NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

• Bears’ HC Matt Nagy is unsure if K Eddy Piniero will be brought off of injured reserve prior to the Week 4 game with the Colts. This likely means that K Cairo Santos will be the starter again this weekend. (Jeff Dickerson)
• DOUBTFUL for Week 4: S Sherrick McManis (hamstring)
• QUESTIONABLE for Week 4: LB Khalil Mack (knee), LB Josh Woods (ankle)

Lions

Lions DC Cory Undlin said first-round CB Jeff Okudah is “trending in the right direction” with the experience he is gaining. 

“I think he’s trending in the right direction, just like everybody on this defense is right now,” Undlin said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “We’ve played three games, about to play the fourth here. And with every rep he gets — I think I’ve said this before, I’m a strong believer, especially for rookies, there’s no substitute for experience. The more you play, the more it slows down for you.”

Undlin reiterated that Okudah is progressively improving in his two appearances and praised the rookie for his interception in Week 3. 

“When you’re a rookie, it’s your first time — a lot,” Undlin said. “Until you’ve played in another divisional game that you’ve already played somebody, it’s all new for those guys. For him running out there this week, obviously which is another new experience for him, he’d done it one time. Now, he’s got another game under his belt. There were some good things in there, obviously. Excited for the interception, for the whole team. Definitely helped us there on that drive as they were moving.”

Undlin did, however, admit that Okudah still must improve in several areas. 

“There’s obviously a bunch of things in there, too, that we’ve got to correct, just like there is with everybody,” Undlin said. “I like where he’s going. Is he there yet? Nope, not even close. I would tell him the same thing. A lot of work to still be done. But is he trending in the right direction? I would say, yes.”

• Lions HC Matt Patricia said Mike Ford and Bo Scarbrough are getting closer to returning from injured reserve. (Michael Rothstein)
• OUT for Week 4: S C.J. Moore (calf)
• QUESTIONABLE for Week 4: TE Hunter Bryant (hamstring), DE Da’Shawn Hand (chest), LB Christian Jones (knee), CB Darryl Roberts (hip), CB Desmond Trufant (hamstring)

Packers

Packers WR Davante Adams is getting closer to returning from his hamstring injury. However, he made it clear that he won’t rush himself back before he’s healed and ready to go. 

“Correct. I will be making sure I feel normal – like before it happened – before I step out there. So we’re doing our thing to make sure that that’s the case,” Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“That was the plan all week long was to get a good feel to see how I felt come pre-game, just to give me all the time I needed and came to the conclusion that I wasn’t quite ready yet,” Adams added. “It was close. I felt good, but I wanted to be as smart as possible so we decided to hold off on that.”

• Packers HC Matt LaFleur said WR Allen Lazard‘s injury occurred during the game: “He’s a tough guy, man. He’s as tough as they come, and that’s what you love about the guy. He’s a gritty competitor.” (Ryan Wood)
• Packers DC Mike Pettine said that LB Oren Burks has been cross-training and “is probably spending more time with the outside linebackers” than the inside linebackers right now. (Wes Hodkiewicz)