NFC Notes: Bears, Rams, Saints

Bears

Bears OT Teven Jenkins spoke about his recent back surgery and mentioned that he tried to play through his injury given he was eager to contribute as a rookie. 

“[In] a new place, new people, of course you don’t want to show up here and show people [that] if he’s a little hurt he can’t go,” Jenkins said, via BearsWire. “You never want to be that guy. If you get a little bit hurt, you’ve got to play through it. That’s how football is. If you want to survive, you’ve got to keep on playing. That’s what everybody’s doing.”

Jenkins added that his current back injury showed “different symptoms” than what he dealt with in college and aggravated the injury this year. 

“Ultimately, it was different symptoms from what was going on in college,” Jenkins said. “It was a whole different situation. I probably pushed myself out there a little bit faster because I had that urge… I wanted to get back on the field. I don’t care if it’s hurt, and maybe I did push myself a little bit too much and made it a little worse.”

Jenkins doesn’t feel like his back will be an issue “ever again” given his operation didn’t require screws. 

“I don’t see this being a problem ever again, because there’s not any screws in me, there’s nothing in me, it’s not like that,” Jenkins said. “It’s just clean-cut, amazing. So I don’t feel like it’s ever going to be a problem again.”

Rams

Regarding Rams RB Sony Michel rushing for 121 yards and a touchdown in Week 13, HC Sean McVay believes it was important to get Michel producing given several teams have two good running backs. 

“I think it’s really good to get Sony going. I think he’s a rhythm runner, but I think we definitely would want to find ways to still have Darrell as a big part of it. What exactly that looks like – the distribution of carries – I don’t know that. But I know that we’re a really good team and we’re a better team when we have Darrell Henderson involved, as well. So, you saw us mix up some different personnel. There’s nothing that says that you can’t find a way to have both those guys in the game at the same time as well. You see Dallas do an outstanding job with Zeke and Pollard playing together. And so, I think there’s some more avenues that we can explore as ways of taking advantage of all the skills and some of the players that we do have at our disposal. But it will be good to continue to get Sony going, get him into a rhythm, and play the way that he played yesterday, while also utilizing Darrell if he’s available this week or not,” said McVay, via RamsWire.

McVay had high praise of Michel’s physicality, vision, and intelligence as a running back. 

“He’s physical. He’s tough. He’s got great contact balance and really good vision. He’s just strong. When you’re just looking at Sony Michel, he’s a sturdy, tough back,” McVay added. “So, all of those things are really reflective. He’s really conscientious, really smart. I’ve kind of mentioned it about Odell the last couple weeks, but people forget Sony came in here at the very end of training in camp and immediately is playing in Week 1, where he’s up and available against the Bears. And then he had a huge workload against the Colts at the end of the game. His football intelligence, makeup and who he is, is all about the right stuff. Love working with him. But I think ultimately the physicality, the build, his vision and his ability to be able to fall forward and kind of be able to naturally work edges, but deliver those body blows is what makes him a good physical-contact runner.”

As for C Coleman Shelton, McVay said the lineman has been “really steady” and has “great command” of their system. 

“I thought he did a really good job. Coleman’s been a guy that he’s been really steady. He’s been a great communicator, has great command of what we’re trying to get done. I thought he physically played tough and steady – in really both the run and the past phases. Really pleased with him and not in the least bit surprised, but you are certainly proud of the way that he came in,” McVay said, via RamsWire. “There was a lot of different things that they can present defensively. I thought he and Matthew (Stafford) did an outstanding job of kind of commanding that. Really proud of him. I thought he did a really, really nice job to come in there and do what he did. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get Brian back, but I certainly have a whole lot of confidence in Coleman if he’s got to go this week.”

• Rams’ WR Cooper Kupp and OL David Edwards were full participants in practice while RB Darrell Henderson was limited. The team was also without C Brian Allen, CB Robert Rochell, LB Terrell Lewis, and LB Von Miller who did not attend practice due to a personal matter. (Gary Klein)
• Rams’ HC Sean McVay said he expects OLB Justin Hollins to be available against the Cardinals. (Klein)
• McVay told the media that Henderson won’t participate in practice due to illness: “Once a guy is not feeling good, we run some of the standard testing and we haven’t gotten any of that stuff back yet as it relates to COVID.” (Lindsey Thiry)
• McVay tells reporters he is “confident” that OL Coleman Shelton will play if C Brian Allen is unable to go this week due to a knee injury. (Jourdan Rodrigue)

Saints

• Saints’ HC Sean Payton on Taysom Hill being forced to make some adjustments due to his finger injury: “When I see the completions going to the right location, I don’t ask about the golf swing. I ask about it when I don’t see it.” (Jeff Nowak)
• Nick Underhill reports that Saints’ RB coach Joel Thomas has interviewed for the head coaching position at Idaho, where he is the school’s all-time leading rusher.