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On Friday, we posted some basic but important questions about the trio of NFC North rookie minicamps held over the weekend. I thought they would help us keep focused amid discussion about dozens of players who probably won't make an NFL team, let alone make an impact on the 2012 season.

Below, I've addressed the questions with updated information culled from a variety of sources. Links are provided when appropriate. In one case, I offered a rarely-seen "bonus" section. Don't say I never do anything for you.

Chicago Bears: What is the conditioning level of receiver Alshon Jeffery?

By all accounts, Jeffery was having a nice opening practice Friday -- "picking peanuts off some guys' heads," according to offensive coordinator Mike Tice -- before leaving with leg cramps.

Cramps are not unusual at rookie camps, where nerves and a lack of familiarity often lead to inadequate hydration and/or eating. Jeffery's pre-draft questions about work ethic and conditioning add a level to this particular departure, but he returned for the weekend practices without incident.

"Most of the guys are a little sore right now, but we see a guy with great hands, a big target that will only get better," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "He should be in the mix to help us win games this year."

Bonus: Here's what Tice had to say about criticism of the Bears' depth at tackle, a position they did not draft to: "If we felt that tackle was a dire need for us, I'm sure they would have answered the bell on draft day. With the change in scheme, the change in personality and an offseason and getting some guys healthy, I think we'll make a big jump in the offensive line. It takes time for young guys to play good in all areas. And we have a couple young guys who have played good football in half the scheme, and they need to step it up in the other half. Plus, we have some guys who got hurt, and we need to get those guys back."

Detroit Lions: How many positions is offensive lineman Riley Reiff playing? Also, how much work, if any, is receiver Ryan Broyles doing?

The Lions rotated Reiff between left tackle and right tackle on a per-practice basis, but there were no reports of him seeing time at guard. That doesn't mean he won't eventually get some work there as a possible competitor for right guard Stephen Peterman, but on his first weekend the Lions limited him to the two positions he figured to be most familiar with.

Lions coach Jim Schwartz clearly subscribes to the "less is more" philosophy on drawing conclusions in rookie camp. But here were his early impressions of the Lions' first-round draft choice: "You can tell as much of what we did here today about him as we could outside [of practice.] I mean walkthroughs, meetings and things like that. You can tell that he's an experienced, smart, confident player and he’s going to do well for us."

Broyles, on the other hand, observed but did not participate in any of the practices as he continues to recover from a November knee injury. The question now becomes whether he will be cleared in time for training camp or whether he will open camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

Schwartz wouldn't commit to a timetable on when Broyles will be able to practice or play a game but said: "[H]e's on a good path. He's had a good rehab so far. He showed it in his pro day and he's shown it here. It depends on what happens between now and then."

Green Bay Packers: How rough does Nick Perry look at outside linebacker? Also, are there any clues that B.J. Coleman will be able to challenge Graham Harrell for the No. 2 quarterback job?

The biggest news on Perry is that the Packers started him off as the left outside linebacker, which is where Clay Matthews played the past two seasons. Coach Mike McCarthy wouldn't say whether that meant Matthews will move to the rights side or if Perry will initially be slotted as a backup. But as Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette pointed out, most 3-4 teams prefer their biggest outside linebacker to work on the left side to stand up against opponents who are generally right-handed running teams.

Meanwhile, Coleman demonstrated notable arm strength in comparison to fellow quarterback Nick Hill, according to Rob Demovsky of the Press-Gazette. That's a good start. Whether he can challenge Harrell depends on how quickly he can learn the Packers' offense, and according to McCarthy, how long it takes him to adapt to an entirely new set of footwork techniques required at the professional level.

Rookie minicamps are a lot like college orientation: A chance to get new players acclimated to NFL life before the upperclassmen show up. So it's important to avoid seeking detailed answers or drawing deep conclusions over the next three days in Chicago, Detroit and Green Bay.

It is worth pointing out, however, that at least one significant personnel move resulted in part from the rookie minicamp the Minnesota Vikings held last weekend. The Vikings saw enough from place-kicker Blair Walsh, a sixth-round draft choice from Georgia, that they felt comfortable releasing incumbent Ryan Longwell earlier this week.

With all of that in mind, let's take a look at some of the reasonable answers we might find over the next few days. I won't be in attendance, but hopefully we can round up some information by Monday.

Chicago Bears: What is the conditioning level of receiver Alshon Jeffery?

We've spent some time discussing Jeffery's drop from nearly 240 pounds this winter to 216 pounds at the February scouting combine. Some personnel evaluators were concerned about his commitment to keeping in shape, but as we noted Thursday, Jeffery spent some time with Bears reserve quarterback Josh McCown last weekend and is skipping the NFLPA Rookie Premiere presented by Nike to continue working out.

Detroit Lions: How many positions is offensive lineman Riley Reiff playing? Also, how much work, if any, is receiver Ryan Broyles doing?

