With the Packers demolishing the hapless Browns 31-3 on the road, now we have a real race in the NFC North as we approach Week 8's showcase game: Minnesota at Green Bay, when Favre makes his much-ballyhooed return to Lambeau Field.

The Packers (4-2) are just 1 games behind the 6-1 Vikings, and can close to within a half game if they can protect their home field next week against Minnesota. The Bears, coming off back-to-back losses at Atlanta and at Cincinnati (in Sunday's most shocking score), are starting to look too flawed to make a serious run at the division title.

The best news for Green Bay, which has now won consecutive games over the Lions and Browns by a combined score of 57-3, was easily that quarterback Aaron Rodgers was protected for the first time all season. Rodgers was never sacked after coming into play with an NFL-worst 25 sacks. Green Bay didn't punt until late in the fourth quarter, and scored 31 unanswered points after Cleveland grabbed a 3-0 lead.

Don't count the Packers out when it comes to the NFC elite. They looked to be in shambles after that Monday night loss at Minnesota dropped them to 2-2, but they steadied themselves in their Week 5 bye and now are heading into the rematch with the Vikings in firm possession of real momentum.

So, if you keeping score at home, it's Crabtree with five catches for 56 yards in one game this season, Oakland's Darrius Heyward-Bey four receptions for 64 yards in seven games.

Another interesting tidbit:

I always like it how they called our play shambles when we played the vikes ... not to say we didnt have some issues.

But they could of also said - "a dropped pass and questionable referee calls is what kept the pack from taking that game"

So I assume the vikes were shambles too playing the steelers since they lost.

"Dulak" wrote: