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The Detroit Lions had no comment Monday on the absence of receiver Titus Young from their first organized team activity of the offseason. Nor would they confirm reports that Young was banned from their practice facility after sucker-punching safety Louis Delmas during an incident last week.

Tuesday, Tim Twentyman of the team's official web site reported that Young's absence "was not the result of any punitive action by the team," citing multiple league sources. Further, Young has "not been ordered to stay away from the facility by the team and is not on any team-mandated suspension," Twentyman wrote.

In NFL parlance, the word "suspension" is meaningful and implies a formal process that could involve the NFL Players Association. It's not surprising to hear the Lions haven't formally pursued that avenue in dealing with Young.

But are we truly to believe the Lions took no action after one of their team leaders got punched at the team facility, especially after a 2011 season that raised questions about the team's maturity and discipline? Young's absence might not have been the result of a formal suspension, but for the Lions' sake, I hope they are doing something in response to this incident.

Regardless, if Young were truly welcome at the facility, then why didn't he participate in Monday's OTA after taking part in earlier portions of the offseason program? Twentyman wrote that Young "will have to provide" the answer to that question "when he eventually joins his teammates."

Does that mean Young chose to stay away on his own? OTAs, like most of the offseason program, is voluntary, but there were only a handful of absences Monday.

In the end, this is all a discussion of semantics and legalese. The bottom line is that Young punched Delmas last week, and something kept him away from the facility Monday. Did the Lions encourage it? Request it? Suggest it? Agree with Young's decision? I have a hard time believing they were not involved in the decision in some way shape or form. The alternative is that they've done nothing to deal with this incident. Which do you think is more likely?

We're Black and Blue All Over:

The Detroit Lions had a busy news day Monday. We noted both the charity of quarterback Matthew Stafford and the poor behavior of receiver Titus Young, but that left out plenty of other tidbits.

Running backs Jahvid Best (concussion) and Mikel Leshoure (Achilles) were both on the field, participating in a limited portion of the Lions' opening organized team activity (OTA) of the offseason. So was rookie receiver Ryan Broyles, who is six months removed from major knee surgery.

Middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch, meanwhile, didn't practice because of knee tendinitis and might not be back on the field until training camp. That's a bit of a disconcerting turn of events for a player so critical to the Lions' 2011 improvement, but keep in mind that Tulloch hasn't missed a game in his six-year career.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Broyles didn't participate in all of the drills Monday but got a personal side session with Stafford and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, according to Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley showed off a new physique at Monday's OTA, according to John Niyo of the Detroit News.
• The 2012 season will be "very important" for Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, according to Justin Rogers of Mlive.com.
• Former Chicago Bears running back Garrett Wolfe is headed to the CFL, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com.
• At some point, writes Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Bears will have to decide whether to give running back Matt Forte a "shut-up-and-play" deal.
• We discussed the possibility of the Bears acquiring tight end Kellen Winslow, but he ultimately was traded to the Seattle Seahawks, notes the Associated Press.
• Kendra Meinert of the Green Bay Press-Gazette has a review of Green Bay Packers receiver Donald Driver's turn Monday night on "Dancing with the Stars."
• The Packers termed it "simply speculation" that team president/CEO Mark Murphy has interest in the Stanford athletic director job, according to Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Murphy once had interest in the job, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com, but not now.
• The Minnesota Vikings will soon have discussions with Minnesota State, Mankato, to create a long-term contract on training camp, according to Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com.
• Martiga Lohn of the Associated Press examines the state funding mechanism for the Vikings' new stadium.
• Final passage of the bill by the Minneapolis City Council this week appears inevitable, writes Eric Roper of the Star Tribune.

It's not unusual for NFL teammates to fight behind closed doors, be it in a locker room or on the practice field or even on the sideline during games. Typically, such incidents are written off as heat-of-the-moment outbursts and go minimally punished, if at all.

So the news that the Detroit Lions banned receiver Titus Young from their facility Monday should resonate loudly with both Young and anyone interested in his future with the franchise.

As Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com reports, the Lions did not allow Young to participate in Monday's organized team activity because he fought last week with safety Louis Delmas during a workout. Details of the episode are sketchy, but obviously the Lions did not classify it as a boys-will-be-boys incident -- especially not when it involved a player whose immaturity was obvious as a rookie last season.

Young was benched during a Week 13 game against the New Orleans Saints after he committed a costly personal foul. You might remember veteran center Dominic Raiola getting in Young's face afterward, repeatedly yelling for him to "Grow up!" -- with a few expletives mixed in. It was in many ways the symbol of a young(er) team that struggled to respond to the pressures of a playoff race.

It sounds like the Lions are still trying to get that message across. According to Richardson, Young instigated the fight by landing a punch when Delmas wasn't looking. Sucker-punching a team leader isn't generally suggestive of a maturing second-year player, and it's not surprising that the Lions essentially kicked Young out of the building as a result.

We'll never know if the team would have reacted the same way during the season. Everything going on is voluntary, and no one is keeping score. Even with the selection of receiver Ryan Broyles in the second round of last month's draft, the Lions are counting heavily on Young to be part of their three- and four-receiver sets. He has a unique skill set that isn't matched on their roster.

It's one thing to give a 22-year-old rookie some leeway while he adjusts to NFL life. Young doesn't turn 23 until August, but he's no longer a rookie, and it's fair to expect him to act like a professional. Sucker-punching Louis Delmas? If the report is accurate, that's a punk move.

Delmas is known to be volatile as well, but his appearance in Monday's OTA indicates the Lions don't hold him responsible for the incident.

Broyles practiced Monday for the first time since having knee surgery six months ago, and he'll be ready to contribute at some point in the 2012 season. I don't think the Lions are interested in moving on without Young, but everyone runs out of chances sometime. The Lions aren't interested in a repeat of the discipline and growing pains they endured in 2011. It's time for Titus Young to "Grow the [expletive] up."

There's always something these days. The week after the draft is typically deep-breath time for the NFL, but the events of this week had us running hither and thither on the NFC North blog. Through it all, I saw everything you've submitted via the mailbag, Twitter and Facebook and tried to respond when possible. Another attempt forthcoming:

Brian of Minneapolis has watched the NFL issue severe punishments following its investigation into the New Orleans Saints' bounty program and can't reconcile them with relatively light in-game punishment in issues of player safety: My frustration as a fan is seeing the referees on game day powerless to enforce penalties beyond the standard 15-yard penalty for repeat offenders. Fines may come later, but I don't see the behavior deterred on game day. What if the NFL adopted a rule mandating an ejection for two unnecessary roughness or unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a game?

Kevin Seifert: As Brian pointed out later in his note, there is sports precedent for progressive in-game penalties, including the "persistent infringement" aspect of soccer. (Yes, I'm sure there are many of you who would protest using "football" and "soccer" in the same sentence, but that's for another day.)

Normally I would say there would be little chance for such a dramatic change to the NFL's in-game rules. Referees have the authority to eject a player on a first offense if it is egregious enough, but what Brian is referring to is deterring standard roughness or unsportsmanlike infractions by elevating the punishments within a game.

Given how focused NFL commissioner Roger Goodell appears to be on the player-safety issue, however, I couldn't rule out this type of change in coming years. In essence, if this kind of rule were enacted, a player could be ejected after hitting a player out of bounds and then roughing the punter.

Many of us would cry foul at another attempt to reduce the violence of an inherently violent game, but we've already seen Goodell act repeatedly with no concern for that argument. Who knows what's next?

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Serge of Windsor saw our post on the Detroit Lions' offense and writes: I think [rookie receiver] Ryan Broyles will have a significant impact on the Lions' offensive explosive capability. The Lions already have a couple deep threats in Calvin Johnson and Titus Young … however, their impact was negated through double teams in deep cover 2 schemes. What has been missing -- sorry, while Nate Burleson is a class act and a great influence in the locker room, he has been very average on the field -- and what the Lions see in Broyles, is a receiver that is able to punish a defense for playing such schemes by finding windows underneath and gaining yards after the catch. In theory, this will eventually force defenses out of such schemes and open up deep opportunities for Calvin Johnson and Titus Young to make explosive plays downfield.

Kevin Seifert: Interesting theory, Serge, especially if Broyles turns out to be the kind of open-field runner that draft evaluators believe he is. He does appear to have all the skills necessary to be a front-line slot receiver.

But I'm not convinced defenses will deprioritize deep coverage, especially against Johnson, if the Lions have stronger weapons underneath. Johnson is going to draw maximum attention as often as defenses can arrange for it. I don't think a slot receiver, no matter how talented he is, can draw coverage away from Johnson.

What Broyles will do is make more explosive plays when he gets his hands on the ball in the open field than, say, tight ends Brandon Pettigrew or Tony Scheffler. The Lions would be a more explosive offense with Broyles, but that doesn't necessarily mean defenses will make it any easier for Johnson, and to a lesser extent Young, make deep downfield plays against them. I'm pretty sure I would take my chances against anyone other than Calvin Johnson.

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Ben of Denver thought that Mike Daniels, the Green Bay Packers' fourth-round draft choice, deserved to be in this week's discussion about the team's desire to get more "juice" in its defensive front: I think he at least deserved to be mentioned in the article, as he was brought in to do and has just as much of an opportunity to bring exactly the same thing that [Anthony] Hargrove was signed for, inside pass rush. I am very excited about the injection of explosiveness, talent, and depth to our front seven.

