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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.

After a week of public discussion about the issue, Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz did not bench any of the three players who received post-whistle personal fouls in a Week 13 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

Instead, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, Schwartz instituted a zero-tolerance policy that called for any offending player to be benched for the remainder of any game in which he committed that type of penalty. Several players mentioned the policy last week, but Schwartz would not confirm it. Still, Mortensen reported that Schwartz reminded players of it Saturday night in a team meeting.

Schwartz benched right tackle Gosder Cherilus in Week 2 after a late-game penalty in Week 1, prompting speculation that receiver Titus Young, kick returner Stefan Logan and/or tight end Brandon Pettigrew would suffer a similar fate Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. But all three made important contributions to a 34-28 victory.

Benching three prominent players sounds good in theory, but ultimately Schwartz didn't consider it realistic. He essentially became the parent that tells his children: "Don't do it again -- or else." Both the parent and Schwartz are hoping the threat is enough to avoid the "or else." So far, so good.

Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz has gone to great lengths this week to classify his team's penalty problems. He said Monday, in fact, that he is concerned about two kinds of penalties -- those that occur before the snap and after the whistle -- and has zeroed in on five of the latter as the source for national discussion about the Lions' discipline.

The implication has been that five penalties over the course of 12 games falls short of a systemic, program-wide issue. That characterization, however, glosses over some unflattering big-picture trends.

The Lions have committed an NFL-high 28 personal fouls this season, according to an ESPN Stats & Information analysis based on all qualifying penalties. That's seven more than the next-highest team, the Tennessee Titans. Overall, 25 of the NFL's 32 teams have committed 15 or fewer such penalties. Considered broadly, the Lions have been called for nearly twice as many personal fouls as a quorum of teams.

Since Schwartz began his tenure in 2009, meanwhile, the Lions have led the league in personal fouls and are second only to the Oakland Raiders in total penalties.

I'm well aware that statistical studies have found little correlation between penalty totals and winning percentage. But I think we can agree that 15-yard penalties, by their nature, exert a disproportionate impact on a game.

The five penalties Schwartz has focused on include:

• Right tackle Gosder Cherilus' post-whistle shove in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh's stomp of Green Bay Packers guard Evan Dietrich-Smith in Week 12.
• Post-whistle extracurriculars by receiver Titus Young, tight end Brandon Pettigrew and kick returner Stefan Logan in Week 13 against the New Orleans Saints.

"Obviously the last two weeks," Schwartz said, "we haven't done a very good job with that and it's been situations that have put the team in a bad position."

In reality, a 15-yard penalty for pushing a player after the whistle hurts the team precisely as much as a late quarterback hit, a horse collar or any other personal foul. They might emanate from different motivations -- Schwartz considers the five penalties in question to be "selfish" compared to others that result from aggression -- but that's of minimal consequence in terms of game impact.

I'm sure the Lions don't agree with every personal foul they've been called for this season. That's no different than any team. The truth is that they might absorb a few extra calls because of the reputation they've earned for aggressive play.

But if you eliminate all five of the penalties Schwartz is concerned with, the Lions would still lead the league in personal fouls. That alone suggests the problem runs deeper than a handful of mistakes over a course of a long season. Just my two cents.

I just got done catching up on Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz's nearly-30 minute news conference with local reporters Monday. Without saying it directly, Schwartz clearly paved the way for further discipline against the three players who committed personal foul penalties in Sunday's 31-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

How that manifests itself is yet to be determined, however. Receiver Titus Young saw only a couple of snaps after his second-quarter penalty, and that could represent his punishment. But Schwartz also will have to deal with kick returner Stefan Logan and tight end Brandon Pettigrew, whose late-game extracurriculars enraged Schwartz and led to a meeting with team captains on the Lions' charter plane.

"Unsportsmanlike conduct is a selfish penalty," Schwartz said. "It makes one player feel good and the rest of the team [is hurt]."

Schwartz noted on a number of occasions that right tackle Gosder Cherilus was benched for the Lions' Week 2 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs because of a personal foul he committed the week before. If he continues to follow that template, it stands to reason that Logan, Pettigrew and Young will have their playing time curtailed, if not eliminated altogether, for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings.

"We had one [post-whistle unsportsmanlike conduct] in the opener," Schwartz said. "We addressed it. We went a pretty long time without another one. … We had Gosder, we had [Ndamukong] Suh. We had three guys this week."

Suh is serving a two-game league-mandated suspension for his ejection from the Lions' Thanksgiving Day game against the Green Bay Packers. Putting Cherlius and Suh in the same sentence with Young, Logan and Pettigrew would seem to suggest looming discipline. Schwartz said it is important to be "consistent" but careful to avoid overreacting or "putting more [emphasis] on one situation."

