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How will the Green Bay Packers replace safety Nick Collins?

There was a noticeable drop-off in the play of the Packers' secondary last season after Collins suffered a neck injury that ultimately led to his release last month. Veteran Charlie Peprah replaced him, but his struggles were one of numerous reasons the Packers set an NFL record in passing yards allowed in 2011.

The Packers didn't sign a replacement via veteran free agency but did draft Maine safety Jerron McMillian in the fourth round of last week's draft. Are they prepared to put a rookie alongside third-year player Morgan Burnett? Or will Peprah get another chance?

Defensive coordinator Dom Capers told reporters last week he thinks Peprah is better for the experience of replacing Collins in the lineup last season and Burnett in 2010. That suggests he'll get the first opportunity, at least, to win Collins' old job. But it's worth keeping an eye on McMillian, and it's fair to say this position will be the most wide-open spot on the Packers' depth chart when training camp opens.

News of the Green Bay Packers' decision to release safety Nick Collins was sad, sobering and inevitable. From my experience, Collins is a quiet and humble family man who was on his way to becoming one of the best and most consistent safeties of this generation before suffering a serious neck injury last September. (Agent Alan Herman confirmed the news to Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.)

But I've suspected this moment was coming from the moment Packers coach Mike McCarthy said last month that he wouldn't let Collins return if he were his son. Collins had cervical fusion surgery to repair his injury, a procedure some NFL players have returned from, but McCarthy seemed scarred by seeing Collins immobilized and removed from the field on a stretcher, and the Packers' medical staff must not have offered enough supporting evidence to suggest it was completely safe for Collins to return.

I won't pretend to understand all of the medical details involved in this decision, and your first reaction might be to criticize the Packers for disposing Collins the minute they decided he could be of no use to them. That would be shortsighted, however. The Packers can't prevent Collins from playing again with another team, but it's clear they didn't want the burden of a possible re-injury to fall on their watch. Directly or indirectly, they're trying to help him walk away from the game under his own power.

Think about it. Collins is 28 and a three-time Pro Bowl player. The Packers' pass defense collapsed after his injury last season, and thus they have every reason to want him back on the field. If they were unconcerned about his well being, they would have brought him to training camp regardless of the medical risks and let him play for as long as he could. If he were re-injured, they would release him then. For once, an NFL team appears to have acted with some empathy even if it hurts on the field.

*UPDATE: General manager Ted Thompson indicated as much in a statement released as part of the team's official announcement: "From the beginning of this process, we have taken our time and sought numerous medical opinions while maintaining consistent dialogue with Nick. In the end, we were not comfortable clearing him to play again. As with all of our players, Nick is a member of our family and we thought of him that way as we came to this conclusion. Nick is a part of our core, and this is a very difficult day for all Packers. Making this kind of decision is never easy, especially when it involves someone like Nick Collins. He has meant so much to the community, his teammates and the organization. He is a good man and will always be part of the Packers family."

My guess is the Packers have been planning for this eventuality all offseason. They didn't sign a free agent safety, but it's fair to assume that position is among their priorities in this week's draft. Veteran safety Charlie Peprah had a better year in 2010 when he replaced fellow safety Morgan Burnett than when he stepped into Collins' role last season.

With the NFL's attention mostly on the draft, the Packers have now released two franchise cornerstones this week. Chad Clifton, their starting left tackle since 2000, departed Monday. The two moves cleared about $9 million in salary-cap space. But from a big-picture perspective, the Packers have undergone some monumental changes this week -- and the draft hasn't even begun.

Previewing some of the big decisions facing NFC North teams early in the 2012 offseason:

Ever since the Green Bay Packers temporarily shifted him to safety in 2008, the question has followed cornerback Charles Woodson: When would the move become permanent? After all, you don't often see players in their mid-30s locking down one of the most difficult positions in the NFL.

