What's that smell? Lions, Bears, Packers

Before we take a glance at the rest of the NFC North, let's get one NFL-related issue out of the way:

No NFL team except Pittsburgh is able to call its fans "The Best Fans in the NFL!!!" Sorry, but Pittsburgh's fans win. It's over for fans of the other 31 teams. And calling Steeler fans front-runners isn't accurate because A, they don't abandon the Steelers, and B, the Steelers have been running out front for most of the last 35 years or so.

Watching Steeler fans and their gold Terrible Towels take over new Mile High Stadium in Denver last night was impressive. No team's fans travel better or make more noise in an opponent's stadium than Steeler fans.

This is probably hard to hear as Viking fans, who are pretty good in their own right. But It's even harder to write as an old Browns fan and Cleveland guy. Cleveland is 2 1/2 hours from Pittsburgh by car and light years in NFL success the past 40-some years. (I had to laugh when the Yankees talked about how it had been nine long years since they won a world title. Cleveland hasn't won a World Series since 1948 or a title of any kind since the Browns won a pre-Super Bowl NFL title in 1964).

Now, back to the NFC North ...

. In Detroit, Free Press columnist Michael Rosenberg thinks with some luck the Lions could actually go 3-13 this year. Writes Rosenberg: "...The best-case scenario is 3-13. If they go 4-12, we ought to hold a parade, and if they finish 5-11, they should retire the number of every player on the team." He's giving Detroit a W in its home game against the Browns later this season. Unfortunately, Michael also reminds us that the early Thanksgiving Day game is Green Bay at Detroit. Good time for a nap.

. Also in Detroit, I agree with Lions coach Jim Schwartz that people are blowing out of proportion the sideline incident between QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson. TV cameras caught Stafford trying to tell Johnson something during the game, and Johnson turning and walking away without saying anything.

Said Schwartz: “... Good gracious, if there was a camera on every single person on every single play, you could read between the lines on a million different things."

My goodness, it's an emotional game and the Lions are losing and losing and losing and ... I'd be more concerned if there wasn't some frustration shown on the sideline. Johnson said he and Stafford are fine. Nothing a few wins wouldn't cure.

. In Chicago, Tribune beat writer David Haugh writes that Bears coach Lovie Smith and GM Jerry Angelo won't be fired anytime soon.  The two of them have a combined six years left on their contracts after this season. Smith is still owed $11 million over two years after this one. I'd also throw in the fact that THESE TWO GUYS LED THE BEARS TO THE SUPER BOWL JUST THREE YEARS AGO! Yeah, the Bears are kind of a mess right now. But you can't tell me Lovie and Jerry are any worse at their jobs today than they were three seasons ago. Bears fans want blood, but they need to show a little patience. This team is only eight games into the Jay Cutler trade. This is a transition year. Nobody should be canned after this year.

. In Green Bay, today's episode of "As the Packers Crappy Offensive Line Turns" includes news that the team's befuddled coaching staff is considering starting rookie T.J. Lang, a tackle, at left guard. He would replace Daryn Colledge, who gave up two sacks and was called for holding in Sunday's upset loss to the Bucs.

. Also in Green Bay, Packers CEO Mark Murphy isn't pushing the panic button with his team looking at the probability of missing the playoffs for the fourth time in five years under GM Ted Thompson. 

"The right thing is to wait and do a thorough evaluation at the end of the season," said Murphy, referring to any changes the team would make.

Packer fans want someone to pay for this year's fiasco. Losing to Brett Favre twice. Favre toying with his former team while winning two NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Last week's loss to a Bucs team that hadn't won a game.

The Packers are 4-4 and won't win the NFC North. They won't make the playoffs. And now the only thing left in a Viking fan's perfect scenario -- the complete meltdown of Packer fans screaming for everybody to be fired -- seems to be unfolding.