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We're Black and Blue All Over:

It's quite possible that the attention on Peyton Manning's departure from the Indianapolis Colts caused you to miss the Jerry Springer-worthy opening statements from the felony strangulation trial of Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chris Cook.

Prosecutors stuck to the story laid out in the original charges, saying that Cook struck and choked his girlfriend after learning she was texting with another man during the early-morning hours of Oct. 22. Cook's attorney, however, provided a different version of the story.

It's all in this Associated Press report, but the short version is that the argument began at a Minneapolis strip club. Cook ordered a lap dance, enraging his girlfriend, whereupon she stormed out. Drunk, the girlfriend began texting the other man, which deflated Cook because, the attorney said, Cook planned to propose to her later that weekend.

According to Cook's version, the girlfriend punched him when they returned to his home. Cook retaliated in self-defense. The girlfriend will recant her earlier testimony that Cook choked her, according to Cook's attorney.

In the end, this ridiculousness is important only because a felony conviction would jeopardize Cook's future with the team. We'll keep you updated.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• One of the Vikings' stadium bill authors has outlined a tight timetable to receive legislative approval this year. Mike Kaszuba of the Star Tribune explains.
• USC left tackle Matt Kalil, who could be the Vikings' top pick in the draft, speaks with the NFL Network following a short Pro Day workout.
• Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune questions whether Kyle Orton will be the Chicago Bears' backup quarterback in 2012.
• Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com considers former Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback David Garrard a more realistic option for the Bears.
• Bears coach Lovie Smith spent time with Georgia Tech receiver Stephen Hill this week, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• After a toxicology report revealed their son died with alcohol and marijuana in his system, former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin and his family released a statement that read, in part: "The loss of a child and sibling is absolutely heartbreaking to a family. Ours is no different. We hope that the results of the recent toxicology report serves as a reminder to us all that the mixture of alcohol and marijuana can be extremely dangerous, potentially even fatal." Patricia Wolff of Gannett Wisconsin has more.
• Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel wonders if Packers general manager Ted Thompson attended Wisconsin's pro day to see guard Kevin Zeitler, who is being projected as a center.
• The Detroit Lions aren't viewing the Packers as a measuring stick, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

After four years of quarterback transition here in the NFC North, I was feeling a bit nostalgic and a little left out Tuesday night as the Indianapolis Colts' divorce with Peyton Manning became official.

I thought back to Brett Favre's departure from Green Bay and Aaron Rodgers' ascension in 2008. I remembered how the Chicago Bears swooped in to trade for Jay Cutler in 2009. A month later, the Detroit Lions made Matthew Stafford the No. 1 pick in the draft. And after two years of Favredemonium, the Minnesota Vikings jump-started their long-term plan by drafting Christian Ponder in 2011.

Manning's departure is the talk of the NFL and will be debated for years in Indianapolis, presuming his neck heals and he resumes his career elsewhere. But as we in the NFC North know, quarterback transitions are often sudden and painful, and they don't always seem to be the obvious decision at the moment.

Oh well. We might be booked for the moment, but I'll set our next transition cycle to begin around, say, 2018. See you then!

I guess we'll just spend the next six years taking our morning stroll around the NFC North:

• The Bears have informed quarterback Caleb Hanie that he won't be re-signed, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com. Kyle Orton is a possible replacement to back up Cutler.
• A source close to Lions running back Jahvid Best would be shocked if he isn't cleared to participate in football activities by this summer, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Best is recovering from multiple concussions.
• Lions linebacker Justin Durant believes the team will have one of the NFL's best group of linebackers if Stephen Tulloch an DeAndre Levy re-sign. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press has more.
• The Green Bay Packers want running back Ryan Grant back in 2012 but he is expected to hit free agency, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• It's not clear if the Packers plan to bring back special teams-ace Jarrett Bush, according to Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers receiver Donald Driver spoke with Mike Spofford of the team's website about his "Dancing With the Stars" rehearsals.
• Politicians writing the Vikings' stadium bill might have to consider the possibility that electronic pull-tabs won't cover the total $398 million state commitment to the project, according to the Associated Press.
• Minneapolis officials still are trying to get a renovation of the Target Center as part of the Vikings' stadium bill, according to the Star Tribune.
• The Vikings have made clear they want to retain free-agent linebacker Erin Henderson, according to Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.

