NFC Notes: Bears, Lions, Packers

Bears

Bears CB Jaylon Johnson said that there is a mix of morale within the team’s locker room with one portion “starting to go into the tank” and the other still working to improve. 

“I mean, you have a little bit off both,” Johnson said, via BearsWire. “You have the side of the locker room that is starting to go into the tank and you have the guys that are still trying to fight and figure out how we can get better. I mean, at the end of the day, that’s the name of the game is trying to get better each and every week and then just being able to put four quarters of football together.”

Johnson added that their goal is to put a complete game together despite experiencing “ups and downs in the locker room.”

“It’s not about one quarter being good at some times and at moments, but really being able to figure out how we can be good for four quarters and find ways to win football games. But, I mean, you definitely have the ups and downs in the locker room as expected, but just being able to keep as many guys as we can together and keep fighting for wins.”

• Bears OC Bill Lazor said that rookie QB Justin Fields has a good understanding of what he’s seeing on the field and is able to communicate effectively on the sidelines with him: “I think he is very much in control of what is happening. He can come to the sideline with what he saw and why he did what he did. … With Justin, it’s never a matter of he didn’t see what happened. To me, that’s a great sign.”  (Kevin Fishbain)

Lions

• Lions HC Dan Campbell confirmed that TE T.J. Hockenson is out for the rest of the season following thumb surgery. (Tim Twentyman)
• Campbell added that Hockenson made the decision to undergo surgery after receiving a second opinion.

Packers

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers had high praise of CB Rasul Douglas and thinks he was one of the best acquisitions of the year. 

“Bringing Rasul in looks like one of the moves of the year, for sure,” Rodgers said, via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. “He’s been fantastic for us.”

Douglas said that he never lost faith in himself despite bouncing around from the Eagles, Panthers, Raiders, Texans, and Cardinals before landing in Green Bay. 

“I always knew what I could do in the league,” Douglas said. “It was just about me getting the chance. I’ve always showed it in practice and against my teammates and stuff. They all knew, ‘Yeah, you’re going to be a good player when you actually do get the chance,’ and I’ve done it before. I’ve been to the playoffs, Super Bowl, NFC Championship. It’s not like I haven’t done it to where I lose faith in myself.”

Packers HC Matt LaFleur added that Douglas has proven to be a “ball hawk” at cornerback and is pleased with his aggressiveness this season. 

“Rasul has been a huge part of this defense,” LaFleur said. “He makes key plays all the time. Even the (defensive pass interference) that he got called for (against the Bears), I thought he was being aggressive and going to attack the football. He makes key plays. I love how aggressive he plays. He’s fearless. He’s resilient. He’s just a ball hawk. He does such a great job of studying tape, of keying on receivers, their route tendencies, and that allows him to make some of the plays that he’s made.”

Packers DC Joe Barry believes Douglas has been an ideal addition that has helped solidify the secondary.

“I don’t think it’s an exact science and I think it’s timing, it’s the right fit, it’s a number of circumstances that go into a guy just falling into the right place at the right time,” Barry said. “And me being around ‘Sul,’ I can’t believe that this guy hasn’t landed a secure spot on a roster just because of not only the plays that he’s made for us, but … just witnessing him, the way he approaches the game as a pro.

“There’s been countless times where on Wednesday or Thursday nights, I go down to the cafeteria to get something to eat at 8 o’clock at night and Rasul’s sitting there at the table with his iPad, studying film.”