, putting the original band back together. The Packers' Week 1 starters -- Clifton, Bulaga, guards Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang and center Scott Wells -- played only 126 snaps together this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. That equates to about 12 percent of the Packers' total plays in 2011.

But that group was by far the Packers' best combination. It allowed one sack for every 24.7 pass attempts in those 126 plays. Over the remainder of the season, the Packers' other offensive line combination gave up a sack on one of every 12.6 pass attempts.

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

FALLING

1. Health, Chicago Bears: The Bears led a charmed life on the way to their 2010 NFC North title, losing only a handful of starts because of injury all season. But their four-game dive in 2011 has coincided with injuries to quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Matt Forte. Receiver Johnny Knox has been lost for the season, and receiver/kick returner Devin Hester clearly has been limited by an ankle injury. Two members of their Week 1 offensive line, left guard Chris Williams and right tackle Gabe Carimi, are also on injured reserve. I've always considered it silly to say that injuries come in bunches, but that has been the case this season for the Bears and provides a ready-made excuse for why they are likely to miss the playoffs in 2011.

2. Offensive line, Green Bay Packers: It's very possible that the Packers will have replacement starters at three of their five positions Sunday night against the Bears. Left tackle Marshall Newhouse will make his 10th start at left tackle after taking over for veteran Chad Clifton, who has been working through hamstring and back injuries. Left guard T.J. Lang could move to right tackle, replacing Bryan Bulaga (knee) and Derek Sherrod (broken leg). And that would mean Evan Dietrich-Smith would return to the starting lineup in Lang's spot. Dietrich-Smith made two starts earlier this season in place of right guard Josh Sitton (knee). That's hardly the kind of continuity you want heading into the playoffs, but the Packers have dealt with such issues before.

3. Sleep totals in Detroit: Lions coach Jim Schwartz admitted it Monday. "I'm just tired as hell," he said during a news conference less than 24 hours after his team pulled off a wild comeback victory in Oakland. In the interim, the Lions made the long flight back east and immediately began preparations for the biggest week in recent team history. Playing a day early because of the Christmas weekend, the Lions are hoping to clinch their first playoff berth since 1999 with a win Saturday over the San Diego Chargers. There won't be much time to sit by the fire or sip eggnog this week. Serious business is at hand.

RISING

1. Cliff Avril, Detroit Lions defensive end: I know we've been touting Avril regularly here on the blog, but something caught my eye late in Sunday's game that merits a mention. Moments after Calvin Johnson's go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter, television cameras showed Avril pointing demonstratively at defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and then at defensive tackle Corey Williams. Poking both in the chest, Avril appeared to be saying something along the lines of: You make a play. As it turned out, Avril made one himself a few minutes later, sacking quarterback Carson Palmer and forcing the Raiders to use their final timeout. Suh went on to block the Raiders' attempt at a winning field goal. Avril now has 11 sacks this season, but it was also nice to see him recognize the moment and, as a leader, challenge his teammates in a positive way.

2. Questions about Jermichael Finley, Packers tight end: When the season began, there were those who thought Finley was the best young tight end in the NFL. The New England Patriots' Rob Gronkowski (15 touchdown receptions) has captured that title, and Finley has regressed a bit in the past month with more drops than the Packers would like to see. He entered Sunday's game at Kansas City with five drops in 66 targets, according to ESPN Stats & Information, and probably had three more against the Chiefs, depending on how strict of a grader you are. Finley blamed no one but himself for the drops, and we should note that his 41-yard catch to set up the Packers' first touchdown required a high degree of skill and concentration. But through 15 weeks of the season, I'm not sure we can say Finley has broken through to the degree most thought he would. He'll need 10 catches over the next two weeks to match the career high of 55 he set in 2009 -- in 13 games.

3. Jim Kleinsasser, Minnesota Vikings tight end: Multiple reports suggest Kleinsasser is prepared to retire at the end of his 13th season, marking the end of a career that is to be admired in many ways, even if it rarely was reflected in the box score. Few recall that Kleinsasser was emerging as a reliable receiving threat in the early 2000s before he tore his ACL in Week 1 of the 2004 season. Since then, he has handled one of the NFL's most inglorious jobs with aplomb, serving as a blocking tight end/quasi-third tackle and earning the respect of three different coaching staffs along the way. His approach has been a model for anyone who wants to maximize an NFL career. For 13 years, Kleinsasser has hit people hard and kept his mouth shut.

