ESPN NFL

I won't try to break down the reasons why Green Bay Packers receiver Donald Driver won the prestigious "Mirror Ball" trophy Tuesday night as the champion of the reality show "Dancing with the Stars." No point in that.

What I will say is that watching the last few weeks of the show was a good reminder about the value of stepping out of your comfort zone. Driver is a great athlete and competitor, and perhaps he was already a good dancer before this show. But his emotional reaction to winning was an indication of how hard he needed to work to secure this accomplishment, and how much satisfaction he felt upon achieving it.

(Having Packers fans supporting you in the viewer voting doesn't hurt, either.)

Driver will have a few whirlwind days of publicity but could re-join the Packers for offseason workouts as early as next week. His agent, Jordan Woy, tweeted: "Congrats to Donald Driver winning DWTS!! Now it is time to get ready for another season with the Packers!"

Here are some other Packers reactions via Twitter:

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers: Speaking of teammates, am so proud of @Donald_Driver80 and his accomplishment tonight!!! Enjoy the whirlwind the next few days quickie!!!

Tight end Tom Crabtree: Donaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaald Driiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ?#titletown? ?#GoPackGo? ?#dwts? ?#football? ?#dance? ?#America

Linebacker A.J. Hawk: Congrats @Donald_Driver80, Champion, not even close!

Guard Josh Sitton: My little cousin @biigwilly won the sate baseball championship tonight an @Donald_Driver80 won dwts ! What a great night! Congrats guys!!!!!

Receiver Randall Cobb: Quickie has to write a book about this! Congrats to @Donald_Driver80!!!

ESPN analyst Andrew Brandt, a former Packers executive: Donald! Remember skinny 7th round pick coming in saying he would make a name in GB. Great story.

Have a wonderful evening.

You might have heard that the NFL has changed its official uniform vendor to Nike (formerly Reebok). Most of the new merchandise became available Sunday, but as ESPN.com's Paul Lukas points out, a formal revelation of game uniforms is scheduled for Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET.

Despite a dirty April Fool's Twitter rumor started by Green Bay Packers tight end Tom Crabtree, all indications are that any uniform changes in the NFC North will be modest at best. You won't see Oregon or Maryland, that's for sure. The Detroit Lions can't make any adjustments because they haven't exceeded the NFL's five-year rule between changes since their 2009 re-do.

(You can scroll Crabtree's feed to get a feel for the chaos he caused Sunday after hinting that Nike had dropped the "G" from the Packers' helmet. It's not true.)

For those who need up-to-the-minute information, Lukas says he will be tweeting his observations from Tuesday's announcement in real time. Follow him here. I'll post photographs on the blog when available. Then and only then can you decide whether to spend your life's savings on a new jersey.

Check here for a complete list of the Green Bay Packers' roster moves.

Surprise move: Packers coach Mike McCarthy made clear early in camp that he hoped to find a way to keep Graham Harrell on the final roster. It's no secret that No. 2 quarterback Matt Flynn is a pending free agent, and McCarthy thought now wouldn't be a good time to part ways with another quarterback who has spent time developing in the Packers' system. Harrell rebounded from a shaky start to camp, but I guess the Packers couldn’t find a place for him on a roster that includes five tight ends and a whopping 10 linebackers. I would expect him to return on the practice squad, assuming he clears waivers.

No-brainers: It's hard not to connect Jermichael Finley's pending free agency with the high number of tight ends the Packers kept. The list included two rookies, D.J. Williams and Ryan Taylor, along with veterans Andrew Quarless and Tom Crabtree. When you have a big-time starter entering a contract year, it makes sense to ensure your future bases are covered. Meanwhile, I don't fault the Packers for limiting themselves to five receivers, and in the process cutting loose Chastin West and Tori Gurley, among others. Both could return via the practice squad, and the veteran depth they have at the position would have made it difficult for a No. 6 receiver to be active on game day. Finally, the Packers chose to keep veteran tailback Ryan Grant and release the younger Dimitri Nance. Smart move.

What's next: The Packers have already found two trade partners for their players, sending fullback Quinn Johnson to the Tennessee Titans for an undisclosed draft pick and guard Caleb Schlauderaff to the New York Jets for an undisclosed draft pick. There aren't any obvious holes on their current 53-man grouping, so the Packers' primary goal Sunday will be to get as many of their just-released players through waivers and onto the practice squad as possible.

The best thing we can say about Week 4 of the preseason is that it's over, at least here in the NFC North. The next time one of our teams is on the field, it will be for real. In between, roster cutdowns from 8o to 53 will take place. The deadline is Saturday evening.

A quick rundown of Thursday evening's activity, which featured four fun but meaningless victories:

Chicago Bears 24, Cleveland Browns 14
Final preseason record: 2-2
Of interest: Only a handful of Bears starters played. One of them, defensive tackle Henry Melton, registered an encouraging sack of Browns quarterback Seneca Wallace in the first quarter. ... It was interesting, but probably not newsworthy, that Chris Spencer started at center alongside the rest of the Bears' first-team offensive line. Just a night off for veteran Roberto Garza. ... Backup quarterback Caleb Hanie took a step in the right direction, completing 7 of 10 passes for 83 yards and dropping a perfect pass into the far corner of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown to receiver Johnny Knox. ... Tailback Chester Taylor started but managed 27 yards on 10 carries in what was presumably a showcase stint. But an injury to tailback Khahlil Bell might change the Bears' plans for Taylor, depending on its severity.

Detroit Lions 16, Buffalo Bills 6
Final preseason record: 4-0
Of interest: Most starters played one series. ... Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a 39-yard pass to receiver Calvin Johnson on the game's first play, allowing Stafford to finish the preseason with this line: 25 completions, 33 attempts, 395 yards, five touchdowns and a 154.7 passer rating. ... Receiver Maurice Stovall produced a nice final argument for a roster spot, downing a punt at the Bills' 8-yard line and catching a 16-yard touchdown pass from Shaun Hill in the first quarter. ... Running back Jerome Harrison was untouched until the end of his 47-yard run in the first quarter. ... Rookie punter Ryan Donahue got the first punt of the night, for whatever that's worth, and averaged 44.0 yards on four punts. Veteran Nick Harris averaged 51.5 yards on two punts.

Green Bay Packers 20, Kansas City Chiefs 19
Final preseason record: 3-1
Of interest: Some starters, including quarterback Aaron Rodgers, played one series. Rodgers' final pass of the preseason was an 8-yard touchdown to tight end Tom Crabtree. Rodgers finished the preseason with 37 completions in 47 attempts for 395 yards and four touchdowns for a 130.1 passer rating. ... Tailback Ryan Grant's 23-yard run to start the game came after strong blocks from tight end Andrew Quarless and right tackle Bryan Bulaga. ... Linebacker Vic So'Oto has put on a late charge for a roster spot. Thursday night, he had 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a 33-yard interception return for a touchdown. ... Not that it's a big concern, but quarterback Matt Flynn had one of the ugliest lines you'll see: two completions in 10 attempts for 12 yards and an interception, good for a 0.0 passer rating.

Minnesota Vikings 28, Houston Texans 0
Final preseason record: 2-2
Of interest: Nearly every starter sat out this game. Rookie quarterback Christian Ponder put on an unexpected display of his scrambling ability, running for 61 yards on eight carries, before leaving midway through the third quarter. Some were nice improvisational plays. A few were necessary when blitzers came free. And a few came after the point when he should have thrown the ball. All in all, however, Ponder left the Vikings with a positive impression after completing 10 of 16 passes for 83 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown to tight end Kyle Rudolph. ... With their top three running backs sidelined, the Vikings gave a workout to rookie Caleb King, whom they signed last month after no one selected him in the supplemental draft. King finished with 62 yards on 19 carries, including two touchdown runs.

Before Friday, I had never had the remote inclination to watch a championship team's visit to the White House. So while I have no context for comparison, the Green Bay Packers' visit Friday afternoon was fun and particularly interesting for its NFC North angles.

Among them: the president of the United States' request to trade quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the Chicago Bears. More in a bit.

President Barack Obama, of course, is a longtime Bears fan who provided the Packers some bulletin-board material in January when he said he would attend Super Bowl XLV only if the Bears won the NFC Championship Game. After the Packers' victory, cornerback Charles Woodson told teammates that if Obama didn't want to see the Packers play in the Super Bowl, "we'll go see him" by winning it.

On Friday, Obama said he had learned something during that episode: "Don't mess with Charles Woodson."

In light-hearted remarks during a 10-minute ceremony, Obama said: "I'm just going to come out and say it: This hurts a little bit. This is a hard thing for a Bears fan to do."

He added: "You guys [are] coming into my house to rub it in. What are you going to do, go to Ditka's house next?"

Packers fans, Obama said, should "enjoy it while it lasts" because Bears fans "have two dates circled" this season -- the two Bears-Packers games. Joking, I think, Obama reminded the Packers that "if you guys are on a roll" late in the season, "just keep in mind that there is only one person here who can ground all planes in and out of Green Bay if he has to."

Obama got in the obligatory joke about linebacker Clay Matthews' hair and, after Woodson presented him with an honorary share of Packers stock, Obama said: "If I'm a part owner, what I'm thinking is we should initiate a trade to send Rodgers down to the Bears. What do you think?"

Woodson then clarified that Obama is "a minority owner."


(An aside: Jay Cutler just can't get an ounce of love -- not even from the president of the United States!)

Meanwhile, Packers players filled Twitter with some cool photographs from their day at the White House. Some of the best:

• Linebacker A.J. Hawk, tight end Spencer Havner, linebacker Brad Jones and Rodgers in front of an Abraham Lincoln portrait.
• A view of the White House you don't normally see from tight end Tom Crabtree.
• Safety Nick Collins' view of Obama's entrance with coach Mike McCarthy, team president Mark Murphy and general manager Ted Thompson (not shown).
• Receiver Greg Jennings' photo with Woodson and Obama.

In a classy move, the Packers brought former right tackle Mark Tauscher with them on the trip. Tauscher was released this summer. Meanwhile, linebacker Desmond Bishop tweeted that he left his identification in the Packers' team plane and was denied access to the ceremony.

The NFL lockout has put players and owners in limbo. The ripple effects also are felt by people whose lives or businesses touch their teams. Here are their stories:

You've heard of NHL players taking the Stanley Cup on tour? Last Friday, Green Bay Packers tight end Tom Crabtree took his Super Bowl ring on a tour through Green Bay. (Packers players received their rings during a Thursday night ceremony.)

Crabtree announced via Twitter that he was heading to Bay Park Square Mall. "I'll be the tattooed freak with a Super Bowl ring on lol," Crabtree tweeted.

As Michelle Tuckner of WBAY-Ch. 2 chronicled, Crabtree doesn't have a lot of arm space left for new tattoos. But the lockout gave him plenty of time to roam the mall in a low-key and fun way. Crabtree mingled with fans, encouraged them to try on the ring and explained the significance of the design.

"I feel like it's just as much their ring as it is ours just because of the support they give us," Crabtree said, "and what they do for this team on Sundays when that stadium is packed. So it's important to give back to the fans."

I guess a cynic could find any number of alternative reasons for cruising the mall with your Super Bowl ring, but I prefer to consider this as a genuine gesture of egalitarianism that probably wouldn't happen in other NFL cities.

(Other cynics might ask, "Who is Tom Crabtree?" Short answer: He is a reserve tight end, originally signed to the Packers' practice squad in Dec. 2009, whose playing time escalated following Jermichael Finley's knee injury. He caught four passes in the regular season but scored a critical touchdown in the Packers' wild-card playoff victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.)

Earlier: The lockout is a good thing for semi-pro football players. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has accelerated work on his music label.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Other than the lockout-induced dearth of actual news, I couldn't really figure out why it became big news Thursday that a suburban Chicago high school wouldn't allow Chicago Bears tight end Greg Olsen to do field work on its campus recently. In a tone I would call far less than angry, Olsen told ESPN 1000 that he was "kicked off" the field and hadn't been able to get in contact with anyone for re-entry.

Olsen seemed to agree with my news judgment, taking to Twitter late Thursday in an attempt to squelch the discussion. Here's what he said about his experience at Stevenson High School:

This HS field thing has gotten outa control.Just to get story str8. No class was on field. Met no teachers. Left when asked and called scool [sic]

Asked If I could sign paperwork or use at another time in message which wasn't returned

Also have been to the school to speak to various classes and groups with no issue since moved in district. Blown way out proportion

At a time when NFL owners and players are fighting over hundreds of millions of dollars, engendering scorn from a cross-section of fans, players like Olsen need to be careful with the entitlement talk. I don't think Olsen was suggesting he shouldn't be held to the school's rules, but it's good that he cleared it up regardless.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Rick Telander of the Chicago Sun-Times: "There are now two eras in modern football -- before Dave Duerson and after Dave Duerson. Call them B.D. and A.D., if you will. But things in our grand American sport will never, nor should they ever, be the same."
• Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com examines the defensive end position from a Bears perspective.
• Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is hoping to host a record-setting Twitter tweet-up at the Nebraska spring game Saturday, according to the Detroit Free Press.
• Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford's throwing appearance at the Georgia spring game will be laid back, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
• The Green Bay Packers' future at receiver is cloudy, writes Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette checks in with a handful of Packers players, including defensive end Mike Neal and tight end Tom Crabtree, who are working out together in Green Bay.
• Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf made a surprise appearance at the state capitol Thursday and met with two dozen legislators, according to the Star Tribune. He expressed optimism that a stadium financing bill will be approved but offered no details on the team's progress in partnering with a local site.
• Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb might seek a contract too rich for the Vikings' liking if they ultimately want to acquire him in a trade, according to Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
• Elizabeth Merrill of ESPN.com can't find anyone on the record to justify the character questions surrounding Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Hopefully everyone enjoyed Tuesday's Countdown Live coverage of Super Bowl XLV media day, which remains archived for those who want to read through our conversation. Media day gets a bad rap because there are always a handful of quasi-celebrities who try to make the event more about them than the game. But I find that the chaos of it often compels our familiar cast of characters to say and do unexpected things during the hour they spend in the stadium.

