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In 2010, the NFL mock drafting world expressed shock and awe that Iowa left tackle Bryan Bulaga was still available when the Green Bay Packers drafted him at No. 23 overall. Two years later, we've seen similar expressions of surprise that another Iowa left tackle, Riley Reiff, was still available when the Detroit Lions drafted him at, yes, No. 23 overall.

What's the common theme here? I'm almost embarrassed for the game, but here goes: Arm length.

The arms of both Bulaga and Reiff measured at 33 1/4 inches at their respective scouting combines, about 2 3/4 inches shorter than NFL teams would ideally like to see them. I know you might shake your head, but after poking around a bit Friday, I feel confident that Reiff -- who was an excellent player in a major conference of college football -- would not have made it to the Lions' spot if his arms were longer.

You might remember my rant on this topic shortly after Bulaga's arrival in this division. I understand the value that long arms provide -- namely, establishing distance from a pass rusher to help maintain leverage -- but I refuse to believe it is a make-or-break attribute. Footwork and technique should always trump it, right?

The Packers didn't help my argument by moving Bulaga to right tackle, where he presumably faces less talented pass-rushers and thus doesn't need arms quite as long. (I can't believe I just wrote that sentence.) Lions coach Jim Schwartz said Reiff projects as a left tackle, but I suppose it's possible he could follow a similar path as Bulaga by filling in and ultimately settling into a different position.

Hopefully we've learned our lesson. Reiff was projected as a top-15 pick because he was considered the draft's second-best tackle, and that's where players of that regard historically are selected. So when filling out our mock drafts in future years, I suggest we take a roll call of arm length before assigning first-round order. But don't forget your dinosaur history. T-Rex was pretty, pretty nasty from what I understand.

In all seriousness, I don't think arm length was the only reason why almost two dozen players were off the board before Reiff was drafted. But you're fooling yourself if you think it wasn't part of the evaluation. Sometimes, NFL evaluators get too caught up in measureables for their own good.

From my perspective, it was the Lions' gain. Even if Reiff isn't the Lions' long-term answer at left tackle, they got a really good player at a value spot in the first round.

When we last checked in on Chad Clifton, it was clear the Green Bay Packers were hoping to find a way to get their veteran left tackle back for 2012. At the NFL owners meetings, coach Mike McCarthy termed Clifton's future "a medical decision" after postseason back surgery.

The Packers made that decision Monday, and it ended an 12-year run that included a Pro Bowl berth as recently as two years ago. Just as important, the move should save the Packers more than $5 million against the 2012 salary cap.

In truth, the Packers' pending release of Clifton -- as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter -- has been building for years. The team essentially extended his career by limiting practice time to help manage knee, shoulder, back and hamstring ailments. But the back issue developed last season while rehabilitating a hamstring injury, and it was fair to question whether the Packers could rely on a left tackle in his condition who will turn 36 in June.

Knowing this moment was coming, the Packers have drafted a number of possible replacements in recent years. Bryan Bulaga was initially a left tackle as a first-round pick in 2010, but he has since moved to right tackle. Derek Sherrod, the Packers' top pick last season, played guard and tackle before suffering a season-ending broken leg in December.

But the most likely replacement could be Marshall Newhouse, a fifth-round pick in 2010 who filled in admirably for Clifton last season. As the playoffs approached, quarterback Aaron Rodgers offered this ringing endorsement of Newhouse's performance:

"Starting the season out, I didn't look at Marshall the way I look at him now. I look at him now as a guy who really has a strong, legitimate chance to be the left tackle of the future. I think he has the personality makeup to do that, the athletic ability to do that, the feet and the smarts to be a very, very solid left tackle for us."

The Packers' depth chart at the position depends partially on this week's draft. But for now, we can at least say that he Packers will have a new left tackle this season for the first time since 1999.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The New York Giants and the Green Bay Packers are about as healthy as they can be for Sunday's divisional round playoff game. The Giants' inactives list is the same as it was last week, and the Packers have only one injured player, linebacker Robert Francois, who will be inactive.