Reiff was a left tackle at Iowa. Some teams projected him as a right tackle in the NFL, a path followed by his predecessor, current Green Bay Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga. Lions offensive line coach George Yarno told the Detroit Free Press that Reiff would see time at both left and right tackles this weekend. But you also wonder if the Lions would be tempted to work him a bit at guard to see if there could at some point be a competition with right guard Stephen Peterman.

Broyles, as you know, is recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered last November. He was recovered enough to work out for scouts before the draft, but there is a big difference between running and participating in football activities. It's hard to imagine the Lions subjecting him to much, if anything, this weekend.

Green Bay Packers: How rough does Nick Perry look at outside linebacker? Also, are there any clues that B.J. Coleman will be able to challenge Graham Harrell for the No. 2 quarterback job?

These questions speak to the dangers of putting rookie minicamp observations into stone. Perry, for one, is making the transition from being a defensive end. It's no insult to him to suggest he's not going to look like a polished professional in his first three days at the new position. The important gauge, if it can be determined, is whether Perry makes significant progress over the weekend or if to looks like it's going to take him an extended period of time to grow comfortable with his role.

The same thing goes for Coleman, who as a rookie quarterback will be fortunate just to know all the plays this weekend. If he looks sharp from the start, it will be a miracle -- and again, that's no insult to him. But the Packers have a precedent for using a seventh-round draft pick as Aaron Rodgers' top backup -- with Matt Flynn in 2008 -- and so it's worth checking to see if Coleman has anything close to the aptitude required to challenge for that role.

A few newsbits from Thursday:

Item: The Detroit Lions re-signed tight end Will Heller and also signed defensive end Everette Brown.
Comment: Heller is back for another year as the Lions' third tight end, presumably at a lower salary than the $1.2 million he was scheduled to earn in 2012. Brown is a former second-round draft pick who didn't make much impact in three years with the Carolina Panthers and San Diego Chargers.

Item: The Minnesota Vikings are scheduled to host Baltimore Ravens free agent cornerback Chris Carr on a visit, according to multiple reports.
Comment: Carr has been a starter on one of the NFL's better defenses, but a hamstring injury limited him to one start last season. He is very much the definition of the second-tier free agent market.

Item: New Chicago Bears running back Michael Bush hasn't spoken yet with starter Matt Forte, who didn't react well Thursday to his arrival.
Comment: Hopefully no one takes out their anger on Bush. Forte's issue is with the team, not him.

Item: The Lions hosted Bears free agent cornerback Corey Graham on a visit Thursday.
Comment: The Lions have an opening for a starter after Eric Wright's departure, and Graham is looking for an opportunity to play more cornerback in addition to special teams.

Item: Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch's five-year contract is worth $25 million, including $11 million guaranteed, according to Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.
Comment: As my NFC West colleague Mike Sando noted, the market for inside linebackers has been flat for a while, probably due to the NFL's passing focus. For context, consider that former Vikings middle linebacker E.J. Henderson signed an almost identical contract six years ago.

The Green Bay Packers' sudden need at center has led us to consider their options in the 2012 draft class. That will probably be a common theme for the next month, especially after free agent Jeff Saturday scheduled a visit with the Denver Broncos and veteran Samson Satele signed Wednesday with the Indianapolis Colts.

But a quick look at the centers in this class brings us back to our meeting with ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay at the NFL scouting combine. There is only one dominant interior offensive lineman in this draft, and he's not a center. It's Stanford guard David DeCastro, who is "as good an interior lineman as I've ever scouted," McShay said.

McShay considers DeCastro one of the best 15 players in the draft. But because NFL teams rarely value guards that high, McShay projects DeCastro to be drafted anywhere between No. 16 and No. 25 in the first round.

I'm not advocating the Packers draft DeCastro with the idea of moving him to center. But if McShay's projection is accurate, DeCastro could provide an interesting opportunity for two of our other teams -- the Chicago Bears at No. 19 and the Detroit Lions at No. 23.

The Bears haven't addressed their offensive line during an otherwise active opening week in free agency, and they selected a tackle -- Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi -- in the first round of the 2011 draft. But their line is hardly settled enough to ignore a prospect as good as DeCastro in that situation.

The Lions have used the same starting guards for the past two years, Rob Sims and Stephen Peterman. But general manager Martin Mayhew has demonstrated repeatedly that he will draft based on value over the status of his current lineup. That makes DeCastro a possibility for them.

Your next chance to hear about DeCastro will come Thursday when he participates in Stanford's pro day. He won't answer the Packers' question at center, but he could be in play for the NFC North regardless.

We've used 2011 playing-time statistics to identify a number of trends and important points, from the perfect attendance of Chicago Bears linebacker Lance Briggs to the reliability of Detroit Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew to the curious limitations placed upon Minnesota Vikings receiver Percy Harvin. Now let's sift though some other figures that don't demand dramatic conclusions but are of interest nonetheless.