Subsequently, Woodson has received the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award (2009) and three consecutive All-Pro honors. At the end of his 14th season, at the age of 35, Woodson was arguably the best cornerback on the Packers' roster. It's more difficult to find a cornerback than a safety, but would moving Woodson help make the Packers' defense better overall next season?

The Packers will at least consider that question as they await word on the status of Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins, who is two months away from finding out if doctors will clear him to play or recommend retirement because of a serious neck injury suffered in September. If Collins returns, he could team with strong safety Morgan Burnett in 2012. If not, Woodson might be the Packers' best option if they want to improve their tackling at the position.

Coach Mike McCarthy termed the discussion "very premature" during a news conference Wednesday but did not rule it out. "We're not making any position changes today," he said.

Collins' replacement, Charlie Peprah, didn't play well in Sunday's divisional playoff game to the New York Giants, missing a tackle on Hakeem Nicks' 66-yard touchdown catch and, like Woodson, failing to break up a Hail Mary pass to Nicks at the end of the first half. The sure-tackling Woodson would presumably be an upgrade over Peprah, but as we've discussed many times, the move doesn't make sense unless the Packers have a credible cornerback to take his place.

A few months ago, it would have been reasonable to think Tramon Williams and Sam Shields could hold down the two primary cornerback positions moving forward. The Packers also invested a 2011 fourth-round draft pick in cornerback Davon House, a potential nickelback with a year of development. But while they each intercepted four passes, neither Williams nor Shields played as well in 2011 as they did in 2010. House, meanwhile, was deactivated for 14 of 16 games.

That makes the Woodson issue complicated. If you're going to have a hole on defense, it makes more sense for it to be at safety than cornerback. But would the Packers be better off with a foursome of Williams, Shields, Woodson and Burnett than Woodson, Williams, Burnett and Peprah?

I think you could make that argument. But in the end, Woodson's status probably will be contingent on a number of outside factors: Collins' health, whether the Packers can find instant reinforcements at safety or cornerback in the draft and whether Williams or Shields can use the offseason to restore themselves to 2010 levels.

Those covering Detroit Lions practice Wednesday got a bit of a surprise: Cornerback Chris Houston had a cast on his left hand and wasn't participating.

It's not clear when Houston suffered the injury, but you would have to think he's a candidate to, at least, sit out Sunday's regular-season finale against the Green Bay Packers. The bigger question will be his condition for the Lions' playoff game on the weekend of Jan. 7-8. Defensive backs can usually play with a club protecting broken fingers/hands, as Green Bay Packers safety Morgan Burnett did earlier this season, but obviously that makes it a bit more difficult to make plays on the ball.

Houston has a team-leading five interceptions, two of which he has returned for touchdowns, despite missing two games because of a sprained knee. Stay tuned.

As promised, I have a quick follow-up to a question from Tuesday's SportsNation chat. Brendan Q of Ireland asked if the Green Bay Packers have set an NFL record by having 19 different players score a touchdown this season. Before I got a chance to research it, Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel posted the answer in a story Wednesday morning.

The record, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, is 21. It's been done several times, most recently in 2007 by the New England Patriots.

The Packers still have three games to tie or break the record, but the "problem" is that most of their skill players on offense already have at least one touchdown. All five wide receivers, three of their tight ends, their top two running backs and even their top two quarterbacks have all scored. The remaining candidates on offense are tight end D.J. Williams, who has one catch in 10 games this season, and rookie running back Brandon Saine.

Defensively, the Packers already have touchdowns from both starting cornerbacks and both starting outside linebackers. Safety Charlie Peprah and defensive lineman B.J. Raji (via offense) have also scored. Among those left: cornerback Sam Shields, cornerback/safety Jarrett Bush and safety Morgan Burnett.

Thanks again to everyone for taking part in the chat.

Reviewing the Green Bay Packers at their bye:

Record: 7-0

Seven-game capsule: The Packers are the best team in football by most objective measures. They're off to the best start for a Packers team since 1962 and have won a franchise-record 13 consecutive games, dating back to last December. Their quarterback is having an MVP season, their place-kicker is perfect and their injury-depleted defense has compensated for some deficiencies with an NFL-high 13 interceptions.