KANSAS CITY -- Greetings from Arrowhead Stadium on an unusually warm December day where the high is forecast to reach, yes, 59 degrees. Sunscreen for everyone!

We'll have more information soon for you on the status of Green Bay Packers running backs James Starks (ankle) and Brandon Saine (concussion), both of whom are game-time decisions, and right guard Josh Sitton, who seems to have a decent chance to start after a two-week absence caused by a knee injury.

Finally, we'll soon post a module for the live chat ESPNChicago.com will host during Sunday's game between the Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks. I won't be involved, but feel free to jump in if it suits your fancy. Back in a bit.

Getting inside the NFC North's Friday injury report:

Chicago Bears: Receiver Devin Hester tweaked his ankle this week and is questionable for Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. Defensive lineman Henry Melton (shin) is also questionable and unlikely to play.

Detroit Lions: Cornerback Aaron Berry (shoulder) and defensive end Lawrence Jackson (thigh) are doubtful and not expected to play Sunday at the Oakland Raiders. Safety Louis Delmas (knee) is questionable, but his status is less clear. Also questionable are linebacker Justin Durant (hamstring), defensive lineman Nick Fairley (foot), running back Kevin Smith (ankle) and cornerback Eric Wright (hamstring). Smith and Wright seem to have decent chances to play. Cornerback Chris Houston (knee) is probable and should play.

Green Bay Packers: The Packers ruled out defensive lineman Ryan Pickett (concussion), and won't take him on their trip to the Kansas City Chiefs this weekend. Linebacker Desmond Bishop (calf) was also ruled out, but linebacker A.J. Hawk (calf) is probable. The Packers will make game-time decisions on two running backs: James Starks (ankle) and Brandon Saine (concussion). If neither can play, the Packers will go with Ryan Grant and John Kuhn as their running backs for Sunday's game. Guard Josh Sitton (knee) appears to be a go, but is technically listed as questionable. Meanwhile, the Chiefs confirmed that Kyle Orton will start at quarterback for them, his second start against the Packers this season. Orton also started in Week 4 while playing for the Denver Broncos.

Minnesota Vikings: Every player on the 53-man roster, except cornerback Chris Cook, will be available for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. That includes running back Adrian Peterson, who has missed three consecutive games because of a high ankle sprain. Coach Leslie Frazier said that Peterson's snaps could be limited depending on soreness.

Sifting through Thursday's news bits:

Chicago Bears: There were two big news stories Thursday at Halas Hall. We've covered the arrest of receiver Sam Hurd. We should also note that running back Marion Barber conducted an interview with two reporters Thursday. Via the Chicago Sun-Times, this is what Barber had to say about his late-game mistakes last Sunday in Denver: "My thoughts on it is getting to this next week and just preparing as much as I can to be ready for this game of course."

Detroit Lions: It's going to be tough for safety Louis Delmas (knee), cornerback Aaron Berry (shoulder), linebacker Justin Durant (hamstring) and defensive lineman Nick Fairley (foot) to play Sunday at the Oakland Raiders. All missed practice Thursday for the second consecutive day. Cornerback Eric Wright (hamstring) also missed practice. Cornerback Chris Houston (knee) was again a limited participant, and running back Kevin Smith (ankle) also got some practice work in.

Green Bay Packers: The Packers had no changes in their injury report. Running back James Starks (ankle), defensive lineman Ryan Pickett (concussion) and running back Brandon Saine (concussion) all sat out practice. Guard Josh Sitton was a limited participant for a second consecutive day.

Minnesota Vikings: Things continue to look good for tailback Adrian Peterson (ankle) to return after a three-game absence. Peterson told reporters Thursday that he will play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. Receiver Greg Camarillo (concussion) returned to practice Thursday, and it appears the Vikings will have all players available for Sunday's game.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

We've had several discussions already about the extent to which Chicago Bears tailback Matt Forte should rush back to the field after suffering a second-degree sprain of the MCL in his left knee. While I'm sure Forte wants to return as soon as he can, it's clear he isn't going to be accelerated by the team's timetable.