Cherlius' benching wasn't obvious until the morning of the Lions' game against the Chiefs. We might not know how Schwartz has decided to handle these latest instances until this Sunday. But the precedent has been set, and Schwartz ran the media through that template Monday. You might think Schwartz would be taking a risk by benching three prominent players during a playoff race, but I would suggest the Lions won't make the playoffs unless they get this situation under control first.

We have been discussing the Thanksgiving Day showdown for three days under the "Thanksgiving Feast" tag, but here are some final thoughts on the fast-approaching game between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions:

Respect for Packers: The last time an undefeated team played on Thanksgiving, it lost to the Lions. That team happened to be the 1962 Packers, a coincidence that has served as one of several narratives fueling national discussion about the Lions' chances Thursday. Las Vegas does not agree, however. The Packers are a strong favorite on the road, up to seven points based on ESPN.com's composite review of betting lines. I'm among those who think the Lions match up well with the Packers, but facts are facts. The Packers are one of four teams in NFL history to win the first 10 games of a season by at least six points. Not even that 1962 Packers team, considered one of the best in pro football history, managed that feat. This year's team has been remarkably consistent, with a close call or two but no real scares on the way to 10-0.

Revisionism: There is no doubt that the Lions defense beat up the Packers offense in last season's 7-3 victory at Ford Field. They sacked quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Matt Flynn four times, knocked Rodgers out with a concussion late in the first half and held the Packers to a season-low 13 first downs. That performance has served as the template for those who think the Lions have a credible chance win Sunday. But let's also remember that the Packers missed on two golden opportunities in that game for touchdowns, either of which would have given them a victory. Receiver Greg Jennings got behind Lions safety Amari Spievey in the first quarter but inexplicably bobbled the ball into the air, allowing a surprised Spievey to make the interception. And Flynn overthrew Jennings on what would have been a touchdown on the Packers' final possession. This is not to discredit the job the Lions did that day. It's just a reminder that it took two to tango on that occasion.

Facing Calvin Johnson: Two important trends will collide in this game: The Packers have given up gobs of passing yards this season, and Lions receiver Calvin Johnson has taken his game to another level. Opponents are averaging nearly 290 passing yards per game against the Packers and have 18 touchdown passes against them. But it's worth noting that the Packers have had success against Johnson since Dom Capers joined them as defensive coordinator in 2009. In three games over that span, Johnson has caught a total of nine passes for 130 yards; he does have three touchdowns in those games. Cornerback Charles Woodson has taken the majority of the responsibility for covering him in those games.

Mr. Smith arrives: We probably haven't told enough of the Kevin Smith story this week. Two weeks after the Lions re-signed him, Smith appears set to return to the starting lineup. His continued production would obviously help balance the Lions' offense, but it's worth watching what kind of impact he can have in pass protection as well. You would think he will be at least one line of defense against Packers outside linebacker Clay Matthews, who has typically lined up over right tackle this season and has an otherwise favorable matchup with Lions right tackle Gosder Cherilus.

Rookie Watch: We've noted on several occasions the dueling rookie receivers on these teams. The Lions drafted Titus Young with the No. 44 overall pick of the 2011 draft, and the Packers selected Randall Cobb at No. 64 overall. Although they have filled much different roles for their respective teams, both players are in position to impact this game. Young has caught 28 passes as the Lions' No. 3 receiver, including touchdowns in two of their past three games. Cobb has been used more sparingly on the Packers' deep offense, catching 15 passes, but he has returned both a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns already this season.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A few thoughts on yet another amazing second half in the NFC North:

What it means: The Detroit Lions won at the Metrodome for the first time in 14 games, giving the Lions their first 3-0 start since 1980. The Vikings stunningly gave up their third consecutive halftime lead, this one a 20-0 advantage earned by thoroughly trashing the Lions in the first half. The Vikings have now been outscored 87-6 after halftime this season.

What happened?!: The Lions deserve all the credit in the world for coming back from such a big deficit, but it takes two to tango when one team outscores the other 26-3 after halftime. We'll have plenty of time for post-mortem, but there was one play I really didn't like for the Vikings. It was giving Toby Gerhart the handoff on a fourth-and-1 play at the Lions' 17-yard line in the fourth quarter. Even if you don't kick the field goal, I prefer to come up short with the ball in Adrian Peterson's hands.