1. We noted that Briggs played every defensive snap for the Bears last season. Five other players, all offensive linemen, also never missed a play. That list includes Chicago Bears center Roberto Garza and left tackle J'Marcus Webb, Detroit Lions guards Stephen Peterman and Rob Sims, and Green Bay Packers guard/tackle T.J. Lang.
2. Minnesota Vikings left tackle Charlie Johnson missed a grand total of eight plays in 2011. Lions center Dominic Raiola missed nine plays and Packers center Scott Wells missed 29. Vikings right tackle Phil Loadholt played all but 33 snaps.
3. Depth issues at defensive end surfaced for several teams. The Vikings' Jared Allen led all NFL players at his position by playing on 94.3 percent of his team's snaps, and teammate Brian Robison ranked 11th among defensive ends by playing 84.4 percent. Meanwhile, the Bears' Israel Idonije was on the field for 84.6 percent of his team's snaps, with Julius Peppers close behind at 82.1. Obviously that foursome is a good group of players, but it's also clear that their teams didn't have backups they felt comfortable rolling in.
4. Consider that conclusion in the context of how the well-stocked Lions rotated their defensive ends. Cliff Avril played on 72 percent of their snaps and Kyle Vanden Bosch was on the field for 67.9 percent. Lawrence Jackson played on 30.1 percent of the Lions' snaps despite injuries that limited him to 11 games, while backup Willie Young saw action 22.7 percent of plays over 14 games.
5. The NFC North had two workhorse middle linebackers. The Bears' Brian Urlacher missed only 14 plays, most of which came after a knee injury in the season finale. The Lions' Stephen Tulloch, meanwhile, missed only 19 of 1,098 defensive snaps.
6. Bears running back Matt Forte was on the field for the 10th-most plays (564) among running backs despite missing four-plus games because of a knee injury.

Thanks to everyone who responded to the mailbag request this week. Keep in mind that the best mailbag questions, at least in the mind of the person choosing said questions for publication, have cross-division appeal and usually range in scope beyond simple fact-finding. (Boooring!) Remember, we also tend to have impromptu Q&As on Twitter (@espn_nfcnblog) and on our ranging Facebook page (Kevin Seifert Espn), complete with an awesomely new cover photograph.

Onward…

In his usual diplomatic style, Ben of Denver notes our post on the Minnesota Vikings' plans for the No. 3 overall pick and writes: So I just want to be sure, you would rather have Christian Ponder over Robert Griffin III? (Andrew Luck is going to Indy). The guy who was the best pick in the draft simply because he was a QB taken in the first round, that's the guy you would rather have? Your blind love and endless defense of Ponder since that absurd proclamation entered your mind has been truly funny over the past nearly a full year now, but it has to end. Please.

Kevin Seifert: Shortly after the 2011 draft, I did in fact nominate Ponder as the best pick an NFC North team made. I thought at the time that the Vikings had no choice but to begin the process of finding their next quarterback, and I didn't agree with the idea that they should have waited for a future draft to take a higher-rated prospect. When you're talking about the quarterback position, you throw out conventional draft wisdom if you think you can get someone who can be a consistent starter.

I still think the Vikings made the right decision, but I also have written that Ponder's rookie season was the most disappointing in the division. He'll have an entire offseason to get himself straight and demonstrate why the Vikings went the route they did.

Whether I would pick Griffin this season wasn't the point of the post Ben referred to. All I've said so far is that the Vikings have offered no real indication that they'll consider Griffin, assuming Luck goes No. 1 overall. I haven't made my mind up on whether it would be wise for the Vikings to double up on quarterbacks at this moment. But I promise you, we'll get to that topic over the next few months.

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Mike of Atlanta writes: Here's a scenario I haven't really heard anyone talk about: Devin Hester is starting to get up there in years (30 this November). It seems to me that speed is one of those things that drops off faster for players than other attributes that make a player successful in the NFL. The Bears tied up Dave Toub for at least the immediate future, virtually guaranteeing a competitive special teams corps. Wouldn't now be the best time for the Bears to leverage Hester -- who has always underperformed at receiver, which is a position they need to grow at -- to a team that needs a return man, in return for a tight end or a draft pick that could bolster other positions, and use one of their mid-to-late round picks to pick up another speedster?

Kevin Seifert: You're right, Mike. No one has really mentioned that. I have to say I double-checked Hester's birthday to make sure that he will in fact turn 30 during the season. He will. His career has moved quickly.

I think what football people would tell you is that speed is only part of Hester's success. His open-field running skills, his instincts and his innate knowledge of how to set up blocks have all contributed. That's why it's reasonable to believe he'll be really effective for years to come, even if he loses the top end of his speed.

Brian Mitchell, whose return records Hester has broken, was never a speedster. He played until he was 35 years old.

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Robin of Chanhassen, Minn., writes: Any possibility the Green Bay Packers surprise us all and go after Cliff Avril?

Kevin Seifert: Any discussion on Avril presumes the Lions decide against using their franchise tag on him and aren't able to get him signed to a long-term deal before free agency opens March 13. And anything connecting the Packers to another team's veteran free agent suggests a reversal of general manager Ted Thompson's recent player acquisition habits.

With those two major caveats, Avril is an intriguing prospect because his size (260 pounds) and athletic ability suggest he could make a successful transition to outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. It probably makes more sense to consider him a linebacker in the Packers' scheme than thinking he might bulk up to become a true 3-4 defensive end.

