NFC North race to the wire
CHICAGO (7-1)
Home games: Houston, Vikings, Seattle, Green Bay
Road games: San Francisco, Vikings, Arizona, Detroit
Star power: Cornerback Charles Tillman has forced seven fumbles - including four in last week's victory over Tennessee - and has returned two interceptions for touchdowns this season.
GREEN BAY (6-3)
Home games: Vikings, Detroit, Tennessee
Road games: Detroit, N.Y. Giants, Chicago, Vikings
Star power: Aaron Rodgers leads the NFL with 25 touchdown passes and is second (behind Peyton Manning) in quarterback rating.
VIKINGS (5-4)
Home games: Detroit, Chicago, Green Bay
Road games: Chicago, Green Bay, St. Louis, Houston
Star power: Adrian Peterson (106.3 yards per game) leads the league in rushing in an amazing recovery from knee surgery.
DETROIT (4-4)
Home games: Green Bay, Houston, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Chicago
Road games: Vikings, Green Bay, Arizona
Star power: Matthew Stafford had 41 touchdown passes last season but has only eight so far in 2012. His yards per game have also dropped from 314.9 to 299.1.
about the writer
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.