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We're Black and Blue All Over:

While most of the NFL world was focused on one of the dirtiest stories in league history Thursday, the University of Oklahoma announced a $1 million pledge from Minnesota Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson. It's the second seven-figure college donation by an NFC North player in recent years. Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has pledged more than $2 million to the University of Nebraska.

Peterson's pledge came about eight months after he signed a record-breaking contract extension that included $36 million guaranteed. According to a school press release, the funds will go toward construction of a privately financed housing facility and also create a football scholarship endowment.

Peterson is rehabilitating from a major knee injury and recently resumed running. He has set a goal to return to the field in time for the first game of the 2012 season.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The White Earth Nation has offered a deal to provide $400 million for a new Vikings stadium in exchange for legislative permission to build a metro casino, according to the Star Tribune. The state is currently planning its $398 million contribution to come from electronic pull-tab revenue.
• The Vikings are facing a grievance of unknown cause from defensive tackle Kevin Williams, according to Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• A new Milwaukee Brewers advertisement featuring Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will debut every three weeks, according to Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Chicago Bears signed cornerback Jonathan Wilhite on Thursday a few hours after inking cornerback Kelvin Hayden. Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com has more.
• The Bears are likely to add a safety at some point before training camp, notes Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune.
• Former Detroit Lions receiver Charles Rogers turned himself in to authorities Thursday after two warrants were issued seeking his arrest. Andy Hoag of Mlive.com explains.
• The Lions lost linebacker Bobby Carpenter to the New England Patriots, notes the Associated Press.

It took longer than expected. Preliminary decisions were questioned. Debates extended into the wee hours. We went through a first draft, then a second and even a third. Countless observers were consulted. It wasn't until I had a full week to mull the 2011 All-NFC North team that I was prepared to make the big reveal.

Via Twitter, @jpberthiaume asked: "Do people really care about these 'teams?'" I guess it's a fair point. I doubt few, if any, of the players listed in the chart wrote a fifth-grade essay about their plans to one day make the All-NFC North team on ESPN.com, even if it was only because the NFC North hadn't yet been formed in those days and ESPN.com was operating out of a Bristol-based closet.

So I'll let you be the judge. This is annually a fun exercise, even if it doesn't lead to a deep understanding of the human condition or even reveal any breakthroughs about the just-completed season. If nothing else, it offers us a blank template to recognize the best-performing players in the division without the hindrance of the politics and reputation.

Some notes on some of the tight decisions, for which I seriously received input from multiple angles:

• One of the fiercest debates came at wide receiver. Everyone agreed that the Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson deserved one spot, but there was a split about the other two. Did the Green Bay Packers' Greg Jennings, who missed three games because of a knee injury, deserve an automatic bid? And if he did, should the Packers' Jordy Nelson or the Minnesota Vikings' Percy Harvin get the third spot? I thought Jennings' 67 receptions, 949 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games merited a spot. And ultimately I chose Nelson over Harvin. I realize Harvin caught 87 passes in a punchless offense and added 345 rushing yards to his total, but in the end I couldn't overlook a player who scored more touchdowns (15) than all but four players in the NFL this season. Plus, as Hatterbot pointed out: "Rushing yards don't count in the WR category."

2011 All-NFC North Team

Pos.	Player, Team
OFFENSE
WR	Calvin Johnson (DET)
WR	Greg Jennings (GB)
WR	Jordy Nelson (GB)
LT	Jeff Backus (DET)
LG	Rob Sims (DET)
C	Scott Wells (GB)
RG	Josh Sitton (GB)
RT	Bryan Bulaga (GB)
TE	Jermichael Finley (GB)
QB	Aaron Rodgers (GB)
RB	Matt Forte (CHI)
DEFENSE
DE	Jared Allen (MIN)
DT	Kevin Williams (MIN)
DT	Ndamukong Suh (DET)
DE	Julius Peppers (CHI)
OLB	Clay Matthews (GB)
MLB	Brian Urlacher (CHI)
OLB	Lance Briggs (CHI)
CB	Charles Tillman (CHI)
CB	Charles Woodson (GB)
S-NB	Tramon Williams (GB)
S	Louis Delmas (DET)
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK	Mason Crosby (GB)
P	Tim Mastay (GB)
PR	Devin Hester (CHI)
KR	Percy Harvin (MIN)
ST	Corey Graham (CHI)

