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Our friends over at Football Outsiders have put together an interesting report on broken tackles during the 2009 season -- both from an offensive and defensive perspective. Thankfully, FO president Aaron Schatz has been kind enough to streamline the information for an NFC North audience.

First, a bit of an explanation: Schatz and his staff evaluated every attempted tackle of the 2009 season. Quoting from this Insider piece, here's how they defined broken tackles: "Either the ball carrier escapes from the grasp of the defender, or the defender is in good position for a tackle but the ball carrier jukes him out of his shoes. If the ball carrier sped by a slow defender who dived and missed, that didn't count as a broken tackle."

Given those criteria, let's look first at the team rankings for highest percentage of broken tackles on offense, and lowest percentage of defensive players missing a tackle they should have made. They're to your right.

A couple of interesting points stood out to me:

• The Vikings, Bears and Packers all played versions of the West Coast offense last season -- a scheme that relies on open-field running after receptions. We don't have a breakdown of broken tackles on running plays versus passing plays, but we can see that the Vikings overall were among the NFL's best and that the rest of the teams in the division were relative non-factors in gaining extra yardage after contact.
• On the other hand, the Packers had one of the league's best tackling teams based on this evaluation. The analysis also confirmed a general sense that Minnesota's defense missed far too many tackles during the second half of the season.

NFC North: Broken Tackles Allowed

Player	Team	No.
Lance Briggs	CHI	12
DeAndre Levy	DET	12
Larry Foote	DET	11
William James	DET	11
Nick Roach	CHI	11
Louis Delmas	DET	10
Marvin White	DET	10
Chad Greenway	MIN	9
Ernie Sims	DET	8
Cedric Griffin	MIN	8
Madieu Williams	MIN	8
Charles Tillman	CHI	8
Source: Football Outsiders

NFC North: Most Broken Tackles

Player	Team	No.
Adrian Peterson	MIN	56
Matt Forte	CHI	28
Percy Harvin	MIN	25
Ryan Grant	GB	16
Kevin Smith	DET	14
Calvin Johnson	DET	10
Chester Taylor	MIN	7
Bernard Berrian	MIN	7
Earl Bennett	CHI	7
Greg Jennings	GB	6
Sidney Rice	MIN	6
Source: Football Outsiders

• The Lions finished last among all NFL teams, so it's not surprising to see their players holding six of the top 10 spots on the chart below -- which lists the NFC North players with the 10 most missed tackles in 2009. Middle linebacker DeAndre Levy's appearance on that list, despite starting only 10 games, confirms what some of us saw last season and provides at least a reason for pause amid the general optimism surrounding his future.

Finally, here is a list of the NFC North players with the most broken tackles in 2009:

Some highlights:

• Peterson ranked No. 3 among all NFL players, behind Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson and Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice. Combined with Percy Harvin's 25 missed tackles, tops among all NFL receivers, you can see why the Vikings ranked so highly as a team.
• Before looking at this chart, I wouldn't have guessed Matt Forte had more broken tackles than Ryan Grant. But if Forte averaged 3.6 yards per carry even after breaking more tackles than all but one NFC North player, maybe we need to shift more accountability to the Bears' scheme and blocking performance last season.
• Grant's number is lower than I would have guessed. Gaining 1,253 yards by breaking almost the same number of tackles as Kevin Smith? That speaks highly of the Packers' play calling and blocking, which gave Grant more favorable opportunities than, say, Forte had last season.

As we head into the second full week of free agency, it's probably a good time to revise our look at each NFC North team's unsigned players. We haven't had a restricted free agent (RFA) receive an offer sheet yet, so we'll limit this post to unrestricted free agents (UFAs) -- who have total freedom to sign with another team.

Chicago Bears
UFAs as of March 5: Linebacker Darrell McClover, defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, running back Adrian Peterson, linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa.
Comment: None have re-signed. The Bears are trying to bring back Tinoisamoa.

