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Most of you know I'm not a big fan of the Pro Bowl. I don't necessarily have a way of making it better, but that doesn't mean I have to like the current incarnation. In the end, the rosters are rarely a true rendering of the best players in the NFL.

Fan balloting ended Wednesday, and you might be excited that NFC North players received more votes than those of any other division. I'm not. Mostly I'm impressed with your tenacity at the virtual ballot boxes. The Green Bay Packers' Chad Clifton, who hasn't played in two months, was the leading vote-getter among tackles? Well done.

(NFC West colleague Mike Sando has the complete divisional breakdown if you're interested.)

Players and coaches are next up for voting. Teams for both the NFC and AFC will be announced Tuesday, to be followed shortly by injury- and playoff-related pullouts. In advance of the announcement, let's consider some of the more interesting Pro Bowl-related questions in the NFC North:

How will injuries impact the final voting?

Minnesota Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson, Chicago Bears tailback Matt Forte and Packers receiver Greg Jennings were all having obvious Pro Bowl years before their seasons were cut back by injuries. Peterson has returned after missing three games but ranks behind 16 other players with 932 rushing yards. Forte's 1,487 all-purpose yards still rank No. 2 in the NFL, but he might not play again this season and thus would have only 12 starts on his stat line.

Jennings, meanwhile, is probably done for the regular season and doesn't rank among the NFL's top 10 in either receptions or receiving yards.

In an ideal world, voters wouldn't hold a few games missed for injury against deserving candidates. But let's face it: some players, fans and coaches use the NFL statistics leaders to cast their ballots.

Will Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford make it?

Stafford finished No. 4 in fan voting among NFC quarterbacks, behind the Packers' Aaron Rodgers, the New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees and the Carolina Panthers' Cam Newton. The New York Giants' Eli Manning and the Dallas Cowboys' Tony Romo are also strong candidates.

Stafford ranks fourth in the NFC in passer rating, yards and touchdown passes. He's on the edge.

Should Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh make it?

Suh finished second among NFC defensive tackles in fan voting, but he quite frankly hasn't made the same impact as he did as a rookie in 2010. His three sacks rank behind eight other defensive tackles in the NFL, including two from the Bears alone; Henry Melton and Amobi Okoye have combined for 11 sacks.

Suh also missed two games because of his NFL suspension, further limiting his opportunities for production. We'll see.

Will Packers linebacker Clay Matthews make it?

Those of us who have seen most Packers games would agree Matthew has made an impact beyond his six sacks. But assuming that at least some voters use the stat packet for their guide, it must be noted that 37 players have more sacks.

With that said, Matthews also has two interceptions, 10 passes defensed and two forced fumbles. He's had a Pro Bowl season.

How many NFC North cornerbacks will make it?

I would say Packers cornerback Charles Woodson, who is tied for the NFL lead with seven interceptions, is a lock. But there are two other names to at least consider.

Lions cornerback Chris Houston has four interceptions, two of which he's returned for touchdowns, but has missed two games because of a knee injury. Meanwhile, Bears cornerback Charles Tillman has only two interceptions but has been widely complimented for his work against Lions receiver Calvin Johnson this season and overall has had an excellent year.

Chances are Woodson is the only player named Tuesday, but it wouldn't be surprising for Houston and Tillman to be named alternates.

Are both Bears linebackers in?

Lance Briggs has been named to every Pro Bowl since 2005 and Brian Urlacher returned last season after injury-related absences. Both have been healthy and productive this season and have the advantage of name recognition, but you never know how the Bears' late-season slide will impact their candidacies.

For what it's worth, Urlacher needs 36 tackles over the final two games of the season to match his 2010 total. Briggs has already surpassed last year's performance in terms of tackles.

Will Packers receiver Jordy Nelson get any support?

I'm going to guess not, but it's worth noting that Nelson has the second-most touchdown receptions (10) among wide receivers. He also needs 14 more yards for a 1,000-yard season.

I've noted on a couple of occasions the uniquely efficient season that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has produced. Through 13 weeks, Rodgers ranks first in the NFL with an average of 9.4 yards per attempt and second in completion percentage at 69.6.

Traditionally, it's difficult to pair strong performances in both categories. Shorter passes typically lead to high completion percentage, while longer passes boost the average yards per attempt but are generally completed at lower rates.

With three games remaining in the regular season, it's worth noting that Rodgers is not only throwing downfield with high frequency, but he is also completing those difficult passes at a higher rate, by a long shot, than any other NFL quarterback. (Pun intended.)

Rodgers has thrown 43 passes this season that have traveled 21 or more yards in the air, tied for the ninth-highest total in the league. As the chart shows, he has completed 62.8 percent of them, substantially better than Tony Romo, Drew Brees and Andy Dalton. Rodgers' completion percentage on those deep throws is better than the rate on all throws for all but six other NFL quarterbacks.

Accuracy and arm strength are important factors in such success, but we shouldn't overlook the value of team awareness and chemistry, either. Consider the 37-yard touchdown he threw to receiver Jordy Nelson last Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.

As Rodgers related Tuesday on his ESPN 540 radio show, Packers coach Mike McCarthy alerted him via his headset microphone that the Raiders were trying to swap personnel. Rodgers got his teammates to the line of scrimmage without really calling a play. His general plan was to snap the ball before the departing players got off the field to incur a penalty, and then take a "free" shot downfield.

(Guard T.J. Lang, in fact, told ESPN.com columnist Ashley Fox that he didn't know Rodgers planned to throw.)