MVP: We could fill up an entire post with quarterback Aaron Rodgers' statistical accomplishments this season. I'll continue to pound away at my favorite. Rodgers is leading the NFL in two quite disparate categories: completion percentage (71.5) and yards per attempt (9.9). That means he's completing a greater percentage of passes than all quarterbacks even though he's throwing downfield with more efficiency than anyone else. In his fourth season as a starter, and sixth in the Packers' current offensive scheme, Rodgers has mastered the position and is taking it to new heights.

Runner-up: There are a lot of candidates on a 7-0 team, so I'll use this space to reiterate that linebacker Clay Matthews has had a really strong season, even with his total of three sacks. I'd argue that he sealed two games for the Packers with specific plays: Stuffing New Orleans Saints running back Mark Ingram on the goal line in Week 1 and tackling Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton on a fourth-down run late in Week 2. And Matthews' run defense is a big reason the Packers are allowing the ninth-fewest rushing yards per game this season.

Biggest surprise: The Packers have actually succeeded in spreading the ball around equitably to their unmatched stable of skill players. James Starks has received 55 percent of carries given to running backs, while Ryan Grant is at 38 percent. Based on their production, both numbers are fair. Receiver Greg Jennings has caught 42 passes, but the Packers have five receivers/tight ends who have caught between 11 and 25 passes. Rodgers has spread his 20 touchdown passes among six different pass-catchers. Jennings has five, but Jermichael Finley and Jordy Nelson have four apiece while James Jones has three and Donald Driver has two.

Biggest disappointment: Nose tackle B.J. Raji has two sacks this season, and Packers coaches have given him 25 tackles based on film review. But I think most of us would agree Raji has had an underwhelming follow-up to his breakout 2010 season. His inconsistent pass rush is one of the reasons the Packers' pass defense is giving up the second-most yards per game in the NFL. To be fair, other reasons include injuries to safety Nick Collins, cornerback Tramon Williams and safety Morgan Burnett. It's also worth noting that Raji really turned it on in the second half of last season. Perhaps the same thing will happen in 2011.

Stat to note: Rodgers is averaging 30.3 yards on his 20 touchdown passes. Four have been longer than 70 yards, and he's the third player since the 1970 merger to throw a 70-plus yard touchdown in three consecutive games. (Sorry, that's more than one stat. Couldn't help it.)

Looking ahead: The Packers are going to the playoffs, presumably as the NFC North champions. The real question is whether they'll secure home-field advantage as the No. 1 seed and if they can do it with a perfect 16-0 record. I see three potential pitfalls: Week 9 at the San Diego Chargers, Week 12 at the Detroit Lions and Week 13 at the New York Giants.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

You can blame injury-induced personnel changes or opponents abandoning the run game. But through seven weeks of the season, as Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes, the Green Bay Packers have yet to patch the leak in their pass defense.

We've been discussing the issue since the start of the season, and the Packers remain at the bottom of the NFL rankings in terms of yardage allowed. They are giving up an average of 288.9 passing yards per game, the second-worst in the league. But their NFL-high 13 interceptions have helped them limit the points opponents have scored after accumulating that yardage. The most important statistic is points allowed, and the Packers' defense ranks No. 10 with an average of 20.1 points per game.

Defensive coordinator Dom Capers suggested looming improvement on the yardage issue as the health of the Packers' secondary rises.

"The first half of the season here," Capers said, "we've gone through our share of mixing and matching from one week to the next. So hopefully we can get everybody healthy and working together and get off to a good start once we get back [from the bye] and go to San Diego."