An injury of this type typically sidelines a player from two to four weeks. Bears coach Lovie Smith wouldn't rule Forte out for Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks, but Forte took care of that himself.

Forte told reporters he is progressing but "not good enough to" play Sunday, according to Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.

This week wasn't really an issue from the start, but Sunday will be his second consecutive missed game. After that, we can truly begin the judgment of whether his expiring contract will impact the timing of his return to the field.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Bears quarterback Caleb Hanie hasn't been able to connect much with receiver Earl Bennett, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune explains.
• Teammates still have Hanie's back, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• It's far from a certainty that the Green Bay Packers will have right guard Josh Sitton for Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has more.
• The Packers' offense shouldn't change much with receiver Greg Jennings sidelined, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Rookie D.J. Smith looks like a "starting-caliber" linebacker, writes Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• The Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints have gone in different directions since the 2009 NFC Championship Game, writes Mark Craig of the Star Tribune.
• The NFL's new G-4 stadium financing program could provide the Vikings up to $200 million for their new stadium project, according to Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• It sounds like Vikings tight end Jim Kleinsasser, the team's longest-tenured player, is headed for retirement, notes 1500ESPN.com.
• Former Packers offensive lineman Matt Brock offered an interesting anecdote in a radio interview about what might have antagonized Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in the teams' Thanksgiving Day game. Justin Rogers of Mlive.com explains.
• Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News: "Suh doesn't think he owes anyone further explanation, but he owes his teammates plenty. He owes them a hellacious effort the final three games, as the 8-5 Lions scrap to get into the playoffs. He owes them the professional obligation of determination without distraction. Suh's deep pride helped make him one of the NFL's premier defensive tackles. He needs to make sure he doesn't choke on that pride."
• Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press: "While Suh said it's important for players to be accountable for their actions, he said that doesn't necessarily include addressing them publicly."
• Lions cornerback Chris Houston (knee) said he would be on the field Sunday against the Oakland Raiders, according to the Free Press.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Monday, I joined the chorus of those who say the Minnesota Vikings must find a way to utilize the unique skill set of backup quarterback Joe Webb. The tricky question, of course, is how.

As Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune writes, there are no easy answers. The Vikings have a "Blazer" package for Webb that is similar to the Wildcat, but it's difficult to use that more than a few times a game. Spot use as a receiver, or even a kick returner, isn't effective unless Webb has time to practice and refine those skills. Writes Scoggins: "Webb is an enigma because his skill set doesn't fit into one box."

For this to work, the Vikings are probably going to have to design a package that has never been run before in the NFL. Brad Smith has made a career out of similar circumstances over the past six years with the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. It can be done.

I know it's easy to throw out a mandate without offering specific suggestions, but that's why Vikings coach Leslie Frazier and offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave make the big bucks. It's on them to figure it out.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Vikings running back Toby Gerhart gained 51 of his 90 yards after first contact Sunday, according to film study from Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• The Vikings need to sell 3,500 tickets this week to avoid a local television blackout of their game against the New Orleans Saints, according to Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• The Green Bay Packers could get guard Josh Sitton (knee) back to practice this week and have not lost hope for left tackle Chad Clifton, according to Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• The Packers are preparing for a few weeks without receiver Greg Jennings, notes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Eric Baranczyk and Cliff Christl for the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "Jennings' value can't be measured simply with statistics. More than any other receiver, he makes it easier for the Packers to run the ball and throw short over the middle. He's why defenses don't spy [Aaron] Rodgers. He's why Jordy Nelson draws one-on-one coverage down the sidelines."
• The Detroit Lions didn't force the ball to receiver Calvin Johnson against the Vikings, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• The Lions' makeshift secondary got the job done against the Vikings, writes Justin Rogers of Mlive.com.
• Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press: "It's pretty simple for the Lions. Beat Oakland this weekend. Beat San Diego at home on Christmas Eve. That should guarantee the Lions a playoff spot. ..."
• The Chicago Bears tried Monday to take the heat off tailback Marion Barber, according to Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Barber's mistakes overshadowed a strong day running the ball, notes Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• The Bears moved to a Cover 2 defense at the end of their loss to the Broncos, but that made sense, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.

