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A couple of days after losing starter Terrell Thomas and backup Brian Witherspoon for the season due to injuries, the New York Giants today had a bunch of cornerbacks come in for workouts. Mike Garafolo reports that there were four of them (who all left in the same van, which is downright adorable) and that two of them were Lito Sheppard and Brian Williams. Mike also checked with Randall Gay's agent, who said his client was not one of the four.

Earlier in training camp, Giants first-round draft pick Prince Amukamara suffered an injury that will keep him out for at least the first month of the season, and reserve Bruce Johnson is also out for the entire season. The team is therefore looking at several options. Mike reported via twitter that safety Antrel Rolle was with the corners at the beginning of Wednesday's practice.

I assume the Giants will sign at least one of the guys they had in today, if for no other reason than to get an extra body in there for these practices. Corey Webster and Aaron Ross are going to have to handle starter's duties, but it's not a position at which you want to be caught thin. And right now, though Giants fans always get on my case for saying this about their team, the Giants are extremely thin at cornerback.

A few thoughts on a stunning outcome -- Vikings 24, Eagles 14 -- Tuesday night at Lincoln Financial Stadium:

What it means: Not to take anything away from the Minnesota Vikings, but the most significant result of this game was that the Chicago Bears clinched the NFC's No. 2 seed and a coveted first-round bye in the 2010 playoffs. That said, I for one thought there was no chance the Vikings would play an inspired game after mailing in their two previous appearances and then sitting in a Philadelphia hotel for two extra days. Credit to them for rediscovering their focus and, in the process, winning a prime-time cold-weather game for only the second time in the past 20 seasons.

Could have been worse: Yes, the only thing more surprising than the Vikings' victory was that it could have been more decisive. Vikings defensive backs Lito Sheppard, Frank Walker and Jamarca Sanford all dropped interceptions in the first half.

FrazierWatch: Will this victory be enough for interim coach Leslie Frazier to earn the permanent job? We could be days away from finding out the answer.

WebbWatch: Did anyone -- anyone -- envision rookie quarterback Joe Webb outdueling the Eagles' Michael Vick, arguably the best player in the NFL this season? I won't pretend to have believed it possible. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell joked earlier this month that Webb is so raw that he doesn't know what he doesn't know. Perhaps it was rookie naiveté, but Webb looked like a calm, precise and in-control West Coast quarterback from the start. He completed 17 of 26 passes for 195 yards, making two nice downfield throws to receiver Percy Harvin (for 46 and 19 yards) and also made a nifty 9-yard run down the right sideline for a touchdown. If nothing else, Webb gave the Vikings an interesting tape to review and evaluate this offseason.

Stopping Vick: Minutes before the game, I caught a taped radio interview with Frazier. Asked what the Vikings would do to defend against Vick, Frazier pledged to get a man "in his face" on as many plays as possible. Anecdotally, the Vikings blitzed more than I've seen them in any game this year. (I'll search for the specific figures Wednesday.) The Eagles had no answer for the corner blitz from Antoine Winfield, who had two of the Vikings' six sacks and ran 45 yards for a touchdown after forcing Vick to fumble in the second quarter. Vick appeared to be limping throughout the game and his passes were off-target for the most part.

Let's not forget: The NFC North went 3-1 against the Eagles this season and were four points away from a sweep. The Eagles' only victory over the division was a 35-32 thriller over the Detroit Lions in Week 2.

All Tuesday Night: Tailback Adrian Peterson returned from a one-game absence to run for 118 yards. He lost his first fumble of the season on a play I was surprised Frazier didn't challenge, but otherwise had an extra gear for much of the night.

What's next: The Vikings will travel to Ford Field to play the Detroit Lions in a game to determine the No. 3 position in the NFC North.

» NFC Decisive Moments: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

The Chicago Bears were on their heels. The Minnesota Vikings, behind surprise starter Brett Favre, had taken a 7-3 lead and were threatening to make it difficult for the Bears to clinch the NFC North title on a snowy Monday night at TCF Bank Stadium.

The Bears took over near midfield for their third possession and immediately started moving backward. Left guard Chris Williams was penalized for illegal use of hands. Center Olin Kreutz was called for holding. Suddenly, the Bears faced a first-and-30 play from their 33-yard line.