So in no particular order, here is what I found interesting while circulating among the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday:

Steelers linebacker James Harrison is easily and without question the meanest and craziest man who will play in this game. If I didn't know any better, I would guess he purposefully made headlines Tuesday in an effort to solidify that title.

In the five minutes I stood near his podium, I heard Harrison mock the NFL, its commissioner and anyone who believes the game has gotten too rough. He asked if Goodell wants him to put a pillow down on the field before tackling someone. Harrison, who was fined $100,000 for what the NFL deemed illegal hits during the season, said his subsequent meetings with Goddell were "a waste of time" and that he is back to playing the way he did before the league started fining him.

As a small group of reporters stood stunned, Harrison went on. I was busy typing away on my ESPN-issue iPad for Countdown Live and wasn't recording. So let's give a hat tip to Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette for transcribing what we heard. A sampling:

On if he thinks the NFL cares about keeping players safe:

JH: "The league is doing whatever they need to do that helps them make more money. If you hit Tom Brady [or] Peyton Manning and you concuss them and they can't play the next game, a lot of people might not [tune] in to see that."

On if the NFL made an example of him:

JH: "They needed somebody to make a poster-guy for their rule, and I seemed to be the most recognizable guy at the time. So, they went with me."

It's noteworthy when any player, let alone one on Harrison's level, takes a strong public stance against the league. For it to happen a few days before the Super Bowl only adds to its significance.

Still, it seems to me that above all else, Harrison views himself as a football warrior more than a victim. Taking a strong stand against limitations on hitting quarterbacks was, in my view, an effort at intimidation as much as anything. Some of his strongest comments came in that vein.

Harrison said he has suffered a concussion in an NFL game but it was "not bad enough to come out of a game." He added: "Put it like this: If you don't tell them, they don't know unless you get knocked out and you sitting there with your arms stuck in the air."

In mocking Goodell, Harrison said: "I don't want to hurt nobody. I don't want to step on nobody's foot or hurt their toe. I don't want to have no dirt or none of this rubber on this field to fly into their eye and make their eye hurt. I just want to tackle them softly on the ground and if y'all can, lay a pillow down where I'm a tackle them so they don't hit the ground too hard. OK, Mr. Goodell?"

Harrison's comments were spoken to the media, but I'm betting they were directed at the Packers. As in: Buckle up, boys. The NFL's meanest player is headed your way.

Some shorter tidbits:

• The grandfather of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers earned a Purple Heart in World War II after he was shot down. Rodgers said that he was giving "serious thought" to joining the military himself after school before deciding to pursue football.
• Packers tight end Tom Crabtree has tattoos up and down both arms. He said he tries to get a one "every time I go somewhere new" but that he might be too busy to pull it off this week in Texas.
• A number of Packers players and their wives got together for a "dance-off" using "Dance Central" on Xbox360, receiver Donald Driver said. It was players versus wives. Driver: "We are football players and we thought we could dance. But they smashed us." Driver said a re-match is scheduled for this week at his Dallas-area home.
• Packers nose tackle B.J. Raji faced all kinds of questions that were variations of this one: "Not that you're fat, but all big people who are slow and lack the skills, you brought them to another spectrum." Raji's response to that one: "You're a real charmer, man."
• Naturally, the gnarly beard of Steelers defensive lineman Brett Keisel drew plenty of attention. I thought Steelers safety Ryan Clark had some of the funniest comments about it. Clark said the only way for Keisel to put his mouthpiece in is to "shove half of his beard in his mouth."
• Clark also said the Steelers would hold a "beard-cutting ceremony" if they win Sunday's game. Clark envisioned a ceremony similar to the one college basketball champions use to cut down the nets at the end of the NCAA tournament. "But instead of everyone taking a little bit of the net," Clark said, "we'll all take a piece of the beard."