Detroit Lions
UFAs as of March 5: Linebacker Vinny Ciurciu, offensive lineman Damion Cook, quarterback Daunte Culpepper, tight end Casey Fitzsimmons, linebacker Larry Foote, tight end Will Heller, cornerback Anthony Henry, cornerback Will James, offensive lineman Jon Jansen, safety Marquand Manuel, quarterback Patrick Ramsey.
Comment: Ciurciu, Heller and Jansen have re-signed. Foote seems likely to return to Pittsburgh.

Green Bay Packers
UFAs as of March 5: Offensive lineman Chad Clifton, running back Ahman Green, linebacker Aaron Kampman, offensive lineman Mark Tauscher.
Comment: Clifton and Tauscher have re-signed. Kampman signed with Jacksonville.

Minnesota Vikings
UFAs as of March 5: Offensive lineman Artis Hicks, defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy, cornerback Benny Sapp, running back Chester Taylor.
Comment: Kennedy and Sapp re-signed. Taylor signed with Chicago. Hicks signed with Washington.

The free agent market has opened. So unless some last-minute deals occurred but have gone unannounced, we can now refer to the following prominent NFC North players as unrestricted free agents:

• Offensive tackle Chad Clifton
• Defensive end Aaron Kampman
• Linebacker Larry Foote
• Running back Chester Taylor
• Offensive lineman Mark Tauscher

These players are free to return to their original teams, but historically that doesn't happen too often once free agency begins.

Chicago Bears

Potential unrestricted free agents: Linebacker Darrell McClover, defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, running back Adrian Peterson, linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa.

Potential restricted free agents: Defensive end Mark Anderson, safety Josh Bullocks, safety Danieal Manning, linebacker Nick Roach, linebacker Jamar Williams.

Franchise player: None

What to expect: With no picks in the first or second round of next month's draft, the Bears are gearing up for a relatively major jump into free agency. They're expected to bid for defensive end Julius Peppers and possible safety Antrel Rolle and would also like to re-sign linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa. Tight end Brandon Manumaleuna could also be a target. Manumaleuna played for new offensive coordinator Mike Martz in St. Louis.

Detroit Lions

Potential unrestricted free agents: Linebacker Vinny Ciurciu, offensive lineman Damion Cook, quarterback Daunte Culpepper, tight end Casey Fitzsimmons, linebacker Larry Foote, tight end Will Heller, cornerback Anthony Henry, cornerback Will James, offensive lineman Jon Jansen, safety Marquand Manuel, quarterback Patrick Ramsey.

Potential restricted free agents: Defensive end Copeland Bryan, offensive lineman Dylan Gandy, defensive lineman Jason Hunter, offensive lineman Daniel Loper, offensive lineman Manny Ramirez, safety Ko Simpson, linebacker Cody Spencer.

Franchise player: None

What to expect: The Lions aren't likely to be as active as they were last year, but general manager Martin Mayhew said over the winter that he could envision a five- or six-man free agent class. Running back, defensive end and defensive back are all positions they will investigate. They'll also need to find a backup quarterback, assuming Daunte Culpepper moves on.

Green Bay Packers

Potential unrestricted free agents: Offensive lineman Chad Clifton, running back Ahman Green, linebacker Aaron Kampman, offensive lineman Mark Tauscher.

Potential restricted free agents: Safety Atari Bigby, defensive back Will Blackmon, offensive lineman Daryn Colledge, safety Nick Collins, defensive end Johnny Jolly, running back John Kuhn, offensive lineman Jason Spitz, cornerback Tramon Williams.

Franchise player: Defensive tackle Ryan Pickett

What to expect: The Packers will have a demanding offseason filled with difficult decisions. To this point, they haven't re-signed either of their starting offensive tackles. They are clearly approaching injured linebacker Aaron Kampman with caution. And they have a long line of restricted free agents who would like long-term contracts, starting with Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins. The Packers have more than enough to keep them busy, but they haven't dabbled much in free agency in recent years, anyway.