Active for the Packers will be wide receiver Greg Jennings, who missed the past couple of games of the regular season due to injury, and starting tackles Chad Clifton and Bryan Bulaga, who also battled injuries during the final few weeks of the season. It will be interesting to see how healthy the tackles are and how they hold up against the Giants' edge pass-rushers.

Active for the Giants will be wide receiver Mario Manningham, who had struggled with knee problems in the second half of the season but was active for the first playoff game last week, and cornerback Aaron Ross and running back D.J. Ware, each of whom suffered concussions in last week's victory over the Falcons. Linebacker Mark Herzlich, still out with an ankle injury, is the injured player on the inactive list.

Full list of inactives:

GIANTS

WR Ramses Barden

RB Da'Rel Scott

LB Mark Herzlich

OL Jim Cordle

DE Justin Trattou

DT Jimmy Kennedy

OL James Brewer

PACKERS

QB Graham Harrell

CB Davon House

LB Rob Francois

OL Herb Taylor

TE D.J. Williams

DE Howard Green

LB Vic So'oto

I'm not doing any more work Friday. Leaving for Green Bay in the morning, so I'm going to spend the rest of the day and night with my family. So I was going to leave you with a post on the injury and weather reports for the game, but there's a bit of a nothing-to-see-here element to both.

The Giants are listing linebacker Mark Herzlich as out and listing everyone else -- including running backs Ahmad Bradshaw and D.J. Ware and cornerback Aaron Ross -- as probable or not listing them at all. The Packers are listing both of their starting tackles, Chad Clifton and Bryan Bulaga, as well as wide receiver Greg Jennings, as probable. The only Packer who's on the injury report and isn't probable is linebacker Robert Francois, who's doubtful with a hamstring injury. So basically, if you were wondering about anyone who's been banged up, the answer is that they'll almost certainly play.

As for the weather ... sorry to disappoint those who want a snowy game. But while it has snowed a great deal in Green Bay the past couple of days and it appears snow will be on the ground when we arrive tomorrow, the forecast for Sunday continues to call for a relatively balmy high temperature of 32 degrees and no precipitation.

So, with no real news to report on injuries or weather, I leave you with the Giants offensive line's response to being called "not the toughest" by Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji. Giants guard Chris Snee, a Boston College guy like Raji, made some cracks about how it kept him up all night, then delivered the discount doublecheck:

"All kidding aside, no one cares what B.J. had to say," Snee said. "Sometimes when you're young and you make it to a Pro Bowl and then to a Super Bowl and you have your own commercial, you feel the need to talk. We'll do our talking on Sunday."

Good idea. I'll do mine from the press box. Enjoy your Friday evening and your Saturday of NFL playoff football. Talk to you from Wisconsin.

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

FALLING

1. Secondary play in Chicago and Minnesota: Between the two of them, the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings have maybe one or two defensive backs who should be considered 2012 starters heading into the offseason. Bears cornerback Charles Tillman qualifies, and perhaps Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield will as well if he returns healthy from a fractured collarbone. Otherwise, the Bears and Vikings need a serious overhaul to their defensive backfields. Both teams tried season-long rotations at safety, neither of which led to any personnel conclusions, and cornerback play outside of Tillman has been atrocious for both teams. It will probably be a multiyear process for these franchises to rebuild these positions. With Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Jay Cutler in this division, they better hurry.

2. Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings quarterback: We all remember ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer's harsh criticism of Ponder shortly after the draft. In brief, Dilfer said Ponder looks the part of an NFL quarterback but quickly falls from his comfort zone and loses accuracy under pressure. Dilfer softened some of that analysis after Ponder's relatively strong debut, but we should note that Ponder has been one of the NFL's worst quarterbacks against extra pass-rushers this season. According to ESPN Stats & Information, he is completing about 39 percent of his passes when opponents send five or more pass-rushers. The only player with less success against the blitz? Denver Broncos quarterback/running back Tim Tebow. It's not necessarily a warning sign if a rookie doesn't perform well under pressure, but to this point Ponder's performance hasn't veered much from Dilfer's original analysis.