• I went with the Lions' Rob Sims at left guard in part on the advice of John McTigue of ESPN Stats & Information, who noted that Sims was the only NFC North left guard to play the position for 16 games this season. Sims also had the best pass-sack ratio (19.7 passes per sack) of the group, based on video study.
• There is no doubt that the Lions' Brandon Pettigrew (83 catches) had a more productive season then the Packers' Jermichael Finley (55). But the Lions often used Pettigrew as a substitute for their punchless running game, and that's why his per-catch average of 9.4 yards was lower than any other tight end with at least 30 catches. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the average pass to Pettigrew this season traveled 6.5 yards in the air. The average pass to Finley traveled 11.4 yards. Finley caught five passes of at least 30 yards. Pettigrew's longest was 27. Both players had their share of drops, combining for a total of 15, but I thought Finley made a bigger impact on his catches than Pettigrew did.
• I really debated the Bears' Julius Peppers and the Lions' Cliff Avril at defensive end. Avril (11.5) had a half-sack more than Peppers (11) and forced twice as many fumbles. But one of the advantages we have on this team is investigating beyond the conventional numbers. Our friends at Pro Football Focus (PFF) credited Peppers with 53 quarterback pressures, the second-highest total in the NFL. Avril ranked No. 8 with 37, but in a close race, I chose the maximum mumber of plays impacted over Avril's slight edge in "playmaking" statistics.
• I used a similar approach in choosing the Vikings' Kevin Williams and the Lions' Ndamukong Suh as my defensive tackles. It's true that the Bears' Henry Melton led the NFC North's defensive tackles with seven pressures, but PFF had Suh with 27 quarterback pressures, an NFL high for an interior lineman. Williams tied for No. 3 with 25. Melton wasn't that far behind at 23, but I also took into account that the Bears nearly benched him for inconsistency at one point in the season. (Coach Lovie Smith in November: "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." Meanwhile, I thought Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji took a step backward in 2011. PFF credited him with only 10 stops (the cumulative number of plays made that constitute an offensive failure) in 842 snaps.
• If you want to say I chickened out at linebacker, go ahead. I originally left open the middle and one of the outside spots, but in the end I went with our division standbys: Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. For starters, Briggs was one of six non-offensive linemen to play 100 percent of his team's snaps in the NFL this season. There's something to be said for being available to your team. And while I do think that the Packers' Desmond Bishop and the Lions' Stephen Tulloch had good seasons, I couldn't find a statistic or an opinion that convinced me they were better than Urlacher. Someday, there will be turnover among NFC North linebackers. But it didn't happen this season.
• Safety play was poor throughout the NFC North, so I'm not at all ashamed to have chosen a third cornerback to replace one of the safeties on this team. It came down to the Lions' Chris Houston and the Packers' Tramon Williams. Both had their ups and downs in coverage. Houston had five interceptions and two touchdowns in 14 games, while Williams had four interceptions and one touchdown in 15 games. In the end, I chose Williams because I think it was pretty clear he was pushing through a really limiting shoulder injury for much of the first half of the season.
• I chose the Packers' specialists, kicker Mason Crosby and punter Tim Masthay. Crosby converted 24 of 28 kicks, including a 58-yarder, and ranked third in the NFL with 49 touchbacks. Masthay downed a division-high 23 punts inside the 20-yard line despite a division-low 55 punts.
• I mistakenly left off a coverage specialist from our original post. There should be no debating that the Bears' Corey Graham deserves that spot.
• Go ahead. Rip away....

Coming later this week: Some supplementary NFC North awards, including our top coordinators.

While we have a moment to catch our breath, I want to circle back on an underplayed moment of the Minnesota Vikings' media availability Tuesday. The promotion of general manager Rick Spielman drew most of the attention, of course, but reporters also had an opportunity to speak with coach Leslie Frazier and get his early thoughts on the 2012 season.

I asked Frazier directly if he thought it was viable to shift to a 3-4 defense, as the Vikings reportedly are contemplating. His answer was revealing on a day when the team elevated Spielman's authority above his own.

"I don't want to eliminate any possibilities at this point, but my background is 4-3," Frazier said. "I want to do what's best for our team. You do take a look at your personnel, and you determine what you do based on your personnel. You don't want to jump on the bandwagon purely because it's popular in some other city and they've had success. If it doesn't fit what you do, you better do what fits you."

Frazier can be difficult to read at times, but that sure reads like a case for the schematic status quo despite heavy scrutiny within the organization. I understand where the discussion is coming from. The Vikings finished this season with the second-highest defensive passer rating (107.6) in NFL history, and all options should be considered. But at the outset, I wonder how smart the 3-4 would be, at least for 2012 season.

Atop any list of concerns would be the impact on Jared Allen, a classic 4-3 defensive end who is already on record saying he wants no part of a 3-4. Playing outside linebacker might provide Allen some better matchups in the pass rush, but he would also have at least some coverage responsibilities and would be starting his rush from a much different angle.

Allen was the Vikings' best player in 2011 and nearly broke the NFL record for sacks in a season. Would you move your top player, and one of the league's best overall in 2011, out of position for the sake of a scheme change? I'm not sure about that.

Allen will be 30 in a few months, and you could argue that no team's long-term direction should be driven by concern for a player more than halfway through his career. If that's the case, though, the Vikings would be better off trading Allen to a 4-3 team than schematically limiting his effectiveness.

Veteran defensive lineman Kevin Williams is best suited to be an under tackle in the 4-3, but could conceivably play end in a 3-4. And it's possible that the speedy Chad Greenway could make the transition to 3-4 outside linebacker. But unless I'm missing something, there is little about the Vikings' current personnel that makes them an obvious candidate to switch.

Asked if he thinks his current personnel makes the 3-4 viable, Frazier shrugged and said: "Maybe." There wasn't a lot of conviction in his voice. Stay tuned.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Maybe it's a good thing that Jared Allen fell one sack short Sunday of setting the NFL record for sacks in a season. Asked what he would have done after breaking Michael Strahan's record of 22.5, Allen laughed and offered a nearly -- nearly -- preposterous scenario that would have made for a new level of in-game pandemonium.