Minnesota Vikings

Potential unrestricted free agents: Offensive lineman Artis Hicks, defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy, cornerback Benny Sapp, running back Chester Taylor.

Potential restricted free agents: Offensive lineman Ryan Cook, defensive end Ray Edwards, defensive tackle Fred Evans, safety Eric Frampton, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, fullback Naufahu Tahi.

Franchise player: None.

What to expect: The Vikings are awaiting word from quarterback Brett Favre on the 2010 season, a decision that could impact their offseason plans. They would like tailback Chester Taylor back, but it's possible Taylor will at least test his value on the open market. As a Final Four team, the Vikings will be limited to signing players that have been released by other teams unless they lose one of their own unrestricted free agents first.

» AFC Free Agency: East | West | North | South » NFC: East | West | North | South

An early look at the free agency situation in the NFC North.

Note: These projected lists reflect notable unrestricted free agents for each team. The NFL will not issue an official list of free agents until the signing period begins March 5.

Chicago Bears

Unrestricted free agents: Linebacker Darrell McClover, defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, running back Adrian Peterson, linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa.

Key figures: Defensive end Mark Anderson and safety Danieal Manning are two key players who would have joined the list of unrestricted free agents if the NFL weren't on track for an uncapped offseason. The Bears can block both from moving now. Ogunleye is unlikely to return if he's seeking significant money. The Bears want to re-sign Tinoisamoa, even after his injury-shortened 2009 debut. Peterson's eight-year run with the team might be coming to a close.

Detroit Lions

Unrestricted free agents: Linebacker Vinny Ciurciu, offensive lineman Damion Cook, quarterback Daunte Culpepper, tight end Casey Fitzsimmons, linebacker Larry Foote, tight end Will Heller, cornerback Anthony Henry, cornerback Will James, offensive lineman Jon Jansen, safety Marquand Manuel, quarterback Patrick Ramsey.

Key figures: The Lions have a total of 20 unrestricted and restricted free agents, a product of the extended roster tryouts they held throughout the 2009 season. The biggest name among their UFAs is Foote, who seems unlikely to return and should be replaced by DeAndre Levy. Culpepper will seek offers on the open market, but it's not out of the question he could return as Matthew Stafford's backup. James had some moments in 2009 and might be worth a return engagement.

Green Bay Packers

Unrestricted free agents: Offensive tackle Chad Clifton, running back Ahman Green, linebacker Aaron Kampman, nose tackle Ryan Pickett, offensive tackle Mark Tauscher.

Key figures: The Packers have a notable list that includes four starters and would have included six more if not for the uncapped year. Clifton will be 34 this summer and Tauscher will turn 33, and it's time for the Packers to begin a succession plan at both positions. T.J. Lang figures as Tauscher's replacement, but Tauscher was actually playing better than Clifton at the end of 2009. Kampman seems unlikely to return as a linebacker in the 3-4, especially while he rehabilitates a knee injury. Pickett could be phased out by B.J. Raji.

Minnesota Vikings

Unrestricted free agents: Offensive lineman Artis Hicks, defensive lineman Jimmy Kennedy, receiver Greg Lewis, cornerback Benny Sapp, running back Chester Taylor.

Key figures: Taylor is perhaps the most valuable backup tailback in the league, considering his abilities as a receiver and third-down converter. He will be 31 when the 2010 season begins, but figures to get some attention if he enters the free-agent market. The Vikings want him back, but probably won't devote a huge salary to him with starter Adrian Peterson approaching the expiration of his contract. Sapp probably made himself some money with a credible replacement of injured starter Antoine Winfield.

MIAMI -- Detroit linebacker Larry Foote is planning to hit the free-agent market next month because the Lions have expressed little interest in granting his request for a multiyear contract. John Niyo of the Detroit News has the story here.

Foote started 14 games last season at middle linebacker, but a foot injury opened the door for rookie DeAndre Levy to establish himself as the likely 2010 starter. The Lions don’t have much depth behind Levy, but at this point Foote isn’t likely to agree to return as a backup.