There aren't many plays designed to get you out of that mess, especially for a Bears team that has succeeded almost exclusively with the short passing game. Entering Monday night's game, quarterback Jay Cutler had attempted only 13 passes that traveled 30 or more yards in the air. None had gone for touchdowns.

There is a first time for everything, of course. The Vikings sent their standard pass rush against the Bears' three-receiver set. The offensive line protected Cutler long enough to pump-fake toward receiver Johnny Knox, who already had a step on cornerback Lito Sheppard and was running near the right sideline.

Cutler hit Knox in stride at the Vikings' 32-yard line, capitalizing on a poor angle from safety Madieu Williams for a wide-open 67-yard touchdown. The score gave the Bears a 10-7 lead they would not relinquish on the way to the NFC North title.

"We had some stuff going on early," Cutler said. "We knew what type of defense they were going to be in. We had a good feel for them up front. We were able to mix in some runs. We had a good game plan. I'm glad we were able to execute as well as we were."

The play was obviously a decisive moment in the game, but it was also important to put on tape for the Bears' future playoff opponent -- lest anyone sleep on the Bears' dormant but potential-filled downfield passing game.

MINNEAPOLIS -- All of the Minnesota Vikings' and Green Bay Packers' injured receivers are active and expected to play Sunday at the Metrodome.

That list includes the Vikings' Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin. The Packers will also have Donald Driver, who has been limited by a quadriceps injury.

There were no real surprises on either team's inactive list. Packers fans won't get a chance to see running back James Starks or tight end Spencer Havner, both of whom are inactive. The Vikings, meanwhile, deactivated cornerback Lito Sheppard upon the return of cornerback Asher Allen (concussion).

The Green Bay Packers' decision to release cornerback Al Harris was "not a physical decision," coach Mike McCarthy said Monday. Instead, McCarthy said, "this is a big-picture roster decision."

Translation: The Packers didn't have much use for a reserve cornerback who wouldn't be a special-teams contributor and might hinder the development of a younger player.

Harris obviously wasn't going to reclaim his starting job from Tramon Williams, and the Packers like what they've seen from rookie nickel back Sam Shields. So at best, Harris would have been the Packers' dime back assuming everyone ahead of him remained healthy.

Every team has its own philosophy in roster building, and the Packers lie on one extreme of the spectrum. Whether you like it or not, the Packers almost always use young players to fill out the back end of the roster in hopes they will one day develop into starters. That pipeline produced Williams, Shields, linebacker Desmond Bishop and others.

Teams rarely turn loose good cornerbacks, however, so you have to wonder if McCarthy wasn't just being nice when he said he has "no doubts" that Harris can still play. Remember, Harris suffered a much worse knee injury a year ago than originally believed. But if the Packers truly do believe Harris can still play, then they are a rare team which has jettisoned a cornerback who is at least serviceable because he doesn't fit their roster profile. Moreover, they were willing to overlook last season's personnel disaster at the position in making this move.

If you recall, the Packers lost Harris, Brandon Underwood, Pat Lee and Will Blackmon to season-ending injuries and entered the playoffs with a patchwork group. Even an aging Harris would have some value this season if they experienced another personnel shortage.

"We feel this is the best path for us," McCarthy said. "There is a lot of different variables involved, and those were all discussed. ... The course we've taken, particularly at corner and the whole secondary, all the players involved, the other responsibilities that the players also have, this is the decision we made."

Like all veteran players released after the trading deadline, Harris is now subject to waivers. He told Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he believes he could land with an NFC North team.

The Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings all have varying needs for a cornerback. The Lions might be the most needy, and they have the best position among division teams on the waiver wire. It's also worth nothing that Harris and Vikings quarterback Brett Favre remain close friends. Let's take a closer team-by-team look:

Chicago Bears

Starter Charles Tillman has been struggling, and the Bears could move to a rotation situation when Zack Bowman (foot) returns to the field. But with Tim Jennings starting on one side and D.J. Moore providing strong depth, the Bears are pretty well set at both spots. *Update: Coach Lovie Smith said Monday he is pleased with his current depth.

