Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press

The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers are taking different approaches to practice this week, as they head toward their NFC North showdown Sunday at Lambeau Field (4:25 p.m., Fox).

The Lions mostly have a regular week of practice scheduled, while the Packers are practicing Tuesday, in order to take Thursday off for Christmas.

Lions coach Jim Caldwell said he consulted with the team's leadership council about the decision. The players wanted to "stay within our rhythm."

"Most of us look at it like (we spend time on Christmas with) our families and etc., but a lot of them don't have children, and so they want to keep it the same, in terms of our rhythm," Caldwell said. "So we're going to practice on Christmas, but it'll be a little bit later in the day, to give the guys that do have children time to be with their families in the morning. They'll come in, and we'll work in the afternoon, we'll get finished at a reasonable time so they can go home and have dinner for their families. But every other day will be the same."

Lions players had today off -- a "Victory Monday" that's typical after late-season wins -- and have a regular off day Tuesday before returning for regular practice Wednesday.

The Packers canceled practiced Thursday but have workouts scheduled Tuesday-Wednesday and Friday.

Last year, the Lions practiced on Christmas under former coach Jim Schwartz, after they had been eliminated from the playoffs.

Highlights from Caldwell's news conference

On his belief that the Lions can beat good teams in the playoffs the way they're playing: "All I can tell you is that, one of the things that I think is often discounted: No. 1, to get 11 victories, I don't care how you get them. At some point in time you have to take the victories for what they are. Certainly you'd like to improve. There's not one game that we've played all year long that I've been satisfied with, for your knowledge."

On having multiple healthy running backs, including Reggie Bush and Joique Bell: "Well I think, this game in particular, both guys averaged over 5 yards a carry. Reggie might have been 7 yards a carry, Joique might have been five-point something or another. George (Winn) had one carry for 5 yards, I think. Anytime that you have two or three or four healthy guys at that position, which we do at this point, you feel good about it and particularly."

On suspending two of his offensive starters in past three weeks and how often he reminds players to stay focused: "Constantly, every meeting. That's kind of where the high-cost for low-living comes in. We cover the gamut and you have to keep it before them. Hopefully you don't have as many."

On whether there's unfairness to there not being a penalty called on Raiola's play but the play still being reviewed by the league: "I don't think so. It's happening in every sport. In golf nowadays people are calling in because the ball moves and things of that nature. That's the way it is. Everything, there's so much transparency in our business that you better get accustomed to it. That's the way it is, deal with it."

On whether the team has had a playoff mentality for the past three to four weeks: "I hear that often used. I don't believe in that only because of the fact that I think you earned your way into the playoffs. And because you say, 'Hey, we've got a playoff mentality in Week 5.' What does that mean? You're trying to win every opportunity you get. I think when you get into the playoff, you can talk about a playoff mentality. But up until, obviously for us, up until the weekend that was certainly not a reality."

Carlos Monarrez contributed.

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.