It’ll be interesting to see if any of the Lions’ starting linebackers from 2009 return in 2010. Julian Peterson is due to make $7.5 million in 2010, and Ernie Sims did not appear to be a great fit for the Lions’ new defensive system.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Nicholas J. Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press checks in with Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford during a Super Bowl promotional tour.
• Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty suggested several options for funding the construction of a new Vikings stadium, including a new Minnesota Lottery game. Here is coverage from the Star Tribune.
• Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com notes the Bears chose receiver Juaquin Iglesias over Austin Collie in the 2009 draft.
• The Bears interviewed San Francisco assistant Shane Day for their quarterbacks coach position, according to the Chicago Tribune.
• Few people realize that Colts coach Jim Caldwell is from the town of Beloit on the Wisconsin-Illinois border. Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel looks at that part of Caldwell’s life.

Your response to our initial All-NFC North team was overwhelming, quite literally. At one point, it was impossible to post comments on the original post. I can only assume the cause: Black and Blue readers jamming up the lines, old-school style.

Seriously, I got more than 1,200 offers for help on the 15 positions I left open. Most related to the Brett Favre-Aaron Rodgers choice at quarterback, and I took many of them into account in compiling the final list. I did so with a clear conscience, knowing (or at least, strongly assuming) that no NFC North player has a bonus written into his contract for making this team.

(There’s always next year, though!)

My final choices are in the chart to your right. Below, I’ve offered my reasoning for some of the more difficult decisions. We start with the toughest:

• In the big picture, Favre and Rodgers’ passing statistics are a wash. Rodgers led the NFL in rushing for a quarterback, but he was also sacked an NFL-high 50 times. (And yes, Rodgers shares in the responsibility for that.) Ultimately, I gave Favre the nod because he was the quarterback of the team that went to overtime in the NFC Championship Game. Wins and losses aren’t the only thing quarterbacks should be judged by, but they can certainly break a tie.
• Based on what I’ve written previously, you might be surprised to see Dominic Raiola as the NFC North’s top center. Here’s where I came from: Chicago’s Olin Kreutz had a tough year by everyone’s standards, and Thursday we learned it was because of a bone spur was causing irritation on one of his Achilles tendons. Green Bay used two centers this season, Jason Spitz and Scott Wells. Minnesota’s John Sullivan was in his first year as a starter and had the expected ups and downs. Start to finish, Raiola might have been the division’s steadiest, if not most talented, center. Here’s the way Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan put it: “He's always there and doesn't miss anything, and that's what you've got to have in your center.”
• Tight end was by far the most difficult choice, even after using my TE/WR option to add a second. I went with Greg Olsen and Visanthe Shiancoe, and bypassed Jermichael Finley, for several reasons. Olsen had 60 receptions and eight touchdowns in an offense that struggled for a good part of the season -- while facing coverage commensurate with a No. 1 receiver. Shiancoe led the NFL with 11 touchdowns by a tight end. Finley’s final statistics were close to both players, but he missed three games and had the fewest touchdowns among the three. You couldn’t go wrong with any of this trio.
• Some of you went bonkers when I left running back open to argument rather than immediately tap Adrian Peterson. I wanted to see if anyone could make a convincing argument for Ryan Grant. I didn’t see one.
• Green Bay’s Cullen Jenkins had 4.5 sacks as a defensive end, not a bad total in a 3-4 scheme. More important, I thought Jenkins adapted well to his new role in the second half of the season and was a big part of the Packers’ No. 1-ranked run defense. He also forced three fumbles and is well-suited for this scheme.
• The Packers’ Nick Barnett got the nod at “middle” linebacker because he was the steadiest throughout the season. The Vikings lost E.J. Henderson in early December. Chicago’s Brian Urlacher made only one start, and Detroit’s Larry Foote couldn’t finish the season.
• Chicago’s Charles Tillman got the second cornerback spot because he led all NFL defensive backs with six forced fumbles. He’s the best at stripping the ball in the league.
• At punter, Minnesota’s Chris Kluwe and Chicago’s Brad Maynard were close throughout the season. I gave the nod to Maynard because he had a bit more control over his kicks. He had two touchbacks versus Kluwe’s nine. He also kicked the ball out of bounds 17 times as opposed to Kluwe’s nine. Both statistics are good measures of field position gained.
• I realize that Minnesota’s Heath Farwell was named to the Pro Bowl as the NFC’s coverage man. He is top-notch, but he’s actually had better seasons. Chicago’s Tim Shaw might have had the best cover season of anyone in the NFL. Among other things, he led the league in special teams tackles and, according to the Bears’ unofficial statistics, was involved in a team-record 30 stops in 15 games.