NFL teams rarely allow bona fide pass rushers to reach the open market, and if Avril is available, perhaps that would be enough for Thompson to get involved. The Packers have limited salary cap space this offseason, and they already have significant money tied up in linebackers Desmond Bishop and A.J. Hawk, not to mention the looming extension they'll need to give Clay Matthews in the next year or two.

But Thompson would be well advised to give it careful thought, if nothing else, if he has the opportunity to team Matthews with a pass-rusher of Avril's accomplishments and weaken a division rival at the same time.

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John of San Diego writes: Avril: "A lot of teams don't think the Lions will let me hit free agency. But a few teams have called." Did the new CBA do away with tampering?

Kevin Seifert: John accurately pulled that quote from a Detroit Free Press story. Tampering is still against NFL rules. I guess the best way to put it is that we would all be naïve to think it doesn't occur at some level. And usually, what goes around comes around. Avril later clarified his comments to the Free Press, saying other players have heard their coaches say they would like to have a player like him.

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Dave of Ithaca, New York, writes: How much cap room do you think the Lions can realistically make in order to try and keep Avril and Stephen Tulloch around? Can they keep them both? Do you foresee any surprise cuts for guys like Corey Williams or Stephen Peterman in order to make it happen?

Kevin Seifert: At last check, the Lions were pretty close to the NFL's projected limit of $120 million for 2012. I have to admit that I don't see how the math works for them to re-sign both Avril and Stephen Tulloch, even if they are able to extend the contract of receiver Calvin Johnson and reduce his cap number for 2012. There will also have to be some combination of roster cuts/restructuring and salary cap tricks, including borrowing from future years.

Williams' name surfaces often as a possible cap casualty, mostly because he's scheduled to earn $5 million in 2012 but also because the Lions drafted a defensive tackle (Nick Fairley) in the first round last year. Williams seems a more likely candidate than Peterman.

Our friends at Football Outsiders have put together a series previewing each NFL team's offseason needs, using their unique statistical analysis to support their assertions. Football Outsiders' work requires an Insiders subscription to view in full, a contradiction that always elicits a giggle from NFC East colleague Dan Graziano. But I'm authorized to provide you a snippet from each of our teams. Herewith:

Chicago Bears: Most everyone has the Bears pegged to pursue wide receivers in free agency and/or the draft, and Outsiders doesn't discount that possibility. But based on its analysis of the Bears' 2011 season, offensive tackle should be the Bears' top priority. Left tackle J'Marcus Webb allowed 10 sacks and was "among the worst [left tackles] in the league." The Bears' running game, meanwhile, was stuffed for a loss or no gain on 24.1 percent of its runs, a "catastrophic" figure blamed mostly on poor run blocking.

Detroit Lions: Like the Bears, Outsiders thinks the Lions need to upgrade their offensive line more than anything else. Based on Outsiders statistics, the Lions had the second-worst run-blocking offensive line in the NFL in 2011. Center Dominic Raiola and right guard Stephen Peterman were particularly to blame. Outsiders' analysis suggested that running backs Jahvid Best and Kevin Smith actually had above-average seasons based on the yardage available to them.

Green Bay Packers: We all know the Packers need more pass rush; Outsiders ranked them last in the NFL in its adjusted sack rate (ASR) in 2011. Outsiders' analysis suggests the pass rush would improve if the Packers focus their upgrade efforts along the defensive line, giving it better push up front but also opening up lanes for linebacker Clay Matthews.

Minnesota Vikings: Perhaps "the worst secondary in the league." That should tell you all you need to know. Here's one of many sobering statistics from 2011: Cornerback Cedric Griffin allowed an average of 10.5 yards on every pass thrown in his direction, and teams had a 38 percent success rate against him. Both totals were among the bottom five of all cornerbacks in Outsiders' statistical study.

Let's catch up on Todd McShay's latest mock draft , one that shakes up the conventional thinking for a couple NFC North teams and points us squarely toward the offseason now that the NFL's 2011 season is fully complete. You'll need an Insider subscription to see the entire draft, but I can offer you a division-centric glimpse:

3. Minnesota Vikings
McShay pick: Iowa offensive tackle Riley Reiff
Seifert comment: In this scenario, USC tackle Matt Kalil is already off the board. Mocks don't typically account for trades, which I'm guessing the Vikings would pursue if they can't draft Kalil and Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III is still on the board. Otherwise, the Vikings would have to determine if the draft's second-best left tackle is a better option than its top cornerback (LSU's Morris Claiborne) or best receiver (Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon).

19. Chicago Bears
McShay pick: Baylor receiver Kendall Wright
Seifert comment: McShay thinks Wright is "on the rise" and chose him over Notre Dame's Michael Floyd. Wright will be one of the fastest receivers available in the draft but at 5-foot-10, he wouldn't qualify as a so-called "big" receiver.