Detroit Lions

Starter Chris Houston dislocated his shoulder Sunday against the New York Jets, and the Lions have banished former starter Jonathan Wade to the dime position. Alphonso Smith is starting at one position on the other side, and on Sunday, Brandon McDonald was serving in the nickel role. The Lions have been relying on Nate Vasher for depth, but Harris would certainly be an upgrade over Vasher.

Minnesota Vikings

Starter Cedric Griffin is out for the season, and teams have picked on replacement Asher Allen. Rookie nickel back Chris Cook has been uneven, and the Vikings have two veteran free-agent pickups -- Lito Sheppard and Frank Walker -- playing in the dime. Based on that depth, Harris could start or at least play nickel for the Vikings. *Update: Coach Brad Childress said Monday that "I don't know if there is a spot for us right now in that area."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- It's official. Brett Favre will start for the Minnesota Vikings against the New England Patriots on Sunday, extending his record streak to 292 games.

Here are the inactives:

Minnesota Vikings

• Quarterback Joe Webb
• Running back Albert Young
• Receiver Hank Baskett
• Guard Chris DeGeare
• Defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy
• Linebacker Erin Henerson
• Cornerback Lito Sheppard
• Safety Tyrell Johnson

New England Patriots

• Running back Fred Taylor
• Receiver Taylor Price
• Receiver Matthew Slater
• Guard Rich Ohrnberger
• Tackle Mark LeVoir
• Defensive lineman Kyle Love
• Safety Patrick Chung
• Safety Jarrad Page

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers will have linebacker Clay Matthews (hamstring) and defensive lineman Ryan Pickett (ankle) for Sunday night's game against the Minnesota Vikings. That's the headline for the pre-game inactive list for both teams.

To no surprise, right tackle Mark Tauscher is inactive, meaning rookie Bryan Bulaga will start his third consecutive game.

For the Vikings, cornerback Lito Sheppard was deactivated to make room for rookie cornerback Chris Cook, who returns after missing two weeks with a knee injury. The Vikings will start Asher Allen opposite Antoine Winfield, with Cook serving as the nickel. Newcomer Frank Walker would play in the dime if necessary.

Tyrell Johnson will start at strong safety for Husain Abdullah (concussion).

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 not artful 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:

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.

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.

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. 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. 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.

The secondary has to cover better. The pass rush has to help by hurrying quarterbacks more often or getting them off rhythm.

Certainly the personnel deserves a lion’s share of blame for what’s wrong with the Houston Texans so far.

The players are the ones who compose the league’s 32nd-ranked pass defense, after all. They are the one’s giving up an average of 329.6 passing yards a game and 8.34 yards per pass attempt. They are the ones quarterbacks are tossing it over and between while mounting a gaudy combined passer rating of 104.0.

Still, they aren’t the only culprits here.

Coach Gary Kubiak and general manager Rick Smith crafted this roster. When they trimmed it on cut day, they decided the Kiddie Corners -- starters Kareem Jackson and Glover Quin, nickel guy Brice McCain and backup Sherrick McManis -- would suffice.

The formula, however, counted on a few things that haven’t happened yet:

• Quick and steady growth by the corners.
• An improved pass rush that would force quarterbacks to hurry.
• A high-scoring offense that would mean it was OK if the opponent could mount yards and points.

After two weeks, I thought it was too early to worry. Now, however, the team still doesn’t get a check-mark on any of those.

This leaves a stand-up guy like Quin saying: “If you can’t stop it, they’re going to continue to do it. That gives us a chance to make a bunch of plays in the pass game and put on film and show the league you can’t just sit there and throw the ball on us. But it’s going to take more than one game to stop the pass until we weather the storm and get out of it.”

Let’s circle back and take on those three issues one at a time.

1) The corners are struggling, with first-rounder Jackson topping the list. It seems the Texans are asking a lot of him awfully soon. Maybe it hardens him quickly and we see a growth spurt.

In the meantime, however, when they want to scale him back as they did Sunday in the home blowout at the hands of the Giants, the alternative is to use McCain as the second corner, with McManis, a fifth-round rookie, in the nickel package.