"I probably would have thrown my helmet into the crowd," Allen said, "jumped up, ran up, kissed my wife and my baby in the suite, walked into the locker room and quit. No, I might have done some turf angels. Probably would have cried. [The Chicago Bears] probably would have gotten a first down -- a 15-yard penalty on me. I probably would have taken my shoulder pads off. So probably a good thing I didn't get it, right?"

Ha. Allen injected some drama into an otherwise droll Week 17 game, sacking Bears quarterback Josh McCown 3.5 times to finish the 2011 season with 22 sacks. That allowed him to surpass former Vikings record-holder Chris Doleman (21), whom the Vikings brought to the Metrodome for the occasion, and tie Mark Gastineau for the second-most in a 16-game season.

When we first started "AllenWatch" in October, I had my doubts that Allen or any other member of the Vikings could challenge the record. Sundays' 17-13 loss left the Vikings with a 3-13 record. Rarely did the Vikings have opponents in must-pass situations, limiting the opportunities for pass rushers like Allen.

I'm not sure whether Allen himself thought it possible; he said Sunday that his goal was to get 17 sacks so he could eclipse 100 for his career. He said that finishing with 22 was like "being the runner-up at the prom" but added: "I know it's possible now. I know it's possible. I'm going to work my butt off this offseason to try to help my team get back to the playoffs and to try to get that sack title."

The Bears started Sunday's game by regularly chipping and double-teaming the Vikings' edge rushers, according to Allen. But Vikings defensive coordinator Fred Pagac -- in perhaps his last game with the team -- called some blitz combinations that committed the Bears' extra blockers to the inside.

"So I got some one-on-ones on the edge there," said Allen, who collected sack No. 22 by beating left tackle J'Marcus Webb with 4 minutes, 46 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

"I told him he had 20 minutes to get one sack," defensive tackle Kevin Williams said. "But they changed it up after that."

Indeed, according to Williams, Allen and others, the Bears regularly devoted two tight ends to help Webb the rest of the way. Allen got nowhere close to sack No. 23. The Bears weren't going to give him the record, as some would suggest Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre did for Strahan in 2001.

Allen said last week that "a sack is a sack is a sack" and that Favre's "slip" didn't diminish Strahan's accomplishment. Had Favre not "fallen," Allen would have walked away from Sunday's game with a share of the record once held by Gastineau.

"It doesn't bother me at all," he said. "Just being in the same breath as Strahan, and Gastineau and Doleman. … Man."

We're Black and Blue All Over:

When he was first bent over backwards this past Sunday by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it was reasonable to think that Green Bay Packers tailback James Starks had suffered a significant leg injury. But tests proved otherwise, and the Packers are going to watch Starks test his sprained knee and sore ankle Tuesday in practice before deciding whether he will play Thursday against the Detroit Lions.

With a short week of practice, Starks doesn't have much time to recover. Veteran Ryan Grant will probably play more than usual Thursday regardless, with rookie Brandon Saine behind him. We could know whether Starks will be available even in a limited capacity by the end of Tuesday.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Packers tight end Jermichael Finley on how to stop Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson, via Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "You have to do something. Rip his jersey off. Hold him. You have to take a couple penalties against him. You have to eat him up."
• The Lions' defensive line dominated the Packers' offensive line in the teams' matchup at Ford Field last year, writes Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga on that performance, via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "We did not play well. Didn't do anything well, really. It was just a poorly played game. That may be a nice way of putting it, too. If you go back and watch the game like we just did, you're looking going, 'Gosh, what are we doing there?' That wasn't us. We just did not do anything well. We obviously cleaned it up later on in the season, got hot and went on a run [to the Super Bowl XLV title], but that game, there wasn't much that went right."
• David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune on the loss of Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler: "As much as losing Cutler for at least the next six weeks should stop Bears fans from wondering if they will drive or fly to Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, their team still has no excuse to miss the playoffs. The Bears lost a quarterback, not an identity."
• The Bears are moving back to their underdog role, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• The Bears' pass rush was poor Sunday against the San Diego Chargers, notes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• The Bears will sign long-snapper Jake Laptad to replace injured incumbent Patrick Mannelly (knee), according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• Getting Cutler back before the end of the season is "a tad optimistic," writes Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com.
• The Lions are trying to treat Thursday as just another game, according to Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.
• Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press examines the status of Lions safety Amari Spievey, who was benched in the second quarter Sunday after missing two tackles.
• The Lions have lost their last six Thanksgiving Day games by an average of more than 20 points, notes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams was dominant Sunday against the Oakland Raiders, writes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com looks at the tape of the Vikings' loss to the Raiders.
• Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune writes about the big opportunity facing Vikings backup running back Toby Gerhart.