PHILADELPHIA -- A few immediate thoughts from Lincoln Financial Field, where the Packers edged the Eagles, 21-16.

What it means: It took a fair amount of nail biting, but the Green Bay Packers closed out a game they never trailed and eliminated the NFC East division champions. They’ll play Saturday night at the Atlanta Falcons for the right to play in the NFC Championship Game.

Nervous anyone? Although the Packers never trailed, it wasn’t over until cornerback Tramon Williams -- who many thought had the best season of any defensive back on the Packers' roster -- made the game-clinching play. He intercepted Eagles quarterback Michael Vick in the end zone on a pass intended for Riley Cooper.

RodgersWatch: After much debate about the relevance of his 0-1 career postseason record, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers put together a professional – if not elite – start to render that discussion moot. He completed 18 of 27 passes, three for touchdowns, and unofficially endured four big drives. Onward and upward…

StarksWatch: Rookie tailback James Starks got his first carry on the Packers’ third possession of the first quarter. It went for 27 yards. Was a heavy dose of Starks the Packers’ game plan all along? Or did they just smartly ride the hot hand? We might never know the true answer to that question, but regardless, Starks provided a highly unexpected 123-yard day. When Starks was added to the roster at midseason, I don’t think anyone thought he would be a key offensive cog in a playoff game. But as it turned out, Starks set a Packers rookie postseason record for rushing yards.

Goat: Packers receiver James Jones dropped what would have been a 63-yard touchdown pass just before halftime, one of an unofficial four drops the Packers had in the game. If you’re into the big picture, however, you could argue that Eagles place-kicker David Akers made up for it by missing attempts of 41 and 34 yards.

Who? Packers backup tight end Tom Crabtree caught only four passes in the regular season and was never targeted in the red zone, according to ESPN Stats & Information. But his 7-yard touchdown reception was the first score of the game.

What’s next: Georgia Dome. Next Saturday. 8 p.m. ET. Be there.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Aaron Rodgers' pending return to the Green Bay Packers' lineup will end backup Matt Flynn's streak of consecutive starts at one. But Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette suggests that Flynn showed enough Sunday night at Gillette Stadium to draw interest on the trade market whenever the NFL's player movement period begins this offseason.

Dougherty: "And yes, Flynn showed some things in the Packers' 31-27 loss at New England that at least give him a chance. The NFL game definitely is not too big for him. He's poised. He's mobile. He's smart. What's still in question is his arm. By NFL standards, it's average at best for a starter, and it's hard to judge his accuracy at this point as well. ... But it's almost a given that somebody, especially a team that liked Flynn coming out of college, will think he's worth a look, either to compete against the current starter, or as a possible fallback if it doesn't draft a quarterback in the first couple of rounds."

Dougherty notes that the Seattle Seahawks traded for little-known San Diego Chargers backup Charlie Whitehurst last offseason. So anything's possible. But if interest does arise, Packers general manager Ted Thompson would have to balance it against the difficulty of developing another backup for Rodgers.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com goes behind the scenes with Packers tight end Tom Crabtree.
• Although the Chicago Bears have clinched the NFC North, Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com suggests there is no rush to give coach Lovie Smith a contract extension: "What if the Bears get knocked out in the first round or look bad in losing after that? What kind of future does this suggest? What kind of upward movement?"
• Mike Mulligan of the Chicago Sun-Times wonders if the Bears should make preserving their health the top priority of their final two games.
• Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune identifies some troubling trends that were lost in the Bears' division-clinching victory over the Minnesota Vikings, including missed tackles on rookie tailback Toby Gerhart.
• Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News has a video of Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh that you won't want to miss.
• The Lions had some excellent run-blocking Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, writes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com.
• Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press: "There can be no intelligent discussion about the Lions having 'turned any corners' until Matthew Stafford proves he can become part of a dying NFL breed -- the No. 1 quarterback who can stay in the starting lineup week after week."
• Gerhart has rushed for 218 yards in the past four games but also lost three fumbles, notes Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune.
• Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "Call the Vikings uninspired, call them lifeless, but this team has to decide whether it has anything left to stave off another embarrassing loss."
• Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com breaks down tape of the Vikings' loss to the Bears.

Sixteen plays.

Ninety yards.

The touchdown on fourth-and-goal with 56 seconds remaining.

Had the Green Bay Packers won Sunday's game at the Georgia Dome, we would still be discussing the absolutely epic drive that pulled them into a tie with the Atlanta Falcons in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers masterfully guided the Packers downfield, earning the highest praise imaginable from his coach. He bought himself seven seconds on the final play before firing toward receiver Jordy Nelson in the end zone.