Said Rodgers: "… [W]e just ran up real quick and snapped it and Jordy realized what we were doing -- that they had too many guys on the field. And in that situation you just want to give them an opportunity to make a play on the ball. So I gave it a lot of air, the wind was fighting it a little bit, but Jordy made a great reaction to the ball for a touchdown."

You don't outperform the league to such a degree based on just one factor. Players often credit their teammates and coaches for individual success as a matter of respect, but in this case, it is totally warranted. Rodgers has played the biggest role in the Packers fielding the NFL's best downfield passing offense, but it wouldn't be this good without this supporting cast.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

SAN DIEGO -- Week 9 is a slow-moving one here in the NFC North. The Green Bay Packers played our only game Sunday, with the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings on their bye, and the Chicago Bears don't get on the field until Monday night at the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Packers gave us plenty to think about while we await that game. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers continued his ascendance into the NFL stratosphere while one prominent member of the Packers defense officially registered his concerns about its leaky performance against the pass. Some of you might consider it splitting hairs when a team is 8-0, and maybe it is, but I built my game column around that dichotomy.

At any rate, I'm beginning an extended trek back to NFC North blog headquarters. I have a few posts ready to publish during the morning and we'll eventually turn our attention to Monday night's game. ESPNChicago.com will take the lead in coverage, but I'll probably chime in with a few thoughts. Hopefully you've already seen ESPN's Sunday Conversation with Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, which we posted Sunday afternoon.

Let's take a minute to catch up on local coverage.

• Mike Vandermause of the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "In reality, the Packers defense has nothing to apologize for. Not after returning two interceptions for touchdowns in the first quarter, one by Charlie Peprah and the other by [Tramon] Williams. And certainly not after stopping the Chargers' offense twice in the final 4 minutes to seal the victory while clinging to a seven-point lead. In between giving up big plays and gobs of yardage, the Packers defense has made crucial stops and forced key turnovers all season long. Sure, the Packers' perfect record has been spearheaded by quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers' explosive offense, but don't sell the defense short."
• Peprah confirmed a premonition Sunday with his two-interception performance, writes Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Packers coach Mike McCarthy, via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "We're not going to turn a blind eye to the negatives that went on today. [But] we're 8-0. That's the facts. We're 5-0 on the road. That's huge. We're excited about that. The defense gave up too many big plays. Our offense scored points. … But the things I'm really concerned about are the things that go on inside the team. … We were not as sharp as we need to be as a team, but we won the football game. We're 8-0."
• Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith is "on a roll," writes Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times.
• The Bears hope their relatively settled offensive line can help mitigate many of the penalties and time-management issues the team has had on the road this season, notes Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com.
• The Bears like their current safety combination, Major Wright and Chris Conte, because of its speed, writes Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune.
• Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press grades the first half of the Detroit Lions' season.
• Overall, writes Philip Zaroo of Mlive.com, the Lions deserve a B for their first half.
• Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford should get more publicity than Tony Romo or Tim Tebow, according to Jerry Green of the Detroit News.
• Dan Wieiderer of the Star Tribune picks five moments that led to the Minnesota Vikings' 2-6 start.
• The Vikings get an overall grade of "D" in the first half from Brian Murphy of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
• It's possible the Vikings could release cornerback Chris Cook this week, writes Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com. Zulgad: "Take Cook off the roster and all of a sudden cornerback goes from being an area of big need to an area of huge need."

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Bernard Berrian, Minnesota Vikings receiver: Berrian took to Twitter on Sunday to note that he has been "open" for the past four years. I don't really care that one of his antagonists was a Minnesota state representative, one who happens to be a co-author of owner Zygi Wilf's stadium financing bill. No matter who he was speaking to, Berrian was wrong to imply that getting open means he has been doing his job. There are multiple reasons why he has been so unproductive in recent years, and they include some factors (such as quarterback accuracy) that are beyond Berrian's control. I'll have more on this topic later in the week, but for now understand that Vikings quarterbacks have targeted him on 67 passes over the past 20 games. Berrian has caught 30 of them. Berrian would be well-advised to evaluate what he does, or doesn't do, to fight for the ball before drawing attention to his production.

2. Insanity in Chicago: We've hammered Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz pretty well in recent weeks for his play calling. So we should note that the Bears came to their senses in several ways Sunday. First, they swapped receivers Roy Williams and Johnny Knox, returning Knox to his starting role. While Knox has own issues to work through, Williams needed to be held accountable for his lack of productivity. Martz called only 19 passes compared to 30 running plays. The reality is the Bears aren't in position to generate a ton of scoring on their own. Martz smartly and safely capitalized on the boost he got from the Bears' defense (one touchdown) and special teams (one touchdown, another set up and a blocked field goal).

3. Remi Ayodele, Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle: The Vikings’ new nose tackle has started four games and doesn’t have a single tackle. Nose tackles don’t typically pile up tackles, and Ayodele’s top job is to occupy multiple blockers. But you would think a nose tackle would fall on a running back at some point during a four-game stretch. Ayodele doesn’t play in the nickel, and according to Pro Football Focus, he has been on the field for only 76 of the Vikings' 259 defensive snaps. That in itself is an indictment of his contribution so far. But still ….