After the Minnesota Vikings' 27-21 loss to the Oakland Raiders, here are three issues that merit further examination:

Kevin SeifertThe Minnesota Vikings take their turn in the examination room after losing to Oakland.
1. Tailback Adrian Peterson is as tough as they come and will no doubt push hard to play Sunday at the Atlanta Falcons. But it's hard to imagine that happening after he was diagnosed with a high left ankle sprain along with some ligament damage. He'll be in a protective boot for at least a few days, coach Leslie Frazier said. Some would argue the Vikings should rest Peterson to avoid wear and tear in a lost season. I don't believe in that. Peterson should play if he can. But recovering from a high ankle sprain in six days is an awfully aggressive timetable. It isn't likely to happen.
2. If nothing else, the Vikings will get an extended window to watch backup Toby Gerhart play. The Vikings traded up to select him in the second round of the 2010 draft, presumably with a plan to use him in conjunction with Peterson in some way. But in the end, Peterson has gotten his regular playing time and the Vikings haven't found many opportunities for Gerhart. In 25 NFL games, he has 105 carries. I haven't seen Gerhart do much in his brief appearances that suggests he deserves more playing time, but some running backs need to work up a lather before making an impact on opposing defenses.
3. We noted that the NFL is back on the Detroit Lions' bandwagon. The same can't be true of the Vikings, who on Monday got their Week 13 game against the Denver Broncos moved back to 1 p.m. ET from 4 p.m. ET. The game was also moved from CBS to FOX because CBS already had too many early games that weekend, the first time in NFL history a game has been moved from one network to another, according to Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com. Not even the lure of Broncos Tim Tebow was enough to prevent that game from being a network hot potato. The Vikings also announced they need to sell 5,800 tickets to the game to prevent a local television blackout.

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

What prompted what was easily the best game of defensive tackle Kevin Williams' season? Did he break out of a mental funk? Is the plantar fasciitis in his foot subsiding? Did the Raiders pay inordinate attention to defensive end Jared Allen? Williams was unofficially credited with eight tackles and a sack. Believe it or not, it was Williams' first sack since Week 2 of the 2010 season. The last time he had at least eight tackles? Week 6 of 2008. Williams turned 31 in August, and you don't know how many more dominant games he has left. But Sunday reminded us of the kind of player he once was on a weekly basis.

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

FALLING

1. Patience of Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions defensive tackle: Suh forcefully and emotionally defended himself Monday against allegations of what would have been some sketchy trash talk by the Atlanta Falcons. Suh vehemently denied he called for the Falcons to bring out a medical cart when quarterback Matt Ryan injured his left ankle. Falcons receiver Roddy White stood by that allegation during an interview with the NFL Network on Monday night, so someone is not telling the truth. Crazy things get said and done on NFL fields all the time. But based on the passion of Suh's defense, you have to assume (and hope) he's not the one lying here.

2. Minnesota Vikings locker room: Coach Leslie Frazier has plenty on his management plate as he enters Week 8 of his first season as a permanent head coach. Cornerback Chris Cook, a rising young player on a roster of veterans, has been jailed since Saturday morning on domestic violence allegations. Receiver Bernard Berrian has apparently run afoul of team discipline on a number of occasions, resulting in two game-day deactivations and a looming departure from the organization. And although it went underplayed late last week, Frazier absorbed some rare and direct public criticism from soft-spoken defensive tackle Kevin Williams, who challenged Frazier's assertion that the defensive line hasn't played physically. Williams told the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "If you want to call somebody out, call who you're talking about out." There are growing pains in any head coaching transition, and Frazier is dealing with it on a number of fronts.

3. Silliness of criticizing Clay Matthews, Green Bay Packers linebacker: Matthews had a sack of Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder, bringing his season total to three. But I thought his performance Sunday was a perfect example of how a rush linebacker can make a tremendous impact without sack totals. For one, his run defense was excellent. He was in on tackles that limited the Vikings to 2, 1, 2, minus-2, and minus-5 yards on rushing plays. On the latter, he beat Vikings left guard Steve Hutchinson to the backfield by several steps, as noted by Pro Football Focus.

RISING

1. Tim Masthay, Green Bay Packers punter: It hasn't been a stellar season for Masthay, who entered Sunday's game against the Vikings with the second-worst net average (30.4) in the NFL. But he made the most of his three punts at the Metrodome, averaging 55.3 net yards. According to Mark Simon of ESPN Stats & Information, that net average was the third best by an NFL punter in the past 35 years (minimum three punts). Masthay's 64-yard punt in the fourth quarter was especially important, flipping field position at a time when the Vikings were trying to get into position for a go-ahead score. The punt, downed at the Vikings' 2-yard line, increased the Packers' win probability from 75 to 80 percent, based on data from games compiled over the past 10 years.

2. Matt Forte, Chicago Bears running back: Forte notched his third 100-yard rushing game in the past four weeks Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It's almost impossible right now to distinguish him from the top running backs in the game, as ESPN analyst Andrew Brandt writes for the National Football Post. Forte's 1,091 all-purpose yards is 211 yards ahead of the next-best mark in the NFL, and he has accounted for more than 50 percent of the Bears' offense. With Forte and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the NFC North might have the top two MVP candidates through Week 7.

3. Charles Woodson, Packers cornerback: Two interceptions Sunday brought Woodson's NFL-leading total to five after seven games. You can note that four of the five have come against rookie quarterbacks Ponder and Cam Newton, but I haven't noticed any asterisks in league rankings lately. Plus, half of what makes a good defensive player is getting in position to make plays that will eventually be afforded you. Woodson might not be blanketing receivers as he once did, but his playmaking has been a huge equalizer for the Packers' defense.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Here's something that might catch you by surprise: Green Bay Packers receiver Jordy Nelson is on an extraordinarily productive run dating back to Week 16 of last season.

As Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes, Nelson has caught 34 passes for 610 yards and five touchdowns over the Packers' past eight games, including the playoffs. Greg Jennings is the only receiver who has caught more passes for more yards over that span, but Nelson has him beat by a touchdown.

