Bears
The 2022 season was all about building a foundation for the future of the Chicago Bears. So it should be notable that one of the first names GM Ryan Poles mentioned as a potential blue-chip player was TE Cole Kmet. He finished the season with 50 catches on 69 targets for 544 yards and seven touchdowns.
“The one that stands out to me this year — I was just proud of and spent time with him, talking about it — but I thought Cole did a really good job,” he said via the Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain. “I thought he elevated his game from the film that I watched last year to what it was this year, so that’s exciting. I mean, that’s one that comes to mind right now.”
Cowboys
Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy praised RB Tony Pollard‘s vision, running ability, and skills as a blocker.
“The way he stays on course and sets the blocks for the offensive line is top-notch,” McCarthy said, via Dan Pompei of The Athletic. “You’re able to see him hit creases as they open instead of after they open. Man, is he a good running back, a pure runner.”
Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott thinks Pollard doesn’t get enough credit for his blocking ability.
“A lot of people see Tony, and they just see the 60-yard run, the big explosive plays,” Elliott told NBC Sports. “But I don’t think he gets enough credit for the blocking ability, his physical nature. He’s not just running by them. They feel him, too.”
Pollard said that he can handle the workload of a starting running back and sees himself as a “feature back” in the NFL.
“I definitely can handle the punishment,” Pollard said. “I could see myself being a feature back, but for the time being, I’m fine. I feel this league is going away from using one go-to back. You need at least two nowadays, and it makes it a lot easier on both backs.”
Giants
Giants DC Wink Martindale is ready to make a statement this postseason after building the team’s defense in his image.
“Our personality as a defense is to attack,” Martindale said, via Fox Sports. “If you’ve got an ‘NY’ on your helmet, you’re going to attack.”
Martindale understands that he didn’t have an all-pro caliber defense to begin the year with, but that didn’t stop him from installing an attack mentality on that side of the ball.
“I said something to them during the loss [in Minnesota] that, ‘We’re building a playoff defense here, guys, make no mistake about it.’” Martindale said. “And I feel that way. That’s guys that can just play it one play at a time and they don’t flinch. They’re never flinching. If there’s a mistake, we correct it. If there’s a play, we celebrate it, and then we get ready to go play the next play.”
Martindale referenced the team’s previous defenses that carried the organization through multiple playoff runs.
“Definitely inspired,” Martindale said. “We know where the standard is, and we want to keep raising the bar. That’s why I keep referring to the fans. I think they like seeing it. They like seeing an attacking style defense and ones that can hit the quarterback.“
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