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

Five nuggets of knowledge on Week 14:

Seeking rest: Sunday against the Oakland Raiders, the Green Bay Packers will be going for their 19th consecutive victory, which would stand alone as the second-longest streak in NFL history. More important, they would clinch at least the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs and thus a first-round bye. (Even if they lose to the Raiders, the Packers could clinch the bye with a loss by the New Orleans Saints.) The value of that week seems clear when you take a look at the Packers' increasingly lengthy injury list. Right guard Josh Sitton (knee) has already been ruled out. Left tackle Chad Clifton hasn't played in more than two months. Linebackers Desmond Bishop and A.J. Hawk have been sidelined for two weeks of practice by calf injuries. It's also possible that running back James Starks (ankle) will need some time away. The Packers aren't in disproportionate shape relative to the rest of the NFL at this time of year, but their injuries have piled up in recent weeks.

Moving east: The Raiders caught a break a few weeks ago when the NFL moved the kickoff from 1 p.m. ET to 4:15 p.m. ET. West Coast players traveling east historically struggle in early games, which start at 10 a.m. according to their body clocks. The Raiders are 4-2 on the road this season, but haven't won in the Wisconsin in 24 years. You would think the Packers' defense would try to jump on the Raiders' offense early in the game. The Packers have made a relative habit of sending at least one extra pass-rusher this season, doing so 45.4 percent of the time -- the fourth-highest mark in the NFL. And for what it's worth, Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer has a 59.3 passer rating against the blitz this season, the second-lowest mark in the NFL. He has thrown three interceptions, taken eight sacks and completed only 53.6 percent of his passes against five or more rushes this season.

Change of sentiment: My, how times have changed in the NFC North. As recently as last season, we approached the annual Minnesota Vikings-Detroit Lions matchups as presumed victories for the Vikings. Now, the opposite is true. Does anyone see the 2-10 Vikings mustering what would qualify as a massive upset in Detroit? The Lions, who have lost five of their past seven games, are whopping 12-point favorites, according to ESPN's compilation of various lines. On paper, at least, the Lions' passing game should have a field day against a decimated Vikings pass defense that has allowed its past seven opponents to complete 73 percent of their passes for 1,808 yards, 18 touchdowns and no interceptions, according to 1500ESPN.com.

Fighting chance: The Vikings haven't lost five consecutive games in the same season since 1997, and if they're going to avoid that Sunday, they'll need a monster game from defensive end Jared Allen. Truth be told, Allen had his way with Lions left tackle Jeff Backus in the teams' first matchup, beating him for three sacks. Allen, however, has cooled off a bit and has only one sack in his past three games. He'll likely hear his share of boos after again trashing the city of Detroit in a radio interview, but I'm guessing he won't mind.

Career trends: The Chicago Bears haven't had much luck replacing injured quarterback Jay Cutler, and now they'll try to replace tailback Matt Forte as well Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Veteran Marion Barber was once a hard-running feature back for the Dallas Cowboys, but the Bears signed him as a short-yardage specialist and change-of-pace back for Forte this season. The last time Barber averaged 4.0 or more yards per carry in a game that he rushed more than 10 times? Week 17 of the 2009 season.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Green Bay Packers had no surprises on their pregame list of inactives, but the New York Giants had one: Center David Baas was a late scratch because of headaches. Earlier Sunday, the Giants learned they wouldn't have backup Stacy Andrews, who was hospitalized with blood clots.

The Giants also will be without receiver Mario Manningham. Running back Ahmad Bradshaw is active.

The full list of Packers inactives: Cornerback Davon House, linebacker A.J. Hawk, linebacker Desmond Bishop, linebacker Jamari Lattimore, guard Josh Sitton, tackle Chad Clifton and tight end D.J. Williams.

D.J. Smith and Robert Francois were announced as the replacements for Hawk and Bishop, but we'll see what alignment the Packers actually open the game with.

Let's hit Wednesday's newsbits in the NFC North:

Chicago Bears: We've already hashed through comments from quarterback Jay Cutler, who admitted he doesn't know for sure whether he will return to play this season. Cornerback Charles Tillman (knee) didn't practice Wednesday but is expected to return Thursday. Cornerbacks D.J. Moore (ankle) and Zack Bowman (groin) were limited.

Detroit Lions: Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh's appeal of a two-game suspension will be heard Thursday afternoon by appeals officer Art Shell. A decision is expected by the weekend. Safety Louis Delmas (knee) and cornerback Chris Houston (knee) missed another day of practice, as did running back Kevin Smith (ankle). Cornerback Brandon McDonald (thigh) was a limited participant.

