NFC Notes: Bears, Packers, Vikings

Bears

Bears HC Matt Nagy sounded very positive that second-round LT Teven Jenkins would be activated from injured reserve and have a chance to contribute in the final few games. Most of Jenkins’ rookie year has been spent recovering from a back injury. 

“When we brought him into that (21-day practice) window and got him going, it was important to be able to see where he was at physically,” Nagy said via the Athletic’s Adam Jahns and Kevin Fishbain. “I think he’s done a great job. I love his mentality now, working with the guys, just kind of putting the pads on and getting back into it and then for us to kind of be able to evaluate where he’s at.”

There has been mounting pressure on Nagy’s job, including fans booing and chanting for him to be fired at both Bears games and other Chicago sporting events. Bears S Eddie Jackson asked fans to cut it out. 

“We hate it, honestly,” Jackson said. “The fans got to understand that doesn’t help anything. Y’all want us to play better, do better, that’s not helping when you all sitting up there and chanting that. But I get it. The frustration, longtime Bears fans have been going through this for a long, long time, so I understand it, but it’s not helping the situation. I feel like it’s just making it worse. We just continue to rally around each other and look upon ourselves to get this turned around and block out all the outside noise.”

With RB Tarik Cohen still out rehabbing his torn ACL, Bears WR Jakeem Grant has started to assume a similar role as a kick returner and an offensive gadget player, including out of the backfield. 

“That’s a good comparison,” Nagy said. “Jakeem is somebody that, you see, for his size and his stature, he’s super tough, being able to run back on kickoffs and punts. And now we’re able to move him around and do different things.

Packers

• Packers HC Matt LaFleur has no update on WR Randall Cobb‘s groin injury that caused him to miss the second half of the team’s game against the Rams. (Matt Schneidman)
• LaFleur also didn’t have any information on QB Aaron Rodgers‘ thought process with toe surgery: “I don’t know where that’s at. I know he’s gathering other opinions, so we’ll see where that goes.” (Ryan Wood)
• LaFleur didn’t have a timeframe for Rodgers to make a complete recovery from his broken toe: “I don’t know the timeframe for that to heal. I know he’s battling through. As the game goes on, you can tell he has a more noticeable limp. But he’s as tough as they come.” (Wood)
• Rodgers said Tuesday he doesn’t think he needs toe surgery but he’ll evaluate in a week. Regardless, he doesn’t plan on missing time: “We’re hoping to avoid surgery. The surgery would be a minor one…I’m not gonna miss time.” (Matt Schneidman)

Vikings

Vikings QB Kirk Cousins said he lined up behind the guard to snap the ball because he was focused on getting the team aligned. 

“We just didn’t get lined up properly and the play clock was winding down,” Cousins said, via Pro Football Talk. “I was just moving, trying to get everybody settled up and just got under the wrong guy.”

Vikings HC Mike Zimmer was upset with the team’s holding penalties outside of one WR Deebo Samuel run.

“I think we misaligned on that one,” Zimmer said, via NFL.com. “The other ones were … these guys hold all the time, so they’re grabbing us around the waist, grabbing our backs. The officials, they don’t want to call it every play, but until they start calling every play, they’re not going to stop doing it.”

• Zimmer said CB Patrick Peterson‘s status is still uncertain for Sunday’s game against the Lions: “We don’t know. Not too many guys have passed those two negative tests (in a short period), so we just have to let it play out and see where it goes.” (Chris Tomasson)
• The Vikings are bracing for “at least” a three-week absence for RB Dalvin Cook. The team is hopeful he improves that timetable based on recovery. The December 20th game from Chicago is a projected return date. (Jeremy Fowler)