MegatronWatch: I didn't see every play of this game, but it sure looked like the Lions got receiver Calvin Johnson in single coverage a lot in this game. Vikings cornerback Chris Cook made some nice plays on the ball, but in the end Johnson had his third consecutive two-touchdown game, including a leaping 32-yarder in the third quarter that got the Lions on the scoreboard. That gives Johnson six touchdowns in three games.

Injury report: It appeared that Vikings receiver Percy Harvin wasn't on the field late in the fourth quarter. Harvin, who missed a day of practice with the stomach flu, was reportedly vomiting on the sidelines.

Lions pass protection: Quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 378 yards but was sacked five times. Tackles Jeff Backus, Gosder Cherilus and Corey Hilliard couldn't slow down Vikings defensive ends Jared Allen (three sacks) and Brian Robison (two). Stafford hadn't been sacked before Sunday's game, but it's clear the Lions have an issue on the edge. It might be their biggest vulnerability as they move into unchartered waters of competitiveness this season.

PonderWatch: Vikings quarterback Donovan McNabb hasn't played horribly this season, and on Sunday he threw for 211 yards. But should an 0-3 team be playing a 34-year-old quarterback while the future of the position stands on the sidelines? You'll hear that question a few times about Christian Ponder this week.

What's next: The Lions will play at the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday. The Vikings will travel to play the Kansas City Chiefs.

A few thoughts on the Detroit Lions' 48-3 romp over the Kansas City Chiefs:

What it means: The Lions are 2-0 for the first time since 2007 and have won six consecutive regular season games, dating back to last season, for the first time since 1995. Say what you want about the Kansas City Chiefs, who have been outscored by 79 points in two games and lost running back Jamaal Charles in this game to a serious knee injury. But the Lions' 48-3 dismantling gave them the largest margin of victory in the regular-season history of the franchise. Lions Fever is catching!

Good for Schwartz: Lions coach Jim Schwartz benched right tackle Gosder Cherilus in favor of backup Corey Hilliard, adding some teeth to his Week 1 rebuke of a key Cherilus penalty. I'm not sure if that's a permanent move or whether it served merely to clarify how serious Schwartz is about cleaning up what he called "stupid" football. But it worked. The Lions weren't perfect, but they committed only one turnover and were penalized four times. The offense didn't appear to struggle with a backup right tackle in the game, piling up 411 total yards.

StaffordWatch: Quarterback Matthew Stafford has been one of the most impressive quarterbacks in the NFL through two weeks. He's the first Lions quarterback since Gary Danielson in 1984 to post passer ratings of at least 100 yards in each of a season's first two weeks, and it's amazing how comfortable he appears in the Lions offense. Schwartz said after the game that Stafford "knows where to go" with the football, and that's something that only comes with consistent practice in the same scheme. So far this season, Stafford is completing 65.3 percent of his throws. He has seven touchdown passes and a passer rating of 112.0.

Pass defense: The Lions pummeled Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel, sacking him twice, hitting him on three other occasions and intercepting him three times. Three of their four starting defensive backs -- safety Amari Spievey, cornerback Chris Houston and cornerback Eric Wright -- each had an interception. This game was a defensive player's dream. It was 14-3 midway through the second quarter and 20-3 at halftime. The Lions just pinned their proverbial ears back and sold out against the pass.

What's next: The Lions will open their NFC North schedule by traveling to play the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome, where they haven't won since 1997. Hmmmmmmm ...

TAMPA, Fla. -- I scrambled up to the press box here late Sunday afternoon, seeking verification of some basic facts. Namely: The current year and the final score of the game that had just concluded at Raymond James Stadium.

No, I hadn't fallen into a heat-induced delerium. In fact, I had just left the Detroit Lions' air-conditioned locker room. Therein, I heard:

Quarterback Matthew Stafford talk about the latest ailment that forced him to stagger off the field.

Coach Jim Schwartz rant about "stupid" football and "inexcusable" mistakes, promising that "it's not going to be a real pleasant film session" on Monday.

Guard Rob Sims express his conviction that coaches would "jump us on a whole bunch of stuff" in the coming days.

Hmmm. Tapping into my long history as a reporter, I confirmed that Sunday's game in fact took place in 2011. The Lions defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27-20 in a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated, winning their season opener for the first time in four years and putting on display many of the components that caused so many of us to catch Lions Fever this offseason.

That Stafford's "injury" was nothing more than cramps, and that Schwartz was able to discuss Sunday's troubles in the context of a victory, marked the start of a new era that only the Lions could indoctrinate. They are far from perfect and in fact could have botched Sunday's game. But overcoming injuries and "bad football," as Schwartz called it during a different portion of his rant, is half the battle in the NFL. There are no perfect teams, and just about every one of them has a knucklehead like Lions right tackle Gosder Cherilus, whose fourth-quarter unsportsmanlike conduct was almost certainly what Schwartz was referring to when he said: "There are some things that happened in this game that are inexcusable and will not continue."