Green Bay Packers: Coach Mike McCarthy indicated that linebacker Erik Walden will play Sunday against the New York Giants. Walden was arrested last Friday on suspicion of domestic violence but hasn't been charged yet. Guard Josh Sitton (knee) has been ruled out of Sunday's game, as has left tackle Chad Clifton, who now has a back injury on top of his hamstring issue. Linebackers A.J. Hawk (calf) and Desmond Bishop (calf) didn't practice Wednesday but could get back on the field Friday. Meanwhile, cornerback Pat Lee told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the NFL fined him $15,000 after getting ejected from last Thursday's game against the Lions.

Minnesota Vikings: Tailback Adrian Peterson (ankle) and linebacker E.J. Henderson (shoulder) didn't practice. We'll know more later in the week on both players' status for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos. Tight end Kyle Rudolph (quadriceps) returned to practice. Meanwhile, the Vikings could catch a break this week after Broncos linebacker Von Miller had thumb surgery. He hasn't been ruled out but at best will be limited in Sunday's game.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

I ran out of steam Tuesday before the news stopped pouring in, so let's catch up on a flurry of moves that ended the season of four prominent Minnesota Vikings players, including two starters.

Receiver Michael Jenkins (knee) and safety Husain Abdullah (concussion) were placed on injured reserve, along with safety Tyrell Johnson (hamstring) and long-snapper Cullen Loeffler. Among those signed to fill their spots were veteran safety Jarrad Page.

Abdullah hadn't played since Week 10. Jenkins, however, had been a reliable receiver for rookie quarterback Christian Ponder and leaves the team's receiving corps in shambles. Percy Harvin is the only remaining wide receiver with more than nine receptions this season.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Writing for 1500ESPN.com, Sam Monson looks at what the Vikings must do in order to slow down the Denver Broncos' option offense.
• The St. Paul Pioneer Press sees Minneapolis getting back into the Vikings' stadium game.
• It's not clear whether Green Bay Packers linebacker Erik Walden, released from jail Monday, will play Sunday against the New York Giants. Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has more.
• Packers guard T.J. Lang has matured this season, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com provides an injury update, noting that guard Josh Sitton (knee) could miss a few weeks.
• The Detroit Lions have the NFL's second-most difficult schedule the rest of the way, notes Justin Rogers of Mlive.com.
• Eric Lacy of the Detroit News traces the issues of Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to high school. Suh punched an opponent during a playoff game in 2004.
• Lions rookie Nick Fairley is at his healthiest of the season as he sets out to replace Suh, writes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
• Drew Sharp of the Free Press on Suh's two-game suspension: "Roger Goodell took a ruler to Ndamukong Suh's wrist, scolding the NFL's bad boy for being nothing more than a bad little boy. A two-game suspension for Suh stomping a player on the field Thanksgiving Day and then stomping all over common sense in a failed mea culpa following the game, is the equivalent of rich parents punishing their spoiled teen by forcing him to drive the domestic sedan for two weeks rather than the European sports car."
• Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Hanie, via Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune: "I knew there was going to be a learning curve; I just hope it's very short.''
• Here is some video of Hanie speaking with Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
• Things usually get better after the first start, writes Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Getting inside the Friday injury report, which includes day-after news for two of our teams:

Chicago Bears: Nickel back D.J. Moore will miss his second consecutive game because of an ankle injury. Corey Graham is expected to serve in that role Sunday at the Oakland Raiders. Receiver/kick returner Devin Hester is dealing with a shin injury but should be available for Sunday's game.

Detroit Lions: You already know that running back Jahvid Best was placed on injured reserve. Safety Louis Delmas indicated via Twitter that he will miss some time after suffering a knee injury Thursday. The Lions are also dealing with running back Kevin Smith's high ankle sprain and a knee injury to cornerback Chris Houston.

Green Bay Packers: Coach Mike McCarthy indicated it was unlikely that right guard Josh Sitton will be ready for the Dec. 4 game at the New York Giants. Linebackers Desmond Bishop and A.J. Hawk both suffered calf strains Thursday, but McCarthy said they both have a chance to play against the Giants. Packers players have an extended weekend off and will return to practice next Tuesday.