INDIANAPOLIS — As my AFC West colleague Bill Williamson notes the Kansas City Chiefs appear to be leaving all options open when it comes to competition for quarterback Matt Cassel. One of those options is veteran Kyle Orton, who played well in 2011 after the Chiefs beat out the Chicago Bears to claim him in Week 12.

If the Chiefs go in another direction — and their options appear to range anywhere from Peyton Manning to Robert Griffin III — it wouldn't be surprising for the Bears to pursue Orton as the backup to Jay Cutler.

My guess is that Orton hopes to land in a place where he would have a better chance to play, and a reunion with the Bears would represent a resignation to backup status that Orton might not be ready to make yet. But it makes a lot of sense for Orton to be high on the Bears' list regardless.

Speaking generally this week, coach Lovie Smith made clear he wants to upgrade a position that was largely responsible for the Bears' disappointing finish after Cutler broke his thumb in Week 11.

"We thought we had a better plan at the quarterback position. I knew how valuable Jay was to us. That won't change. But we do need to get ourselves in a better position at that backup quarterback position. So you start with that. We have a lot of options out there. I think this is an attractive place for a quarterback."

Just something to keep in the back of your player acquisition files, at least for now.

(Note: I hope everyone is good with pushing forward on our football discussion even as the Green Bay Packers are mourning the death of a family member. I considered holding off out of respect for those impacted by the death of Michael Philbin, but in the end I think we can be respectful while also providing an outlet for those who want to read about Sunday's divisional playoff game.)

Fear is a strong word. I don't think the Green Bay Packers fear the consequences of their historically porous pass defense. They won 15 games with it during the regular season, after all. I'm not even sure they're worried about it. They discovered and have implemented the antidote throughout the past four months.

But if you're someone who likes to conceive the worst-case scenario, you don't have to think too hard.

The Packers tripped only once this season, despite giving up an NFL-record 4,796 passing yards, mostly because they intercepted a league-leading 31 passes. In the playoffs, of course, the quarterbacks are better and less prone to mistakes. The Packers could face a Pro Bowl quarterback at every step between now and Super Bowl XLVI.

The bottom line: If an elite quarterback gashes them for yards but avoids the interceptions, he could knock the Packers out of the playoffs.

To be sure, there have been all kinds of attempts to poke holes in the Packers' near-perfect season. To me, this is the one instance with merit. The Packers' only loss this season came when Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Kyle Orton threw for 299 yards with no interceptions -- the only game this season the Packers didn't create at least one turnover.

First up this postseason will be the New York Giants' Eli Manning, who fell 67 yards shy of a 5,000-yard season and threw for 347 yards and three touchdowns in a Week 13 loss to the Packers. The final score was 38-35, and the Packers' scoring included linebacker Clay Matthews' interception return for a touchdown.

With the exception of a few pointed statements from cornerback Charles Woodson, the issue has mostly bubbled below the surface. But speaking late in the regular season, Woodson reiterated his concerns about the defense's aptitude for postseason football.

"Defensively we still have some problems," Woodson said after the Packers allowed 441 total yards in Week 16 against the Chicago Bears. "We just give up way too many things on a consistent basis, so we have a long way to go. … Just not playing good football at times. We've been consistently inconsistent throughout the season. It's on each man to get it done. Moving forward we have a great opportunity. … Everybody on this team, to the man, has to look within himself and just get the job done."

As the chart shows, the Packers allowed a 300-yard passer in nearly half their games this season. They intercepted the Carolina Panthers' Cam Newton three times to spoil a 432-yard day, for example, and held off the San Diego Chargers mostly because they intercepted Philip Rivers a career-high three times and returned two for touchdowns.

Manning, meanwhile, compiled eight 300-yard games during the regular season; the Giants were 4-4 in those games. He threw the seventh-most interceptions in the NFL, 16, but has thrown only one interception in the Giants' past three games.

Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers has addressed the issue on almost a weekly basis this season. Speaking to Wisconsin reporters last week, Capers admitted that "we don't like" the yardage totals but added: "We've been able to win 15 games, and the reason for that, with our defensive stats the way they are, is the fact that we ended up No. 1 in the league in takeaways and No. 1 in the league in interceptions. That's something we obviously place a high priority on."

What has been the issue? As the second chart shows, the Packers' standard pass rush -- four or less rushers -- hasn't been nearly as effective as it was last season. They have given up an NFL-high 8.5 yards per attempt on those plays and managed only 11 sacks.

