NFC North Notes: Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

Chicago’s offense struggled yet again on Sunday in a 24-21 loss to the Raiders. Behind backup QB Chase Daniel, the Bears managed 236 yards of total offense. Through five games, Chicago ranks 30th in yards per game and 28th in points, which is disappointing to say the least for offensive-minded HC Matt Nagy.

“As the offense goes, the numbers don’t lie,” Nagy said via the Chicago Tribune’s Rich Campbell. “Not good enough. It’s my job to make sure that it gets better.”

Packers

The Packers offense finally seemed to gain some momentum on Sunday, racking up 31 points in three quarters and holding on for a 34-24 win against the Cowboys. First-year HC Matt LaFleur says the team is getting comfortable with the offense in his first season and the results are starting to show. 

“I just think that everybody’s a little bit more comfortable with hearing the play calls,” LaFleur said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “On that first Thursday night, nobody had, the starters had never played together. They didn’t play in the preseason, never make an excuse for that, that was my decision, but I just think they’re more familiar with one another. And they’re starting to come together. But again, there’s a lot of room for improvement. . . . Not only from them but from myself as a play caller.”

• NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport says Packers S Darnell Savage has just an ankle tweak and the injury isn’t considered major.
• The injury is considered a high ankle sprain, although there is no structural damage. (Rob Demovsky)

Vikings

Vikings WR Adam Thielen helped create a story that followed the team for the entire week with his comments about Minnesota’s passing game following the loss to the Bears a week ago. Some interpreted the comments as a shot at QB Kirk Cousins, who has been noticeably de-emphasized by the Vikings this season. However, Cousins said he didn’t take it that way and that Thielen is actually one of his best friends on the team. 

“I don’t know if I’ve ever had a closer friend in the league than Adam,” Cousins said via Peter King of NBC’s Football Morning in America. “We sit together on planes. Our families are friendly. What’s funny is the comment Adam made after the game last week is the same one he’s said to me. He thought it was unrealistic to just run it and have that be all our offense. So I had the context. But I guess it took on a life of its own.”

• According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, while it’s unlikely the Vikings decide to trade WR Stefon Diggs midseason, if they did they would need to get both a first-round pick and another potential starting wide receiver back, at least. 
• Barnwell uses a potential three-way deal with the Raiders and Dolphins as an example. The Raiders would get Diggs and a late-round pick, the Vikings would get one of the Raiders’ two first-round picks and WR DeVante Parker, while the Dolphins would get a fourth-round pick from each team.