That list includes nickelback Sam Shields, who has been cleared to return from a concussion. Cornerback Tramon Williams continues to work through a shoulder injury, and safety Morgan Burnett is playing with a club protecting his broken hand.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette wonders if the Packers will re-sign running back Dimitri Nance following the loss of rookie Alex Green (knee).
• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "With nine regular-season games remaining, starting with a road game against the San Diego Chargers Nov. 6 after the bye week, the Packers know that their perfect record doesn't mean that they’re playing perfect football. [Coach Mike] McCarthy said the team has graded out as playing 'above average' so far this season."
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com reviews the tape of the Minnesota Vikings' loss to the Packers.
• Minneapolis political leaders are suggesting three potential sites for a new Vikings stadium, writes Kevin Duchschere of the Star Tribune. The Vikings prefer the site in suburban Arden Hills.
• Vikings right guard Anthony Herrera could miss two weeks because of a torn PCL ligament in his knee, notes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• John Niyo of the Detroit News on Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh: "Talk is cheap. But reputations are invaluable."
• Justin Rogers of Mlive.com reviews some of the key plays from the Lions' loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
• Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press examines the pregame trash talking between the Lions and Falcons.
• Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times takes a look at what the Chicago Bears must do to make the playoffs.
• The Bears put consistent pressure on Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.

After the Green Bay Packers' 33-27 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Kevin SeifertFollowing their win over Minnesota, the Packers visit the examination room.
   I mentioned this earlier on Twitter, but it bears repeating. Amid Tebowmania and everything else, I hope everyone realizes how out of his mind Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is playing. As he enters the Packers' bye week, Rodgers sits atop the NFL rankings in passer rating, QBR, completion percentage (71.5), yards per attempt (9.9) and touchdown passes (20). He's thrown three interceptions, two of which were tipped passes, and he's been incredibly consistent as the first player in NFL history to have a passer rating of at least 110 in each of his first seven starts to open a season. Like any team, the Packers have some flaws. But a near-perfect quarterback can compensate for many of them, and that's what Rodgers has done in 2011.
2. I didn't notice this play live, and I probably wouldn't have gone back to look at it were it not for a mention in Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback column. But Packers tight end Andrew Quarless made what has to be the best play of his career with 11 minutes, 43 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Quarless lined up in a trips formation on the left side of the line, moved into the slot, flattened Vikings defensive Jared Allen in pass protection and then took a few steps past the line of scrimmage. As Rodgers bought time by scrambling to his right, and Quarless turned upfield and got open for what turned out to be a 21-yard gain. Quarless has been mostly invisible this season upon the return of starter Jermichael Finley, and I wouldn't have guessed he could be so physical or play that aggressively. But it was a stunning display of versatility.
3. Sunday brought two revelations about the Packers' safety situation. One was that former starter Nick Collins, who suffered a serious neck injury in Week 2 and will miss the season, hasn't given up on playing again. He was in the locker room after the game and said: "Hopefully things work out and I'll be ready for next season. But at same time, if doctors tell me I can't play, it is what it is. We're very upbeat and we feel like we have a great chance of coming back." The other is that the broken hand of current starter Morgan Burnett, and the protective club he is wearing as a result, is absolutely hindering his play. You could see it on a number of occasions in run support, most notably when he couldn't hold on to Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson during a 54-yard run in the third quarter. Obviously, Burnett isn't the first safety to miss an open-field tackle on Peterson. But he was in position to make the play and got his arms in the right spot. He just physically couldn't hold on.

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

While we were paying attention to silly peripheral things like the Packers' Super Bowl championship, Mason Crosby has developed into one of the most reliable place-kickers in the game. I'm not sure how we missed it, but Crosby hasn't missed a kick since hitting the left upright on an attempt in Week 13 of last season. Since then, he has converted 21 consecutive kicks, including four in Sunday's game. One of them, a 58-yarder in the third quarter, set a Packers franchise record. I heard some mild grumbling from you this summer when the Packers re-signed Crosby to a five-year contract, but I think you're starting to get the picture now.