As a result, Capers has dramatically increased his blitz totals from last season. He elevated from a blitz on 32.8 percent of opponents' drop-backs in 2010 to 45.7 percent in 2011, the fourth-most in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The only NFL team that affected a bigger blitz uptick this season was the Houston Texans, who changed defensive coordinators in the offseason.

I included the blitz percentages for each of the 300-yard games in the first chart; they blitzed 51.6 percent of the time on Orton's 299-yard day.

The blitz is the ultimate risk-reward proposition, and it brought the Packers 18 of their 29 sacks on the season and limited opponents to eight touchdown passes. (The Packers actually had more interceptions out of their standard rush, possibly a reflection of non-elite quarterbacks forcing the ball into coverage.)

Given his druthers, I doubt Capers wants to blitz as much as he has. In his session with reporters, he pointed to the Packers' Week 12 game against the Detroit Lions as "far more like [the way] we want to play." In that 27-15 victory, the Packers blitzed a season-low 22.4 percent of the time and limited Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford to 276 yards. None of Stafford's 32 completions went for longer than 23 yards.

Is the answer to pull back on the blitz Sunday against the Giants? In that Lions game, I'm guessing Capers considered it a higher priority to cover Detroit's slew of pass-catchers than to pressure Stafford. The Giants have a similar situation, especially now that receiver Mario Manningham is healthy and available to complement Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. Perhaps, perhaps.

To be clear, this is not meant to ring alarm bells. I haven't been impressed with most of the attempts to poke holes in the Packers' success this season. 15-1 is 15-1, and it's clear the Packers know how to win. They are nine-point favorites in this game for good reason. All I want to do is note that a season-long issue was never resolved. The Packers have to hope it won't bite them now.

I guess we should have expected it. The Green Bay Packers' first loss in a year has sparked a debate about whether the Kansas City Chiefs discovered a formula to beat them.

The Chiefs delivered the Packers a solid wire-to-wire defeat, but I think we're jumping to conclusions by deriving long-term implications from the loss. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers feels the same way, and we'll get to his seemingly exasperated mini-rant on that topic in a bit.

Generally speaking, my sense has been that most teams have a pretty good chance to win a game, against the Packers or anyone else, when they don't commit a turnover and maintain possession for 36 minutes, as the Chiefs did Sunday. The topic came up twice in Tuesday's SportsNation chat, and here's how those exchanges went:

Jeff (ABQ)

By no means does this imply the Packers aren't still king, but...might there be a formula now? Who's the most dangerous team (that aren't the Cheeseheads) right now & in postseason?

Kevin Seifert (2:39 PM)

The only formula that came out of the game is to not turn the ball over. But I think every team sets out to do that every week.

Mike (Buffalo Grove, IL)

Why because the Packers lost a game, do people feel there is a formula? Watching the game against KC, I thought the reason GB didn't win was more due to errors and miscues that they made i.e. dropping passes rather than anything KC did.

Kevin Seifert (2:44 PM)

Some people are talking about the press coverage the Chiefs were playing, but that is also their style. I'm not sure if every team can emulate that.

Rodgers addressed the Chiefs' defensive approach and the general "formula" issue during his ESPN 540 radio show this week. I thought his discussion of the Chiefs' defense was especially enlightening and reflected what we hashed through early this week.

As you might recall, the Chiefs sent an extra pass-rusher on only 21.4 percent of Rodgers' drop backs, preferring to stay back in coverage for most of the game. They used at least five defensive backs on 86 percent of the Packers' pass plays, and Rodgers completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes for the first time all season.

Asked about that approach, Rodgers said: "This is part of the problem with losing your first game. … People forget that this recipe, supposedly, has been used by every other team. … Every team coming in has had a significantly higher amount of pressure that they normally use than the final game statistics [against the Packers].

"Any team coming in at 40 percent, 35 percent, 30 percent, 20 percent, they're not pressuring us. And the Chiefs did the exact same thing. They brought five-man pressure occasionally. They didn't bring six one time. They didn't bring their slide pressure zones. They didn't bring empty pressure. They didn't pressure.

"That's been what the majority of every team has done. It's nothing new, from Minnesota, Chicago, Detroit. They've all tried it. They've all tried to get pressure with four and play coverage. That's been their scheme. And occasionally they bring a five-man pressure. …

"For whatever reason, that's been the case. It's not something new that the Chiefs did. They just did it pretty good. We didn't execute very well. We didn't make the plays that were there."