Kevin Seifert: Fair point. Daniels had seven sacks as an inside pass-rusher at Iowa and has a naturally athletic frame. According to Scouts Inc., Daniels put on 50 pounds in college to play defensive tackle at 291 pounds. In its pre-draft report, Scouts Inc. gave Daniels its highest grade for quickness (hands/feet) and toughness/motor. Here is an excerpt:

"Step late getting to the quarterback at times but disruptive nonetheless and excels at moving quarterback off the spot. Quickly reacts to snap and flashes the ability to shoot gaps. Above-average hand fighter that flashes effective swim, rip and push-pull moves. Can shake offensive linemen with spin move. Gets hands up when sees quarterback start throwing motion. Flashes the ability to get under centers and drive them back but average overall power as a bull rusher. … Active hands make it difficult for blockers to lock onto frame. Flashes the ability to counter when offensive linemen get their hands inside his initially. First-step quickness is a notch below elite. Rarely gets beat to the point of attack and ability to explode upfield in addition to leverage helps mask lack of ideal size. Shows good foot speed working down the line and fighting off cut blocks."

The point of the post was that the Packers have taken a very focused approach to their offseason, seeking out players with the skills to be disruptive on the line of scrimmage. Daniels certainly fits that description and should have received a mention in the post.

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Chuck of Guilin, China, writes: I have seen videos and read numerous slams on the Chicago Bears' OL. I thought they had two starters coming off 2011 injured reserve, no more Mike Martz and, most important, Mike Tice likes his group of young linemen. If Tice is what everyone says he is, why all the media flack?

Kevin Seifert: That's definitely the counter-argument to the media criticism the Bears have received. From the big picture, I see where the criticism has come from. The Bears have had to patch together their line in each of the past two seasons, rolling through various combinations and schemes until they found something that worked. In the process, some of their linemen -- like left tackle J'Marcus Webb -- looked pretty bad.

The Bears' decision not to add personnel means they have placed a lot of faith in Tice. In addition to his role as offensive coordinator, they want him to mold a functioning line group out of players who haven't always gotten the job done in the past two years. Success is usually a combination of player skill, good coaching and luck. The Bears have faith in some players whose skills have not always been obvious from the outside.

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Facebook friend Jerry asks: Since the free agent and draftees by the Vikings all seem to be second-tier WR's, is there any chance the Vikings will add an impact player from free agency still? Say a Braylon Edwards, Terrell Owens, Plaxico Burress?

Kevin Seifert: While I agree the Vikings have some question marks at the receiver position, it should be pointed out that they've already taken a dip into the veteran free-agent market and come up with Jerome Simpson. I'm not sure they have any plans beyond that. For now, they'll go with Percy Harvin, Michael Jenkins, Simpson, their pair of pass-catching tight ends, and hope that perhaps Greg Childs or Jarius Wright develop into a contributor.

As I've already indicated on Twitter, I won't fill up your timelines or this blog with news of every undrafted rookie who signs with an NFC North team. Roster limits have been expanded to 90, which means we could be talking about 100 or so players signing contracts over the next day or two.

If an interesting or noteworthy player signs, then by all means I'll get to it. We already have one: The Detroit Lions have agreed to terms with Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore, who had a 50-3 starter as a starter and was teammates with Lions receiver Titus Young. But at 6-feet and 197 pounds and an average arm, Moore apparently wasn't deemed draft-worthy by NFL teams.

The Lions are set at starter with Matthew Stafford and at No. 2 with Shaun Hill, but I wouldn't be surprised if Moore makes the final roster as the No. 3 quarterback. The video is a clip of his time at Jon Gruden's QB Camp, one we somehow missed during our pre-draft tour of those sessions.

Asked how he regards the people who don't think he has a chance to play in the NFL, Moore said: "You smile at them, say thank you and remember their name."

As they approached their second-round position Friday night, the Detroit Lions sure seemed to be sitting pretty. A team with a shortage of cornerbacks was looking at a nice group of second-tier defensive backs whose time on the market appeared up. In addition, the draft's top center was still available if the Lions were inclined to secure a future replacement for starter Dominic Raiola.

With their No. 54 overall pick, the Lions passed on Wisconsin center Peter Konz, who ultimately went one slot later to the Atlanta Falcons.

They turned away a trio of cornerbacks: Vanderbilt's Casey Hayward, Montana's Trumaine Johnson and Central Florida's Josh Robinson. Hayward went at No. 62 to the Green Bay Packers, Johnson at No. 65 to the St. Louis Rams and Robinson at No. 66 to the Minnesota Vikings.