RISING

1. Gunther Cunningham, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator: I have no idea how long Cunningham is planning to coach. He's 65 and has been coaching for 42 years. But it's nice to see him having success as his career inevitably moves into its twilight. Lost in the publicity of the Lions' offensive explosion has been a defense that Cunningham has smartly tweaked to fit his personnel. When he arrived in 2009, Cunningham estimated he would blitz on 40 percent of his defensive snaps. Now armed with one of the NFL's best defensive lines, Cunningham almost never blitzes and instead allows his back seven to drop into coverage and make plays. All three of the Lions' interceptions Sunday of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo came against a standard four-man rush. Overall, Cunningham blitzed on 10.9 percent of the Cowboys’ offensive snaps. Good coaches never get old. They adapt.

2. Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers receiver: In his past 10 games, dating back to last season and including playoffs, Nelson has caught 42 passes for 741 yards and six touchdowns. He has effectively emerged as the Packers' No. 2 receiver, regardless of who starts, and absolutely earned the three-year contract extension he signed over the weekend. The Packers' top draft pick in 2008, Nelson is yet another example of a homegrown talent who worked his way through the Packers' in-house minor leagues to become a top contributor.

3. Matt Forte, Bears tailback: There are three players in Bears history to surpass 200 rushing yards in a game. One is Gale Sayers. One is Walter Payton. The other is Forte, who finished with 205 yards Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Through four games, Forte has been the Bears' best player. He is obviously their rushing leader, but he also has more than twice as many receptions as his next-closest teammate. Overall, Forte has touched the ball on 37.7 percent of the Bears’ snaps and has accounted for more than half of their total yards. Rarely do you see a player in a contract year make a better case for himself.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- A few thoughts on the Detroit Lions’ latest stunning victory, a 34-30 win over the Cowboys:

What it means: What should we call the Lions? Maybe they’re the NFC North’s Kardiac Kitties. Last week, they made up a 20-0 halftime deficit against the Minnesota Vikings. Sunday, they trailed the Cowboys 27-3 with 12 minutes, 27 seconds remaining in the third quarter and came back for the win. They’re 4-0 for the first time since 1980, on an eight-game regular-season winning streak for the first time since 1953-54 and one of two undefeated teams in the NFL pending the Green Bay Packers’ late result against the Denver Broncos.

MegatronWatch: Receiver Calvin Johnson’s leaping 1-yard touchdown catch won the game for the Lions with 1 minute, 39 seconds remaining. Johnson has two receiving touchdowns in each of the Lions’ first four games, an NFL record for consecutive multi-touchdown games by a receiver. His 23-yard scoring reception in the third quarter came in between three defenders. Can we please, please stop all of this silly talk about where Johnson belongs in the NFL hierarchy of receivers? Pretty please?

Defensive spark: The Cowboys gashed the Lions' defense for most of this game, but three huge interceptions were the equalizer. Linebacker Bobby Carpenter and cornerback Chris Houston each returned their interceptions for touchdowns in the third quarter, and linebacker Stephen Tulloch tipped a pass to himself late in the fourth quarter when Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was inexplicably throwing with a lead. Tulloch’s play set up the Lions’ winning possession. Yardage doesn’t count when you have players who can make up the difference like that.

Injury report: The Lions played much of the second half without safety Amari Spievey, who had a leg injury.

Stafford Watch: Quarterback Matthew Stafford managed only 88 yards in the first half, clearly unsettled, possibly because he was playing in his hometown. But he was cool during the Lions' comeback and capitalized repeatedly when the Cowboys put Johnson in single coverage. Unofficially, Stafford threw for 158 yards after halftime.

What’s next: The Lions will host the Chicago Bears on "Monday Night Football." They last played at night on Dec. 11, 2005, a 16-13 overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers. Their last Monday night game was in 2001, and their last victory on Monday night was in 1998.

Reviewing Saturday's action at the Metrodome:

Dallas Cowboys 23, Minnesota Vikings 17

Preseason record: 1-2

Of interest: The Vikings first-team offense converted a touchdown for the first time this preseason when Donovan McNabb found receiver Bernard Berrian behind the defense for a 49-yard touchdown pass on their first possession. Berrian later caught a 15-yard pass in showing his first signs of life in more than a year. ... Most important for the offense: It controlled the line of scrimmage for a good portion of its stint against the Cowboys' first-team defense. Tailback Adrian Peterson rushed for 81 yards on 14 carries, possibly coinciding with the return of right guard Anthony Herrera. ... McNabb also connected on another nice downfield pass to receiver Michael Jenkins (26 yards). ... Defensively, the Vikings looked pretty vulnerable against Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who completed 15 of his 20 passes. Cornerback Antoine Winfield's right shoulder stinger was a scary, but apparently not long-term, sight. At this point, depth is a big concern. ... Place-kicker Ryan Longwell hit a 44-yard field goal, but was short from 52 and had a 47-yard attempt blocked and returned for a touchdown. ... No. 2 quarterback Joe Webb had a 36-yard scramble and also a 10-yard touchdown run, showing again why the Vikings should make room for him somewhere in their offense. But the flip side was that rookie Christian Ponder didn't get much work. Perhaps he will start the preseason finale Thursday.