John McTigue of ESPN's Stats & Information corroborates that big-picture view. This season, opponents have sent five or more pass-rushers against Rodgers on 28.5 percent of his drop backs. That's the eighth-lowest mark in the NFL. For context, the range from the least-blitzed quarterback to the most-blitzed quarterback is 23.8-45.7.

It's important for the Packers to understand what went wrong Sunday so they can correct it, just like it's important for us to avoid overreacting.

"Let me tell you this," Rodgers said. "I saw some of the comments -- there is a formula for beating the Packers now. There is a blueprint. The blueprint to win any games in the NFL is to control the time of possession, don't turn the ball over and be good on third downs. And punt the ball [twice]. That's kind of what they did. And they stopped us pretty good as well. That's a blueprint for any team to beat any team in the league.

"I laugh when it's a blueprint to beat us. … There is a blueprint for winning in this league, a recipe: Don't turn the ball over. Don't turn the ball over, and you've got a real good chance at winning."

It would be reasonable to point out that the Packers' defense had a role in not creating a turnover, especially considering its relatively weak pass rush. But Chiefs quarterback Kyle Orton was careful with the ball, and the Packers missed a chance to get at least one takeaway by not challenging an apparent fumble by tight end Leonard Pope in the fourth quarter.

More important: The Chiefs played a really good game. And if you play a really good game against the Packers, or any other NFL team, you're going to win more often than not. No more, no less.

Related: Rodgers was named the 2011 Male Athlete of the Year this week by the Associated Press.

KANSAS CITY -- In the end, Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy didn't think he had enough evidence to challenge a key play that led to a Kansas City Chiefs field goal in the fourth quarter of a 19-14 loss Sunday. I don't think the episode had a direct impact on the outcome of the game, but generally I try to bring you quick explanation of any play that sparks postgame discussion.

The call in question: A 33-yard pass from Kyle Orton to tight end Leonard Pope with just under 13 minutes remaining in the game. On the play, which you can watch here on NFL.com, Pope lost control of the ball as he moved it his right hand to his left while running down the right sideline.

The ball trickled into the end zone and out of bounds, but officials ruled that Pope's right foot touched the sideline before he lost control. That gave the Chiefs a first down at the Packers' 3-yard line and ultimately led to a 20-yard field goal.

Replays indicated that Pope started losing control before his right foot was out of bounds. Packers cornerback Charles Woodson, who was alongside Pope at the moment, said afterward that he thought the play should have been ruled a fumble and a touchback. So did former NFL vice president of officiating Mike Pereira.

But McCarthy said: "I thought we were right on it. I was of the opinion that the foot was out of bounds before the ball popped out. We talked about it and had a long break in between. I had plenty of time to make the decision. Based on the information, I thought it was right not to challenge."

Again, I don't think we should turn this into a bigger deal than it is. Perhaps the game would have played out differently without the additional three points the Chiefs got from the play, but you would be hard-pressed to say it cost the Packers the game. It was a debatable decision, and now you know where McCarthy was coming from.

KANSAS CITY -- Well then. The Green Bay Packers are scoreless at halftime and trail the Kansas City Chiefs. A few thoughts.

• The Packers have had a few games with concentrated drops this season, but none like the first half Sunday. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has completed only six of his 17 passes, and while drops are a subjective judgment, I would conservatively say at least six of those incompletions should have been caught. Tight end Jermichael Finley is responsible for half of that total. Those who worried about Finley's ability to fill in as the lead receiver while Greg Jennings is sidelined appear justified.
• Offensive pass interference is a relatively rare call, so the fact that receiver Jordy Nelson has been whistled twice already suggests that someone from the Chiefs has gotten in the officials' ears. Just a guess.
• There is no doubt some serious belly-aching about the drops, but the Chiefs have controlled this game mostly on offense. Quarterback Kyle Orton has completed 14 of 19 passes, and overall the Chiefs have 210 yards and 13 first downs while holding the ball for 20 minutes, 33 seconds of the 30-minute half. The Packers' defense hasn't had many answers, and if it weren't for a fourth-and-goal stop late in the second quarter, the Chiefs would have a two-score lead.
• Punter Tim Masthay did his part in limiting the scoring with a strong 71-yard punt late in the second quarter, flipping field position and preventing the Chiefs from gaining possession anywhere close to field goal range.
• With all of that said, the Packers will get the ball to open the third quarter. As they have many times this year, they can shift momentum of the game with a strong drive. Stay tuned.