Indeed, Cherilus' post-whistle shove of a Bucs defender stopped the clock with 1 minute and 24 seconds remaining and the Bucs out of timeouts. It gave the Bucs enough time to mount a potential game-tying drive, but ultimately they ran out of time. It also gave Schwartz exactly what any coach wants: A victory with plenty of material to humble his players with moving forward.

You see what's happening here, right? One of Schwartz's biggest tasks this season will be to shield players from the hype we've all created for them. It's always preferable to have players who believe they can be good than to be convinced that they already are.

But let's make no mistake here. For the most part, what we saw Sunday verified what we thought about the Lions this summer. Playing in a heat index that reached 94 degrees, the Lions controlled the game from start to finish. Frankly, much of the Bucs' success came after Lions breakdowns, namely Aqib Talib's 28-yard interception return for the touchdown and Sammie Stroughter's 78-yard kickoff return.

Indeed, Schwartz said, "They couldn't really move the ball on our defense but they had 10 points in the first quarter mainly because of two mistakes."

But Stafford and receiver Calvin Johnson connected for two highlight-reel touchdowns -- one a 36-yard play on fourth down after Talib bit on a double move, and the other a 1-yard pass Stafford shoved in Johnson's direction during the third quarter just as his right calf seized.

"During the process of dropping back, I was losing it," Stafford said. "I bet I looked pretty stupid on TV. He made me look pretty good once again."

I'm sure it took the breath of many Lions fans to see Stafford on his back on the sidelines while athletic trainers worked on his leg. But he never missed a snap, finishing with the second 300-yard game of his career and the Lions' first on opening weekend since Bobby Layne threw for 364 yards in 1953.

Stafford made a handful of mistakes himself, throwing high for tight end Will Heller on Talib's interception and nearly throwing a second on a pass behind running back Jahvid Best. But Stafford appeared in command of the offense from the start, and the Lions never trailed after the 36-yard play to Johnson.

"We didn't play our best football out there but we still got a win," Stafford said. "That's a good sign. Obviously you won't want those mistakes to keep coming back. We've got to fix those."

As Stafford and the offense rolled up 431 total yards, the Lions' defense largely shut down Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman. Middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch served in a modified spy role, sacking Freeman once and finishing with two quarterback hits. Freeman had 98 passing yards through the first three quarters, and the Bucs a total of 128 yards, before the Lions' late-game breakdowns.

"This is the beginning of something special and I'm glad to be a part of it," Tulloch said. "It's crazy when you win and you know you can play better. That's what makes this so exciting. We can just keep working."

That's what I think will distinguish this edition of the Lions. Trust me, I understand why Schwartz was upset. Any coach would have been in that situation. But he doesn't get to rain on our parade. "We can just keep working" is much different sentiment than "back to the drawing board." The Lions are done with that place. This is, after all, 2011.

The good news for the Detroit Lions: Receiver Titus Young (leg) and right tackle Gosder Cherilus (knee) returned to practice Monday morning after week-long absences.

The bad news, according to reporters on the scene at practice: Rookie tailback Mikel Leshoure was carted off the field with an injury to the lower portion of his left leg.

There's no sense in speculating about the nature of the injury or reading into why the Lions used a cart to remove him from the field. We'll get you a factual update as soon as we can. LeShoure has been splitting practice repetitions with second-year tailback Jahvid Best.

The Lions have produced a long injury list already this summer, and it's worth noting that veteran tailback Maurice Morris is practicing with a fractured right hand. Rookie defensive tackle Nick Fairley was lost for about a month after having foot surgery.

As three of our teams take Sunday off from training camp, and the Chicago Bears prepare for a night session, let's run through some NFC North hotspots in quick-hitting fashion.

But first, a programming note: I'm heading out to Bears training camp Sunday evening and will be in place for practice over the ensuing three days. That will bring CampTour'11 to within one stop of completion. The tentative plan is to visit the Detroit Lions during the week of Aug. 14, but I'll confirm that with you as soon as I know for sure myself. Onward. ...

Item: The Chicago Bears appear set to replace Johnny Knox in their starting lineup with newly signed veteran Roy Williams, reports Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune.
Comment: Knox was the Bears' leading receiver by yardage last season, but there was always an undercurrent of doubt about his comfort level in the offense. Williams played in the same scheme while in Detroit, but he is six seasons removed from a 1,000-yard performance. Is it reasonable to expect him to be more productive in 2011 than Knox was last season?

