Bears
Bears interim HC Thomas Brown has been viewed as a rising star in the league for a few years now going back to when he was an assistant for Rams HC Sean McVay. After a detour in Carolina last year, his ascension has been quick with the Bears in 2024, going from assistant to interim play-caller to interim head coach in a matter of weeks. The consistent theme around Brown is his leadership gravitas and McVay reiterated this week he thought that would serve Brown well as he tries to make the most of this opportunity.
“Well, I know that he’s always been a guy that’s had an incredible command,” McVay said via Pro Football Talk. “He’s been a great competitor. He kind of demands respect from people that he’s around just by the way that he carries himself. Anytime these things come up . . . and I think even Thomas did a great job of handling it when he got the opportunity to be the OC. He’s done a great job, obviously, but it’s unique in which the circumstances have come about but he’s going to attack it. I think guys will follow his lead.”
Packers
Packers LB Quay Walker is most of the way through his third year and Green Bay is still looking for the former first-round pick to establish himself as a consistent playmaker. Walker has been up and down throughout his career and this year has been no different. However, he’s currently on an upswing over the past two games that has Green Bay feeling optimistic.
“Quay’s been playing his best ball,” Packers HC Matt LaFleur said via the Athletic’s Matt Schneidman. “I don’t think anybody would dispute that. He’s got a better feel for what we’re asking him to do. … You saw it not only in the run game with Quay but when we’re bringing him on blitzes, he’s extremely effective at setting some picks and then getting pressure on the quarterback himself. Really happy with where he’s at he’s a resilient dude and he’s very, very critical of himself and he’s hard on himself, and sometimes you’ve got to help pick him up because he’s a really talented football player and I think his best ball is in front of him.”
Walker admitted he can be too hard on himself as well.
“I’ve been trying to, but I don’t know how to do that yet,” Walker said. “I don’t know how to do that yet. I’m trying to get to that point, but I don’t know how to do it yet.
“I think I just do too much thinking. Any time I have that mindset — see it, go — I can be a real, real productive player. I don’t want to give myself too much credit, but that’s how I see it.”
Vikings
Vikings RB Aaron Jones had an inconsistent showing in Week 13 with two fumbles and the game-winning touchdown. Jones expressed his gratitude to the coaching staff keeping faith in him despite his unusual struggles.
“For me it was a roller coaster,” Jones said, via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “Thankful for the guys in this locker room telling me to keep my head up. [Coach Kevin O’Connell] as well. He was like, ‘Hey, we’re going to come back to you. Keep your head up,’ and it ended up happening at the end in the most important time.”
Minnesota HC Kevin O’Connell discussed why he kept confidence in Jones to go with him when the game was on the line.
“If anything I have total trust in Aaron,” O’Connell said. “You can see it all over his face, the disappointment he has. We’ve got to find a way to fix it, because we’ve had too many times that the ball does end up on the ground early on in games. That’s a huge momentum play.
“But there’s a reason why I called the play I called in the end. He’s one of our best players. He’s going to continue to be one of our best players, and there isn’t a guy in that locker room that doesn’t absolutely love playing with Aaron Jones. We’ve got his back without any hesitation or question.”
- O’Connell said they deactivated G Ed Ingram so they could add another tackle for insurance for LT Cam Robinson coming off a foot injury: “Cam did a hell of a job working through that foot, and he was going to give it a go, but we felt pretty stressed in Chicago only having one tackle up beyond Cam.” (Ben Goessling)
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