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.

Taking a look at Wednesday's newsbits in the NFC North:

Chicago Bears: Defensive lineman Henry Melton (shin) didn't practice. Safety Major Wright (shoulder) was limited. Meanwhile, quarterback Jay Cutler (thumb) told ESPN 1000 that there is an "outside" chance he will be ready to play in the Bears' Week 16 game at the Green Bay Packers. But Cutler admitted he didn't think it was a "good or definite or a real possibility."

Detroit Lions: Cornerback Chris Houston participated in a portion of practice Wednesday for the first time since spraining his knee Nov. 24. The Lions are hopeful of getting him back in the lineup in time for Sunday's game at the Oakland Raiders. But safety Louis Delmas (knee) remained sidelined, as did running back Kevin Smith (ankle) and linebacker Justin Durant (hamstring). Cornerback Aaron Berry (shoulder) did not practice. Defensive tackle Nick Fairley (foot) was a limited participant.

Green Bay Packers: Guard Josh Sitton (knee) returned to practice and linebacker A.J. Hawk (calf) was a full participant. But left tackle Chad Clifton (hamstring) did not practice and has already been declared out for Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Linebacker Desmond Bishop (calf), running back James Starks (ankle), defensive end Ryan Pickett (concussion) and running back Brandon Saine (concussion) all sat out practice. Meanwhile, new Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel said that quarterback Kyle Orton will start Sunday if healthy. Orton has already started once against the Packers this season, a 49-23 loss while playing for the Denver Broncos in Week 4. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he would be the first quarterback to start two games against the same opponent for two different teams in 13 years. Kerry Collins started against the Atlanta Falcons as a member of the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints in 1998.

Minnesota Vikings: Quarterback Christian Ponder (hip) was a full participant in practice and is expected to start Sunday against the Saints. Tailback Adrian Peterson (ankle) practiced on a limited basis and could be on track to return after a three-game absence. Receiver Greg Camarillo (concussion) was the only player who missed practice Wednesday.

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

Five nuggets of knowledge on Week 13:

Closing in: The Green Bay Packers have a great chance to clinch a playoff spot Sunday, regardless of what happens in their game at the New York Giants. (It can happen with a Packers victory, or a loss by one of the following teams: the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions or the Atlanta Falcons.) The Packers can also clinch the NFC North with a victory combined with a Lions loss to the New Orleans Saints. Even if they lose to the Giants, losses by the Lions and Bears this weekend would hand the division to the Packers. And then the real fun begins. The Packers' next goal would be to secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and, possibly, a 16-0 regular season.

History: The Giants have lost three consecutive games and aren't expected to have defensive end Osi Umenyiora (ankle/knee) for this game. The Packers, meanwhile, have won 17 consecutive games, including the playoffs. But optimism in New York for an upset has centered, in part, on the Giants' history in such situations. On three occasions, the Giants have snapped an opponent's winning streak of 18 or more games. They beat the New England Patriots in 2004, the Denver Broncos in 1998 and the Chicago Bears in 1934. With that said, nothing has happened lately to suggest that these Giants are in position to make it a fourth time -- other than the fact that previous incarnations of their teams have pulled it off.

Must win: Let's be blunt: If the Bears want to participate in the 2011 postseason, they'll need to beat the Kansas City Chiefs at Soldier Field. The Chiefs have lost four consecutive games and are expected to start quarterback Tyler Palko, who has thrown six interceptions in the Chiefs' past two games. The other alternative is former Bears quarterback Kyle Orton, who has spent a week with the team. The Bears are 5-1 and are averaging 31.3 points per game at home this season, their only loss coming in Week 3 to the Packers. There is a general assumption that quarterback Caleb Hanie will settle down for his second NFL start, but the Chiefs' poor perimeter run defense could help tailback Matt Forte gobble up yards outside the tackles. (The Chiefs are allowing 5.7 yards per rush outside the tackles.) No matter how it happens, the Bears can't afford a loss Sunday.