After the Green Bay Packers' 24-3 victory over the St. Louis Rams, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Kevin SeifertFollowing their win over St. Louis, the Packers visit the examination room.
   Linebacker A.J. Hawk provided a textbook example of how to move on past a stupid mistake, one that a few other people around here might take notice of. Hawk's middle-finger celebration after a sack was caught by FOX's cameras and made instant cyber-news. Hawk apologized, admitted he got caught up in an inside joke with teammates and told reporters: "… It was just a bad joke. I definitely won't do it again." Now, that wasn't so hard, was it? In the video below, ESPN's "First Take" debates whether Hawk should face NFL discipline for the episode. Skip Bayless called for a one-game suspension. Hmmmm.
2. Last week, we suggested that linebacker Clay Matthews' season would demand further scrutiny if he didn't break through against the Rams, who have the NFL's worst pass protection. Matthews answered the bell with a sack, two batted balls at the line of scrimmage and a near-interception. Matthews also added an element to his post-sack celebration, dusting off his arms "for you guys [in the media]," he said. As we've discussed a number of times, good fortune is a key element in high sack totals. There is every indication that Matthews is playing at a high level this season, regardless of the number of sacks (two) he has through six games.
3. It's been 13 seasons since the defending Super Bowl champion was the NFL's final unbeaten team the following year. In 1998, the Denver Broncos opened 13-0, finished 14-2 and won the Super Bowl. The Packers sure have the look of a wire-to-wire champion, at least through six games. They have four games remaining, including two against the 1-5 Minnesota Vikings, until their Thanksgiving showdown with the Detroit Lions. If they can win at the San Diego Chargers in two weeks, it's reasonable to think the Packers could be 10-0 when they head to Detroit.

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

How in the world is safety Morgan Burnett going to play with that club on his right hand for the next few weeks? Check out this photograph over on ESPNMilwaukee.com. I guess I'm more amazed than skeptical at this point. Burnett made it through Sunday's game fine, totaling nine tackles and a forced fumble. You wonder what will happen if Burnett misses a few interception opportunities. Can he possibly catch a ball thrown with decent velocity? It's one thing to play with a club if you're an offensive or defensive linemen. It's another to play a skill position. For now, Burnett deserves major credit for playing safety in an NFL game with essentially one hand.

Getting inside the Friday injury report, including a newly-broken hand of a starting defensive player in Green Bay:

Chicago Bears: We've already discussed the situation with defensive end Julius Peppers, who is listed as doubtful for Sunday night's game against the Minnesota Vikings because of a sprained knee. I wouldn't rule Peppers out for sure, but he obviously will be limited if he does play. Meanwhile, receiver Earl Bennett (torso) is listed as questionable but seems unlikely to play Sunday night.

Detroit Lions: Linebacker Justin Durant (concussion) and tight end Tony Scheffler (concussion) won't play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. Neither will safety Vincent Fuller (elbow). Cornerback Aaron Berry, receiver Rashied Davis, offensive lineman Jason Fox and safety Amari Spievey are questionable. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports Berry and Spievey are likely to play.

Green Bay Packers: Safety Morgan Burnett broke his right hand Thursday in practice but is probable for Sunday's game against the 49ers. He'll have to play with some sort of hard wrap on the hand, but he told reporters: "They’re telling me I’m able to go." The Packers don't have a lot of options. With safety Nick Collins already lost for the season, the Packers have only one backup safety: Rookie free agent M.D. Jennings, who took Burnett's place in practice Friday. They'll have to hope Burnett can play well enough despite a significant restriction. Offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga (knee) was listed as probable as well and is expected to start at right tackle Sunday.

Minnesota Vikings: It's not looking good for cornerback Antoine Winfield, who hasn't practiced all week because of a neck injury. He is officially listed as doubtful for Sunday night's game. Receiver Percy Harvin (ribs) is listed as questionable, but he practiced Friday and coach Leslie Frazier said: "I think he should be ready."