"I have never seen a quarterback in my time here play to that level in the passing game," said coach Mike McCarthy, who employed Brett Favre for his first two seasons in Green Bay.

The drive was soon rendered moot by Atlanta place-kicker Matt Bryant's 47-yard field goal. But while we have a break in the action this week, let's take a moment to relive each play and record it for posterity.

Down and distance: First-and-10 from the GB 10-yard line
Packers personnel set: 3 WR, 1 TE (in backfield), 1 RB
Falcons rush: Four pass-rushers
The play: Packers tailback Brandon Jackson takes a shotgun handoff and follows tight end Andrew Quarless through the left side of the line for a 5-yard gain. A run play to start it off is smart not only because of field position, but also to remind the Falcons' defense that another could come at any time.

Down and distance: Second-and-5 from the GB 15
Packers personnel set: 3 WR, 1 TE (in slot), 1 RB
Falcons rush: Four
The play: Rodgers throws 11 yards to Quarless.

Down and distance: First-and-10 from GB 26
Packers personnel set: 3 WR, 1 TE (in slot), 1 RB
Falcons rush: Four
The play: Jackson catches a screen pass but is tackled for no gain by Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson, whom Packers receiver James Jones failed to block.

Down and distance: Second-and-15 from GB 21 (after a false start on left guard Daryn Colledge)
Packers personnel set: 3 WR, 1 TE (in slot), 1 RB
Falcons rush: Five, including blitzing safety William Moore
The play: Rodgers hits Quarless in the seam for 19 yards. Falcons left end Kroy Biermann broke free on the pass rush, but Jackson nudged him just as Rodgers released the ball.

Down and distance: First-and-10 from GB 40
Packers personnel set: 3 WR, 1 TE (as an H-back), 1 RB
Falcons rush: Four
The play: Jackson takes another shotgun handoff and finds an 8-yard crease after right guard Josh Sitton turns out Falcons defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux.

Down and distance: Second-and-2 from GB 48
Packers personnel set: 3 WR, 1 TE (in slot), 1 RB
Falcons rush: Four
The play: Rodgers scrambles around right end for 7 yards and a first down.

Down and distance: First-and-10 from ATL 45
Packers personnel set: 3 WR, 1 TE (Tom Crabtree on the line), 1 RB
Falcons rush: Three
The play: With eight men in coverage, Rodgers tries to thread a needle to receiver Greg Jennings. Falcons cornerback Thomas DeCoud nearly intercepts.

Down and distance: Second-and-10 from ATL 45
Packers personnel set: 3 WR (Jordy Nelson replaces Donald Driver), 1 TE (Crabtree in slot), 1 RB
Falcons rush: Four (after bluffing a blitz)
The play: Rodgers throws 15 yards to Jennings on the right sideline.

Down and distance: First-and-10 from ATL 30
Packers personnel set: 3 WR, 1 TE (Quarless back in slot), 1 RB
Falcons rush: Three
The play: Rodgers dumps off the ball to Jackson for a 9-yard reception.

Down and distance: Second-and-1 from ATL 21
Packers personnel set: 3 WR, 1 TE (in slot), 1 RB
Falcons rush: Three
The play: Rodgers escapes pressure and throws to Jones in the corner of the end zone, but DeCoud pushes him out of bounds. It's Rodgers' longest attempt of the drive.

Down and distance: Third-and-1 from ATL 21
Packers personnel set: 3 WR, 1 TE (in slot), 1 RB
Falcons rush: Five on a zone blitz
The play: Center Scott Wells appears to snap the ball before Rodgers is ready. Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon comes free up the middle, and Rodgers basically throws the ball away. Jackson's back is turned when the ball hits the turf.

Down and distance: Fourth-and-1 from ATL 21
Packers personnel set: Empty (5 WR)
Falcons rush: Three
The play: Rodgers can't find an open receiver at first. He buys more time and eventually improvises a shovel pass to Jones, who turns it into a 18-yard play.

Down and distance: First-and-goal from ATL 3
Packers personnel set: Empty
Falcons rush: Three
The play: Rodgers holds the ball for six seconds, looking for a receiver. Falcons defensive lineman John Abraham strip-sacks him, but Rodgers recovers the fumble.

Down and distance: Second-and-goal from ATL 6 (after the two-minute warning)
Packers personnel set: 4 WR, 1 RB
Falcons rush: Seven on a heavy blitz.
The play: Rodgers throws quickly and incomplete toward Jones.