Tough to win: As we noted earlier Friday, the Lions will have their work cut out for them Sunday night in stopping the New Orleans Saints' offense, which is particularly explosive at the Superdome. To be fair, it's worth noting that the Lions have a decent opportunity to score against the Saints' risk-taking defense. The Saints are giving up the sixth-most passing yards per game in the NFL this season (253.7) and have only six interceptions, tied for the second-lowest in the league. The fractured right index finger of Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has healed, and the Lions at least have the capacity to exchange blows in a shootout.

Defending Tebow: The Minnesota Vikings' beleaguered secondary will get something of a break this week against Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. The Vikings will be without four of the top five defensive backs they opened the season with, and on Sunday rookie Mistral Raymond will make his first NFL start. But the Broncos rarely throw downfield with Tebow and instead focus on their option running game. The Vikings will need to pay particular attention when Tebow is in the spread formation; the Broncos are averaging 6.5 yards per rush and have five rushing touchdowns when Tebow is in the shotgun.

Three teams placed waiver claims last week on former Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton. He was awarded to the Kansas City Chiefs, so it's at least fair to speculate that the Minnesota Vikings' reported decision Thursday to waive quarterback Donovan McNabb is based on a hope that he would be claimed as well in a time of high injury rates for quarterbacks around the league.

McNabb hasn't taken a snap since the Vikings benched him late in their Oct. 16 game at the Chicago Bears. Rookie Christian Ponder has started the past five games, and at 2-9, there is no competitive reason for the Vikings to maintain a veteran option at quarterback. If Ponder is injured, third-string quarterback Joe Webb could reprise his 2010 role and play out the proverbial string.

Speculation has immediately turned toward the two teams that missed on Orton -- the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys -- as well as the Houston Texans, who signed veteran Jake Delhomme off the street this week to serve as rookie T.J. Yates' backup.

I'm sure McNabb would love the Bears to claim him. He grew up in Chicago and starred at Mt. Carmel High School. It's not yet clear if the feeling is mutual. The Bears had a long and favorable history with Orton, and the only thing they know about McNabb is what the rest of us have seen over the past two years: A precipitous decline in play for a five-time Pro Bowler.

Perhaps McNabb would be an upgrade in an emergency over Josh McCown, whom the Bears signed after Orton was awarded to the Chiefs. But it's probably too ambitious to think McNabb can learn their offense and make an impact on their playoff push.

In reality, there isn't much to this move beyond the surprising news itself. McNabb wasn't going to get back on the field for the Vikings, wasn't going to re-sign next season and has already been paid the majority of his $5.05 million contract -- including this week's game check. If he were to end up in Chicago, his arrival would be a one-day story before the Bears returned to the primary question of their playoff push. It's up to starter Caleb Hanie, not McCown or rookie Nathan Enderle or McNabb or anyone else, to get it done.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Barring action from the team, Green Bay Packers linebacker Erik Walden appears free and clear to rejoin his teammates Tuesday when they resume football activities following a long weekend.

Walden, who was arrested Friday morning on suspicion of domestic violence against his girlfriend, was released from jail Monday on a $1,000 signature bond. No formal charges have been filed at this point while investigators continue compiling information and, according to the Associated Press report, "determine if this is a case of miscommunication or if the woman is trying to protect Walden."

The Packers haven't had any comment on the incident other than to acknowledge Friday they were aware of it. Walden has started all 11 games this season. If the Packers decide to remove him from the lineup Sunday against the New York Giants, Frank Zombo would be a candidate to replace him.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• In an interview with Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Packers receiver Donald Driver admitted he sometimes wonders: "Why am I still doing this?"
• Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette looks at the work of new Packers receivers coach Edgar Bennett.
• The Packers are nearing the NFC North title, notes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith on the first start of quarterback Caleb Hanie, via Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com: "When you're playing a player for the first time, there has to be a first part for him to get through, for him to see, 'I can do this.' He had a lot of confidence coming in, but you need to get in the game to really see that. I think he was able to do that."
• Hanie made poor decisions on all three of his interceptions, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz's play calling Sunday makes Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times question his future with the team.
• The Kansas City Chiefs will give new quarterback Kyle Orton a chance to start against his old team Sunday at Soldier Field.
• Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News will be watching how the Detroit Lions handle the fallout of the looming suspension of defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
• Suh could conceivably play Sunday at the New Orleans Saints if he appeals the suspension, writes Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.
• The Lions re-signed running back Aaron Brown, notes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier wasn't happy about a lack of communication that prevented him from realizing he should challenge a goal-line play in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The St. Paul Pioneer Press has more.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com wonders if Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen is wearing down.
• The Vikings need to sell 3,000 tickets this week to avoid a local television blackout, according to Pelissero.