We’re Black and Blue Al Over:

Why are the Green Bay Packers giving up so many passing yards this season? Opponents are averaging 335.8 yards per game against them through four games, a number that has been mitigated by their red zone defense and otherwise overlooked during a rollicking 4-0 start.

Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel takes a stab at explaining the reasons and attaching significance. Rather than pass rush, it appears Packers coaches are focused on solidifying their secondary. Here’s what defensive coordinator Dom Capers said:

"To me, that's the biggest area we have to improve in. You'll hear me say this all year: If you want to keep people out of your end zone, you have to keep them from getting yardage in big chunks."

That seems to be a reference to the Packers' transition at safety after the loss of Pro Bowler Nick Collins. Morgan Burnett made several mistakes Sunday against the Denver Broncos, and veteran Charlie Peprah is settling into his new role as a starter as well.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• The Packers could have one of the NFL’s most dominant offenses for years to come, writes Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Suspended Packers defensive lineman Johnny Jolly was jailed Monday after his third drug arrest in three years. The Associated Press has more.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com breaks down the tape of the Minnesota Vikings’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
• Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune on Vikings coach Leslie Frazier: "Frazier declared Monday that [Donovan] McNabb will be his starter for Sunday's home game against Arizona. But Frazier's reasoning was less a ringing endorsement for McNabb and more an acknowledgement that he sees bigger problems to fix first."
• New Vikings nose tackle Remi Ayodele doesn’t have a single tackle through four games, according to Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz on the team’s running game, via Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press: "I mean, good gracious. We don't need to put panic attacks in everything else because we haven't run the ball. With all due respect to Bo Schembechler, we can pass it."
• The Lions have a bit of a depth issue at safety, writes Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News.
• The Lions know they haven’t played their best game yet, notes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• Chicago Bears returner Devin Hester had "any" stitched on the back of one shoe and "time" on the back of the other, writes Jon Greenberg of ESPNChicago.com.
• Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times: "The Bears might have rediscovered their running game in a 34-29 victory, but their offensive identity remains as elusive as ever."
• Bears guard Chris Spencer has a broken hand but should be able to play with it, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Minnesota Vikings' quest to smooth out quarterback Donovan McNabb's mechanics, as explained by Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, is a warning sign on several levels.

First, McNabb is in his 13th season and will be 35 in November. You don't typically see NFL teams tinkering with the mechanics of a veteran and presumably established quarterback at that point in his career, especially during the season.

Second, the Vikings have reacted to McNabb missing some open receivers and having some accuracy issues. Quite frankly, McNabb is performing at about his career level in that area. He is completing 58.0 percent of his passes this season. His career completion percentage is 58.9. McNabb has been many things during his career, but the NFL's most accurate passer isn't one of them.

When asked if he needed to change anything Wednesday, McNabb said: "No."

I don't blame him. After 13 years in the NFL, usually you're best off going with what got you here.

Obviously, the Vikings have the right to identify flaws and should attempt to coach any player toward a direction that could makes him better. But when it's the accuracy of your veteran quarterback at issue, there won't be any easy fixes.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• At a hearing about a referendum on the Vikings' stadium plans, opponents "overwhelmingly" outnumbered those who want to see the stadium built, according to Rochelle Olson of the Star Tribune.
• The Vikings will induct defensive end Chris Doleman into their Ring of Honor next month, notes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Chicago Bears offensive line coach Mike Tice won't get involved in play calling, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
• Bears special teams coach Dave Toub on the penalty that nullified the Bears' trick play last Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, via Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times: "I'm not sure what he saw, to be honest with you. I think maybe the official thought [Corey Graham] was trying to prevent [Jarrett Bush] from going to Devin [Hester], which is where we wanted him to go. He was just kind of pushing him that way."
• Hester said he needs to get more separation from defenders, according to Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune.
• Sunday's game at the Dallas Cowboys will be a homecoming for Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press has more.
• Lions coach Jim Schwartz on the status of defensive tackle Nick Fairley (foot), via Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News: "He's on a good program and he's making improvements and we'll get him back on the field as soon as we can. That's a difficult thing to come back from. I think we're on a good program and we're in a position where we don't have to rush it and put ourselves in a position that's not good for either us or the player."
• The Lions will face Cowboys pass-rusher DeMarcus Ware after consecutive weeks of facing Jared Allen and Tamba Hali, notes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com.
• Packers safety Morgan Burnett is quickly making a name for himself, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Packers center Scott Wells should be in line for a contract extension, writes Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers tailback Ryan Grant on the bruised kidney that could keep him out of Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos, via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "I feel fine. That's the problem, I guess -- that I feel fine. I guess that doesn't mean anything."