Consider this development another example of where the Packers' purported starting lineup doesn't necessarily correlate to playing time or production. Already, backup tailback James Starks is getting substantially more playing time than starter Ryan Grant. And by the numbers, at least, Nelson is the Packers' No. 2 receiver next to Jennings.

Nelson isn't getting more playing time than other receivers; according to Dunne, he was on the field for 33 of 58 plays last Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. But he is capitalizing on the opportunities he does get, and opposing defenses would be well advised to catch on.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Packers are hoping punter Tim Masthay finds a rhythm soon, writes Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• The Packers are upset about a roughing-the-passer call against linebacker Desmond Bishop in last Sunday's game, notes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Chicago Bears might start Craig Steltz and Brandon Meriweather at safety Sunday against the Packers, writes Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune.
• Bears receivers coach Darryl Drake believes his group gets enough separation to merit throws, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• It appears receiver Roy Williams (groin) is on track to play Sunday, notes Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
• Detroit Lions safety Louis Delmas isn't a big fan of playing at the Metrodome, writes Justin Rogers of Mlive.com.
• Sunday will be receiver Nate Burleson's first return to the Metrodome since he departed the Minnesota Vikings after the 2005 season, notes the Detroit Free Press.
• The Lions are preparing to deal with the return of Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson still has a big salary cap number under his new contract, notes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• The city of Minneapolis is claiming about $30 million in proceeds if the Metrodome is sold, according to the Star Tribune.
• The Vikings' pass defense hasn't been the same since safety Darren Sharper left after the 2007 season, writes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

There is undoubtedly a part of Mike Martz that will be tempted. The Chicago Bears' offensive coordinator will see the Green Bay Packers' difficulty defending the pass and will feel an urge to start calling passes all over Soldier Field on Sunday. And if he does, writes David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears should fire him -- immediately.

Haugh: "If I were general manager Jerry Angelo or [coach Lovie] Smith, I would make clear if Martz goes rogue once more, as he did when the offense inexplicably had a 3-to-1 pass-to-run ratio in the third quarter of a close game, the Bears will move on. One more game plan recklessly putting [Jay] Cutler in harm's way, the way calling 52 passes to 11 runs did, and I either would fire Martz or strip him of play-calling duties on the spot."

That's a strong sentiment, to be sure. The Bears have some talented assistants on their staff, but unless I'm mistaken, none of them have experience as an offensive playcaller. But the point isn't so much that calling too many passes, as Martz did last Sunday against the New Orleans, should be a fireable offense. It's that the Bears already addressed the issue with Martz last year, making Sunday's game a suspicious case of at least passive insubordination.

I highly doubt the Bears would fire Martz during the season, but it's clear the Bears need to raise the urgency of the message Martz is hearing.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Bears running back Matt Forte has accounted for 52 percent of the team's yardage, notes Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• The Bears shouldn't let Cutler off the hook for his role in Sunday's debacle, writes Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com.
• Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel profiles Green Bay Packers nose tackle B.J. Raji.
• Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette considers how the Packers will pick up the pieces after the season-ending neck injury of safety Nick Collins.
• The Packers lost receiver Chastin West from their practice squad. West signed to the Jacksonville Jaguars' active roster, according to multiple reports.
• The Detroit Lions' running game is a work in progress, writes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions safety Louis Delmas on rookie receiver Titus Young, via Terry Foster of the Detroit News: "That dude might be the cockiest humble guy you will ever know. He does not talk like that, but you can tell by his swagger and style of play out on the field that he has a lot of confidence."
• The Lions' personnel upgrade on defense has been evident this season, writes Justin Rogers of Mlive.com.
• Three veterans addressed the Minnesota Vikings on Monday to urge their teammates to remain calm in the face of a 0-2 record, writes Mark Craig of the Star Tribune. The players were quarterback Donovan McNabb, left guard Steve Hutchinson and defensive end Jared Allen.
• McNabb, via Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "[E]veryone isn't sitting there pointing fingers. This isn't the time to be pointing fingers. I don't believe in that anyway."
• The Vikings waived defensive end Adrian Awasom to make room on the roster for defensive tackle Kevin Williams, notes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

One underplayed factor in the Minnesota Vikings' defensive collapse in the second half of their first two games: They have been without veteran defensive tackle Kevin Williams, who was serving a two-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on banned substances.

Could Williams have made a difference? Did the domino effect of one less established veteran in the rotation play a role in what has happened, especially during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 24-point second half Sunday?

We'll never know for sure, but getting Williams back this week is only going to help.

Williams, via Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune: "Not to be able to [play] is a terrible feeling. So it was real difficult watching, especially the way it unfolded in both of those games."

Williams admitted he is still feeling the lingering affects of plantar fasciitis in his foot and that it is not 100 percent. But, he said: "I'm definitely going to play. Sitting at home two weeks was bad enough. The foot ain't going to stop me.''