23. Detroit Lions
McShay pick: Georgia guard Cordy Glenn
Seifert comment: This pick would fall under the "best available player" category. The Lions seem set with Rob Sims at left guard and Stephen Peterman on the right side, and McShay thinks that Glenn could develop into a right tackle. Regardless, if the Lions have a need at offensive line, it's at left tackle, where starter Jeff Backus is approaching his 35th birthday and is a pending free agent.

28. Green Bay Packers
McShay pick: Oklahoma linebacker Ronnell Lewis
Seifert comment: Mock drafters are going to keep assigning pass rushers to the Packers until they finally take one.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Detroit Lions are hoping that rookie defensive tackle Nick Fairley has turned the corner in his recovery from a foot injury that forced him to miss five of this season's first eight games and left him with little first-half impact in 2011.

After resting during a well-timed bye week, Fairley said, via Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com: "I'm feeling real good. The break did a lot for me, especially just being able to sit back and rest up -- get off my feet, let it heal on its own without nothing moving, without doing a lot of walking around or whatever. ... I'm all good to go, ready to go now. Second half, here we go, here we come."

Given their depth at defensive line, the Lions have always been in good position to absorb Fairley's injury and allow for a slow and effective return. They started the season 6-2 without getting much of a contribution from him, but they could be in position to get a second-half boost from their first-round draft pick.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Lions guard Stephen Peterman doesn't feel threatened by the arrival of veteran offensive lineman Leonard Davis, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• New Lions safety Chris Harris on facing his former team this weekend, via Chris McCosky of the Detroit News: "It's more of an anxiousness than anything else. I don't have any bitterness toward Chicago. This is a business, and the quicker you learn that, the better of you'll be."
• The Chicago Bears' offensive line is coming along well, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com on Bears quarterback Jay Cutler: "It's tough not to draw the connection. A happier, looser Jay Cutler is a better Jay Cutler. Or maybe it's that a better Jay Cutler is happier and looser."
• Cutler has been "outstanding," ESPN analyst Ron Jaworski told Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette on the Green Bay Packers: "Confidence oozes all around the locker room, and team members are seemingly oblivious to the increasing scrutiny that can sometimes stifle a reigning Super Bowl champion. Players remain focused but at the same time are loose and relaxed."
• Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel speaks to Packers players about random drug tests.
• If the Minnesota Vikings want to build their new stadium in suburban Arden Hills, they might need to increase their proposed contribution, Gov. Mark Dayton told the Star Tribune.
• The Vikings want to do their best to keep Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers off the field Monday night, writes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

After the Chicago Bears' 24-13 loss to the Detroit Lions, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Kevin SeifertThe Bears and their suddenly vulnerable defense head to the exam room following a loss to the Lions.
   Last week, I suggested holding off on a full-scale panic about the Bears' defense. I'm still not there yet. But a second look at Lions tailback Jahvid Best's 88-yard touchdown run revealed a Bears defense that hardly looked like a group that has seen it all. Of course, the Lions got two great blocks at the point of attack to create the hole. Guard Stephen Peterman and center Dominic Raiola double-teamed defensive tackle Matt Toeaina, while right tackle Gosder Cherilus turned out defensive end Israel Idonije. But linebacker Brian Urlacher and safety Chris Harris filled the same gap, between Peterman and Cherilus. Peterman got a piece of Urlacher and Best cut inside of Harris. Meanwhile, linebacker Lance Briggs fell for quarterback Matthew Stafford's play-fake and chased tight end Tony Scheffler away from the play for a few steps before realizing it was a run. The Lions deserve credit for their blocking and Best's speed, but the Bears played themselves out of position as well.
2. By the end of the game, the Bears had moved right guard Lance Louis to right tackle and had inserted Edwin Williams at right guard. Right tackle Frank Omiyale was benched for a second consecutive week, and it's hard to imagine him starting Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings. We'll get more clarity as the week progresses, but in many ways it feels like the Bears are back where they were midway through last season: Playing mix-and-match until they can find even a semi-permanent arrangement of offensive linemen.
3. As we discussed earlier Tuesday in Stock Watch, quarterback Jay Cutler can't possibly feel great about the situation around him. Often Cutler makes it difficult on himself by making poor decisions, but on Monday night I saw a quarterback gamely trying to make the best of near-constant harassment and substantial limitations of his receiving corps. Even on a night when tailback Matt Forte rushed was rushing for 116 yards, Cutler was under duress more than any NFL quarterback in a game this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He took hits, dealt with an inexcusable nine false starts and kept looking for plays from a receiving group whose depth chart has been overturned by production. Dane Sanzenbacher and Sam Hurd were the Bears' leading receivers with six and four catches, respectively. When you see a player stand in as gamely as Cutler did Monday, you wonder what he might do with a better supporting cast.

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

The Bears have been historically fluid at safety under coach Lovie Smith, and so I guess it shouldn't be surprising that we've reached Week 6 with little to no idea if the Bears have one credible safety on their roster, let alone two. Veteran Chris Harris returned to the lineup Monday night, but he got exposed while trying to cover Lions receiver Calvin Johnson downfield in the second quarter. Brandon Meriweather, signed just before the season, has yet to demonstrate he is an improvement over Major Wright, whom the Bears spent most of the offseason planning to use as a starter. You have to think it's a matter of time before we see rookie Chris Conte in the lineup.