Down and distance: Third-and-goal from ATL 6
Packers personnel set: 4 WR, 1 RB
Falcons rush: Three
The play: Weatherspoon sniffs out a screen pass to Jackson, limiting it to a 1-yard gain.

Down and distance: Fourth-and-goal from ATL 10 (After a Bryan Bulaga false start)
Packers personnel set: Empty
Falcons rush: Three
The play: Rodgers buys himself seven seconds by drifting toward the left sideline. Nelson, who began the play in the left slot, streaks to the sideline. Rodgers later said he kept his eyes off Nelson for as long as possible to prevent a second Falcons defender from chasing him. As it was, Nelson had a step on DeCoud and got both feet in bounds before falling to the ground.

Rodgers operated out of the no-huddle throughout the drive, calling many of the plays and benefiting from McCarthy's personnel usage. For 10 of the 16 plays, McCarthy used three receivers, one tight end and one running back. That ambiguous set, which offers opportunities to run or pass, kept the Falcons off balance.

The Falcons also played back in coverage for most of the series, sending four or fewer pass-rushers on 14 of the 16 plays. But Rodgers refused to force anything downfield, and all eight of his completions went for fewer than 20 yards. He scrambled for one first down, bought himself as much time as possible in the red zone and made a safe but creative play to convert the first fourth down.

"We enjoyed the heck out of that drive," Rodgers said. "It was nice. Mike [McCarthy] gave me some freedom in that drive and we made some good plays. We were all tired. I think every person on the field was tired, both sides of the ball, but to get that in for a touchdown and have that high of tying it up was pretty special. But we lost the game."

Yes, they did. And that's the only reason we haven't spent more time discussing that drive. So let's put it in our back pocket and see whether the Packers can build from it as they attempt to catch the Chicago Bears in a five-week race for the NFC North title.

ATLANTA -- Here are some highlights of the inactive lists in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.:

• The Green Bay Packers deactivated tight end Donald Lee and will start rookie Andrew Quarless. Tom Crabtree and Spencer Havner will be available in reserve.
• As expected, the Packers will have only three safeties available: Starts Nick Collins and Charlie Peprah, along with backup Jarrett Bush. Atari Bigby (hamstring) and Anthony Smith (ankle) are inactive.
• The Minnesota Vikings deactivated receiver Bernard Berrian, who has been dealing with a groin injury for the past three weeks. Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin will start against the Washington Redskins.
• Rookie Vikings cornerback Chris Cook won't play. Cook was added to the injury report Friday because of a knee injury, but after the way he played last week against the Green Bay Packers, you wonder if this was just a soft demotion.
• Ryan Cook will start at right guard for the Vikings, replacing the injured Anthony Herrera.

After the Green Bay Packers' 45-7 victory Sunday over the Dallas Cowboys, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. Kevin SeifertFollowing their win over the Cowboys, the Packers take their turn in the examination room.
   Quick: After taking in Week 9 action, what NFC teams can you say are definitely playing better than the Packers? Maybe the New York Giants? The Atlanta Falcons? For me, the list stops there. At the season's midpoint, the Packers are essentially where we thought they would be: among the top teams in the conference. They have taken a winding road to get there, and we of course have no assurances they will stay. But if they can beat an NFL team by 38 points, even if it's the semi-professional Cowboys, then you're definitely clicking on most cylinders. That the Packers could get to this point despite their long injury list is a tribute to their entire organization.
2. We can have our jokes about the Packers' decision to keep four tight ends and three fullbacks on their original 53-man roster, but they have made sure it paid off. Tight ends Donald Lee and Tom Crabtree stepped in Sunday night with rookie Andrew Quarless sidelined by injury, and I loved the Packers' three-fullback alignment in the second half -- John Kuhn flanked by Korey Hall and Quinn Johnson. If you're going to keep an unbalanced roster, you better find use for your surplus. Good for the Packers for finding a way, even if it's unconventional.
3. We'll have to do some digging and find out if one team has ever had two different players win back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards. Last season, Packers cornerback Charles Woodson won it. This year, linebacker Clay Matthews is making a strong push. Through nine games, he has 10.5 sacks. He also returned an interception 62 yards for a touchdown Sunday night. There aren't many players around the league who are dominating at his level right now.

And here is one issue I don't get:

The Packers have gotten a Pro Bowl performance this season from cornerback Tramon Williams in place of the injured Al Harris. Rookie Sam Shields, when healthy, has been more than solid as a nickel back. But the Packers don't have enough depth behind Shields to release Harris, as they did Monday morning, if they think he can still play. I can only assume that Harris hasn't shown enough from a physical standpoint during three weeks of practice to merit an addition to the 53-man roster. Generally speaking, I would rather have a slowed-down Harris playing in the dime defense than Jarrett Bush or even Brandon Underwood. I can only assume that the Packers believe Harris has slowed down too much.