3. Marion Barber, Bears running back: Barber's mental errors in a loss earlier this month to the Broncos, and his inability to keep his troublesome calf healthy, would seem to spell the end of his short tenure with the Bears. Kahlil Bell's hard-charging 123-yard performance Sunday night offers the Bears a much younger option for the role of backing up starter Matt Forte. It was a nice run, as they say.

RISING

1. Home-field advantage: The Packers have a quirky history when it comes to playing at home in the playoffs. In the big picture, the state of Wisconsin has provided one of the best home-field advantages in professional sports. The Packers are 15-3 all-time at home in the playoffs, including games played in Milwaukee. But those three losses have come in their past five playoff games at home: In 2003 to the Atlanta Falcons, in 2004 to the Vikings and 2007 to the New York Giants. One of the two victories, meanwhile, came in overtime to the Seattle Seahawks. Recently, at least, opponents haven't been intimidated by playing at Lambeau Field.

2. Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions tight end: A significant debate erupted in 2009 when the Lions used the No. 20 overall pick to draft Pettigrew, passing up offensive lineman Michael Oher and receiver Percy Harvin, among others. But the Lions insisted that a multi-faceted tight end was critical to their offense, and they have followed through by utilizing Pettigrew as much as any team in the NFL. The Lions have used him as an extension of their running game, and although he is averaging a modest 8.7 yards per reception, his total of 76 catches ranks third among tight ends. By all accounts, Pettigrew is an excellent blocker as well. The Lions have gotten by this far with Jeff Backus and Gosder Cherilus as their tackles, minimizing the need for Oher. And while Harvin would have been a nice addition, the Lions have found value by signing veteran Nate Burleson and using a second-round pick to draft Titus Young.

3. T.J. Lang, Green Bay Packers offensive lineman: When the season began, how many people would have chosen Lang as the Packers' most valuable offensive lineman? Not me. Lang had been an inconsistent starter and player who couldn't find a position and was behind a rookie on the depth chart when the season began. But Lang outplayed first-round pick Derek Sherrod in camp to win the left guard job and has provided a seamless transition from departed starter Daryn Colledge. And when the Packers needed someone to jump over to right tackle after injuries to Bryan Bulaga and Sherrod, Lang successfully made the move. On Sunday night, at least, he held his own against Bears pass-rushers Julius Peppers and Israel Idonije. Center Scott Wells might be the Packers' best offensive lineman this season, but not many left guards could jump out to right tackle as well as Lang appeared to do Sunday night.

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- It's decision time for Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy. I'm guessing he's already made it, even if he was vague on the details in the aftermath of Sunday night's 35-21 victory over the Chicago Bears.

Will McCarthy rest and protect his starters in the Packers' otherwise meaningless Week 17 game against the Detroit Lions? Or will he keep full throttle on a record-breaking season in hopes of entering the playoffs on the highest note possible?

McCarthy is already on record this season as saying the Packers "won't play scared" in their remaining regular-season games, and indications were that he was prepared to push for a perfect 16-0 season if the opportunity availed. But that possibility ended Dec. 18 in Kansas City, and the Packers' victory Sunday night locked up home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

The Lions, on he other hand, will have substantial incentive next weekend -- knowing that a victory would aid their chances for the No. 5 seed in the playoffs and lead to a better wild-card matchup than if they were the sixth seed. A Lions victory, in fact, could be the difference between a trip to the Superdome to play the New Orleans Saints (as the No. 6 seed) or playing at the Dallas Cowboys or New York Giants (as the No. 5 seed).

McCarthy continued his tough talk Sunday night, but for the first time offered a caveat that suggests he won't do anything rash, especially with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, to secure a victory over the Lions.

"I'm not going to stand here and tell you we're going to give away an opportunity to win a game," McCarthy said. "We're going to play to win the game next week. I'm not real excited about a division opponent coming in here and thinking we're not going to do everything we can to get to 15-1. But health is an issue for us and I think that's stating the obvious."

Added Rodgers: "I think we need to get healthy. That's the most important thing. This was a good win for us to get back on the right track [and] get the No. 1 seed obviously. Now that we have the top seed locked up, I think the priorities may shift a little."

It stands to reason that the Packers won't play any of the starters who have been nursing injuries or haven't played in recent weeks. That list includes running back James Starks, who left Sunday night's game again because of his troublesome sprained ankle, receiver Greg Jennings (knee) and perhaps right tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee).