We're Black and Blue All Over:

It's difficult to have a single reaction to the Green Bay Packers' loss of safety Nick Collins. On the one hand, the Packers can feel confident that replacement Charlie Peprah successfully navigated an in-season transition at the other safety spot last season. But on the other hand, Peprah was asked to replace a rookie -- Morgan Burnett -- and not take on the role of one of the NFL's best at his position.

Peprah appears to understand that dynamic. Here are the reassuring words he provided to Wisconsin media Wednesday, via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "I think that's the thing you've got to know: I'm not going to go out there and make things look the way Nick made it look. But I'm going to get the job done, and I'm going to do it right, and I'm going to make plays. ..."

As we've discussed before, the Packers have a much bigger task at hand in replacing Collins than they did last year with Burnett. But Peprah will give them a professional effort and performance, and they are fortunate to have him in this position for consecutive years.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette notes that Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers historically hasn't played his best games against the Chicago Bears.
• The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports cornerback Tramon Williams (shoulder) was "very limited" in practice Wednesday.
• The Chicago Bears will give Frank Omiyale a one-week test as their right tackle in the wake of rookie Gabe Carimi's knee injury, according to the Chicago Tribune.
• Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz took the blame for imbalanced play calling last Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. Via Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com: "What happened, to be honest with you, I got into a two-minute mode too soon. That's one of the things I talked with [coach] Lovie [Smith] about. Going into that fourth quarter, once that turnover came, there's just a lot of things; it's just not simple. But none of them are a justification. We went into that game thinking we were going to run the ball quite a bit, again there are reasons for everything, it's not that we want to do that. Nobody wants to throw the ball that much. It's not fun."
• Bears quarterback Jay Cutler is in survival mode, writes Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• The Detroit Lions have increased their team speed on defense, notes Justin Rogers of Mlive.com.
• Lions cornerback Chris Houston has worked on his ball skills and already has two interceptions this season, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions coach Jim Schwartz on rookie defensive tackle Nick Fairley, via Chris McCosky of the Detroit News: "He's going to play a lot of good football for us this year."
• If they lose Sunday to the Lions, the Minnesota Vikings will need to re-evaluate their priorities for the season, writes Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.
• Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "[E]vidence is mounting that the Vikings (0-2) either do not have the playmakers to threaten defenses downfield or their playmakers simply are not up to the task."
• Vikings safety Tyrell Johnson on his arrest this week for drunken driving, via the Star Tribune: "I made a mistake. I'm very regretful for the mistake. ... And I'm very fortunate and blessed that I didn't get hurt and no one else got hurt in the situation because of my selfishness." Coach Leslie Frazier said Johnson will be available to play Sunday against the Lions.