I had no problem with the team admitting Fred Bennett and Jacques Reeves were no longer useful and letting them go. But at some point after they decided to let Dunta Robinson walk (he wasn’t worth the money) and they failed to land Leigh Bodden (he may have used them to secure a deal in New England), they needed to add a veteran with the potential to be a useful reserve who can at least calm panic and be average.

Who? I don’t know. But players like Walt Harris, Ellis Hobbs, Lito Sheppard and Benny Sapp changed teams and have roles where they are. Rod Hood might have been the same sort of guy had he not gotten hurt.

One of them or someone else could have provided more than Karl Paymah, the current veteran on the bench who’s still learning the system. You need a guy who can fill in if the kids need a break and can be a resource to them -- though Quin said talking to a veteran isn’t such a huge help, that young guys simply need to learn through experience.

Barring injuries, I think it’s an architectural mistake when a team doesn’t have a reasonable mix of youth and experience at a position group. This qualifies as that.

Smith disagrees.

“I can’t tell you that I have ever really sat down and said, ‘Gosh, we’ve got all young guys in this group, we need a veteran,’” he said. “Because if all the young guys are playing well, you don’t need a veteran. It’s difficult to look at it that way. ...”

“When you make a decision to go young, particularly in the secondary, you do that with the full awareness that there are going to be some growing pains. We certainly are experiencing some of those. But you do that because you are betting on the upside. And you know once you learn those lessons and get through some of those tough experiences you’re going to have a group of players that is capable of playing together for a while at a high level. I believe they’ll answer the call and we’ll play good defense.”

Players want to prove that Smith and Kubiak did the right thing, Quin said.

“Those guys see something or saw something that they felt like, ‘We’re going to go in this direction and it’s going to be good for us,’” Quin said. “So I don’t feel like just because we started off the season and we’re last, this was a bad decision. We’ve got to play better and make it a great decision. They stuck their necks out for us, now we have to go out and perform for them.”

2) The rush got only one addition of note, tackle Earl Mitchell, a third-round pick. Connor Barwin, a rush-specialist end, was lost for the season with an injury suffered opening day, which hurt as he was in line to be the most improved player on the team.

But the Kubiak-Smith duo doesn’t appear to have done enough here either, expecting patience would pay off with growth that we simply haven’t seen.

They hope Mark Anderson or Adewale Ogunleye can catch on to what they are doing and ultimately help replace Barwin. A second rushing force to go with Mario Williams is crucial, and a better rush would offer a lot of relief to the defensive backs.

The Texans have faced very good quarterbacks so far.

Still, according to ESPN Stats & Information, they have thrown 147 passes against the Texans when they’ve rushed just four defenders, completing 111 of them for a 75.5 percentage and 1,352 yards. Those are the highest number in the league in each of those categories.

With a four-man rush, the Texans have given up eight touchdowns, a 110.1 passer rating and recorded only four sacks.

For context: The Tennessee Titans have faced 10 fewer pass attempts against their standard pressure and have 10 more sacks than Houston in those situations.

“I think Mario Williams has been great,” said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. “Fulfilling all of his vast and amazing potential. But the rest of the crew is letting him and their terrible pass defense down.”

3) It was reasonable to expect that the Texans, who felt they’d made great strides in balancing out the offense and running in the red zone, would improve from 10th in scoring a year ago. Overly reliant on the pass, the 2009 Texans averaged just more than 24 points a game.

Matt Schaub’s got enough on his plate with his own struggles, which include an adjustment to coordinator Rick Dennison and a balky ankle for Andre Johnson.

Now as the leader of the offense, he sees his counterparts slinging the ball all over the field and has to be feeling more pressure than he should to get some crooked numbers on his side of the scoreboard.

With no major personnel change, the team’s gotten a touch less than that while allowing nearly a touchdown more a game. It’s hit 30 points in three wins.

But in two hard-to-swallow blowouts, the Texans' offense struggled. It didn't get a touchdown against Dallas until under two minutes were left. It didn’t find the end zone against the Giants until the third quarter.

“We’ve hit a couple of rough patches, but that’s expected,” Smith said. “I’ve got total confidence in our guys and that we’ll make plays and continue to play good on offense.”

