NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

Bears OL Lucas Patrick believes QB Justin Fields deserves better protection from the offensive line.

“All I know is upfront, we have to do the best we can do and keep him clean because as we’ve seen multiple times, we keep him clean or we give him a rush lane to sneak out,” Patrick said, via ChicagoBears.com. “We need to live up to the standard that we have in our room and really help him become the elite player that he is. You can’t change my mind that that guy’s not a future stud in this league, like, the way he throws it, the way he’s consistent, the way he runs, just his positive personality, and like, he’s a great dude to have in the locker room and doesn’t really get down amongst us.”

Lions

Lions CB Amani Oruwariye said he stepped away from the team over their Week 6 bye to reflect after being benched the previous game and is confident he’ll respond effectively. 

“This isn’t the end for me at all,” Oruwariye said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “Just a bump in the road, just adversity, just testing me, making me remind myself you can’t take any day for granted and that was good. I needed that reflection.”

Oruwariye feels that he hasn’t performed well enough in critical situations and points to missing an open-field tackle against Seahawks RB Rashaad Penny in Week 4. 

“I wouldn’t say (things have) not clicked,” Oruwariye said. “I just would say that maybe (I was) put in a lot more critical situations and didn’t − not coming up with the plays. Like for example, the (Rashaad) Penny run (on third-and-14 in a Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks), just open-field tackle. Whatever happened, I got to get him down. That’s just the end all, be all of it so it’s just making the plays when they come to me.”

Lions HC Dan Campbell said he reassured Oruwariye that he could get back into a starting role. 

“I told Amani this (before the Patriots game),” Campbell said. “I said, ‘Man, this doesn’t mean this is done. I mean, you could very much be back up.’ But it was – that’s what we needed to do.”

Packers

• Packers HC Matt LaFleur said he’s unsure about WR Sammy Watkins‘ availability for Week 7: “It’s kinda up in the air right now.” (Matt Schneidman)
• Packers’ veteran WR Randall Cobb (high-ankle sprain) said he “felt something pop”but is pleased that he’s only projected to miss 2-6 weeks: “I felt something pop and I thought, ‘This is the way it ends.’ It’s nice to have the good news and to know that I’ll be able to come back.” (Matt Schneidman)
• Packers OC Adam Stenavich said it’s clear that OL Elgton Jenkins is still not back to pre-injury form and needs time to get back to that level. Jenkins moving to right tackle has been an additional challenge for him. (Tom Silverstein)
• Doug Kyed reports that Packers rookie WR Samori Toure will be making his NFL debut against the Commanders in Week 7.