After the Green Bay Packers' 30-23 victory Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, here are three issues that merit further examination:

Kevin SeifertThe Packers step into the exam room after their victory against Carolina.
1. As they debated whether the Packers could go undefeated this season in the video below, our friends at ESPN's First Take obviously didn't know that Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins had been lost for the season because of a neck injury. On the surface, it's a huge blow. Collins is one of the NFL's best players at his position. It's unlikely that replacement Charlie Peprah can navigate the same kind of seamless transition he did last season after taking over for rookie Morgan Burnett. But I feel the same way about Collins' injury as I did about the loss of tailback Ryan Grant after Week 1 last season. The injury comes at a position where change, even a downgrade, is manageable. With no disrespect to Collins, I could confidently name five other Packers positions where the loss of a starter would be more impactful than free safety.
2. With or without Collins, the Packers exit Week 2 knowing they need to take a good look at their pass defense to ensure no fundamental flaws have been exposed. The numbers, at least, are ugly. Both opposing starters have exceeded 400 passing yards. The Packers defense has given up an NFL-high 800 net passing yards in two games and opponents are converting 56 percent of their third-down opportunities. But they have survived to this point by totaling seven sacks and three interceptions, each tied for fourth-highest in the league.
3. Coach Mike McCarthy bristled Monday at questions about his pass-run ratio, noting the topic seems to arise every season. The facts: Packers running backs have 39 carries this season. Rodgers has scrambled nine times, thrown 65 passes and been sacked on three occasions. That translates into a rough 70-30 ratio. I don't have too many complaints about the breakdown when you consider where the NFL has moved in recent years. The big number to track is how many total plays the Packers have. To this point, they've averaged a relatively low 58 plays per game. (Last year, they averaged about 63 plays per game.) Sunday, the Packers had only three plays in the first quarter and soon trailed 13-0. If the Packers put themselves into position to run more plays, I hope their ratio would even out a bit.

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

I've expressed this sentiment before. Some of you might not be surprised. But I continue to be amazed at how often opponents fall for the Packers' well-executed but relatively hollow play-action passes. A team that is throwing on seven out of every 10 plays shouldn't be able to get so many big plays on play-action. Sunday, the Panthers bit on play fakes prior to Greg Jennings' 49-yard touchdown pass as well as Jordy Nelson's 84-yard score. More power to the Packers, I guess.

News that Green Bay Packers safety Nick Collins will miss the season is enough to take your breath away. For no other reason, it takes us back to the chaotic first half of the Packers' 2010 campaign, the one where they were literally losing prominent players on a weekly basis. The Packers persevered to win Super Bowl XLV, but I don't think anyone thought they would find themselves in such a familiar karmic situation so early in 2011.

Collins suffered an undisclosed neck injury during in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 30-23 victory against the Carolina Panthers. Medical officials wheeled him off the field as a precautionary measure, but as of Sunday night the Packers reported he had "normal feeling and complete movement" in his extremities during an overnight stay in a North Carolina hospital.

Collins returned Monday to Lambeau Field wearing a neck brace, coach Mike McCarthy said. A consultation with team doctors led to the decision to shut him down for the season. McCarthy said it is "too early in the evaluation process" to make a long-term prognosis, and surgical options haven't been determined. Hopefully, McCarthy said, the injury is just "a bump in the road" on the way to a Hall of Fame career.

"It's tough," a subdued McCarthy told Wisconsin reporters Monday afternoon. "We've been through the injury stuff before, but it's something that you never get used to as a head coach."

Charlie Peprah will replace Collins in the starting lineup, just as he stepped in for the injured Morgan Burnett for the final 12 games of last season. In this case, however, Peprah will be lined up next to Burnett and won't have the luxury of a Pro Bowl player next to him. McCarthy said "we have all the confidence in the world in Charlie," but I think we can all recognize it is a much different situation when you lose one of the NFL's top safeties so early in the season.

As they prepare for Sunday's NFC North clash against the Chicago Bears, the Packers are now dealing with two significant injuries in their defensive secondary. Pro Bowl cornerback Tramon Williams was inactive Sunday because of a bruised shoulder, and his status for the Bears game is uncertain. It's worth pointing out that with Williams playing most of Week 1 and Collins playing three quarters of Week 2, the Packers have still given up an NFL-high 800 passing yards this season.

The Packers proved to have the depth and mental toughness to push through last season's injury debacle. The 2011 season is only two weeks old, and already they've taken their first punch in the mouth.