Houston’s been outscored 78-40 in the first half. The offense can do more to keep the Texans in a tough game.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- We made a big deal last week of the Minnesota Vikings' decision to take three healthy cornerbacks to New Orleans for the season opener against the Saints. NFL teams typically have at least four or five corners in uniform to account for multiple-receiver sets and potential injury, and on paper the Vikings seemed outmanned.

But if you made a list of reasons for the Vikings’ 14-9 loss, having three cornerbacks wouldn’t qualify. Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw for a manageable 237 yards, and ultimately a defense that limits an opponent to 14 points has played winning football.

Still, I wonder if the Vikings are pushing their luck by preparing for a second game under those circumstances. One injury Sunday against the Miami Dolphins could dramatically alter how defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier utilizes sub packages.

Coach Brad Childress doesn’t disagree, and admitted Wednesday that “I’d like to have more corners available.” Ultimately, however, Childress said the organization wasn’t willing to make a significant move when two potential starters -- veteran Cedric Griffin and rookie Chris Cook -- are already a part of the 53-man roster and are relatively close to returning from knee injuries.

“You don’t want to take those guys and not have them on your roster and make them disappear because they’re going to get back in service," Childress said.

In essence, the Vikings are hoping to face a short-term storm risk until Griffin and/or Cook return. I suppose anything is possible, but that might not happen before next week at the earliest. Cook, who had surgery to repair a torn meniscus Aug. 30, spent all of Wednesday’s practice with the scout team. At the time of the injury, ESPN analyst Stephania Bell suggested typical recovery time for similar injuries is four weeks. Griffin, meanwhile, is in only his second week of practice after recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

By not placing Griffin on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, the Vikings signaled that he would be ready to return before Week 6. But in Week 2? That might be a stretch. Childress did note that Griffin removed his knee brace this week and said “there’s been kind of an evolution.” But it’s still a bit early. The guess here is that Antoine Winfield, Asher Allen and Lito Sheppard will be the only cornerbacks in uniform Sunday at the Metrodome.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- When the Minnesota Vikings announced their 53-man roster, and then stood pat with it over the next 48 hours, you had to figure they knew something we don't. How else could they plan to play the New Orleans Saints' dynamic offense with only three healthy cornerbacks?

As you know, the nickel defense is expected to include Antoine Winfield, Lito Sheppard and Asher Allen. The chances of signing a cornerback who could help Thursday night are remote. So based on what I can tell, here are the two possibilities for emergency cornerback depth against a team that uses its share of four-receiver sets:

1. Husain Abdullah
2. Cedric Griffin

Yes, you read that list correctly. Abdullah is a reserve safety/special teams player known mostly for his ability to get through training camp while fasting in accordance with Ramadan. Griffin, meanwhile, was activated Saturday from the physically unable to perform list and is less than eight months removed from tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in the NFC Championship Game.

Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier called Abdullah a "possibility" and added: "There's different combinations that we can use and we've been exploring all of those possibilities." That brought me to the next question: The Vikings couldn't possibly be considering playing Griffin after three days of practice, could they?

"You know, the fact that he's out here practicing gives us some hope," Frazier said. "We're just trying to ascertain over the next couple days if it is a real possibility. So we're going to give it another day and see how he does tomorrow. But he has already done far more than we expected when we put him on the 53."

Frazier generally isn't one to enter into the world of competitive subterfuge, so I walked away believing that he has an open mind on Griffin's availability. Still, it would be a tremendous upset for Griffin to be back on the field Thursday night.

That brings us back to Abdullah, a third-year player who appeared in a few nickel snaps last season but otherwise has been a safety throughout his career. There is no scouting report on him as a cornerback. So at this point, we have no choice but to continue assuming the Vikings know something we don't.