One of Detroit’s more pleasant offseason dilemmas is dealing with the relative surplus of linebackers on its roster. As Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press points out, the Lions have the opportunity to at least consider jettisoning some high-priced veterans in favor of some genuine young talent.

The Lions spent most of the season with veterans Ernie Sims, Julian Peterson and Larry Foote as their starters. But Foote will be a free agent and Peterson is scheduled to make a relatively excessive $7.5 million in 2010. Sims, meanwhile, spent part of the season battling injuries -- and fending off rookie DeAndre Levy for a starting position.

Levy figures to start somewhere in 2010, most likely at Foote’s position. Rookie Zack Follett also showed some potential. Bringing back Foote and Peterson certainly wouldn’t hurt the team, but the opportunity exists for the Lions to shift those financial assets elsewhere if they wish.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The average secondary purchase ticket price for the NFC Championship Game is $800, according to the Star Tribune.
• Minnesota hasn’t forgotten that New Orleans running back Reggie Bush returned two punts for touchdowns in the teams’ matchup last season at the Superdome. Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune has more.
• At least Fran Tarkenton is consistent. The Hall of Fame quarterback told Bloomberg News that he still doesn’t like seeing quarterback Brett Favre in a Vikings uniform. “[I]t didn’t sit well with me and it still doesn’t,” he said.
• Gaines Adams’ family is still coming to grips with his death, writes Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune.
• Bears players, coaches and front-office members will ride a private plane to Adams’ funeral Friday, writes Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Green Bay will especially miss John Schneider in the area of college scouting, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Schneider is Seattle’s new general manager.
• Schneider may try to bring some other Packers employees with him to Seattle, according to Tom Pelissero of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

Getting inside the final Friday injury report of the 2009 season. (Sniff, sniff….)

Chicago Bears: Safety Al Afalava (knee), receiver Johnny Knox (ankle) and safety Danieal Manning (calf) are all listed as doubtful and not expected to play Sunday at Detroit. All other active players, including safety Craig Steltz (foot) should be available. Defensive tackle Israel Idonije (foot) and cornerback Charles Tillman (ribs) were placed on injured reserve earlier this week.

Detroit Lions: Linebacker Larry Foote (foot) won’t play against the Bears. Safety Louis Delmas (knee) and cornerback Phillip Buchanon (shoulder) are questionable. Delmas seems likely to play. Buchanon will be a Sunday decision.

Green Bay Packers: Safety Derrick Martin (ankle) is out and linebacker Brandon Chillar (back) is doubtful for Sunday’s game at Arizona. Nose tackle Ryan Pickett (hamstring) is listed as questionable, but it will be a surprise if he plays. Fullback Korey Hall (elbow) and defensive end Michael Montgomery (ankle) are questionable.

Minnesota Vikings: Nose tackle Pat Williams (elbow) made it through a week of practice and coach Brad Childress said he thinks Williams might be over the hump with the injury. His primary backup, Jimmy Kennedy, isn’t likely to play Sunday against the New York Giants because of a thumb injury. Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe (thigh) is questionable but expected to play.

Chicago Bears: Receiver Devin Hester (calf) and safety Kevin Payne (ankle) both had full practices Thursday and seem on track to play Sunday at Detroit. Safety Al Afalava (knee), receiver Johnny Knox (ankle) and safety Danieal Manning (calf) did not practice.