DETROIT -- Make no mistake: The Detroit Lions gave their city a first-in-a-generation scene Monday night.

Michael Buffer bellowed the pregame introductions. Barry Sanders took the field as an honorary captain. A record crowd at Ford Field induced nine false-start penalties and later emptied into the streets as if the French Quarter had been transported north. Detroit's burgeoning cadre of celebrity fans, including pop stars Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker, held court in the Lions' postgame locker room.

It's a sight I won't soon forget. Neither will the 67,861 in attendance nor the Lions' still-gestating roster. But to me, the takeaway memory of the Lions' 24-13 victory over the Chicago Bears was the evidence that Monday night won't be a once-in-a-lifetime event.

The Bears matched up well against the Lions, largely stifling their offense and moving the ball decently against their defense. At halftime, the Bears led 10-7. But no matter how the Lions play, they have a critical ingredient that helps any good team navigate dips in efficiency: the ability to score easy touchdowns. In the NFL, that attribute is known as "explosiveness," and for the Lions, it is the ultimate equalizer.

The Lions won Monday night largely because of three huge plays:

1. Receiver Calvin Johnson's 73-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.
2. Running back Jahvid Best's 88-yard scoring run in the third quarter.
3. Best's 43-yard run in the fourth quarter, which put the Lions in position for a game-clinching field goal.

Those three plays totaled 204 yards, or 51.6 percent of the Lions' total offensive output Monday night. They had 191 yards on their other 43 plays, an average of 4.3 yards per pop.

"Our playmakers answered the bell tonight for us," receiver Nate Burleson said. "We knew we were going to need that."

It probably didn't surprise the national television audience when quarterback Matthew Stafford caught the Bears trying to defend Johnson with a single-high safety in the second quarter. Johnson blew past strong safety Chris Harris, and free safety Brandon Meriweather was too late providing help.

But Best was another story. He had averaged 3.2 yards per carry over the Lions' first four games and hadn't produced a run longer than 19 yards. Most of us had written off both him and the Lions' running game, but the mistake was forgetting what Best can do when he gets in the open field.

Crushing blocks from right guard Stephen Peterman and right tackle Gosder Cherilus opened a crease at the 12-yard line in the third quarter, and Best said: "I figure if I get in the open field, nobody should catch me. I knew nobody was going to catch me from behind."

It sounds simple, but not every NFL team has one player like Johnson or Best, someone who can turn a relatively simple play into a game-changing touchdown.

It's true that the Bears have been vulnerable to the kind of runs Best broke. Entering Week 5, they were allowing 5.3 yards per rush between the tackles, the NFL's third-worst mark. And some of you might like Best to provide more of a consistent threat.

Since joining the Lions last season, Best has five carries that have totaled 229 yards. He has averaged 2.9 yards on his other 238 carries. But what he did Monday night helped win a key NFC North game and, more importantly, will have ramifications for the rest of the season -- even if he never comes close to replicating it.

"When you have a quarterback like we have, when you have a receiver like we have, you're probably not going to be a team that's going to run the ball 40 times a game," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "So we're going to do what it takes to win the game, and we have a lot of explosiveness in our pass game. You saw the way it was able to be effective. We ran the ball well enough to be able to set it up."

Indeed, the Lions' third touchdown came on a play-action fake to Best. That's how tight end Brandon Pettigrew got wide open for an 18-yard touchdown reception. On Monday night, Stafford completed all five of his play-action passes, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Hereafter, Lions opponents who overlook Best, or lose track of him, will do so at their own peril. NFL teams fear players who can score on their own and build game plans around them. The Lions have two great equalizers in their arsenal, and that's the scene I'll remember from Monday night.

"I don't think we proved anything," Stafford said. "We go out ... expecting to win every game."

With big-play weapons such as Johnson and Best, the Lions have every right to feel that way. I don't know where this magical season will take them. But they've shown us they have the ingredients to continue winning well into January.

Now, wouldn't that be a scene to remember?

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The firing of Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress this week has overshadowed a much more positive trend among NFC North coaches: Two of them are candidates for NFL coach of the year.

The Chicago Bears' Lovie Smith has helped resurrect his team from what appeared to be lame-duck status this season. The Green Bay Packers' Mike McCarthy, meanwhile, has navigated his team through an injury-ravaged first half to emerge as one of the league's top teams.

Smith was on the proverbial hot seat when the season began, and many of us in the media were busy trying to figure out the buyout on his contract. Now he has his team on a playoff run and will be entering the final year of his contract in 2011. So instead of firing Smith, should the Bears be working on a contract extension?

Not yet, writes David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune.

Haugh: "It looks encouraging enough heading into Sunday's showdown against the [Philadelphia] Eagles for general manager Jerry Angelo to issue an unsolicited vote of confidence for Smith last week. But if the Bears miss the playoffs for the fourth straight year despite a surprising start, can a franchise justify bringing back a coach who would have qualified for the postseason in only two of seven seasons?"