Some NFC North teams will continue tweaking their rosters over the next 24 hours, but for the most part, what you see is what you're going to get for Week 1 games. In that vein, let's take a look at some random but interesting (to me) trends we're seeing. Some of the observations are mine, and I've given credit to those who came up with the others:

1. Of the 53 players on the Bears' roster, only 23 of them were drafted by the team over the past seven years. Seven drafts should form the foundation of any team, but for the Bears it represents only 43 percent of the roster. (Source: Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune)
2. The Bears did bring back 2009 draft pick Juaquin Iglesias to the practice squad. The same could not be said for defensive lineman Jarron Gilbert.
3. The Green Bay Packers have more fullbacks (three) than tailbacks (two) on their roster. I can only assume that John Kuhn, Korey Hall and Quinn Johnson will participate heavily in special teams. The Packers had hoped to bring back Kregg Lumpkin on their practice squad to serve as a quasi-No. 3 runner, but Lumpkin was claimed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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Andrew Weber/US PresswireSafety Louis Delmas is the only Lions defensive back who was on the roster last season.
4. By reaching an injury settlement with Will Blackmon and releasing Jason Chery, the Packers left themselves with no obvious kick returners. If that's their biggest problem, I'm not too worried about it. But in the short term, it looks like Jordy Nelson or possibly Brandon Jackson could fill the role. *Update: Coach Mike McCarthy said Monday that Tramon Williams and Greg Jennings are options at punt returner.
5. The Detroit Lions have turned over their entire secondary with the exception of safety Louis Delmas. Every other defensive back is new to the team this year. (Source: Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.)
6. To put a bow on a couple of trades: The Minnesota Vikings received a 2011 fifth-round pick and a conditional 2012 seventh-round draft pick from the New York Giants in return for quarterback Sage Rosenfels and kick returner Darius Reynaud. Meanwhile, the Lions and Denver Broncos exchanged undisclosed draft 2011 picks to complete the Alphonso Smith-Dan Gronkowski trade.
7. In announcing their waiver claim of former Green Bay tight end/linebacker Spencer Havner, the Lions listed him as a linebacker. That makes perfect sense considering the Lions' strong depth at tight end and thin situation at linebacker.
8. The Lions currently have five players listed as cornerbacks on their roster: Smith, Chris Houston, Jonathan Wade, Aaron Berry and Amari Spievey. But Spievey has been working at safety the past few weeks, and Berry is a rookie who missed much of training camp because of a hamstring pull. Your guess is as good as mine right now about who will fill the nickel and dime roles.
9. The Vikings are in a similar situation. They have three cornerbacks on their active roster, and even if they bring someone in over the next day or so, it's hard to imagine him participating Thursday night at New Orleans. You figure Antoine Winfield, Lito Sheppard and Asher Allen will make up the nickel package. But who will the Vikings play if they need a sixth defensive back? At this point, it will have to be one of their backup safeties.

In lieu of our usual Black and Blue All Over format, we'll put a bow on Week 4 of the preseason on this fine Friday morning:

Cleveland Browns 13, Chicago Bears 10
Preseason record: 0-4
Of interest: The Bears finished the preseason winless for the first time since 1998 and only the second time in the past 33 years. Their offense scored 46 points, their special teams got three punts and a field goal blocked and their defense was almost unrecognizable from its heyday. Good thing the preseason doesn't matter, huh? Thursday night, the defense recovered a fumbled snap on its first play but then went on to allow Cleveland starter Colt McCoy to complete all 13 of his passes for 131 yards. If anything positive emerged, it was that veteran quarterback Todd Collins has caught up enough to be Jay Cutler's Week 1 backup. Collins started in place of Cutler and completed 10 of 15 passes for 139 yards, including a 15-yard scoring strike to tight end Greg Olsen.
Local coverage: Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said there has been some "frustration" but "it's not like we're defeatist," reports Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Mike Mulligan of the Chicago Sun-Times on the Bears' pass defense this preseason: "Outside of poor pass protection, the most alarming trend has been the poor play of a battered secondary that has served up a steady diet of cushion coverage and nondescript play." Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com thinks linebacker Brian Iwuh is solid insurance behind Lance Briggs. Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com: "But is there enough time? And can they flip the proverbial switch?"
Next: Sept. 12 vs. Detroit Lions*