The Lions? Naturally, they went for a 24-year-old slot receiver who tore his anterior cruciate ligament last November. Oklahoma's Ryan Broyles will join a seemingly crowded position group that also includes Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson and 2011 second-round pick Titus Young.

I got a number of immediate reactions along these lines of this one from @breynolds0324: "Sadly, best case he is 4th receiver. That secondary made [Matt] Flynn a multimillionaire. Feel like we are a secondary away from SB."

I understand where you're coming from, and perhaps some of you were assuaged when the Lions drafted Louisiana-Lafayette cornerback Dwight Bentley in the third round. But I feel like many of you allowed your immediate emotions to overtake rational thought, and more importantly, what should be a clear understanding of how the Lions operate under general manager Martin Mayhew and coach Jim Schwartz.

You can object to the relative lack of attention the Lions have paid their secondary during this rebuilding process. Feel free to dispute their assessment of the talent they've passed over. But by now, like it or not, you should have come to expect that they will follow their board in as much of a vacuum as any team in the NFL. And I hope you also realize that approach has left the Lions short in the secondary but is probably the single-biggest factor in their return to contention.

"You don't solve needs by drafting poor players," Lions coach Jim Schwartz told reporters in Detroit. "… There's a discipline that goes into it. You have to be able to stick with that philosophy. The philosophy is: 'Talent rules the board.' … If you chase need, you're chasing a moving target. What looks like a need one day might not be a need another day. If you have the discipline to say, 'Hey look, let's get good football players that fit a philosophy that we have a plan for, that continue to be the highest rated guys on your board,' then you're going to be successful over the long run.

"Even in this organization in the past, I think everybody knows some examples where this organization reached for certain players because of needs. I don't see how that solves your need. When it's all said and done, the need is still there."

It would be reasonable to question whether, say, Hayward would have been a reach at No. 54 when the Packers selected him just a few spots later. But the more relevant question is whether the Lions would have left a more talented player on the board. And in the Lions' evaluation, they would have. That made their decision easy Friday night at No. 54.

Broyles is one of the most productive receivers in the history of college football, having caught an NCAA-record 349 passes in his career. Just five months after surgery to repair his ACL, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.57 seconds. Mayhew, whose success in recent drafts grants him some leeway in making such judgments, told reporters: "If the guy were healthy now he'd have been gone way before our pick."

And while they are in fact stacked at the front end of their depth chart, the Lions in reality were one injury away from not being able to use offensive coordinator Scott Linehan's three-receiver set. Burleson, meanwhile, will turn 32 this summer. In other words, the Lions could be a year or two away from having an obvious need at receiver. As we discussed Thursday, the key to orderly transitions is acquiring the replacement before he is needed.

Look, the Lions don't need me to be an apologist for a decision -- and thus far, an entire draft -- that might not have much impact on their 2012 team. You have a right to dispute it. But you shouldn't be surprised, and the Lions' success to this point earns them at least a partial benefit of the doubt from me.

Chicago Bears

One of the Giants' playoff heroes, wide receiver Devin Thomas, signed with the Bears.

Coach Lovie Smith feels Brandon Marshall's "big, physical presence" was a perfect fit for the Bears, writes the Chicago Tribune's Dan Pompei.

Smith is optimistic that Matt Forte’s contract status will be resolved soon. “My glass is always half-full,” Smith said Wednesday morning, according to the Chicago Sun-Times' Sean Jensen. “Everything you’ve ever heard from us, Matt Forte is our running back."

Detroit Lions

Kyle Vanden Bosch and Stephen Tulloch said the Titans did not have a bounty program when they were with the team, reports the Detroit News' Chris McCosky.

The Lions are in favor of extending the trade deadline by two weeks, but the proposal was tabled until May at the NFL owners meetings.

Wideout Titus Young might be used as a punt or kick returner this season, writes McCosky.

Green Bay Packers

Packers safety Nick Collins will meet with coach Mike McCarthy, GM Ted Thompson, the team doctor and his two agents sometime next week to determine whether it's safe for him to resume his NFL career following the serious neck injury he suffered last season, writes the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Tom Silverstein.

The Packers still have plans for veterans Chad Clifton and Donald Driver, according to Silverstein.

If faced with a similar situation in the future, McCarthy would sit Aaron Rodgers again in a meaningless Week 17 game, writes Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

Minnesota Vikings

Emails released by the city of Minneapolis reveal the "behind-the-scenes frustrations and horse trading that preceded a March 1 agreement between the Vikings, the city and the state" to land the new stadium, according to a report by Star Tribune writers Eric Roper and Mike Kassuba.