Detroit Lions: As we noted earlier, the Lions sold out Sunday’s season finale. … Safety Louis Delmas (ankle) and linebacker Larry Foote (foot) missed practice. Delmas seems to have a better chance than Foote of playing Sunday.

Green Bay Packers: Linebacker Brandon Chillar (back) sat out his second consecutive day of practice, but fellow linebacker Nick Barnett (knee) participated fully. So did left tackle Chad Clifton (knee) and defensive end Johnny Jolly (foot). Nose tackle Ryan Pickett (hamstring) didn’t practice and doesn’t seem likely to play Sunday at Arizona. The same goes for safety Derrick Martin (ankle).

Minnesota Vikings: Defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy (thumb) missed his second consecutive day of practice. If he can’t play Sunday against the New York Giants, the Vikings could be short-handed at the position. Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe (thigh) returned to practice on a limited basis. Starter Pat Williams (elbow) was limited in practice Thursday and isn’t a sure bet to play.

After Detroit’s 20-6 loss at San Francisco, here are three (mostly) indisputable facts I feel relatively sure about:

1. I don’t sense a lot of patience from Lions coach Jim Schwartz when it comes to quarterback Drew Stanton. Schwartz didn’t let Stanton finish his first NFL start after a predictable string of turnovers and ineffective play. “He's a third-year player, “ Schwartz said. “They don't handicap games and they don't start you with a touchdown or 10 points because somebody's starting their first NFL game.” Schwartz said he didn’t know if Stanton would get another start in the season finale against Chicago. But none of Schwartz’s options seem appealing. The Lions are 0-8 in games Daunte Culpepper has started over the past two seasons. Don’t forget the Lions signed veteran Patrick Ramsey on Saturday.
2. We might have gotten a glimpse at the future of the Lions’ middle linebacker position Sunday. With veteran Larry Foote injured and his return next season uncertain, rookie DeAndre Levy got his first start at the position the Lions originally drafted him to play. Levy finished with a team-high eight tackles, but most reviews agreed his performance was mixed. I think it’s pretty clear Levy will have a starting spot at some position next season. Will it be at middle linebacker? That probably depends on the Lions’ 2010 draft. As of now, they’re likely to pick No. 2 overall.
3. I appreciate Schwartz’s honesty after an unsuccessful challenge to Vernon Davis’ 2-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. In essence, Schwartz said, it was a low-percentage effort but worth the try. “Here’s the deal,” Schwartz said. “It was a touchdown. It was close. So we’re going to challenge and see where it is. We didn’t have a definitive answer in the box before I threw the flag, but anytime you have a touchdown or you have a turnover or things like that and it's close, you need to challenge. If it’s close and you're gaining five yards, maybe you don't take the challenge. That was a play that we needed to stop right there, particularly the way we were rushing field goals. They were having a difficult time kicking field goals. I thought we could have forced them to kick a field goal right there. That could have been a big swing, but it didn't happen.”

And here is one question I’m still asking:

Why are the Lions rotating offensive linemen so frequently? I understand they are trying to get their best five players on the field, but it’s no secret that continuity is a big part of offensive line play. Left guard, right guard and right tackle have been a revolving door lately. Schwartz acknowledged the importance of continuity, but reading between the lines, it sounds like he is just searching for a combination that works. As we’ve discussed many times, the line should be a primary focus of the Lions’ offseason.

CHICAGO -- Greetings from our latest NFC North locale, which will host Monday night’s matchup between the Bears and Minnesota. I made a smooth drive Sunday night from Green Bay but do have one tip for you: Never try to pass off a Canadian quarter at a tollbooth on the Illinois Tollway. They’ll nab you every time.

Anyway, I hope the playoff scenarios post I put together late Sunday night helps you navigate the week. The basic message is that Minnesota could wind up anywhere between the No. 1 and No. 4 seeds in the NFC. The Packers will be No. 5 or No. 6 based on Week 17 outcomes.