But the real question is whether McCarthy will play healthy stars such Rodgers, cornerback Charles Woodson and linebacker Clay Matthews. The Thanksgiving Day game between the teams was a chippy affair that led to a pair of ejections, most notably for Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, and it would be understandable if McCarthy wanted to hide the women and children from a motivated Lions team.

When I asked him if healthy starters would play against the Lions, McCarthy said: "I don't have an answer for you. I need to see how the players get in here tomorrow and it usually takes until Tuesday to really get a handle on a projection of who's available and who is at risk and who isn't."

Rodgers and Woodson, two veterans McCarthy often leans on for advice, both deferred to the coach on this issue. Woodson said "I anticipate playing," a natural response for any player, but Rodgers offered a more nuanced answer that suggested he wouldn't be surprised to have a lighter load next week or potentially sit out altogether.

"I think that's going to be up to Mike depending on how he wants to play it," Rodgers said. "We'll fall in line. I think as a close friend of [backup Matt Flynn], I wouldn't mind seeing him get an opportunity to play a little bit. But I'll definitely do whatever Mike says."

Asked if he hoped to play for a chance to match Tom Brady's NFL record of 50 touchdown passes in a season, Rodgers said: "I think that's safe." He has 45 this season after throwing a career-high five against the Bears.

With all due respect to the rest of the Packers' roster, Rodgers is the central figure in this debate. He is the one player to whom an injury would absolutely and unequivocally end the Packers' Super Bowl hopes. A patchwork offensive line kept him pretty clean Sunday night -- he wasn't sacked and was hit once -- but we all know how active the Lions' defensive line can be.

I get how abhorrent the idea of pulling back might sound to McCarthy and perhaps others in the Packers organization. And I think I understand the value of entering the playoffs on a high note. The Packers did just that last season, beating a Bears team in Week 17 that played to win despite having its playoff seed locked up, and rode the momentum to Super Bowl XLV.

The Packers had no choice then. They do now. If their only goal is to win the Super Bowl, it's hard to envision how beating the Lions at all costs in Week 17 is going to help. And it would almost certainly take four quarters of participation from starters to secure, knowing the Lions have come back from deficits of 13 points or more four times this season.

"There's something to be said for finishing the season well," Rodgers said. "The Bears tried to keep us out of the playoffs last year, last game of the year. It would be nice to finish out the season the way we started, with a strong showing in a home game.

"That being said, you have to take into account the health of your football team. We have some guys banged up. We'll see what Mike says this week."

I'm not sure if McCarthy will announce it publicly, but I have a hard time believing he won't pull back. Maybe it will help a division rival earn a better seed. That's not the Packers concern right now. Getting to the playoffs unscathed should be their only priority.

KANSAS CITY -- For the first time all season, the Green Bay Packers are trailing in the fourth quarter of a game. As of this moment, it's 9-7 in favor of the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Packers, in fact, haven't trailed in the fourth quarter during any of the games in their current 19-game winning streak.

Their offense showed a bit of life in the third quarter, getting on the scoreboard on a 2-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers to Donald Driver. A 41-yard pass to tight end Jermichael Finley set up the score.

It appears the Packers will go the rest of the way without right tackle Bryan Bulaga, who re-injured his left knee and has been replaced by rookie Derek Sherrod. Barring major news, we'll settle in and watch the conclusion of this game. Look for a Rapid Reaction shortly thereafter.

Trent Williams' substance-abuse suspension for the final four games of the 2011 season delivered another blow to the 2010 draft's offensive tackles.

Five of the first 10 tackles drafted that year are unavailable to their teams, including the Seattle Seahawks' Russell Okung and the St. Louis Rams' Rodger Saffold.

Seven of the 10 are starters or would be starters if healthy.

Okung was playing as well as any of them when Trent Cole's takedown ended his season. Saffold, slowed by back and ankle problems at various points, was struggling in his second season starting with the Rams. The San Francisco 49ers' Anthony Davis, though improved, continues to struggle some in pass protection.