In other words, there is no rush.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Sunday's game against the Eagles will be the Bears' moment of truth, writes Mike Mulligan of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com looks at the highs and lows of the Bears' week.
• Packers receiver Greg Jennings is making his case for the Pro Bowl this season, writes Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette looks at the value, or lack thereof, to playing well in the second half of the NFL season.
• McCarthy is one of three coaches in the class of 2006 to still have his job, writes Mike Vandermause of the Press-Gazette.
• Did a former New York Jets sideline reporter try to get a financial settlement with Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre? Not surprisingly, the story differs, according to the Associated Press. The question is probably moot now that Jenn Sterger has already cooperated with the NFL.
• Questions remain about how the Vikings will change under new coach Leslie Frazier, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• In addition to their coaching situation, the Vikings have a long list of expiring player contracts to examine, notes Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune.
• Vikings receiver Bernard Berrian referred to Childress as "confrontational" during a radio appearance Tuesday, according to Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick compared Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford to former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms during a Tuesday conference call, notes Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press. Like Stafford, Simms was injury-prone early in his career.
• Lions guard Stephen Peterman has already set a personal high in penalties for a season, notes Monarrez.
• Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh said he apologized to Dallas Cowboys tailback Marion Barber for tackling him by his hair last Sunday, writes Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News.

News and other priorities have forced us to cut back on weekend mailbags. I get the sense everyone is humming along in life just fine without them, but after taking a stroll through your mailbag comments, I wanted to respond to some of the more interesting rip jobs you sent my way.

Hang on.

Duane of Falls Church, Va., echoed a common complaint about Wednesday's analysis of the Detroit Lions' unforced errors, writing that it "violates basic statistical procedures, so your conclusions are likely wrong." The high frequency of right guard Stephen Peterman's penalties creates an anomaly that, subtracted from the total, would put the Lions closer to the middle of the NFL rankings.

Duane also suggested that we not use drops as a raw statistic, but instead compare it to the total number of passes. He concluded: "If you are going to use statistics don't use them like a uses drunk a light post to hold you up but like the light itself, to help guide you on your way."

Kevin Seifert: I understand what you're saying Duane, but I would argue that in a team sport, the raw numbers are more important than whether they contain anomalies or the extent to which they're based on opportunity.

On the first point: Whether it's one player or spread equally among everyone, the most important factor is that penalties are occurring. They have the same impact on the team.

Instead of saying the Lions are a highly penalized team, should we say that the Lions are an average-penalized team with an out-of-control right guard? To me, the distinction is irrelevant. The team is still being hurt the same way, be it by one player or spread equally among everyone, If you want, we can say the Lions are impacted more by penalties than all but one NFL team. That's as far as I can go.

I realize Peterman has 11 penalties this season, a full 12.5 percent of the Lions' team total. But this isn't the same as a poll of, say, 53 citizens' participation in charity work. That is a measure of individual accomplishment, a measure that doesn't matter in a team sport.

I didn't suggest the Lions' have a roster full of undisciplined players. It doesn't matter who commits penalties in a team game. Games are won by collective effort and lost by collective mistakes, even if that collective average is weighed down by the disproportionate mishaps of one player. If anything, you wonder what it says about the Lions' regime that one player would keep his starting job despite so many penalties.

As for measuring drops based on opportunity: Generally speaking, I agree that context is important when using statistics. But to me, 27 drops are 27 drops. There are other teams with equal opportunities who have dropped far less passes. Drops are not something that should naturally increase with opportunities. They just shouldn't happen in high numbers -- at all.

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Joe writes: Your continued reference to Theatre of the Absurd with respect to the Minnesota Vikings is a bit insulting to the small percentage of your readers who actually understand what this movement was/is. Further, it's irrelevant to the Vikings situation if you were to properly understand this form's intent.

Kevin Seifert: I figured this was coming. I know just enough about Theatre of the Absurd to realize that a dysfunctional football team isn't what the movement originally contemplated. The online dictionary defines it as "theater in which standard or naturalistic conventions of plot, characterization, and thematic structure are ignored or distorted in order to convey the irrational or fictive nature of reality and the essential isolation of humanity in a meaningless world."

No, that has nothing to do with the Vikings.

Seriously, while it's been fun to refer to the Vikings using a phrase that makes me look smarter than I am, it probably was never a good idea. Educated people and football people should never mix.

The Vikings have been great theater this year, and much of what has happened is in fact absurd. But it hasn't been true Theatre of the Absurd, and I apologize to the small percentage of readers who care.

I'm supposed to be a writer by trade, so by next week I'll have founded my own dramatic movement to more accurately describe the Vikings' season. Suggestions are welcome.

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Metalsman of Ames, Iowa, notes that some readers suggested I should have submitted to a Free Head Exam for passing up a trip to South Florida for Thursday night's game between the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins.

Kevin Seifert: No loss. I heard it was 84 degrees and slightly overcast. That isn't beach weather.