I’ll bring you our usual Monday coverage, including Third and One, as the day progresses, and plan to be at Soldier Field by late afternoon. For now, let’s take a (late) morning spin around the division:

• Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune estimates the Bears had weaker performances than expected from 13 of their 22 positions in 2009.
• The Bears haven’t gotten the help they’ve needed from recent drafts, writes Brad Biggs of the Tribune.
• Bears center Olin Kreutz doesn’t deserve to be released for making critical comments of the team, according to Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• The Vikings have not adjusted to the way opposing offenses are attacking them with quick passes, writes Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune.
• Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian is just starting to get his legs back after several hamstring injuries earlier this season, writes Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune.
• Packers defensive end Johnny Jolly had an exemplary game as a 3-4 defensive end Sunday, according to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• The Green Bay Press-Gazette offers this information on the Packers’ playoff scenarios. If nothing changes, they will play at Arizona in consecutive weeks.
• Players indicated Sunday that the Packers will at least start their regular lineup at Arizona, regardless of the potential lack of playoff implications. Jason Wilde of ESPN Milwaukee has more.
• Detroit quarterback Drew Stanton deserves another start despite a horrible performance Sunday at San Francisco, writes Nicholas J. Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions middle linebacker Larry Foote’s streak of playing in 94 consecutive games ended Sunday because of a foot injury, notes John Niyo of the Detroit News. Rookie DeAndre Levy took his place.

As we catch up on some Christmas Eve news, please note that all four NFC North teams have altered their weekly schedule to ensure they won’t practice on Christmas Day.

Chicago Bears: Safeties Al Afalava (knee) and Kevin Payne (ankle) missed their second consecutive day of practice. Running back Adrian Peterson (illness) and cornerback Charles Tillman (not injury related) both missed practice. Linebacker Lance Briggs (back) and tight end Desmond Clark (illness) returned to full practice Thursday. Receiver Devin Hester (calf) was limited.

Detroit Lions: As we noted earlier, the Lions announced that quarterback Matthew Stafford will undergo season-ending surgery on his knee next Tuesday. Three defensive starters were not on the field during the early portion of practice, according to Nicholas J. Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press: Linebacker Larry Foote (foot), safety Louis Delmas (ankles) and cornerback Phillip Buchanon (shoulder).

Green Bay Packers: Nose tackle Ryan Pickett (hamstring) and cornerback Trevor Ford (knee) did not practice. Linebacker Brandon Chillar (back) was limited but is expected to play Sunday against Seattle. Cornerback Charles Woodson (shoulder) returned to practice on a limited basis.

Minnesota Vikings: All players participated in at least a portion of practice. … Tailback Adrian Peterson said he loves playing at Soldier Field, where he has rushed for 345 yards and five touchdowns in two previous games. “Just being a Walter Payton fan, I’m always pumped up for that game, especially in Chicago,” Peterson told Minnesota reporters. “It’s also that I love playing on grass fields.”

Detroit cornerback Phillip Buchanon lingered a bit longer than usual in the Lions’ locker room at halftime Sunday, receiving treatment for a minor injury. Really, there was no rush. The Lions were scheduled to receive the second-half kickoff, and Buchanon wasn't a member of the return team.

But these are the Lions, and seemingly on cue, tailback Kevin Smith fumbled on their first offensive play. With Buchanon temporarily unavailable as the defense took the field, Detroit coaches sent out newcomer Jack Williams. Earlier in the week, Williams had become the seventh cornerback to pass through the Lions’ revolving door dating back to the start of the season, yet another attempt to elevate their talent level.

On his first play, a 27-yard run by Minnesota tailback Adrian Peterson, Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury. He will be placed on injured reserve this week.

Alas, Detroit is no luckier -- and only one victory better -- since compiling the NFL’s worst-ever season in 2008. I’ve seen the Lions play in person three times this season, most recently on Sunday. There have been a few encouraging signs, but overall I’m mortified by what seems to be a tremendous talent gap across most positions.