The chart shows the first 10 tackles drafted. A few other potential tackles, including Denver's Zane Beadles, projected to guard in the NFL. They were not listed.

The Oakland Raiders' Bruce Campbell remains on the list even though he has been a backup guard to this point. He projected at tackle coming out of college and still could wind up there.

Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen has an NFL-high 9.5 sacks this season. Allen is on pace to break the single-season record for sacks in a season and will play a Green Bay Packers team that won't have his nemesis available to keep him away from MVP candidate Aaron Rodgers.

That job will fall to second-year player Marshall Newhouse, who will make his second NFL start at left tackle while veteran Chad Clifton recovers from a hamstring injury. The matchup might not be one-sided enough to spring the Vikings to an upset victory, but it could help Allen pad his sack totals in a way not unlike his experience when Clifton was injured two years ago.

Clifton has generally held his own against Allen. But as you might recall, Clifton missed both of the Packers' games against the Vikings in 2009. Allen had 7.5 sacks in those two games. If you would prefer to see me tell you all about it, check out the video below.

Rodgers expressed confidence this week that Newhouse understands both the challenge he'll face and the Packers' history against Allen without Clifton. Coach Mike McCarthy, meanwhile, said Newhouse "has played well the last two weeks" but "clearly" faces his "greatest challenge."

It's interesting to me that the Packers have drafted left tackles in the first round of the past two drafts, but neither has replaced Clifton. Bryan Bulaga is locked in on the right side, while rookie Derek Sherrod remains a backup.

Newhouse was a left tackle at TCU, but at 6-foot-4 he is not built like a classic NFL left tackle. As per their philosophy, the Packers have worked him at a variety of positions, and he started two games earlier this season at right tackle after Bulaga's knee injury.

"We have a history of drafting left tackles and moving them either inside or keeping them outside based on the evaluation once they get here," McCarthy said. "But you always felt Marshall … definitely had the hands and the footspeed to play left tackle."

The Packers have noted the potential impact of crowd noise at the Metrodome, a factor that is always a consideration for a young tackle. For Packers-Vikings games, however, I think it can work both ways.

As we've noted before, the Twin Cities has more Packers fans than most people around the country realize. Many of them find their way into Metrodome for the game. It's difficult to forget the scene of last year's game, when the building filled at one point with chants of "Go Pack Go."

In the end, I think Allen will prove a far more formidable opponent for Newhouse than the Metrodome crowd noise. The Packers have five tight ends on their 53-man roster, and I imagine they'll be put to good use on the left side of the Packers' line on Sunday.

DETROIT -- A few important NFC North notes from the inactive lists for Sunday's early games:

• The Detroit Lions will have safety Amari Spievey in the starting lineup against the San Francisco 49ers. He missed last week's game against the Chicago Bears because of a hamstring injury.
• Will Heller will start for Lions tight end Tony Scheffler (concussion).
• Lions receiver/special-teams ace Rashied Davis (foot) is active for the first time in a month.
• As expected, the Green Bay Packers will have Bryan Bulaga (knee) back at right tackle and will start Marshall Newhouse at left tackle.

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

FALLING

1. Help for Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears quarterback: At some point, you wonder if Cutler is on the road to being the next David Carr, a player so battered by opposing pass rushes -- mentally and physically -- that his game is forever altered. Cutler hung in as best he could Monday night against the Detroit Lions, but you wonder if he fully trusts the players around him. Michael C. Wright of ESPNChicago.com reported that Cutler has concerns about his offensive line and receivers. We'll touch on this more in the Bears' Free Head Exam later Tuesday, but after watching Monday night's game, I wouldn't blame Cutler if he has some concerns.

2. Mistakes by Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers quarterback: Rodgers is completing an NFL-high 71.7 percent of his passes and has thrown two interceptions in 129 attempts, fewer than any quarterback with more than 83 attempts. And most notably, he is pushing the ball downfield, as evidenced by his average of 9.6 yards per attempt, tied for highest in the NFL. You don't need me to tell you that Rodgers is playing at a high level, but it's quite amazing to think no one is playing more aggressively with fewer mistakes.