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Brett of Jacksonville, Fla., just had an epiphany: The Packers got one coach fired this year (Wade Phillips, result of a 45-7 shellacking). Can they make it two (Brad Childress, result of ???-? massacre)? You, our resident NFC North blogger and Viking-lover, would downplay this of course. But that would be an awesome record to have. Two coaches fired after losses to 2010 Packers.

Kevin Seifert: Yes, because a midseason firing would leave me absolutely, positively nothing to write about. And despite the insistence of many to the contrary, that's all I ever root for: good material. As for the possibility of your dream scenario, I really don't know if that will happen regardless of the outcome of the game.

We now know that owner Zygi Wilf would owe Childress a relatively reasonable $6.6 million to settle up on his contract for 2011 and 2012. But I don't think money is at the top of Wilf's priority list right now. As we discussed earlier in the week, Wilf aggressively maintains continuity. I'm not sure he's going to give up on Childress in midseason unless it is for cause or if the situation grows much more hopeless than it already is.

We're going to look forward and backward this week for Dirty Laundry. Let's look ahead first. Why? Because I feel like it.

It's interesting, at least to me, that the Minnesota Vikings will arrive at Soldier Field this weekend having committed 17 false start penalties in their first eight games. That total puts the Vikings alongside the Oakland Raiders atop the NFL rankings for such miscues.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Vikings couldn't be headed to a worse environment under those circumstances. You might be surprised to know that opponents have committed as many false start penalties this year at Soldier Field (12) than at any other stadium in the NFL. I'm sure part of that total can be attributed to fan volume, but I wonder if it isn't another tangential by-product of defensive end Julius Peppers' presence.

If you were an offensive tackle or tight end, wouldn't you be a bit more focused on Peppers -- and less on the snap count -- than other players?

In case you're looking for likely suspects Sunday, here is the breakdown of the Vikings' false start penalties this season:

• Right tackle Phil Loadholt (5)
• Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe (4)
• Tight end Jim Kleinsasser (3)
• Wide receiver Percy Harvin (1)
• Left guard Steve Hutchinson (1)
• Wide receiver Greg Lewis (1)
• Left tackle Bryant McKinnie (1)
• Safety Jamarca Sanford (1)

Now, to look back. Many of you were outraged Sunday when referee Al Riveron's crew called Detroit Lions left guard Stephen Peterman for two chop blocks in the New York Jets' 23-20 victory.

First, let's get to the general definition of a chop block as stated in the NFL rule book: "A chop block is a foul by the offense in which one offense player (designated as A1 for purposes of this rule) blocks a defensive player in the area of the thigh or lower while another offensive player (A2) occupies that same defensive player."

Indeed, the widely-held understanding of a chop block is one offensive lineman cut-blocking a defensive lineman while another blocks him above the waist. It's a dangerous approach that can lead to the defensive lineman getting twisted unnaturally and injured.

On both occasions Sunday, Peterman (A1) cut-blocked Jets defensive lineman Shaun Ellis while a second Lions offensive lineman (A2) -- right tackle Gosder Cherilus on the first and center Dominic Raiola on the second -- stood nearby but did not engage.

Unfortunately for the Lions, that play falls under a secondary section of the chop block rule known as the "lure." (Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press pointed out the explanation earlier this week.) Here is how that scenario is worded: "On a forward pass play, A1 chops a defensive player while A2 confronts the defensive player in a pass-blocking posture but is not physically engaged with the defensive player (a 'lure')."

The NFL seemed to confirm this interpretation by finding Peterman $10,000. Had the league office found Riveron's call was wrong, no fine would have followed.

I can't say I understand what the purpose of the "lure" rule is, other than to prevent A2 from being a "decoy" while A1 (Peterman) does the dirty work. To me, it falls under the category we discussed earlier this season: Too many rules in the rule book make for a, pardon the pun, choppy game.

If I'm a Lions' fan, I'm more outraged that Riveron didn't call a face mask penalty against Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie at the end of the second chop-block play. Cromartie spun receiver Bryant Johnson to the ground by twisting his face mask. At best, there should have been off-setting penalties and a replay of third down.

Now, on to our updated challenge tracker:

Given the special nature of this week in the NFC North, we'll separate Friday's injury report. First up: Sunday's game at the Metrodome:

Detroit Lions: Receiver Nate Burleson (ankle) and linebacker Zack Follett (concussion) have been ruled out. They will presumably be replaced by Bryant Johnson and Landon Johnson, respectively, although Landon Johnson was added to the injury report Friday and is questionable because of a neck injury. But middle linebacker DeAndre Levy (groin) is also listed as questionable and is fully expected to play. The same goes for right guard Stephen Peterman (foot).

Minnesota Vikings: All 53 players participated in at least a portion of practice. Receiver Percy Harvin (hip) was listed as probable on the injury report and will play. Cornerback Chris Cook (knee) is questionable but appears to have a good chance to be active and play in nickel and/or dime situations. Cornerback Cedric Griffin (knee) is also questionable, but with the Vikings' bye week looming next week, it might make sense to give him one more game off.