Local coverage: Winfield and cornerback Chris Cook (hamstring) will be "fine," coach Leslie Frazier told reporters, according to Mark Craig of the Star Tribune. ... Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "The Vikings may have to put a 'help wanted' sign out on I-494 in front of Winter Park. 'Defensive Backs Inquire Within.'" ... Frazier on the Vikings' secondary, via Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN.com: "What I was encouraged by was when Chris was out there, when Cedric [Griffin] was out there, when 'Toine was out there, we held our own. That is really encouraging for our defense and for our team, because we're going to need those three guys to really play at a high level in order for our defense to play well. When they were there, I thought we held them in check." ... McNabb on the pass to Berrian, via Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com: "I know everyone kind of thought we were going to kind of stay intermediate and kind of play it safe. But we've been trying to open up the offense. It really depends on what the defense is dictating for us." ... The Vikings worked hard to develop a rapport between McNabb and Berrian in practice last week, offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave told Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune.

Up next: Thursday against Houston Texans

It's official. We've found something that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers isn't good at.

The video below shows Rodgers, Michael Jordan and Tony Romo attempting a trick golf shot at the American Century Championship.

It isn't easy, and only the greatest pro athlete in history could do it. Cue the video.

The coach of the Super Bowl champions notes the Detroit Lions are "definitely a football team that the rest of the NFL needs to be aware of."

The Lions use their top three draft picks on exciting playmakers who each add to a roster strength.

A respected statistical analyst demonstrates the team's quantum jump in 2010 and the likely impact of its draft class. Another describes the likelihood for elite play on the defensive line.

The franchise quarterback, sidelined for much of the past two years by injuries, is bigger, stronger and zipping the ball all over the field during player-organized workouts.

Upwards of 40 players show up for at least a portion of those workouts.

The HBO reality series "Hard Knocks" reportedly gives its stamp of approval by gauging the franchise's interest in participating this year.

Even rock star Bob Seger gets into the act, dedicating a song to Lions coach Jim Schwartz during a Detroit-area concert and declaring: "The Lions are going to the playoffs!"

I'm not impressed by the Lions' business decisions during the NFL lockout. But that sentiment shouldn't distract from the undeniable buzz developing around the team this spring. It's a truly modern version of hype, sparked by a four-game winning streak last season after a 2-10 start, stoked through Internet discussion and continuing through an offseason that remains incomplete for all teams.

Our job is to determine whether the Lions warrant the now-trendy notion they will contend for the playoffs in 2011. Are they an explosive offensive team with an elite defensive front? Or are they a still-rebuilding franchise, one that is merely benefiting from disproportionate name recognition thanks to years of high positioning in the draft?

My instinct is to place a cold compress or two on Lions Fever, at least in advance of a presumed free-agency period during which the Lions ostensibly must strengthen deficiencies at cornerback and outside linebacker. Moreover, their division includes the NFC's top two teams from 2010, and their 2011 schedule opens with road games in three of the first four weeks.

With that said, spring should be a time for hope, optimism and, most of all, positivity. (Even from me, especially during the lockout.) Instead of looking at Lions Fever through the prism of possible pratfalls, let's carve into stone a few goals that must be fulfilled in order for the Lions to make their first playoff appearance in 14 years.

1. Finishing must be a habit. The Lions lost 10 of their first 12 games last season, but six of those defeats came by a margin of five points or fewer. Then, suddenly, all four victories in their season-ending winning streak were decided by one score. The Lions clearly learned how to close out games in a way they couldn't during the first 12 games, whether it was linebacker DeAndre Levy's game-changing interception against the Miami Dolphins or tailback Maurice Morris' late-game runs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Schwartz repeatedly has said this offseason that the successes of one season can't be expected to carry over to the next. But this is one asset the Lions must maintain in their institutional memories after a decade of fostering a losing culture.

2. Someone else in the NFC North needs to slip or stay down. Responding to our initial Lions Fever post, reemer2104 wrote: "I'd be more excited about the playoff possibility if the Lions were in the NFC West. The North could be one of -- if not the -- best divisions in football next year so even a 10-6 record could land you in third and out of a playoff spot."

I'm not suggesting that the Packers or Chicago Bears need to implode, or the Minnesota Vikings need to remain in transition, for the Lions to be a good team. But their chances of joining two other NFC North teams in the playoffs aren't great. Since the NFL implemented its eight-division format in 2002, we've seen two instances of three playoff teams from the same division: The 2007 AFC South and the 2006 NFC East.

Asked about our competitive division this winter, Schwartz again cautioned against assuming carryover.

"It's something you're used to dealing with in the NFL," he said. "[In 2010], everybody was talking about Minnesota and the Super Bowl and they were basically bringing their entire team back, and it didn't work out as well for them. ... You can never anticipate what happens.

"I think we have gained a little bit of confidence in our division. We played Chicago -- they were a final four team -- and we played them really close, less than a touchdown both times. We split with Green Bay and played a tough game at Lambeau and we haven't played a good game out there in awhile. It's business as usual in the NFL -- everybody's good, everybody's dangerous and every coach can find a way where every team can potentially beat them.''

3. Quarterback Matthew Stafford must stay on the field. Stafford arrived in Detroit with the raw skills of an elite quarterback, but to me the point is not so much whether Stafford develops into a Pro Bowler in 2011 but whether he can provide continuity at the game's most important position.

As well as Shaun Hill and Drew Stanton played last season, an emotional swing and a game-planning adjustment take place whenever any franchise quarterback is sidelined. Typically, the change isn't conducive to a playoff run.

Take last season's 12 playoff teams as an example. Stafford missed as many games last season (13) as the primary quarterbacks of those 12 teams combined. The continuity on those playoff teams was no coincidence. The only team that endured any sort of quarterback transition was the Philadelphia Eagles, who had what can reasonably be called a non-traditional backup in Michael Vick.

