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Breakdown: The Packers' 2013 schedule has a familiar ring. They open with the San Francisco 49ers for the second consecutive season, a quirk that also affords a rematch with the team that knocked them from the 2012 playoffs. They'll play the Detroit ...

So in case you missed it Wednesday night, we learned there is now a 50 percent chance of an NFC North player adorning the "Madden" cover for a second consecutive year. Detroit Lions Hall of Fame tailback Barry Sanders and Minnesota Vikings tailbac...

Yippee! Both of our NFC North contestants in the "Madden NFL 25" cover contest have advanced to the quarterfinals! As you can see, former Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders is now pitted against former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Mon...

We have spent time this season breaking down the "Fail Mary" and its implications in every way imaginable. In this week's Inside Slant podcast , Mike Sando and I discussed the possibility that the player who threw the infamous pass -- Seattle Seahawk...

As a longtime resident of the Pacific Northwest, NFC West colleague Mike Sando took some good-natured offense at Tuesday's post on the impact of the "Fail Mary" game. What followed was an Inside Slant podcast that touched on how Seattle Seahawks fan...

As the Minnesota Vikings return from their bye this week, it's worth circling back on a weapon that should work to their extreme benefit as long as tailback Adrian Peterson is running at his current pace. The Vikings' play-action game dipped inexp...

On paper, at least, the Arizona Cardinals' quarterback shift sounds favorable for the Minnesota Vikings. Backup John Skelton is expected to start Sunday at the Metrodome, providing the Vikings with a stronger-armed but far less mobile adversary than ...

After the Minnesota Vikings' 38-26 loss to the Washington Redskins, here are three issues that merit further examination: Quarterback Christian Ponder called the interception he threw to Madieu Williams in the fourth quarter "a fluke play," sayin...

We're Black and Blue All Over: PHILADELPHIA -- With Week 6 in the books here in the NFC North, let's reset our standings: Chicago Bears (4-1) Minnesota Vikings (4-2) Green Bay Packers (3-3) Detroit Lions (2-3) The record shows the Pac...

A few thoughts on Sunday's events at FedEx Field: What it means: The Minnesota Vikings saw their three-game winning streak end after a comeback fell short at FedEx Field. They're 4-2, officially a half-game behind the NFC North-leading Chicago Bea...

Let's finally get inside the Friday injury report: Detroit Lions: Safety Louis Delmas (knee) did not practice Friday, but it sounds as if it was for precautionary reasons. "We had planned to ease him back at the end of the week," coach Jim Schwart...

Let's round up a busy day of roster and injury news in the NFC North: Detroit Lions: Tight end Brandon Pettigrew (knee) returned to practice after sitting out Tuesday. Receiver Titus Young (knee) didn't practice. Neither did defensive tackle Corey...

MINNEAPOLIS -- A few thoughts on a dominating 30-7 performance Sunday at the Metrodome: What it means: The Minnesota Vikings are 4-1 and tied for the NFC North lead with the Chicago Bears. The Tennessee Titans put on a listless and punchless perfo...

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- At one point during a lively news conference Tuesday, a nonagenarian Twin Cities reporter offered some veteran advice for Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman: If you don't take that tackle, you're crazy. "Well...

I didn't post the first two installments of "Gruden's QB Camp" because neither Andrew Luck nor Robert Griffin III figure remotely into the NFC North's plans. But as the series continues, I think it'll be both fun and instructive to view clips from so...

We've downplayed the Minnesota Vikings' realistic chances for trading down in the draft, especially after the St. Louis Rams shipped the No. 2 pick to the Washington Redskins and ensured that the draft's top two quarterbacks would be off the board wh...