I can only assume that’s what coach Jim Schwartz was referring to last week during a conference call with Minnesota reporters. Asked to encapsulate his first season with the Lions, Schwartz said, “I’m certainly not discouraged but there hasn’t been a whole lot of encouraging either. I think the best word is determined. We know what our issues are. We are going to work hard to get through them. We still have a lot of work to do. We know that and we are determined to get done.”

The Lions could and probably should pick up their second victory Sunday when they host Cleveland. But a realist would say their best-case scenario for 2009 is 4-12, and even that might be stretching it. More importantly, as Schwartz seems to admit, the Lions remain deeply encumbered by a talent shortage brought on by a decade of poor drafting.

So while the topic is fresh in all of our minds, I thought I would scan the Lions' roster and divide the players into three categories:

1. Keepers. These are players the Lions can build their future around.
2. Worth Learning More About. For various reasons, I wouldn’t give up on the players in this group.
3. Others. This one is pretty self-explanatory.

You can see the results of this exercise below. (No sense calling out the Others by name. It’s their island, anyway.)



A few notes and thoughts:

• As you can see, I came up with only seven nucleus-type players, along with seven more who have the potential to be part of a core group. Keep in mind that every team has a relatively small nucleus with a bunch of complementary players around it. I don’t think I was a particularly tough grader here, but a nucleus should represent more than 13 percent of your players.
• Cornerback is a position that many NFL teams have trouble establishing. But for the Lions not to have one nucleus-type player on either of their lines, at least by my reckoning, is most troublesome. It takes years to develop a good, cohesive lines. Last Sunday’s matchup against Minnesota provided an exaggerated example of the issue: Quarterback Matthew Stafford got pummeled while the Vikings' offense rushed for 152 yards and passed for 344 with only one sack. There’s a reason why the cliché still exists: It really does all start up front.
• For me, the Lions’ next step is to spend the rest of this season performing a similar exercise: Which players can Schwartz build around? Which ones are toast? Then you just start in one corner and start working your way out. If it were me, I would make linemen on both sides of the ball the top (and perhaps single) priority this winter.
• There are some good complementary players whom I left off this list because, based on age or history, it’s hard to envision them as more than short-term solutions. That group includes Buchanon, tight end Will Heller, cornerback William James and linebacker Larry Foote.
• I realize linebacker Ernie Sims isn’t on this list. I think he is and can be a good NFL player, but he might better suited to play in more of a Tampa 2 style scheme. Even before he started dealing with shoulder and hamstring injuries, it has seemed the Lions were intent on moving rookie DeAndre Levy past him. I could be wrong about that and am willing to listen to alternate theories and evaluations.
• I can’t say I had any specific criteria for making these selections. They’re based on what I’ve seen, along with what I’ve heard from people I trust. I consider this list a jumping-off spot for future discussion. I know some in our Lions audience are still mad at me for bailing on training camp, but hopefully we can move past that.

Let me know what you think, and we’ll continue to revisit the topic through the second half of the season and into the winter.

MINNEAPOLIS -- There’s been a lot of talk recently about the burgeoning relationship between Minnesota quarterback Brett Favre and rookie receiver Percy Harvin. But fellow receiver Sidney Rice just reminded us that he’s not far behind.

Favre trusted Rice on a jump ball in what amounted to a free play after Detroit linebacker Larry Foote jumped offsides. Rice got away with a bit of a push-off against cornerback Phillip Buchanon but ultimately came down with a 43-yard reception.

That seemed to spark an offense that opened this game in pretty lackluster fashion; the Vikings had only three points to show for two possessions deep in Lions territory. On the play after Rice’s reception, tailback Adrian Peterson muscled his way out of Jason Hunter’s arms and ran away from the rest of the Lions’ defense for a 22-yard touchdown.

It’s 10-0 midway through the first quarter, and frankly, I’m not sure if I see the Lions coming back.