NFC North Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Bears

• The Chicago Bears have S Eddie Jackson (ankle), LB Aaron Lynch (elbow), and WR Allen Robinson (ribs) all listed as doubtful for Week 17 and DT Bilal Nichols (knee) down as being questionable.

Lions

Lions HC Matt Patricia told reporters on Friday that he wants Matthew Stafford back as his quarterback in 2019, despite recent speculation that he should be traded.

“We’re in a situation where Matt Stafford’s our quarterback,” Patricia said, via MLive.com. “That’s what it is. I think the world of the guy. I think he’s an unbelievable competitor, I think he’s a great player, and I’m going to do everything I can to help him as much as possible.”

“Like I’ve said all year, Matthew Stafford is an unbelievable quarterback, and he’s our quarterback,” Patricia said. “He’s been fighting and battling and playing hard and leading this team throughout the entire course of the season. So we’ll obviously just keep working, progressing and trying to grow and get better next year — and hopefully we can do some things to help him. For us, we’re focused on this week and just trying to get better and play well in Green Bay and go out and succeed.

“Again, I have the utmost respect for him and everything that he does every single day and works. He’s my quarterback, and we’re trying every single day to get better. I appreciate that relationship a lot, I appreciate the way that he works and it’s been great from the standpoint of growth between he and I, and being able to have a chance to meet and learn and talk football and all that. That’s just a relationship that’s really important for me, so that part of it’s been positive.”

• On Thursday, Stafford said he would love to finish out his career in Detroit and play for just one team: “I think there’s something special about a guy getting a chance to play his entire career in one place. Not many guys get to do that these days. I would love to be one of those guys.” (ESPN.com)
• The Detroit Lions officially ruled out DT A’Shawn Robinson (knee), CB DeShawn Shead (knee), and TE Luke Willson (concussion) for Week 17’s game and list CB Jamal Agnew (knee), RB LeGarrette Blount (knee), S Quandre Diggs (back), WR Kenny Golladay (chest), DT Damon Harrison (ankle), and CB Nevin Lawson (ankle) as questionable.
• Lions placed DT A’Shawn Robinson on injured reserve. (NFLTR)
• Lions claimed DE Mitchell Loewen off of waivers from the Saints.

Packers

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Northwestern HC Pat Fitzgerald is the name most prominently connected to the Packers’ head-coaching vacancy.

Packers president Mark Murphy actually hired Fitzgerald at Northwestern, so there are clear ties between the two.

Albert Breer recently mentioned that it would take a lot for Fitzgerald to consider leaving Northwestern and he “wouldn’t count on it” happening.

• Rob Demovsky writes that while it may seem like a foregone conclusion that the Packers will move on from WR Randall Cobb and OLB Clay Matthews, there’s at least a chance both could return on reasonable contracts.
• Demovsky mentions that Matthews could be moved inside after his sack production has declined substantially this season, despite appearing in every game this season.
• Regarding Cobb, Aaron Rodgers mentioned that: “When Randall’s healthy, I think our offense has been different because we have a true slot guy who can make plays in the slot consistently.“
• Matthews has said he would like to be back in Green Bay, so it’s at least something to keep an eye on in the coming months.
• The Green Bay Packers officially list T Jason Spriggs (concussion) and WR Equanimeous St. Brown (concussion) as doubtful for Week 17 and have WR Davante Adams (knee), CB Jaire Alexander (groin), T David Bakhtiari (hip), S Kentrell Brice (ankle, not injury related), DE Fadol Brown (toe), G Lucas Patrick (abdomen), and G Lane Taylor (knee) down as questionable.

Vikings

• The Minnesota Vikings officially ruled out WR Chad Beebe (hamstring), RB C.J. Ham (elbow), LB Eric Kendricks (hamstring), and CB Marcus Sherels (foot) for Week 17 and list G Tom Compton (shoulder) and CB Xavier Rhodes (groin) as questionable.