Detroit Lions 28, Buffalo Bills 23
Preseason record: 3-1
Of interest: A majority of first-team players started the game, including quarterback Matthew Stafford. But Stafford threw his worst pass of the preseason on the third play, a telegraphed sideline pass to receiver Calvin Johnson that Drayton Florence intercepted and returned 40 yards for a touchdown. The Lions were down 16-0 in this game before No. 3 quarterback Drew Stanton led a fourth-quarter rally. Of the Lions' bubble players, I thought running back DeDe Dorsey made two plays that will make him a difficult cut. The first was a 25-yard scoring scamper off a short pass from Stanton in the third quarter; the second was a difficult 34-yard reception along the sideline in the fourth quarter.
Local coverage: Michael Rosenberg of the Detroit Free Press has seen enough to write: "For the first time in at least three years, the Lions have actual, genuine strengths. ... There are still too many holes to expect greatness, or even goodness, but they have an excellent chance at OKness." Dorsey could still be a victim of the numbers game, writes Tim Twentyman of the Detroit News. The true quality of the Lions' secondary is unknown because of so many preseason injuries, writes Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com. Safeties Louis Delmas and C.C. Brown both sat out Thursday night, while cornerback Jonathan Wade played with a cast on his hand.
Next: Sept. 12 at Chicago Bears*

Kansas City Chiefs 17, Green Bay Packers 13
Preseason record: 2-2
Of interest: In a bit of a surprise, Packers coach Mike McCarthy sat a number of key veterans, including quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and removed the rest of his starters after one series. The move helped the Chiefs win their first preseason game in two years. Backup quarterback Matt Flynn started in Rodgers' place and threw for 304 yards, although I'm still trying to figure out how his 77-yard pass to a wide-open Brett Swain didn't go for a touchdown; probably a combination of a short throw and Swain's less-than-devastating speed. The Packers worked tailback Kregg Lumpkin hard (11 carries, 36 yards) to give him a final chance to make the roster. Kick returner Jason Chery probably didn't win much confidence after a fumble and no returns longer than 17 yards.
Local coverage: Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel thought Swain and Lumpkin "looked the most like NFLers among a medley of soon-to-be practice squad and indoor football players Thursday night at New Arrowhead Stadium." The Packers are entertaining trade offers for offensive lineman Jason Spitz, the Journal Sentinel reports. Chery "probably did just enough to stay in contention for a roster spot, depending in part on the shaky health of Will Blackmon," reports Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Long-snapper Brett Goode's departure after a big hit left it difficult to measure the Packers' punting competition, writes Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
Next: Sept. 12 at Philadelphia Eagles*

Minnesota Vikings 31, Denver Broncos 24
Preseason record: 3-1
Of interest: The Vikings started 20 backups, including quarterback Tarvaris Jackson -- who concluded a worrisome preseason with a terrible outing. His accuracy-challenged 2-for-8 performance brought his preseason numbers to 12-of-26 for 60 yards. No. 3 quarterback Sage Rosenfels didn’t do much better, completing 1 of 4 passes, but you have to wonder how coach Brad Childress remains so committed to Jackson. Brett Favre hasn’t missed a start in 19 previous seasons, but there have been occasions when he’s left competitive games due to injury. At this point, would you trust Jackson even for a half? Rookie Joe Webb continued to show raw potential, dashing 41 yards against a blitz on one play and tossing a 63-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Javon Walker. With two touchdowns in two preseason appearances, you wonder if Walker hasn’t made the team.
Local coverage: Jackson was booed off the field by the Metrodome crowd, reports Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. But Childress said Jackson will remain the No. 2 quarterback “as it stands right now.” Cornerback Lito Sheppard said “I don't see why not” when asked if he will be a Week 1 starter, writes Chip Scoggins of the Star Tribune. Safety Tyrell Johnson took advantage of extended playing time to likely win the strong safety job, writes Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com.
Next: Thursday at New Orleans Saints*

*And it counts!

Earlier Thursday, we looked at four established NFC North players who reside on the proverbial roster bubble. Now, let's take a broader look at some key questions our teams face in determining the final composition of their rosters.

Will the Bears wipe out a good bit of their 2009 draft? Defensive lineman Jarron Gilbert, receiver Juaquin Iglesias and defensive lineman Henry Melton were the Bears' top three picks of that draft. They've all been invisible this summer and certainly haven't done anything to earn roster spots. Whether one is reserved for them is another question.