With continuity at quarterback from the first day of training camp, the Lions would be in position to maximize the exceptional set of skill players they have accumulated over the past three years. Their offense could be as explosive as any in the NFL.

4. Twelve teams must be wrong about defensive tackle Nick Fairley. Much of Lions Fever can be attributed to the addition of an elite interior disruptor to what was already a powerful defensive line.

At one point in the pre-draft process, Fairley was on the Carolina Panthers' list as a possible No. 1 overall pick. His skill set hasn't changed since then, but obviously there were enough concerns about his work habits and demeanor to drop him to the Lions' position at No. 13 overall.

If the Lions can coax elite production from Fairley, it's reasonable to believe their line will further elevate and protect the rest of the defense. But if the concerns of other teams prove justified, the Lions will have a defense that once again can be exploited by upper-end quarterbacks. Their schedule not only includes two matchups apiece with Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler, but also games against Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Matt Ryan, Tony Romo and Matt Cassel.

5. The Lions must find or develop reliable starters for at least some of the five apparent openings they have on defense -- two at outside linebacker, two at cornerback and one at safety. Help could come via free agency or internally, but let's at least note that this offseason hasn't been conducive to the type of work that helps young players develop. So any hope for a big leap from, say, cornerback Alphonso Smith is reliant on that player's individual work away from coaches.

Regardless, as the charts show, the Lions finished last season with one of the league's worst nickel defenses and least impactful group of linebackers. There are a number of ways to address those issues, but future personnel improvement must be part of the solution.

6. The Lions must squeeze another year out of an offensive line that largely has gone unaddressed during this rebuilding process. Wrote Yjacket2000: "I'd still like to see the Lions spend draft picks the next two years on the O-line like they've spent the last two years on the D-line. The game of football is all about the lines, and if they improve there like they have the D-line, that, in my opinion, could be the difference between being a playoff contender and a perennial powerhouse."

Right tackle Gosder Cherilus must return from serious knee surgery, unless the Lions believe that Corey Hilliard or Jason Fox could step in for him. Left tackle Jeff Backus, who turns 34 in September, and center Dominic Raiola, 32, must maintain their current levels of play.

If anyone could reliably predict an NFL season, Las Vegas would get out of the football betting business. So let's not pretend that we can say on May 26 whether the Lions will make the playoffs. But I think we should agree that the foundation for Lions Fever is real and grounded. It's reasonable to envision a path to the playoffs. In fact, we just did it.

Last year: The Packers ultimately justified their spring status as a Super Bowl contender.

One of the hot topics in this week's SportsNation chat, conducted for 60 minutes Tuesday afternoon, was the complete absence of Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler from the ESPN.com offseason positional Power Rankings. Cutler didn't appear on a single ballot, even mine as the well-known defender of NFC North honor, and there was particular ire directed at the inclusion of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman among others.

The relevant exchanges:

Trevor (Eau Claire)

Freeman over Cutler? Really Kevin? I think you know as well as anybody that if Cutler had even a mediocre offensive line, he would have soared last year. And he still had a good year last year.

Kevin Seifert (2:04 PM)

Well, I wasn't the only one. I don't think Cutler got a vote. I did give it some consideration. But in the end I looked at last season and asked, would the Bucs have been in the place they were without Freeman? To me, the answer was no. Then I said, would the Bears have won the division without Cutler and with, say, Kyle Orton at quarterback? I thought there was a very reasonable chance of that.

Bear Down (KS)

Honestly Kev, if you were a coach heading into the Superbowl in 2012 and you could either start Jay Cutler or Josh Freeman, you go with Freeman!?

Kevin Seifert (2:24 PM)

Did you see how Cutler played in the biggest game of his career?

Kris (Des Moines)

Given the Bears trainwreck of an OL, is it crazy for them to take OL with every pick in hopes that if they combine that with whats already on the roster they could find 5 that would keep Cutler from being killed? In reality you can't begin to evaluate Cutler or any O skill position with a front 5 that terrible.

Kevin Seifert (2:29 PM)

I'm not saying Cutler is a terrible quarterback. I'm just saying that his play over the last 2 years with the Bears didn't make him a top-10 guy for me.

Bear Down (KS)

Come on now Kev, Cutler was hurt! ;)

Kevin Seifert (2:34 PM)

I almost forgot.

For the record, Freeman didn't make the top 10. And I also left out another "name" quarterback, Dallas' Tony Romo, who finished tied for No. 10.

But NFC North fans would be excused for overlooking what was really an impressive second season for Freeman, who threw 25 touchdown passes and only six interceptions in leading the Bucs to the same number of victories as Cutler did for the Bears.

Remember, cumulative career performance wasn't the primary factor in this vote. The question is how you would rank them right now. There is no doubt that Cutler suffered behind a sub-par offensive line, and that he had some particularly impressive December performances. But I thought Freeman was exceptional last season and the big difference between the Bucs as a 6-10 team and a 10-6 group.

Cutler's impact on the Bears last season is harder to quantify, as ESPNChicago.com's Jeff Dickerson and I discussed during the playoffs last winter. This wasn't a shot at Cutler. There are 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL and only 10 (or, in this case, 11) get to walk on the hallowed Power Rankings grounds. Maybe next year.

I've watched as the Cam Newton conversation has escalated and, most would say, devolved into personal attacks and accusations of racism. There's no doubt that any team deciding whether to draft the Auburn quarterback, including the Minnesota Vikings, has watched it unfold as well.