When the music stopped Wednesday, the Chicago Bears were left with the type of quarterback you more typically find available the day before Thanksgiving. Veteran Josh McCown, whom the Bears signed moments after missing out on Kyle Orton, hasn't been on an NFL roster in two years but did spend one season with Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz when they were both with the Detroit Lions in 2006.

Orton's availability would have been a rare and perfectly timed gift following Jay Cutler's thumb injury, and the Bears were eager to acquire him. Alas, they were not the only ones and were, in fact, one of three teams to submit a claim, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Kansas City Chiefs also placed a claim and were awarded his contract based on the NFL's waiver priority system.

Bears coach Lovie Smith made a point Wednesday to reinforce his confidence in new starter Caleb Hanie. According to Hanie, Smith told him, that "Whatever veteran quarterback we bring in, you don't need to worry about it. You're our guy."

But if Hanie had been sidelined or if he bombed as Cutler's short-term replacement, Orton would have provided a more proven alternative than rookie No. 3 quarterback Nathan Enderle. I'm not sure if we can definitively say the same thing about McCown, but in any event the Bears needed a healthy third arm on their roster.

Onward and upward …

Note: For those wondering, the Detroit Lions did not place a claim on Orton in hopes of blocking his arrival in Chicago. According to Schefter, Orton was claimed by the Bears and Dallas Cowboys, along with the Chiefs. It's possible the Cowboys were engaged in some gamesmanship there, but in the end it wasn't necessary. The Chiefs had an absolute need at the position.

We just finished hashing through the various paths available to the Chicago Bears if they want to reacquire quarterback Kyle Orton. In short, the Bears probably don't need to place a waiver claim to complete the process.

There is one other possibility, one that happens often in other sports but rarely in the NFL. Would a team claim Orton for competitive purposes, solely to prevent his return to Chicago? And if so, could that team be the Detroit Lions?

A number of you have asked that, and ESPN analyst Andrew Brandt broached the topic Wednesday morning via Twitter.

The Lions and Bears have matching 7-3 records and are competing for a playoff spot. Detroit is set at quarterback with Matthew Stafford, Shaun Hill and Drew Stanton. But surely they know how much trouble the Bears would be in if new starter Caleb Hanie were sidelined before Jay Cutler can return from surgery on his right thumb.

The gambit would cost the Lions $2.6 million in cash, and they would have to do some roster shuffling to fit Orton underneath their salary cap. Would you spend that much money, in the process adding a player who probably wouldn't appreciate being used as a competitive tool, to prevent a competitor from improving? Vote in the poll accompanying this post and/or let me in the comments section below.

We arrived at a general consensus Tuesday in the hours after the Denver Broncos waived quarterback Kyle Orton: It makes sense for the Chicago Bears to add him to their roster. The best process for doing so, however, is less obvious.

The Bears have the third-lowest priority this week in the NFL's waiver system, an order based on record, with ties broken in reverse order of strength of schedule. The two teams behind them, the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers, seem unlikely to place a claim.

So if Orton isn't claimed by a team with higher priority than the Bears, he would be a strong candidate to clear waivers entirely and become a free agent. The Denver Post has reported Orton wants to return to Chicago, making it likely he would accept a one-year contract at the minimum NFL salary for a player of his experience level to finish out the year with the Bears.

That scenario suggests the Bears probably don't need to claim Orton, as NFL analyst Ross Tucker noted via Twitter. It won't impact the end result, and waiting out the waiver process would save the Bears about $2.4 million in cash and salary-cap space by sitting tight. That's the difference between the prorated portion of his $7.3 million base salary, which the Broncos would pay if he clears waivers, and what the Bears would owe him in pro-rated minimum salary.

One argument for placing a claim regardless is that it could improve the Bears' standing in the complicated formula for awarding compensatory draft picks for departed free agents, presuming Orton signs elsewhere in the offseason. I'm not sure if the Bears will consider that possibility worth the extra $2.4 million. We'll know for sure by the 4 p.m. ET end of business Wednesday.

In the video below, ESPNChicago.com's Jeff Dickerson suggests the Bears will in fact place a waiver claim.