NFC Notes: Jared Goff, Jordan Love, Giants, Lions, Packers

Giants

Giants GM Joe Schoen took responsibility for their punt return unit averaging just 6.5 yards per return and mentioned how prospects they targeted in the 2023 NFL Draft went higher than expected. 

“That’s on me,” said Schoen, via GiantsWire. “To be honest with you, that’s another — we tried to address the punt returner. We knew it was an issue. In the draft, some of the guys we liked went probably higher than where we deemed you would take a guy.”

Schoen said they were comfortable with rookie RB Eric Gray having punt-return duties after watching him during the preseason, while they also considered Jamison Crowder at one point. 

“Eric had done it at Tennessee, and he had done it at Oklahoma and the coaches were comfortable, we were comfortable going into the regular season based off what we were seeing,” Schoen said. “I know Crowder is having success in Washington, you bring him up — we kept seven receivers; we couldn’t keep eight. Do the math, who do you move on from, from the group if you kept Crowder? So, there was some moving parts in there and that’s me being candid with you and that’s on me, the returner. I’m glad we got (wide receiver) Gunner (Olszewski) here, though. He’s done a really good job for us.”

Schoen feels they put Gray in a tough situation and praised the rookie for stepping up when they needed him. 

“Eric’s got a bright future and we probably put him in a spot that wasn’t most comfortable for him either, but he went out there, didn’t flinch an eye, didn’t bat an eye, and did what he could, but again that’s on me, early on. We couldn’t do everything overnight and as much as we wanted to and that was a position we continued to look for and Pittsburgh let Gunner go and we were able to get him,” Schoen said.

Lions

Lions QB Jared Goff said there’s been an emphasis on ball-security drills after committing three fumbles in Week 12 and three interceptions in Week 11. 

“Yeah, it’s great, it’s great,” Goff said, via Benjamin Raven of MLive. “Good to do drills like that always, and yeah, I feel great about it. Certainly, an emphasis on it, right? You have a fumble, you’re going to work on it in practice, so it’s something we’re doing.”

Goff is confident he’ll be able to correct last week’s fumbling issues after it not being a problem in his career thus far. 

“Yeah, when I run up the middle, put it — tuck it away and don’t run it with it (the ball) like that, that would be number one,” Goff said. “I had two hands on the ball. It would be put it in my — tuck it away and be aware of where all the defenders are. I haven’t made a habit of fumbling often, so I’m confident I’ll get that fixed pretty quickly. But yeah, you look at them all individually and sometimes it just — it doesn’t go your way. I don’t want to go through each one, but there’s some that don’t go your way, there’s some that do. But yeah, ultimately, it’s just tucking the ball and taking care of it.”

Goff had high praise for their offensive line and they are aware Week 12 could’ve gone better. 

“They’re so good, I don’t — they’re good. They’re so dang good,” Goff said. “I know they didn’t have their greatest day, and I’m sure they’d say that, but all of us didn’t have our greatest day, and all want to bounce back and play well this week, and I know the leadership in that room will take care of that. And I trust those guys more than anybody.”

Packers

Packers QB Jordan Love feels he’s had more comfort in the pocket during their two-game winning streak and has a better understanding of defenses. 

“I feel like it’s just comfort, being comfortable in the pocket,” Love said, via Steve Megargee of the Associated Press. “Obviously getting more reps, more reps, being comfortable with my reads, understanding what the defense is doing, where I need to go with the ball and just growing and learning (from) every rep I get and obviously learning from mistakes, learning from the good plays.”

Packers QBs coach Tom Clements said Love is being more proactive about checking down instead of holding onto the ball too long. 

“We might have a play that’s designed to go downfield, but if you don’t get the defense that’s best for that type of play, you have to be ready to check it down,” Clements said. “Maybe early in the year he kind of held on to the ball a little longer and maybe didn’t check it down at times. But he’s done that more recently, and it’s paid dividends.”

Packers HC Matt LaFleur has seen improvement out of Love on downfield passes and his ability to take calculated risks. 

“I think he’s done a much better job of that because everybody wants to throw down the field,” LaFleur said. “But sometimes you’ve got to be calculated. It’s got to be there. It’s got to be the right read.”