The Vikings expect star running back Adrian Peterson to begin running soon on his surgically repaired left knee, reports the Star Tribune's Dan Wiederer.

Coach Leslie Frazier would still like to add a speedy receiver, writes Weiderer.

(The Detroit Lions are) Black and Blue All Over:

As I catch up on a wild morning here in the NFC North, many of you Detroit Lions fans are already wringing your hands at the departure of cornerback Eric Wright. Early Wednesday morning, Wright agreed to a five-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Other financial terms were not available, but as we've discussed a number of times, the Lions are tight against the salary cap and would have had to make significant moves to create the space to engage in any kind of bidding war. But the question you have to ask yourself is whether Wright would have been worth it.

The Lions' secondary crashed over the final six games of the regular season and in their wild-card playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints. Part of the problem was the knee sprains of cornerback Chris Houston and safety Louis Delmas, but the Lions would have been justified in taking a highly critical eye toward Wright's performance.

Our friends at Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranked every full-time NFL cornerback last season based on video study. Wright finished at No. 105, in large part because a league-high 75 passes were completed against him. His inconsistent tackling allowed receivers he covered to accumulate 319 yards after the catch, the eighth-highest total in the league, according to PFF.

To be clear, Wright proved more competent than many of the stiffs the Lions have rolled through their lineup in recent years. He intercepted four passes and had 10 pass breakups, according to PFF's ratings. But was he worth additional salary-cap strife for a team whose secondary finished the 2011 season in shambles?

The Lions didn't think so, and to me that's a defensible position. At this delicate stage in their development, the Lions can't afford a single contractual mistake. A reasonable person could argue they avoided one in Wright's case.

Let's take a Lions-only stroll through local coverage while we have a moment:

• The Lions will entertain San Francisco 49ers receiver/kick returner Ted Ginn Jr. on a visit, according to Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com.
• Don't forget the Lions also haven't re-signed middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch, notes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• The Lions are going to have to shave more payroll if they want to sign any of their free agents, notes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News.
• Lions receiver Nate Burleson is mentoring youngster Titus Young, writes Birkett.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Here's a smart take from Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that I would love to clip and save as a response to everyone asking for updates on the Green Bay Packers' negotiations with their free agents.

Silverstein notes that historically, once the offseason begins, the Packers don't sign their free agents until the brink of the free-agent market opening or shortly thereafter. That's often the best time for negotiations, as long as you can stomach the risk of pushing the deadline, and it also provides the fullest sense of what the market should be for a player.

So if you're hoping that the Packers will soon sign tight end Jermichael Finley or center Scott Wells, then you might be a little optimistic. History shows a deal is far more likely on March 11 or March 12 than it is on Feb. 16.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• "Creative thinking" is the key to building a good coaching staff, according to Packers coach Mike McCarthy via Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• The White Earth tribe is proposing a casino that would help pay for a Minnesota Vikings stadium, according to the Star Tribune.
• Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton urged state legislators to pass a stadium bill this spring during his annual State of the State address, notes the Associated Press.
• Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com looks at the future of the Chicago Bears' linebacker position.
• David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune writes on the departure of longtime Bears athletic trainer Tim Bream. Haugh: "The loss of Bream will affect some players even more than losing a position coach because of the rare bond Bream's personal approach fostered with stars and subs alike."
• The Bears hosted a forum Wednesday for concussion awareness on the high school level. Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times has more.
• Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press examines whether the Detroit Lions could select an offensive tackle in the first round of the draft.
• Lions receiver Titus Young was named the team's rookie of the year by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association, notes the Detroit News.

Just for the fun of it, I thought I would throw an addendum onto our annual All-NFC North team. Coaches, front office executives and others all deserve recognition for the work they do. So in rapid-fire fashion, let's roll through a final take on the 2011 season:

Best head coach: Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers
Comment: Evaluating coaches is easier than most people make it. Nothing matters more than winning, and McCarthy went 15-2 in 2011.

Best assistant: Scott Linehan, Detroit Lions
Comment: Although his primary role is offensive coordinator, Linehan's development of quarterback Matthew Stafford merits recognition alone. After three years with Linehan and quarterbacks coach Todd Downing, Stafford became the youngest 5,000-yard passer in NFL history. I'll repeat what I wrote the moment Linehan arrived in Detroit. You can say what you want about his tenure as the St. Louis Rams' coach, but he remains one of the NFL's top offensive coordinators. The Lions are fortunate to have him.

Best executive: Martin Mayhew, Lions general manager
Comment: Mayhew has made some inspired moves during his tenure and few, if any, mistakes. That's how you go from 0-16 to 10-6 in a hurry. His roster is a mix of every possible avenue of player acquisition: draft, trades, veteran free agency and undrafted rookies. Packers general manager Ted Thompson deserves mention, but his inability to replace the pass rush of departed defensive end Cullen Jenkins hurt the Packers in 2011.