Item: Richard Dent's Hall of Fame acceptance speech was 2,387 words.
Comment: Compared to Shannon Sharpe's speech, Dent's went by in a blink of an eye. Sharpe's speech went 3,768 words.

Item: The Lions' offensive line is in rough shape, as Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com notes.
Comment: Left tackle Jeff Backus hasn't practiced because of a torn pectoral muscle. Right tackle Gosder Cherilus has missed most of the past week because of soreness in his surgically repaired knee. Backup Jason Fox is sidelined by a foot injury. The Lions still appear confident that Backus will be ready to start the regular season, but the Cherilus injury is troublesome and there is no denying the Lions are missing some valuable chemistry-building time this summer.

Item: The Lions moved new linebacker Stephen Tulloch to the middle position during Saturday's practice.
Comment: There is every reason to believe Tulloch will remain there, with DeAndre Levy at one outside position and Justin Durant at the other. It's an unquestioned upgrade.

Item: The Green Bay Packers' Family Night practice was canceled after 20 plays because of weather.
Comment: That's 20 more plays than the Bears ran at their Family Night affair on Friday. This was the only practice of the entire summer that was exposed to weather; all other workouts can be moved indoors if needed. It's the third time in four years that Family Night has been cut short or canceled, notes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.

Item: Packers quarterback Matt Flynn could increase his value as a 2012 free agent with a strong preseason performance, writes Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
Comment: That's one reason I think coach Mike McCarthy really wants to keep No. 3 quarterback Graham Harrell on his roster this season. Flynn could leave the Packers without a proven backup if he signs elsewhere next year.

Item: The Minnesota Vikings had more fans at their Family Night (9,145) than ever before.
Comment: Did they think Brett Favre would finally make a training camp appearance?

» NFC: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South » Unrestricted FAs

A look at the free-agent priorities for each NFC North team:

Chicago Bears

1. Assemble a starting offensive line: As we've noted many times, the Bears have held off any public discussion about their five linemen pending the results of free agency. Well, we're here. It's time for the dominoes to start falling. The first will be whether center Olin Kreutz re-signs. It's generally expected, but nothing is guaranteed. Then, the Bears need to decide whether to pursue any starting-caliber guards or tackles. You would think they'll seek at least one new starter. Will they raid the Atlanta Falcons' glut of linemen? Might they take a flyer on Robert Gallery? We'll know soon enough.
2. Establish a strongside linebacker: The position has largely been held by Pisa Tinoisamoa and Nick Roach over the past two years, but both have expiring contracts. It makes sense to re-sign at least one given the lack of offseason work for a presumptive new starter, and Roach is the younger of the two. If the Bears have another player on the roster they've targeted for this job, it's not readily apparent. While they're at it, the Bears should seek depth at defensive tackle following the release of Tommie Harris. They did draft Stephen Paea, but the Bears might pursue Seattle Seahawks free agent Brandon Mebane as well.
3. Sift through receivers: From a media perspective, at least, there has been more offseason talk than ever suggesting the Bears will/should/might/ pursue a free-agent receiver. This year's class is deep, from Sidney Rice to Santonio Holmes to Randy Moss, and a number of other veterans could be available via trade. Coach Lovie Smith has said he wouldn't mind a receiver bigger than his current trio of sub 6-footers, and Devin Hester has lobbied publicly to sign Santana Moss. I think the increased discussion is largely a product of lockout boredom, but it wouldn't hurt the Bears to add depth so that Hester can be used more efficiently.

Top five free agents: Center Olin Kreutz, safety Danieal Manning, punter Brad Maynard, linebacker Nick Roach, linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa.

Detroit Lions

1. Sign a starting cornerback: The Lions' top cornerbacks under contract are Alphonso Smith and Nate Vasher. Chris Houston, who started 15 games last season, is a free agent, so it's possible the Lions will bring Houston back. Or they could seek an outside upgrade, be it Nnamdi Asomugha or Ike Taylor or Johnathan Joseph. Lions Fever would spike if they can land Asomugha, but they would have to use most of their salary-cap space to do it. For several reasons, the odds are against it.
2. Sort out the linebacker position: DeAndre Levy is the only linebacker assured a 2011 starting job, but even Levy can't be totally sure if he will play outside or in the middle. That answer will come only after the Lions sift through the available free agents. They could pursue one with a background in the middle, perhaps Stephen Tulloch. Or they could seek an outside linebacker to replace the released Julian Peterson. One of their outside positions is likely to be decided by a training camp competition among incumbents.
3. Evaluate right tackles: Early indications have been that Gosder Cherilus has made progress from microfracture surgery on his knee. If there is any question, however, the Lions might want to bolster their depth. Corey Hilliard did a decent job as Cherilus' replacement late last season. But keeping quarterback Matthew Stafford healthy is at a premium this season. Do the Lions want to face the possibility of opening the year with a backup plan at right tackle?