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Vikings coach Leslie Frazier, via Judd Zulgad of the 1500ESPN.com: "We have a chance to be a good football team. We're just not there yet."
• Vikings receiver Percy Harvin said the team missed opportunities for two "walk-in touchdowns" Sunday because of missed assignments. Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press has more.
• Green Bay Packers safety Nick Collins will visit a neck specialist in New York City to help determine treatment options for his season-ending neck injury, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel takes a look at the Packers' offensive red zone issues last Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.
• James Starks has essentially become the Packers' top running back, writes Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• The Detroit Lions are not concerned about a finger injury for left tackle Jeff Backus nor a shoulder injury for tight end Brandon Pettigrew, writes Justin Rogers of Mlive.com.
• Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press: "The Lions have gone from lousy to good so quickly that we barely had time to wonder whether they might be good. After two games, I have no doubt: They're good."
• John Niyo of the Detroit News: "How good are these new-fanged Lions? Well, they're good enough, at least, to spend their free time choreographing and practicing their touchdown celebrations."
• The Chicago Bears are hoping to get safety Chris Harris (hamstring) back for Sunday's game against the Packers, writes Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was hit 16 times by New Orleans Saints defenders last Sunday, notes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times examines Cutler's culpability for the Saints' effective pressure.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The headline quote from the Minnesota Vikings' postgame locker room came from tailback Adrian Peterson.

"They wanted it more tonight," Peterson said after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers scored the final 14 points of a 24-20 victory before a stunned Metrodome crowd. The Bucs had stormed back from a 17-0 halftime deficit, blistering the Vikings for 273 yards and 16 first downs on only 30 plays over that time period.

The implication from Peterson, and a few other Vikings players, was that the team somehow didn't match the mythical energy the Buccaneers brought from the halftime locker room.

Said defensive end Jared Allen: "We must have rested on our laurels."

Receiver Percy Harvin: "We didn't play 60 minutes and our record shows it."

I understand why a player would instinctively reach for that explanation, but strongly disagree that it was behind the Vikings' second-half collapse. From my vantage point, at least, this game wasn't decided on effort. If we can say anything definitive about the 2011 Vikings, it's that they are constructed with absolutely no margin for error and few alternatives with which to juggle the momentum swings of a typical NFL game.

Through two weeks, at least, the Vikings (0-2) have been intent on controlling the ball on offense and limiting exposure for their defense. When that works, you're up 17-0 at halftime. But when the slightest issue goes awry, you're left incapable of covering for it elsewhere. To date, the Vikings haven't demonstrated a quick-strike mentality, or capability, on either side of the ball.

The Vikings are like an old-school locomotive amid a fleet of F-16's. Loaded full of coal, they can start smoothly and pick up steam on the track. Knock it ever so softly off its tracks, however, and its stuck in mud while the rest of the NFL zooms by.

"This," quarterback Donovan McNabb said, "is a game we should have won. No doubt about it."

For that to happen, however, the Vikings would have needed their low risk, low-reward approach to continue producing flawlessly. In rolling up their big first-half lead, the Vikings put together three long and time-consuming drives. Using Peterson and a passing game that almost exclusively relied on fake runs, they went 90 yards on 12 plays, 82 yards on 14 plays and 75 yards on eight plays.

McNabb threw for 153 yards in the first half, most of which came on low-risk bootlegs and screen plays. Relying on power running and a short passing game decreases your total number of possessions, placing a premium on scoring a touchdown after every drive.

The Vikings, however, had one possession stall at the Buccaneers' 4-yard line and another at their 11. A touchdown in either instance likely would have given them an insurmountable lead.

"The ability to score a touchdown in the second half really would have changed the course of the game," McNabb said.

As it turned out, however, the Bucs spread out their offense in the fourth quarter much like they did at the end of their Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions. Over the final nine minutes and 41 seconds, they put together scoring drives of 80 and 61 yards. Receiver Aurelius Benn caught a 25-yard touchdown pass for one score, and LeGarrette Blount scored from four yards out for the winner with 31 seconds remaining.

Successful NFL teams have the capability to score an easy touchdown every now and then. The Vikings piled up 398 yards Sunday, but they never came close to scoring from outside the red zone. Peterson compiled 120 yards on 25 carries, but both of his scores came from inside the 10-yard line. The Vikings had hoped to jump to an early lead and then ride Peterson to victory, but there were too many times in the second half when just handing it to Peterson to grind out the clock wasn't good enough.

On a first-and-goal at the Bucs' 10-yard line in the fourth quarter, Peterson lost a yard. That put McNabb in an undesirable position to throw consecutive passes, both of which fell incomplete.

Later in the quarter, McNabb faced a third-and-6 from his 26-yard line. There was 4:25 left in the game, and a first down would have put the Buccaneers into timeout mode. The Vikings' play call there? A deep pass down the right sideline to reserve receiver Devin Aromashodu, who was blanketed by cornerback E.J. Biggers.

McNabb said afterward that the Vikings' performance on those key plays "is something that will be corrected." But as currently constituted, and with defenses intent on limiting Peterson's potential for a big play, the Vikings will have to be perfect to make it work. Their red-zone touchdown conversion rate was 50 percent Sunday. That's not bad. What the Vikings didn't have Sunday, nor in their Week 1 loss to the San Diego Chargers, is a player in their passing game who can get them an easy touchdown or make the critical third-and-6 catch with the game on the line.

Nor, to this point, have the Vikings had a defensive player step forward to make a game-changing play in the second half. Last week, they committed three encroachment penalties to sustain the Chargers' final possession. On the first of the Bucs' fourth-quarter scoring drives, the Vikings allowed quarterback Josh Freeman to convert two third-and-1 plays with 2-yard scrambles. On the next possession, Freeman sat in the pocket and completed seven of eight passes before Blount's game-winning romp.