Best rookie: Titus Young, Lions receiver
Comment: Young played 63 percent of the Lions' offensive snaps as their third receiver, catching 48 passes for 607 yards and six touchdowns. He got more opportunities than the Packers' Randall Cobb, but we don't hold that against him.

Most intriguing rookie: D.J. Smith, Packers linebacker
Comment: In 3 1/2 games as an injury replacement, Smith collected 33 tackles and an interception. I'm not sure how Smith could fit into the Packers' 2012 plans, if at all, but he certainly proved a reliable and instinctive short-term asset.

Most disappointing rookie: Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings quarterback
Comment: Ponder was considered perhaps the most pro-ready quarterback available in the draft, but his late-season decision-making called that into question. He threw seven interceptions in his final 122 passes. For context, consider that rate would lead to 29 interceptions over a typical 500-pass season.

Biggest mistake: Donovan McNabb, Vikings quarterback
Comment: The rushed acquisition of McNabb didn't make sense at the time, and the situation deteriorated rapidly. Waiving your starting quarterback during the season is an embarrassing admission.

Biggest mistake II: Roy Williams, Bears receiver
Comment: Williams' shaky hands and questionable effort made the Bears' preseason hopes for him laughable. At least one of his drops, near the end zone against the Kansas City Chiefs, played a big role in a huge defeat.

Any other thoughts? By all means, leave them in the comment section below. Otherwise, it's onward and upward toward the 2012 season. ...

We're going to get some mileage out of the research I did, and had forwarded to me, for our 2011 All-NFC North team. The first installment is left over from the debate that ultimately led me to choose Green Bay Packers receiver Jordy Nelson over the Minnesota Vikings' Percy Harvin.

I checked out their playing time as part of comparing their production. As it turned out, Nelson and Harvin were on the field for almost exactly the same amount of time. Nelson played 609 snaps and Harvin 605. (All numbers in this post exclude penalties, which means they vary slightly from the figures we've used during the season.) The percentages of their team's total snaps were close as well: 58.9 for Nelson and 58.4 for Harvin.

That makes sense for Nelson, who was part of the NFL's deepest receiving corps. But I have a hard time understanding how Harvin -- by far the Vikings' best receiver in 2011 and one of their few playmakers -- was on the sideline for more than 40 percent of a mostly punchless team's snaps.

Across the NFL, 54 receivers played a higher percentage of their team's snaps than Harvin did. That includes teammate Devin Aromashodu, who eventually stepped into the starting lineup after Bernard Berrian's departure and Michael Jenkins' injury. Aromashodu caught 26 passes while playing on 674 snaps, 69 more than Harvin. (Tight end Visanthe Shiancoe led Vikings pass-catchers by playing 76.1 percent of the team's snaps.)

I think we all assumed that Harvin would be the Vikings' No. 1 receiver, and it was immediately surprising when he played about half of the snaps in the Vikings' first two games. At the time, coach Leslie Frazier said: "We have certain packages where we want to feature him, and not necessarily overuse him, but use him to help our football team."

Many of us dropped the issue given Harvin's season-long productivity, but in the end the Vikings finished the season with the NFL's fifth-fewest passing yards while their best receiver was on the sideline for 41.6 percent of their plays. That's hard to defend.

On the other hand, it's possible the Vikings believed Harvin would be more effective with managed snaps. He did, after all, catch a career-high 87 passes while rushing for 345 yards out of the backfield. The Vikings also had him as their primary kickoff returner on 30 of the kickoffs they faced.

Frazier denied during the season that his playing-time plan for Harvin was related to his migraine history, but it's worth noting that Harvin had no reported issues this season. Did the limited contact contribute to that? Assuming Frazier was being truthful, the two events were coincidental.

Regardless, in the big picture Harvin is too young to be on a pitch count. He won't turn 24 until May. It's true that he was managing a rib injury late in the season, but that doesn't account for 431 plays on the sideline. There is every reason to believe that Harvin could and should play at least as much as the No. 1 or No. 2 receivers on other teams.

For context, here are the NFC North receivers who played a higher percentage of snaps than Harvin in 2011:

• Calvin Johnson: 93.2
• Nate Burleson: 87.1
• Aromashodu: 65.1
• Titus Young: 63.1
• Greg Jennings: 62.2
• Roy Williams: 59.6
• Nelson: 58.9

Consider that Jennings played more snaps in 12 1/2 games before suffering a knee injury than Harvin did in 16. In the end, Harvin had the best year of his career when playing limited snaps. The Vikings must spend part of this offseason deciding if that was the reason, or if they artificially capped his production by overcompensating on his playing time.