Top five free agents: Linebacker Bobby Carpenter, cornerback Chris Houston, linebacker Landon Johnson, quarterback Drew Stanton, safety John Wendling.

Green Bay Packers

1. Stay the course: It's been well-documented that general manager Ted Thompson hasn't participated much in free agency over the past few years, and it's hard to imagine him changing tack dramatically this summer. Thompson's most important decisions will be deciding which of his pending free agents to re-sign and which ones he should allow to depart.
2. Re-sign place-kicker Mason Crosby: Thompson gave Crosby a second-round tender in February in the event Crosby wound up as a restricted free agent. That move suggested Crosby is in the Packers' future plans and makes re-signing him one of the first orders of business now that he is an unrestricted free agent. Crosby has had some difficulties over the years, but kicking in Green Bay is difficult given the weather and he has made some important adjustments. Concerns about his kickoffs should be minimized by the NFL's decision to move them up 5 yards.
3. Think twice: The Packers appear set to let defensive end Cullen Jenkins depart. They can do so knowing they have a number of intriguing young players to compete for that job, from Mike Neal to C.J. Wilson to Jarius Wynn. But another player the Packers might lose, Daryn Colledge, doesn't have an obvious replacement. Would the Packers shift T.J. Lang from backup tackle to guard? Would first-round draft pick Derek Sherrod, their projected left tackle of the future, get a crash course on step down? It's something to think about and, given the lack of an offseason, might spur further discussion about re-signing Colledge.

Top five free agents: Guard Daryn Colledge, place-kicker Mason Crosby, defensive end Cullen Jenkins, receiver James Jones, running backs John Kuhn/Brandon Jackson.

Minnesota Vikings

1. Address receivers: Are the Vikings about to bid farewell to receiver Sidney Rice, a 24-year-old who is one year removed from an 83-catch Pro Bowl season? There is nothing they can do to stop it at this point, and Rice seems intent on at least testing his value on the open market. The Vikings spent most of last season searching for a suitable replacement when Rice was injured, and that job will intensify this summer. They have added an additional pass-catching threat in rookie tight end Kyle Rudolph. But if they lose Rice, the Vikings must either sign or trade for an established veteran to join Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian (if he makes the team).
2. Find a kicker: The Vikings made no known effort before the lockout to re-sign veteran Ryan Longwell, who has converted 43 of 46 kicks over the past two seasons. It's possible they'll make their move now. But they did not draft a kicker, and if Longwell signs elsewhere, the Vikings will have to scour the always-murky free-agent market. I'm guessing they already have a plan on this issue, but we haven't smoked it out yet.
3. Establish QB depth: We all know that rookie Christian Ponder eventually will assume the starting job. But are the Vikings comfortable with Joe Webb and Rhett Bomar as their only alternatives should Ponder need some development time? I'm not sure about that. I also wonder if making Webb the No. 2 quarterback would limit his opportunities to contribute in other ways, perhaps as a receiver or a kick returner. For that reason, it would make sense for the Vikings to seek a quarterback with more experience to pair with Ponder.

Top five free agents: Defensive end Ray Edwards, linebacker Ben Leber, place-kicker Ryan Longwell, receiver Sidney Rice, nose tackle Pat Williams.

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

Each Thursday leading up to the NFL draft (April 28-30), the ESPN.com NFL blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today’s topic: history in that spot.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills' top pick is No. 3 overall. Here are the last seven players taken in that spot, with their NFL teams in parentheses:

2010: DT Gerald McCoy (Buccaneers)

2009: DE Tyson Jackson (Chiefs)

2008: QB Matt Ryan (Falcons)

2007: T Joe Thomas (Browns)

2006: QB Vince Young (Titans)

2005: WR Braylon Edwards (Browns)

2004: WR Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)

ANALYSIS: Some sexy picks have been made in this spot. None of the players have been out-and-out busts, although character concerns have overshadowed a couple. Only McCoy and Jackson haven't been selected for at least one Pro Bowl. Fitzgerald is an elite receiver, arguably the best in the business. Edwards can be a dangerous playmaker when not dropping passes, which he didn't do last year. Ryan is an emerging star. Young has been a lightning rod, but he did win rookie of the year and has gone to a pair of Pro Bowls. Thomas is a star blocker with four Pro Bowls on his résumé already.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins' top pick is No. 15 overall. Here are the last seven players taken in that spot, with their NFL teams in parentheses:

2010: DE Jason Pierre-Paul (Giants)

2009: LB Brian Cushing (Texans)

2008: G Branden Albert (Chiefs)

2007: LB Lawrence Timmons (Steelers)

2006: CB Tye Hill (Rams)

2005: LB Derrick Johnson (Chiefs)

2004: WR Michael Clayton (Buccaneers)

ANALYSIS: This is a region of the first round where picks can break either way. There have been solid players drafted here, but no superstars. Cushing was a rookie of the year, but his career has been tainted by performance-enhancing drug usage. Clayton made an immediate impact with 80 catches for 1,193 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie, but hasn't caught more than 38 passes since. Johnson has been a solid linebacker for Kansas City, while Timmons has been an influential member of Pittsburgh's defense the past two seasons. Hill has been the biggest disappointment. He has been with four teams, starting 25 games.

New England Patriots

The Patriots' first-round picks are Nos. 17 and 28 overall. Here are the last seven players taken in those spots, with their NFL teams in parentheses:

2010: G Mike Iupati (49ers) and DE Jared Odrick (Dolphins)

2009: QB Josh Freeman (Buccaneers) and G Eric Wood (Bills)

2008: T Gosder Cherilus (Lions) and DE Lawrence Jackson (Seahawks)

2007: DE Jarvis Moss (Broncos) and T Joe Staley (49ers)

2006: LB Chad Greenway (Vikings) and TE Marcedes Lewis (Jaguars)

2005: LB David Pollack (Bengals) and DE Luis Castillo (Chargers)

2004: LB D.J. Williams (Broncos) and CB Chris Gamble (Panthers)

ANALYSIS: Results have been mixed with these slots, but the 28th pick actually has found more starters than the 17th in recent years. Freeman showed signs of developing into a future star last year, and Cherilus has started 40 of his 43 games at right tackle. Williams and Greenway have been regular starters. But Moss and Pollock didn't work out. In the 28th slot, Odrick is the only one who hasn't been a regular starter. Injuries detonated his rookie season.

New York Jets

The Jets' top pick is No. 30 overall. Here are the last seven players taken in that spot, with their NFL teams in parentheses:

2010: RB Jahvid Best (Lions)

2009: WR Kenny Britt (Titans)

2008: TE Dustin Keller (Jets)

2007: WR Craig Davis (Chargers)

2006: RB Joseph Addai (Colts)

2005: TE Heath Miller (Steelers)

2004: RB Kevin Jones (Lions)

ANALYSIS: What strikes me is that all seven selections not only are offensive players, but also ball handlers. Perhaps teams in the back of the draft feel they can gamble a little bit and try to hit big on a skill position. Whatever the reasoning, it seems to have worked. This has been a successful spot. Jones and Addai rushed for 1,000 yards as rookies. Best appears to be the Lions' running back of the future. Miller and Addai have gone to Pro Bowls. Britt was the Titans' leading receiver last year. Keller is one of the NFL's better tight ends.

I was concerned about 2010 fatigue this week when I asked for some help in compiling our All-NFC North team. It's been almost six weeks since the end of the regular season, and I figured many of you had moved on to offseason mode.

More than 800 responses later -- via the comments, Twitter and the mailbag -- I am glad to admit my concerns were unwarranted. There was great interest in putting this team together, and you can see the results in the chart to your right. Below, I've offered explanations and context for the final decisions.

From the top, many of you were surprised that I didn't make Minnesota Vikings tailback Adrian Peterson a "lock." Wrote kprugger2010: "I will consume my first born child ... if you don't immediately make Adrian Peterson the undisputed/unanimous/worship-worthy RB on this list."

I realize Peterson led the division with 1,298 yards and 12 touchdowns despite missing one game. But I thought Chicago Bears tailback Matt Forte had an exceptional second half of the season, and I wanted to see where that conversation went. In the last six weeks of the season, during which the Bears locked up their NFC North title, Forte had the third-most yards from scrimmage (718) in the NFL.

In arguing Forte's case, drhodes77 wrote: "Forte for RB. No other real RB's in the league that did anything consistently. And by league I mean NFCN. Peterson had another standard year for him but in terms of being all important to his team, his team [stunk]."

In the end, I cheated a little and converted the TE/FB category to "RB." I thought both Peterson and Forte were among the top players in the division. Both were deserving of inclusion.