Character is subject to opinion, and it's fair to question the motives of someone making a harsh judgment. But ultimately, the entire conversation is relevant to the extent that it impacts Newton's performance on the field. So let's go there. What objective measures can we take of Newton's character and intangible abilities to be a quarterback?

First, we have to remember that Newton was the quarterback on two different teams that won national championships. In 2009, he took Blinn (Texas) College to the NJCAA National Football Championship. This past season, he led Auburn to the BCS national championship.

It's possible that his personality has rubbed some people the wrong way, but to me, championships are the best tangible evidence of leadership we can find. You could argue that Newton's raw athletic ability simply overpowered opponents, but to me there is too much that goes into a college season to credit one supremely talented player for a title. Maybe in high school, and possibly junior college, but not at the level of the SEC.

I wasn't inside Auburn's locker room last season, or Blinn's the year before, but you would have to stack up a lot of hard evidence for me to convince me that Newton isn't a leader of some measure. If any specific examples have been cited, I've missed them.

Second, as you know, we here at ESPN.com get the enormous benefit of statistics that help us pull back the curtain on a player's performance. Everything must be taken in context, of course, but our friends at ESPN Stats & Information have circulated some information that reflects a higher level of so-called "football intelligence" than some of Newton's detractors might suggest.

For starters, Newton completed 73.5 percent of his passes last season against the blitz in conference games. He threw five touchdowns and did not throw an interception. For context, consider that Missouri's Blaine Gabbert, the other top quarterback in this draft, completed 44.8 percent of his passes in the same situation.

There are plenty of possible explanations for why Newton threw so efficiently against the blitz. His offensive line could have blocked exceptionally well. His scheme might have lent itself to friendly dump-off passes. But it could also be a hint -- gasp! -- of football intelligence, an ability to process a defensive alignment quickly and make a positive play based on a combination of instincts and scheme knowledge.

This much is clear: Generally speaking, the best quarterbacks in the NFL are usually the best at handling the blitz. In 2010, for example, here were the top seven NFL quarterbacks against the blitz based on passer rating:

1. Tom Brady
2. Tony Romo
3. Aaron Rodgers
4. Matt Cassel
5. Josh Freeman
6. Ben Roethlisberger
7. Matt Ryan

Here's another measure we can consider: pocket passing. Someone (like me) who doesn't watch a ton of college football might have an impression of Newton as a freelancing athlete who prefers to run if given an opportunity. Similar quarterbacks rarely succeed in the NFL because of the complex passing decisions they'll ultimately have to make in a pro system.

So for what it's worth, Newton also outperformed Gabbert when it came to making traditional throws from the pocket. In conference games last season, Newton completed 67.6 percent of his pocket throws for 14 touchdowns and three interceptions. Gabbert completed 61.1 percent, with nine touchdowns and four interceptions.

I realize Newton and Gabbert played in much different schemes last season, making the comparison something less than apples to apples. But I still think it's instructive to compare Newton's pocket performance against the quarterback who seems to be considered the more "polished" player.

I have no idea what type of personality Newton has, whether he was well-liked by his teammates or if they simply tolerated him. And I also acknowledge that character, leadership qualities and football intelligence are critical to the success of an NFL quarterback.

But here we have a quarterback who has won consecutive national championships, who handled blitzes well against some of the fastest defenses in the country last season, and who was a better pocket passer than the presumptive top quarterback in the draft. Shouldn't we at least give that kind of resume the benefit of the doubt? It's not necessarily racist to question Newton on those qualities. It just doesn't fit the objective facts as we know them.

Related: NFC South colleague Pat Yasinskas writes that the Carolina Panthers should take Newton with the No. 1 overall pick.

After the Minnesota Vikings' 24-21 victory Sunday over the Dallas Cowboys, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. I realize that quarterback Brett Favre has played in 290 consecutive games thanks to a combination of toughness and incredible genes. But it still has been amazing to watch him get up from regular pummelings even as quarterbacks around the league are being sidelined on a weekly basis. In this division alone, the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions have already had three quarterbacks take meaningful snaps. Sunday, Favre took three sacks and was hit after the pass on three other occasions, including a brutal rib shot from Cowboys linebacker Igor Olshansky. Favre said the play knocked the wind out of him and felt "pretty close to death," and afterward was sporting a pretty good welt on his right side. Can he really take 11 more games of this? Coach Brad Childress was mostly dismissive of the situation and hinted Favre had some culpability for holding the ball too long. Coldly, I thought, Childress added: "We're paying him enough every game. He's going to get hit."
2. Receiver Randy Moss apparently had some choice but constructive words for teammates at halftime of Sunday's game. But I think his biggest impact has already come in the development of fellow receiver Percy Harvin. In the two games since Moss arrived, Harvin has caught eight passes for 118 yards and scored a total of three touchdowns. Harvin said that Moss "has already taught me so much," about refining his playmaking skills, but Harvin also appears genuinely inspired by playing alongside his longtime idol. The Vikings gave Harvin some time in the backfield Sunday and are working with him as a punt returner as well. Harvin could emerge as the top playmaker among an elite group of offensive players.
3. Defensive end Jared Allen didn't add to his meager sack total but still was around the ball for much of the game and was disruptive throughout. Unofficial statistics credited him with three post-throw hits on Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. You would like for high-priced defensive ends to pile up the sack totals, but this was one game where Allen was clearly effective without a sack.