3. Concentration in Chicago: There is no other way to attribute a stunning nine false starts for a veteran team in one game, but that's what the Bears did Monday night. Left tackle J'Marcus Webb had three of them, but the Bears can't possibly hold him accountable in a meaningful way because their personnel is so thin right now. Who could they replace Webb with, if even to send a message? Frank Omiyale has been benched in consecutive games for poor play at right tackle. Rookie Gabe Carimi is recovering from a knee injury. The Bears and offensive line coach Mike Tice are once again left to make chicken salad from the leftovers. Or something like that.

RISING

1. Jahvid Best, Detroit Lions running back: Remember when Lions coach Jim Schwartz said he fantasized over Best's potential when he was drafted in 2010? This was the kind of fantasy Schwartz was imagining: A scatback rolling up 172 all-purpose yards on 16 offensive touches in a key divisional game. Best had exceeded 70 rushing yards only once in his NFL career before Monday night. But his breakout total of 163 yards against the Bears will add a layer to the game planning of opposing defensive coordinators for weeks to come.

2. Marshall Newhouse, Packers offensive lineman: A few weeks ago, no one knew for sure if Newhouse could play at all on the NFL level. Sunday night in Atlanta, Newhouse handled the exceedingly difficult job of flipping from right to left tackle in the middle of a game after Chad Clifton's hamstring injury. The Packers have drafted college left tackles in the first round of each of their past two drafts (Bryan Bulaga and Derek Sherrod), so it will be wild if Newhouse ends up taking Clifton's place for a substantial part of the 2011 season.

3. Passions in Minnesota: The Ramsey County Charter Commission could decide as early as Tuesday whether to place a stadium financing referendum on the November 2012 ballot. The county is being asked to contribute $350 million in new taxes to the Minnesota Vikings' stadium project, and some opponents are calling for the issue to be opened to the voting public. The referendum would likely scuttle the project altogether if you assume voters won't choose to raise their own taxes. In the end, a legal battle likely would be initiated to determine whether the charter commission has the final authority on this matter or if the state legislature can reverse the decision. In the meantime, the clock will tick toward the February 2012 expiration of the Vikings' lease at the Metrodome.

It appears quite possible that the Green Bay Packers will be without two starters on offense Sunday against the Denver Broncos. Tailback Ryan Grant (kidney) and right tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee) will be "pressed to make this game," coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday.

It's been expected that Bulaga could miss a few weeks after spraining and bruising his knee in Sunday's 27-17 victory over the Chicago Bears. But Grant had downplayed his injury, which occurred in the fourth quarter after a breakthrough 92-yard performance, and seemed confident that it wouldn't cost him any game time.

"What happens a lot of times is players are trying to get ready to play," McCarthy said, "and they're of the opinion that they're ready to go on Sunday. Our medical staff is not of the same opinion."

No decision will be made before the end of the week, but McCarthy didn't sound optimistic about either player's chances while speaking to Wisconsin reporters. The exact nature of Grant's injury hasn't been revealed, but you would have to think that doctors would be overly cautious about clearing anyone with a kidney injury.

Unless something dramatic happens, James Starks would start his first game of the season and rookie Alex Green would serve as his backup. Starks was essentially the Packers' primary runner through the first two weeks of the season, but he managed only 5 yards on 11 carries and lost a fumble against the Bears.

Second-year player Marshall Newhouse replaced Bulaga last Sunday and will start against the Broncos unless Bulaga makes an exceedingly fast recovery.

CHICAGO -- A few thoughts on the 183rd edition of the NFL’s oldest rivalry:

What it means: The Green Bay Packers are now 3-0 and tied for the NFC North lead with the upstart Detroit Lions. In the process, the Packers have put some distance between them and the Chicago Bears, who fell to 1-2 amid another disjointed performance by their offense.

What I liked: The Packers once again didn’t try to force anything downfield against the Bears’ defense, which has historically limited their big plays. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers connected on three touchdown passes to tight end Jermichael Finley and finished with 297 yards passing, but his longest gain was 25 yards. There’s nothing wrong with that. Look at it this way: The Packers dinked and dunked their way to 27 points. Rodgers is now 6-2 against the Bears all-time, including postseason.