We know that defensive tackle Kevin Williams was completing his two-game suspension. That left Allen, who had one sack and three quarterback hits earlier in the game, and linebacker Chad Greenway as the only potential playmakers on the field. Neither stepped up.

"I don't know what happened," Allen said. "I'm trying to find a positive word to use. I don't really have one. You look at it, and they had one big run [Blount's 27-yard score in the third quarter] and one big pass. But they kicked the crap out of us in the second half, and that sucks, because we were dominating the first half."

One big run and one big pass was all it really took to knock the Vikings of the tracks. They didn't stop playing hard. They didn't make a ton of mistakes. They just fell off the narrow wire they've given themselves to maneuver. I consider it a crisis of construction, not performance or attitude.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- About 24 hours after signing tailback Adrian Peterson to a groundbreaking seven-year contract, the Minnesota Vikings took the field at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium. Peterson is one of the NFL's best players, but not even he could elevate an anemic offensive performance that produced 10 points, 10 first downs and a total of 187 yards in a loss to the San Diego Chargers.

A reminder of an NFC North blog rule: We draw no season-long conclusions based on what we see in Week 1. But on the occasion of Peterson's long-term contract, and with the educated assumption that this division will be highly competitive in the short term, it's worth asking: What will the Vikings net from having a future Hall of Fame running back on their roster for at least the meat of his career?

Since drafting Peterson in 2007, the Vikings have compiled a 36-29 regular-season record. They've won the NFC North twice, have one postseason victory and are coming off a 2010 season that they advertised as a final Super Bowl run with their current nucleus.

Some of that nucleus has been dispersed, but many of the Vikings' most prominent players remain on the wrong side of 30 years old. That list that includes cornerback Antoine Winfield (34), defensive tackle Kevin Williams (31) and linebacker E.J. Henderson (31). Defensive end Jared Allen is 29.

Most important, the Vikings are due for a quarterback transition at some point from Donovan McNabb to Christian Ponder, an exercise that could set them up for a decade at the position but could have some choppy points along the way. If Week 1 showed us anything, it's that run-only teams won't fare well in the NFL's current environment. Effective passing games are an essential complement, if nothing else.

To be clear, most issues the Vikings face are shared by many NFL teams. There is nothing unusual or particularly pessimistic about their long-term direction. But the twist here is that Peterson plays a position with a historically short lifespan. In reality, they probably have a three-year window, at most, to win a Super Bowl with Peterson still at an All-Pro level.

Peterson's contract was advertised as a seven-year, $100 million deal. But as ESPN analyst Andrew Brandt pointed out for the National Football Post, it's really a three-year contract worth $40 million. After the 2013 season, the Vikings will owe Peterson no guaranteed money moving forward. At that point, Peterson will be 29 and have seven years of NFL pounding on his body. His career won't be over, but he will be bucking history if he is still a transcendent back at that point.

Peterson said the Vikings' aptitude for competitiveness in the near future was "the most important" factor in his decision-making process. I'm not sure if he truly had a choice in the matter given the Vikings' likely willingness to use the franchise tag on him. But when I asked him Thursday, Peterson expressed confidence that a Super Bowl is in reach.

"That was the most important thing," Peterson said, "knowing that, if I'm here, I'm going to be around a team, an organization, a head coach, offensively, defensively, that we're going to have the opportunity to compete for a championship. I'm pleased when I look around this locker room, just the guys that we have in here, and our head coach, coach [Leslie] Frazier, and the surrounding cast, that we're going to be able to do that, and just have faith that this organization is going to continue to bring in guys to reach that goal."

That final sentiment is the best thing the Vikings have going for them. Owner Zygi Wilf has never hesitated to devote resources toward a major free agent or a significant trade to elevate the Vikings' short-term fortunes. The sense around the post-Brett Favre Vikings is that they're regrouping. They'll need to make it quick to fully capitalize on Peterson's once-in-a-generation talent.

Week 1 here in the NFC North featured a series of fascinating matchup dynamics.

Which Green Bay Packers pass-catcher would draw the most attention from the New Orleans Saints' defense, and who would be more often left in one-on-one coverage? The answers, it appeared, were tight end Jermichael Finley and receiver Greg Jennings, respectively.

Would the Tampa Bay Buccaneers put talented cornerback Aqib Talib on an island against Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson? As it turned out, they did on a number of occasions. Johnson beat Talib for two touchdowns.

How many blockers would the Atlanta Falcons devote to Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers? Not enough, apparently. Peppers finished with two sacks and a forced fumble.

For me, it all added up into a great opening for Have at It. Let's phrase it this way: Who is the toughest one-on-one matchup in the NFC North?

Your first thought probably goes toward wide receivers, but let's expand beyond the passing game. Obviously, I want to know if you think, say, Johnson or Jennings is the toughest matchup. But let's also consider Peppers, who is tough for any tackle to block, along with other defensive linemen such as the Lions' Ndamukong Suh, the Packers' B.J. Raji and the Minnesota Vikings' Kevin Williams.

And let's not forget Finley, whose combination of size and ball skills make him one of the NFL's more unique players.