Can the Bears find room for special-teams stud Tim Shaw? He had 30 tackles on special teams last season but isn't much of a factor on defense. But he would qualify as a specialist, and there isn't always room for one on a 53-man roster. Do the Bears feel comfortable using him at linebacker, especially considering preseason injuries to Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Nick Roach? Uncertain.

How many running backs will the Detroit Lions keep? We know that Jahvid Best is the starter, and veteran Kevin Smith would be the likely No. 2 if he were completely healthy. But does Smith's offseason knee surgery make the Lions nervous? And if so, do they keep five backs behind Best -- Smith, Maurice Morris, Aaron Brown, DeDe Dorsey and fullback Jerome Felton -- or does one get released?

If they keep an extra back, could the Lions take a roster spot from the quarterback position? That's not out of the question. The Lions have established Shaun Hill as the long-term backup to starter Matthew Stafford. So is there any reason to keep Drew Stanton on the roster?

Will the Green Bay Packers keep five tight ends? We mentioned the possibility of veteran Donald Lee meeting the end of the line. It's also possible that Tom Crabtree could be sneaked onto the practice squad. But you could make an argument that all five tight ends are among the Packers' top 53 players. General manager Ted Thompson has made odd numerical choices before; last year he kept three fullbacks for what is mostly a one-back offense.

Will both players who entered 2009 competing for the right tackle job be cut? It's very possible that Allen Barbre and Breno Giacomini have played their way off the team. This year's backup tackles are more likely to be Bryan Bulaga and T.J. Lang.

How will the Minnesota Vikings establish more depth at cornerback? Right now, their starters are Antoine Winfield and either Lito Sheppard or Asher Allen. The nonstarter in that group is the likely nickelback, but beyond him the Vikings have no viable candidates for depth. A waiver claim or trade would seem a near-certainty.

How many receivers can the Vikings keep? Bernard Berrian and Percy Harvin are locks. You would think Greg Lewis makes the team, along with Greg Camarillo. Will Javon Walker make the Week 1 roster as a No. 5 receiver? Or would the Vikings be wary of guaranteeing his 2010 salary? Signing him back as early as Week 2 would allow them to pay him on a weekly basis.

Earlier: Final-week position battles and players on the bubble.

As we enter the final week of the preseason, position battles and depth chart competition should be nearing their conclusion. No clear answers generally means trouble. So with that timing in mind, let's take a look at the key summer issues in each NFC North locale:

Chicago Bears
Unsettled positions: Both safeties and strongside linebacker
Comment: The safety issue will come down to how quickly rookie Major Wright can return from a fractured finger. If it's soon, he could be the free safety with Chris Harris at strong. If not, the Bears might have to patch the position together with Harris at free safety and Danieal Manning or Craig Steltz on the strong side. Meanwhile, Nick Roach seemed to have the linebacker job won before having knee surgery. Can Pisa Tinoisamoa hold him off?

Detroit Lions
Unsettled positions: No. 2 cornerback, strong safety
Comment: Jonathan Wade held down the cornerback job in camp until a finger injury knocked him from the lineup. Eric King or Dre' Bly could be his short- and/or long-term replacement. C.C. Brown was the first-team strong safety for most of camp, but his hand was in a cast last week. Randy Phillips has been the primary replacement, but fellow rookie Amari Spievey was moved from cornerback to safety last week.

Green Bay Packers
Unsettled positions: Left guard and punter
Comment: Daryn Colledge won the left guard job by default after a hip flexor slowed rookie Bryan Bulaga. Tim Masthay appears to have an edge on Chris Bryan in the punting battle, but the Packers will take the competition through the end of the week.

Minnesota Vikings
Unsettled positions: No. 2 cornerback, strong safety, center, third-down back
Comment: Rookie Chris Cook appears on the brink of beating out Lito Sheppard and Asher Allen for the right cornerback job. Tyrell Johnson is trying to hold off Jamarca Sanford at safety. That battle is too close to call. The Vikings are worried that center John Sullivan's calf injury has put him too far behind to be ready for the Sept. 9 season opener at New Orleans, leaving them to decide whether to play backup Jon Cooper or move over right guard Anthony Herrera. The Vikings have rotated Adrian Peterson, Toby Gerhart and Albert Young in the third-down role and might use a combination when the season begins.