» Wild-Card Final Word: Bengals-Texans | Lions-Saints | Falcons-Giants | Steelers-Broncos

Three nuggets of knowledge about Saturday's Lions-Saints wild-card game:

Historic battle: I did my best this week to make our preview coverage about the actual game and its matchups, as opposed to just how unprecedented a victory Saturday night would be in recent Lions history. (Here's a link to our handy "Lions-Saints" tag.) But here goes: The Lions are one of two NFL teams never to have won a wild-card playoff game, tallying an 0-6 record since its advent, according to ESPN Stats & Information. They haven't won a playoff game of any sort since the 1991 season, and its been 54 years since they've won a playoff game on the road (a 31-27 victory at the San Francisco 49ers in the 1957 Western Conference playoffs). The Lions are 11-point underdogs against a Saints team that hasn't lost at home this season. It's no surprise that the Twitter hashtag #shocktheworld has emerged this week. For any number of reasons, there aren't many people counting on a Lions victory Saturday night.

More than Megatron: Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams noted this week that "guys that are 6-5 end up being 5-5 when they get flipped over on their head," an obvious reference to Lions receiver Calvin Johnson. But no matter how much attention the Saints pay to Johnson, they'll no doubt be aware of the impressive across-the-board production the Lions got during their 3-1 finish to the regular season. Johnson caught 27 passes and four touchdowns over that span, but tight end Brandon Pettigrew also caught 27 passes, while receiver Nate Burleson had 22 and Titus Young 17. Young scored four touchdowns, Pettigrew two and Burleson one. The Lions aren't likely to win if Johnson gets shut out, but they have the capacity to compete even if he is limited, especially if quarterback Matthew Stafford can beat the Saints' blitz as we discussed earlier this week.

Impact player: As the quarterback, Stafford will have more opportunities to impact the outcome of the game than any other Lions player. But a close second will be any of the Lions' key pass-rushers up front. Whether it's Ndamukong Suh or Kyle Vanden Bosch or Cliff Avril, someone needs to make Saints quarterback Drew Brees uncomfortable in the pocket early and maintain the pressure for the duration. Otherwise, Brees will pick the Lions apart. In the teams' first meeting, the Lions put Brees under duress on only three of his 38 dropbacks. He completed 26 of his resulting 36 passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns. Suh, Vanden Bosch and Avril have each had dominant games at one point or another in their careers. At least one of them must produce another Saturday night.

The Detroit Lions this season have provided anecdotal evidence of what has long been asserted through statistical analysis: Penalty totals don't necessarily correlate with winning percentage.

The Lions ranked third in the NFL this season in accepted penalties (128) and second in the amount of yards lost (1,075). They drew national attention for committing three post-whistle personal fouls in their Week 13 game at the New Orleans Saints, but even after cleaning up that issue, they exceeded their season averages in three of their subsequent four games, as the chart shows.

Those numbers coincide with what Lions coach Jim Schwartz preached in the days after that Saints game: The timing and nature of the penalty is more important than the raw totals. Against the Saints, the Lions were penalized 11 times for 107 yards, but also had 113 yards in gains nullified by those penalties. Three offensive pass interference calls against receiver Nate Burleson, along with post-whistle mistakes by receiver Titus Young, tight end Brandon Pettigrew and kick returner Stefan Logan, caused a disproportionate amount of the damage.

"The one thing you don't want to do in a game like that is give away anything for free," Schwartz told New Orleans-area media. "In a playoff game you want to earn it. You want your opponent to have to earn it. That's one thing we need to do better Saturday than we did the last Sunday night game."

Given a choice, I'm sure Schwartz would prefer that his team lower the penalty average Saturday night. But as long as they avoid penalties that, as he said, give away yards for free, I'm guessing he can live with it.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

As most of the NFL moves into the offseason, everyone, it seems, wants a piece of the Green Bay Packers.

As we noted Wednesday, the Kansas City Chiefs interviewed offensive coordinator Joe Philbin for their head-coaching job Wednesday. Although interim coach Romeo Crennel is the favorite for the job, AFC West colleague Bill Williamson reports that Philbin is a serious candidate as well. Philbin has another interview scheduled with a second team as well, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Meanwhile, the Oakland Raiders interviewed Packers director of football operations Reggie McKenzie for their general manager job, and McKenzie is considered a top candidate for the job. He could also emerge as a candidate for the Chicago Bears' general manager opening.

Director of college scouting John Dorsey turned down an opportunity to interview for the Indianapolis Colts' general manager job, according to Schefter. Finally, quarterbacks coach Tom Clements remains a candidate for the Penn State head-coaching job.