For blog newcomers, feel free to express your thoughts and join in on the debate in the comments section below. I'll publish a representative sample of your posts, along with my own take, by the end of the week. Have at It.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

How will the Green Bay Packers split carries between what amounts to their co-starting running backs? As equally as possible, according to Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Here's what running backs coach Jerry Fontenot said: "They're both going to take pretty much all situations in the game. Evenly dispersed? I can't guarantee it. But I'm certainly going try to get each one of those guys an equal amount of opportunities to carry the football, to hold onto the football and to control the clock for us."

Obviously, the Packers aren't going to telegraph their game plan a few days before Thursday's preseason game against the New Orleans Saints. The truth is that Ryan Grant carried more in the preseason as the Packers tried to gauge his return from season-ending ankle surgery. But coach Mike McCarthy is clearly enamored with second-year back James Starks. I think the Packers will look for every opportunity to get Starks involved as often as possible, whether or not he is in the game on the first play as an official starter.

Continuing around the NFC North on back-to-school day for many of you:

• Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "When Aaron Rodgers opens his garage door every morning, he sees a Ferrari and a Lamborghini; a Corvette and a Mustang; a BMW and a Porsche. His garage is his playbook. His Ferrari is Greg Jennings, and his Lamborghini is Jermichael Finley; his Corvette is Donald Driver, and his Mustang is James Jones; his BMW is Jordy Nelson, and his Porsche is Randall Cobb. His biggest problem is deciding which key chain to grab. It's the NFL's version of 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.'"
• Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji isn't lobbying for a reprise role as a fullback, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Kudos to Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz for not obsessing over 87-degree weather forecasted for the team's season opener in Tampa Bay. Asked if he would try to simulate the heat by cranking the temperature in the team's indoor practice facility, Schwartz said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press: "That's foolishness. We don't pipe in crowd noise, and we don't open up the doors and make it cold, and we don't try to smoke the team out. It's just a bunch of foolishness."
• Schwartz told Lions players they have a chance to be the best team he has ever been involved with, writes John Niyo of the Detroit News.
• New Lions running back Keiland Williams has some similarities with injured rookie Mikel Leshoure, writes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• Running back Marion Barber (calf) is the main injury concern for the Chicago Bears this week, writes Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
• Bears teammates aren't worried about the commitment of linebacker Lance Briggs, who has asked to be traded. Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune has more.
• Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune profiles Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Letroy Guion, the likely replacement for suspended defensive tackle Kevin Williams.
• Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press looks back at Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson's record of 296 yards against the San Diego Chargers in 2007. The Vikings open this season against the Chargers on Sunday.
• The Vikings re-signed tight end Allen Reisner to their practice squad, notes 1500ESPN.com.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The NFC North will hum along Monday, Labor Day or not, so why not join us for the ride? We'll start by catching up on a series of interviews that Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams conducted over the weekend in response to his two-game NFL suspension that begins this week.

Williams termed it "unbelievable" that the NFL added a two-game fine on top of the suspension, bringing his total bill to $1.4 million. Speaking to Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com, Williams added: "At the end of the day, you can say from the outside that they cut us a break [by reducing the suspension from four games to two games.] But you look close, they're not putting that out there for the public to see that we're still going to get fined four games. Who wants to work for free?"

I can see where Williams is coming from. If the NFL wanted to keep in place the four-game fine Williams was originally on the hook for, it should have based on the total on his 2008 base salary ($1 million) rather than his 2011 total ($6 million). And tacking on the additional fine allows him to play an extra two games, but he won't be paid for them. In the end, however, Williams took a chance on the terms of his discipline changing when he mounted a 2 1/2-year legal challenge.

The NFL could have been more lenient, but I'm guessing it wanted to make clear that any future challenge to its discipline program will be dealt with in a similarly hard-edged manner.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Vikings released rookie tight end Allen Reisner to make room for linebacker Xavier Adibi, who was claimed Sunday on waivers, notes Zulgad.
• It looks like Jamarca Sanford has an edge over Tyrell Johnson to be the Vikings' starting strong safety, writes Myron P. Medcalf of the Star Tribune.
• Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel examines the Green Bay Packers' no-huddle offense. Silverstein: "There's a chance the Green Bay Packers won't play any no-huddle offense against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night. And there's a chance that they will. Whatever the case, the purpose in using so much of the no-huddle scheme had more to do with coach Mike McCarthy's concern about a slow offensive start than any game-plan feature for the Saints game."
• The Packers are hoping to have rookie Randall Cobb available, at least as a punt returner, for Thursday night's game. Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com has more.
• The Packers have a deep challenge with the Saints' offense, writes Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• The Chicago Bears will also have their hands full in Week 1 with the Atlanta Falcons offense, notes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• The Bears upgraded their depth, if nothing else, by signing safety Brandon Meriweather, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Kudos to Detroit Lions defensive tackle Corey Williams for encouraging his teammates to stop trash talking, via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press: "We don't have time for that. We ain't got time for all that arguing back and forth. We ain't going to do no talking with our mouths. We're going to do it with our play, and I think that's one of the things we should have worked on more last year. Anybody can talk. You can say anything. But can you back it up? And that's what we're about showing. We ain't about doing no talking no more. Talking is over with."
• Few people realize how productive Lions defensive end Lawrence Jackson was last season, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• For those keeping up at home, Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew has changed his number to 87, notes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.