MVP vote rules alert: Fans following projections and rankings of the top MVP candidates should know that the vote is for first place only in the official MVP voting conducted by the Associated Press. Unfathomably, the Detroit media does not have a vote. It was surrendered by the Detroit rep several years ago, and the AP has resisted all attempts to restore the vote to a franchise that has been in the NFL since 1934 and is located in the 13th-ranked media market – ahead of the markets of 16 other franchises. – Mike O’Hara
Safety net: Teryl Austin and the Lions defense has been utilizing their three-safety package more and more the last few weeks.