And here is one issue I don't get:

Are the Vikings poised to take control of a flawed division? It's certainly a compelling argument, given the offensive problems the Bears are experiencing and the injury situation that continues to mount for the Green Bay Packers. A win Sunday night at Lambeau Field would pull the Vikings ahead of the Packers in the NFC North standings. But the Vikings are a clearly flawed team in their own right, and there has to be something fundamentally wrong when a group of offensive players this talented continues to struggle. Regardless, the Vikings have an opportunity that didn't appear possible just a week ago.

MINNEAPOLIS -- If you like to watch football, every NFL weekend is living art. If you like to see football played well, I'm sorry. You're out of luck.

I'm starting a new blog policy. Yes, I'm going to stop pointing out how ugly some of the NFC North's so-called marquee matchups have been this season. And no, it's not just because the Minnesota Vikings were the beneficiaries in Week 6 of one of the dumbest approaches I've ever seen an NFL team take. Maybe we need to recalibrate our expectations for what qualifies as a winning performance in this league.

Let's face it. The Vikings took a 24-21 victory over the Dallas Cowboys for three reasons:

1. Percy Harvin returned the second-half kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, pulling the Vikings even after the home crowd booed them off the field at halftime.
2. Middle linebacker E.J. Henderson, a strong run-stopper still rounding into shape after having a titanium rod inserted into his left leg last winter, doubled his career interception total by stepping in front of two Tony Romo passes. Those interceptions set up the Vikings' mostly anemic offense for 10 of its 17 points.

3. Tony Romo passing by distance Sunday

   	5 yards or fewer	6 yards+
   Pct of att	75<<	25
   Yards/att	5.4	18.4
   TD-INT	1-1	2-1
   Pass. rat.	85	106.3
   >>First 4 games: 43.1% 5 yds. or less Source: ESPN Stats and Information

   The Cowboys criminally ignored their receivers' mismatch against the Vikings' injury-depleted secondary, dumping 10 passes to tailback Felix Jones. Even Vikings players admitted they were surprised. According to ESPN's Stats & Information, 24 of the Romo's 32 pass attempts traveled five yards or fewer downfield. In-ex-plicable.

In a year when "parity" is a euphemism for "no one is any good," maybe that's all it takes to win: A kickoff return, a linebacker catching two passes and an opponent unable to get out of its own way. I give some credit to coach Brad Childress for recognizing the wholly unaesthetic nature of the day's proceedings.

"It's close to migrant work," Childress said. "You go where it is every week. So we bought one more week. There is parity. All you've got to do is look."

That's pretty much all Henderson did on his interceptions. In 97 career games over nine seasons, he had managed a grand total of two interceptions. Both came in 2006. For about half of his career, the Vikings have removed him in obvious passing downs because they thought he was slow in coverage.

His first interception Sunday came after Romo bounced a pass off defensive tackle Kevin Williams' helmet. The ball sailed high in the air, where Henderson grabbed it at its lowest point and returned it to the Cowboys' 16-yard line. Even a Vikings offense that would finish with 188 total yards couldn't avoid capitalizing, driving all 16 yards for a touchdown that tied the game at 7 on the final play of the first quarter.

I don't mean to diminish Henderson's performance, especially when you realize the fractured femur he suffered last December could (and maybe should) have been career-ending. Henderson isn't an emotional person, but it was still heart-warming to see him skip off the field after a second interception that was not only a smart play but also put the Vikings in position for Ryan Longwell's game-winning 38-yard field goal.

Henderson fooled Romo into thinking tight end Jason Witten would be open, taking several steps toward the line as if he were about to blitz. Recognizing the play all along, he peeled off late and snatched Romo's pass out of the air.

"Just stepped back and he threw it over the middle," Henderson said.

Said Childress: "He's a smart, smart, smart football player."

You couldn't say that about anyone in Cowboys' colors Sunday, be it player or coach. Romo threw two touchdown passes to receiver Roy E. Williams and a third to rookie Dez Bryant. Nickel back Lito Sheppard appeared to be the victim in each instance.

Were it not for injuries to cornerbacks Cedric Griffin and Chris Cook, Sheppard might not have even been active for this game. But even with Sheppard playing nickel and former dime back Asher Allen in a starting role, the Cowboys refused to capitalize on the mismatch.

Romo targeted Williams three times, Bryant twice and Miles Austin five times. They finished with a combined six catches. Tailback Jones, meanwhile, had 10 passes thrown his way. He caught all 10 for 61 yards.

I realize the Vikings hit Romo a few times on their opening possession. In fact, Vikings defensive end Jared Allen said: "You saw them change their game plan literally in the first series after we hit him about three or four times." But come on. You give up on your best weapons for large stretches of the game because of a couple early hits?

Vikings players seemed incredulous but thankful.

"That was fine with me if they didn't want to go upfield," nose tackle Pat Williams said. "They're trying to dump and throw screens and run draws. No problem here."

"I can't say we were prepared for that," defensive tackle Kevin Williams said. "We hadn't expected that."

Of course they didn't. What team in its right mind would throw all day to Felix Jones when it had Roy Williams, Miles Austin and Dez Bryant matched up against an opponents' No. 3 and No. 4 cornerback??!! I'm fired up not because the Cowboys did just as much to lose this game as the Vikings did to win it. It's that the oversight seemed outrageous even in this year's NFL. I'll leave the NFC East commenting to colleague Matt Mosley, but let's just say I would consider it a fireable offense if it were the other way around.

The Vikings were far from perfect themselves, and their offense seemed stuck in lethargy for far too long Sunday. Normally, I would say I saw few encouraging long-term signs from this victory. But in the NFL circa 2010, a winning performance consists of making fewer mistakes than your opponent. That, and three big plays, were enough to send Childress' "migrant workers" home happy after a full day's work.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Some observations from Minnesota's 24-21 victory against Dallas.

What it means: The Minnesota Vikings improved to 2-3 despite a lackluster offensive showing that included only one legitimate scoring drive, a total of 188 total yards and 14 first downs. But it was a positive week for the Vikings regardless, as the three other NFC North teams all lost.

Hero I: Middle linebacker E.J. Henderson intercepted two Tony Romo passes, his second coming with 7 minutes, 33 seconds remaining in the game. The play gave the Vikings the ball at the 30-yard line and set up Ryan Longwell's go-ahead 38-yard field goal. Regardless of your team affiliation, it was heart-warming to watch Henderson celebrate when you realize that many thought his career was over last December after he fractured his femur.

Hero II: Percy Harvin's 95-yard kickoff return to start the third quarter closed a 14-7 halftime deficit and instilled new life in a team that seemed lifeless in the first half. It was Harvin's third kickoff return for a touchdown in 20 career games.

Hero III: Truth be told, the Cowboys couldn't get out of their own way in this game. The last of their 10 penalties nullified what should have been a gift from the Vikings. With the Cowboys out of timeouts and the Vikings trying to run out the clock, Favre instead threw a low-percentage pass to No. 4 receiver Greg Lewis. The pass sailed over Lewis' head, which should have stopped the clock on third down and given the Cowboys the ball back with about two minutes to go. Instead, cornerback Mike Jenkins was called for a game-clinching pass interference play.

Hero IV: Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett inexplicably declined to push an obvious mismatch between his receivers and the Vikings' injury-plagued secondary. Nickel back Lito Sheppard was the closest man in coverage on all three of the Cowboys' touchdowns, including a game-tying 31-yard pass to Dez Bryant. But Bryant, Miles Austin and Roy Williams combined for only six catches.

What's next: The Vikings travel to Lambeau Field for a game next Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers.

We're Black and Blue All Over:

John Clayton's list of elite NFC quarterbacks includes two from our Air and Space division. Here's the full list:

Drew Brees, New Orleans
Brett Favre, Minnesota
Donovan McNabb, Washington
Eli Manning, New York Giants
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay
Tony Romo, Dallas
Matt Ryan, Atlanta

(Clayton noted he had eliminated Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler from the list. Thoughts?)

The list is ordered alphabetically, so let's have some fun and rank it ourselves. Below is my take, sure to cause massive controversy. It's based on where I think we'll be AT THE END OF THE 2010 SEASON.

Drew Brees, New Orleans
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay
Brett Favre, Minnesota
Matt Ryan, Atlanta
Tony Romo, Dallas
Donovan McNabb, Washington
Eli Manning, New York Giants

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Green Bay cornerback Pat Lee says he is 100 percent healthy, according to Lori Nickel of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
• Packers nose tackle B.J. Raji wants to cause "havoc" this year at his new position, writes Kareem Copeland of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
• Packers president Mark Murphy was front and center in Wednesday's NFL labor negotiations, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
• Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com: "A relatively unknown member of the Chicago Bears' practice squad only one year ago, former undrafted free agent Johan Asiata took every rep with the first team at left guard during Wednesday's organized team activity at Halas Hall."
• Bears receiver Johnny Knox is confident he can make the jump to Mike Martz's offensive scheme, writes Bob LeGere of the Daily Herald.
• Devin Hester on Martz's offense: ''I'm having a lot of fun because the plays they call are designed for players like myself and the other receivers, and we're stepping up and making plays. It's helping out our receivers a lot.'' Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times has more.
• New Bears tight end Brandon Manumaleuna continues to sit out organized team activities (knee) but plans to be ready for training camp, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
• Defensive tackle Corey Williams wants to get back to being a franchise player in the Detroit Lions' 4-3 scheme, writes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com.
• Nicholas J. Cotsonika of the Detroit Free Press: "If Matthew Stafford throws fastballs, you might say Shaun Hill throws change-ups. Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson takes it a step further and jokes Hill's delivery is "like from 'A League of Their Own.'"
• An obligatory Brett Favre update: Dr. James Andrews reports Favre's ankle is recovering well.

We have been tracking guaranteed money on this blog ever since Detroit committed quarterback Matthew Stafford to an NFL-record $41.7 million on the eve of the 2009 draft. Finally, it's time for Stafford's deal to take a back seat.

But as it turns out, the record remains in the NFC North family. (Would you have expected anything else?) Chicago guaranteed defensive end Julius Peppers $42 million on Friday, putting Peppers at the top of our list:

Chicago defensive end Julius Peppers: $42 million
Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford: $41.7 million
Washington defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth: $41 million
San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers: $38 million
Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick: $37 million*
Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger: $36 million
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning: $35 million
Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan: $34.8 million
Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning: $34.5 million
Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell: $31.5 million
Dallas quarterback Tony Romo: $30 million
*Vick's deal has since been terminated.

It will be interesting to see how long Peppers' record stands. If a quarterback is drafted No. 1 overall next month, you would think his guaranteed money would overtake Stafford. With only a $300,000 difference between Stafford and Peppers, there is a chance the record could soon fall. Other candidates include Manning and New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, both of whom are expected to receive contract extensions this offseason.