Offensive line was a struggle for me and many of you as well. The only position I felt certain about was right guard, which the Green Bay Packers' Josh Sitton manned consistently all season. The other four? Let's just say this wasn't the best year for NFC North offensive lines.

Although Packers left tackle Chad Clifton was named to the Pro Bowl, I went with the Detroit Lions' Jeff Backus. @JohnWayne506th pointed me in the direction of these STATS Inc. analyses for Clifton and Backus. By STATS' measure, Backus gave up half as many sacks as Clifton over the course of the season. Sack responsibility is open to interpretation, but others have shared in this opinion as well.

For the rest of the line, I went with Vikings left guard Steve Hutchinson, Packers center Scott Wells and Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga.

While Hutchinson's play slipped in 2010, I don't think any of us could argue that the Lions' Rob Sims, the Packers' Daryn Colledge or the Bears' Chris Williams was better. At center, it was pretty much a toss-up between Wells, the Lions' Dominic Raiola and the Bears' Olin Kreutz. I went with Wells because several Packers coaches and players said at the Super Bowl that he had his best-ever NFL season in 2010.

Right tackle was particularly challenging. I chose Bulaga because he had an uneventful year after making the conversion from left tackle. For offensive linemen, "uneventful" often equals "successful." I'll admit that isn't the most scientific explanation, and the Lions' Gosder Cherilus had a case here. But as hendrix197731 noted, the Lions' offensive line was ranked No. 32 in the NFL by Football Outsiders, whose methods I trust. In a close decision, that ranking pushed me in the other direction.

Moving over to defense, I picked the Vikings' Jared Allen over the Packers' Cullen Jenkins and the Lions' Kyle Vanden Bosch. Allen had more sacks (11) and was the only one among that trio who played in all 16 games.

Levy50613 pushed to have Bears linebacker Lance Briggs removed and replaced by the Vikings' Chad Greenway, a move I considered. Wrote Levy50613: "He had 20 more solo tackles than Briggs had total tackles! 144 total tackles for Greenway. About 20 DB's had more tackles than Briggs (89)."

Ultimately, I wasn't going to downgrade Briggs based on tackles, an unofficial statistic. Greenway had a really good season, but I'm good with Briggs on this list.

There was some discussion about making the Vikings' Antoine Winfield the second cornerback, but I agreed with LamboLeak's observation of the Super Bowl: "We saw what happened when [Woodson] went out of the game Sunday: 21-3 turned into a game." Woodson had a quieter season in 2010 than he did in 2009, but that doesn't mean his play slipped beyond that of All-NFC North status.

As for safety, I flipped several times between the Bears' Chris Harris and the Lions' Louis Delmas to pair with the Packers' Nick Collins. I think we can agree that Harris -- like Forte -- was exceptional during the Bears' division title push. Harris had all five of his interceptions after the Bears' Week 8 bye.

Finally, special teams provided an opportunity to let flow my Vikings bias. (SARCASM ALERT.) Place-kicker Ryan Longwell missed only one field goal all season and punter Chris Kluwe led the division in net average (38.9) and punts downed inside the 20-yard line (32). I realize that Kluwe punted 12 more times than the candidate many of you pushed for, the Packers' Tim Masthay, but I didn't consider that difference large enough to make up for their respective production disparity.

Again, thanks to everyone for participating. Hopefully, the NFL's looming labor strife won't disrupt our plans to do it all over again next year.

Let's take a rare Thursday trip through the NFC North injury report, which has more than a few big names on it.

Chicago Bears: Linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa was limited in practice because of a knee injury that kept him out of the Bears' Week 11 game at the Miami Dolphins. Coach Lovie Smith told reporters that the injury is "a little bit of a concern for him." Nick Roach would replace Tinoisamoa against the Detroit Lions if necessary.

Detroit Lions: We already know the Lions won't have either of their top two quarterbacks Sunday against the Bears. They could also be without defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch (neck) and right tackle Gosder Cherilus (knee). Neither player practiced Thursday. Vanden Bosch, who had 10 solo tackles in the Lions' Week 1 game against the Bears, would probably be replaced by Turk McBride or Lawrence Jackson.

Minnesota Vikings: Tailback Adrian Peterson (ankle), left guard Steve Hutchinson (thumb) and defensive end Ray Edwards (ankle) are scheduled to practice Friday, interim coach Leslie Frazier told reporters. Peterson told reporters that he thinks he'll be able to play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills but that he wants to test his ankle in practice first.

(The Green Bay Packers haven't released their injury report yet. I'll update this post if it contains any significant news.)