What I didn’t like: Maybe they didn’t think they could run against the Packers' defense, but the Bears didn’t generate enough of a pass-run balance for my liking. Quarterback Jay Cutler threw on 17 of their first 23 plays and Bears tailback Matt Forte finished with two net yards on nine carries. They obviously identified some matchups they liked, especially against new Packers safety Charlie Peprah. But the Bears will win very few, if any games, under those circumstances.

What I didn’t like II: The Packers can’t be happy about the way they finished this game. They held a 27-10 lead early in the fourth quarter but allowed Bears tight end Kellen Davis to rumble through their secondary for a 32-yard touchdown play midway through the quarter. Later, their punt coverage team was faked out by a smart Bears return that seemed to get Johnny Knox a touchdown with about a minute left. A holding penalty by the Bears’ Corey Graham nullified the play and prevented the Bears from pulling within a field goal.

GrantWatch: Packers tailback Ryan Grant had by far his best game of the season, finishing with 89 yards on 15 carries while James Starks struggled to five yards on 11 carries and also lost a fumble. Grant did leave the game in the fourth quarter after taking a hit in the face, but he put some important production on tape regardless.

Injury report: Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga (knee) did not return after injuring his knee in the first quarter. Marshall Newhouse went the rest of the way. And we’ve already discussed Grant’s injury.

What’s next: The Bears will host the Carolina Panthers next Sunday. The Packers will host the Denver Broncos.

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.

Reviewing Friday's action at Lucas Oil Stadium:

Green Bay Packers 24, Indianapolis Colts 21

Preseason record: (2-1)

Of interest: The Packers offense opened with a three-and-out and then shifted to its increasingly intriguing no-huddle offense. It led to a total of 10 points for the starters in the first half, including Aaron Rodgers' 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jermichael Finley. Rodgers finished with 204 passing yards in the first half. But the Packers walked away with plenty to work on. Rodgers continued to take more hits than you would like. Left tackle Chad Clifton struggled with defensive end Dwight Freeney, contributing to a pair of sacks and also producing a holding penalty that wiped out a 20-yard touchdown pass to Chastin West. Right guard Josh Sitton gave up a sack for the second consecutive week, this time to former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris. ... Tailback Ryan Grant managed 16 yards on six carries, an effort that will keep his competition with James Starks in play. Starks got only one carry but caught five passes for 38 yards. ... The first-team defense blitzed Colts quarterback Curtis Painter extensively but eventually gave up a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter. One came on a busted coverage by safety Morgan Burnett, while the other came with the always-shaky Jarrett Bush in man coverage. ... Coach Mike McCarthy worked hard to ensure this victory, however, ordering a 2-point conversion after Ryan Taylor's 11-yard touchdown reception with 35 seconds remaining. After a successful onside kick, place-kicker Mason Crosby atoned for an earlier miss with a 50-yard game-winner. ... Quarterback Graham Harrell's late-game heroics could go a long way toward making the team.

Local coverage: McCarthy said he never considered kicking an extra point after Taylor's touchdown to leave with a 1-point loss, according to Rob Demovsky of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. McCarthy: "I understand the mindset of kicking the extra point and going home a little healthier. That's a terrible message to send to your team, in my opinion. ... I thought it was a tremendous boost for our football team. I think anytime you win a game in that fashion, it's healthy." ... The Packers starters should have scored more points, Demovsky quotes right tackle Bryan Bulaga as saying. ... Players seemed tired at times as a result of the no huddle, but Clifton (via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) said: "There's no excuse for it. I need to play better. Our job is to perform and perform at a high level. I didn't do that tonight. I know it wasn't one of my finest performances. I'll just have to learn from it." ... Burnett admitted he was at fault in the busted coverage that led to Reggie Wayne's 57-yard touchdown. Via Tyler Dunne of the Journal Sentinel: "That was on me all the way. I should have stayed deep in my half. It's just a routine play. I need to really work on that. I can't put too much thought in it. Just need to bounce back." ... Rodgers on his touchdown pass to Finley, via Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com: "It was two guys on the same page. It was nice to be able to have that non-verbal acknowledgement of what we're trying to do there."

Up next: Thursday against Kansas City Chiefs