NFC Notes: Bears, Cowboys, Packers

Bears

Bears RB David Montgomery suffered a knee injury in the Bears win over the Lions, a potentially serious blow in a game that illustrated just how important he is to the offense. Montgomery is seen by his offensive line as someone who seeks contact out and doesn’t avoid it, and they love blocking for him.

“You know, that’s who 3-2 is,” Bears OL Sam Mustipher said, via The Athletic. “It’s impressive to be out there with a guy who, first contact to him is really nothing. That’s just getting the ball rolling. It’s awesome. And to be able to block for a guy like that is, we’re lucky as an offensive line.”

“We got the running game going. And then we were effective in the red zone,” Bears HC Matt Nagy added. “David has a knack for the red zone. He shows that. He’s proven that all year long. He’s proven that his whole career. So that you hang your hat on the O-linemen, those tight ends. … Sometimes the O-line gets all the credit, and they did a hell of a job, but we can’t forget about those tight ends either, and the way that David runs and Damien and those other guys. If you could wake up in the morning and say I wish this could happen on the first drive, that’s what happened. So that was a good thing.”

Bears first-round QB Justin Fields says the team looks up to Montgomery, who is one of the team’s captains.

“David’s a leader,” Fields said. “He’s one of the team captains. He talks to us before every game. I mean, he’s a dog. He’s bringing the same energy every day at practice and every game. And I hope my boy, I hope it’s not too serious. But you know, even if it is, he’s still going to be a leader on this team and still going to continue to lead this offense each and every day.”

• PFF’s Doug Kyed reports Bears RB Damien Williams suffered a thigh bruise in Week 4 but “should be OK” to play in Week 5.
• Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune believes the team will likely place Montgomery on injured reserve prior to the Saturday deadline.
• Bears WR Allen Robinson on the play of Fields: “I think anybody who knows him, anybody who has been around him, or has probably been around him in college or watched his college tape, knows that for him he wants it, he’s seeking the big play.” (Kevin Fishbain)
• Bears OLB Robert Quinn has rebounded in a big way in 2021, with 4.5 sacks already through four games after notching just two all of last season. He says he’s in a much better place this year, per the Athletic’s Adam Jahns: “I was in a rough place last year. I’ll just leave it at that. I was in a very rough place and my performance showed that.”

Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is proud of the work that RB Ezekiel Elliott put in during the offseason, adding that it has clearly paid off for him.

“There’s no question that what you put in in spring, what you put in in training camp, that’s what you get out during the season,” Jones said, via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. “He put it in during the offseason, and it’s paying dividends for him.”

Packers

Packers WR Randall Cobb wasn’t seen by most as much of a factor anymore as an NFL player, which made QB Aaron Rodgers‘ demand for Green Bay to bring him back this summer a little curious. Rodgers saw something valuable in Cobb still, however, and his two-touchdown performance in Week 4’s win against the Steelers was validation of that. 

“He’s still a really good player, for one,” Rodgers said. “There’s a knack to playing in the slot. Davante is an All-Pro inside or outside receiver, but to have another guy in there who can get open like that and have the feel that (Cobb) does just gives us a lot of flexibility in the offense, for sure.”

Cobb and Rodgers had great chemistry in their prime together and years apart haven’t really changed that. 

“It’s kind of like riding a bike,” Cobb said. “You’ve been around each other for so long and you understand, he understands how I move, so whenever I’m getting ready to break on my route, he knows. It’s muscle memory. It’s been a couple of years, but it’s kind of like when you get back around your friends and you remember things that you hadn’t even thought about in so long. It’s kind of that connection that we have. When you see it so many times, it doesn’t matter how long of a gap it is between.”

• Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports Packers CB Jaire Alexander might be able to play safely with a shoulder brace, yet it is unclear how much time he needs to heal. Silverstein adds the Packers are having the injury looked at by multiple specialists.
• The Packers are working out DB Lano Hill and DE Justus Reed, according to Aaron Wilson.