Sometimes, a relatively harmless penalty can mark a significant shift in the flow of a game. Consider tight end Jermichael Finley's first-quarter holding call Sunday in the Green Bay Packers' 28-26 victory over the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field.

The Packers had cruised to a touchdown on their opening possession, and they started their second with an 11-yard pass to Finley. Then, on first-and-10 from the Packers' 33-yard line, tailback Brandon Jackson sprinted around right end for 12 yards. Lions defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch committed a silly personal foul at the end of the play, bumping Packers tight end Tom Crabtree, and the Packers could have resumed play at the Lions' 40-yard line.

But referee Mike Carey's crew whistled Finley for holding during a key block on Lions linebacker Zack Follett, creating an offsetting situation and wiping out the play entirely. The Packers technically weren't backed up, as they resumed play with another first-and-10 at the 33, but they realistically lost 27 yards on the exchange. And more important, it was one of the last successful runs the Packers would have until the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Of their next 22 plays before their final possession, only two were a designed run of more than three yards.

Worse, the call was shaky at best. When you watch the replay, you see Finley blocking down on Lions defensive end Cliff Avril, helping right tackle Mark Tauscher push him inside, and then peeling off toward Follett as Jackson runs by.

Finley engages Follett for several seconds before Follett breaks away to chase the play. As the outside linebacker, Follett was responsible for containing Jackson toward the sideline.

The block looked pretty good to me. I suppose there are two possibilities to explain the call. Finley's right hand landed on the outside of Follett's shoulder pads, creating the often-called visual of a player blocking "outside of the opponent's frame." Here's how the NFL rule book defines that scenario:

A blocker may use his arms, or open or closed hands, to contact an opponent on or outside the opponent's frame (the body of an opponent below the neck that is presented to the blocker). If a blocker's arms or hands are outside an opponent's frame, it is a foul if the blocker materially restricts him. The blocker immediately must work to bring his hands inside the opponent's frame, and as the play develops, the blocker is permitted to work for and maintain his position against an opponent, provided that he does not illegally clip or illegally push from behind.

While Finley didn't immediately bring his hand back inside, I also didn't think he was "materially restricting" Follett from the play, either.

Second, the replay shows Follett having some difficulty breaking away from Finley after turning to run. Did Finley grab him, another fair cause for a holding penalty? I didn't see that, either. Sometimes, a defender using substandard technique to separate from a blocker is rewarded when an official assumes he can't break away because he is being held.

The Packers finished the drive poorly, and Tim Masthay's 21-yard punt gave the Lions good field position for a touchdown drive of their own. What started as a possible early blowout became a competitive game. Would that have happened had officials passed on the Finley hold? It's hard to say, of course. But in retrospect, it changed the early direction of the game.

Now, on to our updated Challenge Tracker:

Check here for a full list of Green Bay's roster moves.

Biggest surprise: Spencer Havner was the Packers' No. 3 tight end last year and this summer, but his versatility seemed to make him a valuable part of the roster. He's a competent receiver, a good blocker, decent on special teams and also can play linebacker. Perhaps he wasn't good enough in any of those roles to justify a roster spot for. I don't know for sure. Regardless, the Packers chose veteran Donald Lee, rookie Andrew Quarless and also Tom Crabtree ahead of him. Meanwhile, we discussed the possibility that defensive back/kick returner Will Blackmon might get squeezed out. But it appears the Packers believe he isn't close to recovering fully from an October knee injury. They officially placed him on injured reserve, but he'll eventually be waived in accordance with an injury settlement.

No-brainers: The Packers parted ways with offensive lineman Allen Barbre, who had a disastrous seven-game stint at right tackle last season. It was about time. Like Blackmon, Barbre was placed on injured reserve, but eventually will be waived. On the other side of the equation, the Packers couldn't do anything but keep rookie cornerback Sam Shields. I'm not sure how much he'll play immediately, but he showed too much potential this summer to risk exposing to waivers.

What's next: Waiving Chris Bryan should mean that Tim Masthay will be the Packers' Week 1 punter, but we'll wait to get confirmation from the Packers on that. After parting ways with Blackmon and Jason Chery, it's not clear who will be the Packers' kickoff or punt returners. Likely candidates are running back Brandon Jackson and receiver Jordy Nelson. As of now, the Packers have more fullbacks on their roster (three) than running backs (two). I wonder if that will change in the coming days.