Coaches of teams on a bye can interview until this weekend. Front office executives aren't bound by those rules.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Packers receiver Greg Jennings (knee) returned to practice Wednesday and is set to play in the Packers' divisional playoff game on Jan. 15.
• Could Brad Jones emerge as one of the Packers' starting linebackers in the playoffs? Silverstein looks into it for the Journal Sentinel.
• Packers coach Mike McCarthy needs to brush up on his overtime playoff rules, notes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• The Detroit Lions have been holding receiver Calvin Johnson (Achilles) out of practice this week, but he will play Saturday night against the New Orleans Saints. Anwar S. Richardson of Mlive.com has more.
• Lions receiver Titus Young has matured over the past month, writes Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions center Dominic Raiola wasn't happy to hear that San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh is preparing to face the Saints in the second round of the playoffs. Chris McCosky of the Detroit News explains.
• Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune reviews some possible general manager candidates for the Bears.
• Former Bears receiver Sam Hurd was indicted on two drug-related counts Wednesday, reports Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune looks at coach Lovie Smith's search for his next offensive coordinator.
• Sean Jensen of the Chicago Sun-Times writes that Smith should promote offensive line coach Mike Tice to the job.
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com has a list of every Minnesota Vikings player's contract situation.
• The Vikings are hoping to negotiate a truce with their Metrodome landlords, who say their lease should extend another year because of a little-known clause. Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press has more.
• Vikings coach Leslie Frazier hasn't ruled out a 3-4 defense for 2012, notes Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune.

Please trust me when I tell you I had some big plans for Detroit Lions coverage Tuesday as their first playoff game in 11 years approaches. But the rapid-fire release of news this morning, first the firing of Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo and then the promotion of Rick Spielman to the Minnesota Vikings' newly-created role of general manager, has spread me a bit thin.

I've rescheduled some posts planned for later in the week, and moved a different topic to the front of the line. And in all honesty, it covers one of the most important points the Lions will have to address in their matchup with the New Orleans Saints.

Namely: The Saints' pressure defense and the impact it might or might not have against a Lions offense that didn't see the blitz often in the regular season.

Here are the facts:

Stafford vs. The Blitz

A look at Lions QB Matthew Stafford when facing 5-plus pass-rushers.

		NFL Rank
Comp. Pct.	56.1	13th
Yds./Att.	7.0	21st
TD	7	t-15th
Int.	6	t-28th
Total QBR	44.4	22nd
Source: ESPN Stats & Information

• Under defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, the Saints blitzed on 51.1 percent of opponents' dropbacks this season, the highest rate of any team in the NFL.
• Opponents blitzed Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford at a lower rate than any NFL starter in 2011, about 24 percent of his dropbacks. But as the chart shows, Stafford's efficiency dipped noticeably on the occasions when he was pressured by five or more defenders.

As we've discussed before, any team blitzing Stafford must weigh the risk-reward of leaving receiver Calvin Johnson -- not to mention teammates Nate Burleson, Titus Young and Brandon Pettigrew -- in favorable coverage matchups. Even the Saints pulled back on their usual approach in the teams' Week 13 matchup at the Superdome, blitzing Stafford on 40.4 percent of his dropbacks.

On those plays, Stafford completed 10 of 17 passes for 167 yards. He was sacked twice and threw an interception. When the Saints sent four or fewer rushers, he completed 21 of 27 passes for 241 yards and a touchdown, good for a 116.2 passer rating.

(Hat tip to Matt Willis of ESPN Stats & Information for the legwork on those figures.)

The Saints were one of three teams this season to hold the Lions under 20 points in a 31-17 victory. Teams rarely use the same gameplan in season rematches, so you wonder if Williams will turn up the jets on Stafford and see if the Lions' young quarterback can respond under the pressure of a playoff environment.

If I'm the Lions, I would take that turn of events 10 times out of 10. Stafford played at a Pro Bowl level over the final month of the season, throwing 14 touchdown passes and two interceptions in the four games since losing to the Saints. Any good offense invites the blitz because it expects its quarterback to capitalize on the resulting coverage gaps.

Is it fair to ask that of Stafford, who at 23 will be making his first playoff start? I think so.

His performance against the blitz is a relatively small sample of his season. It wouldn't fall beyond the realm of possibility for a young quarterback to melt down against heavy pressure in what figures to be a raucous scene at the Superdome. But as we've discussed before, Stafford isn't a typical young quarterback and hasn't withered in a number of extreme situations earlier this season.

Many of you were upset that Stafford hasn't gained more national recognition for his achievements this season. Saturday night will provide him a national audience to demonstrate how precocious he really is.