Lions

Lions QB Jared Goff said he loves when the doubters come out and it helps motivate him to play at the top of his game.

“I’m excited to get back home and play in front of our fans for sure, but you love when the vultures start coming out,” Goff said, via PFT. “Guys’ character really emerges and I know our guys in this locker room and you can see those guys stand tall and be who they are. Stand in the fire, take the shots and fight right through it. . . . We’re in a great place. Excited to get back in front of our fans.”

Packers

Packers WR Skyy Moore logged a 63-yard punt return in Week 2 against the Jets. Green Bay STs coordinator Cam Achord praised Moore for getting vertical and their blockers executing well. 

“He did a great job getting vertical and the guys did a great job finishing their blocks and competing down the field. I think it always goes back to the strain, and finishing the play. You never know what play’s going to happen, when you’re going to get a big one, when you’re not. It goes back to the guys just every single play showing up. It’s all 11 guys out there. You look at it and watch and all 11 guys are doing their job. That’s good to see. But there’s still a lot we can clean up, for sure, too,” Achord said, via the team’s site. 

Achord reiterated his praise for their blockers, saying they “take ownership” of their roles. 

“They all take ownership on it and I truly mean that. When you do have a guy that has ability back there, then all 10 take more pride in it up there. I think he talks to them and they talk to each other. They understand the value of it. When a guy has ability back there, whether it’s catching it, getting 10, getting 12, we talked about that. We want to steal the first down. Guys are just competing. That’s why it is all 11. Because they know if we can block our guys for just three seconds and give him space and room, then he can make something happen,” Achord said. 

Packers

Packers S Evan Williams had a critical pass breakup on a deep throw by Jets QB Geno Smith while tied 17-17 late in the fourth quarter. Green Bay DC Jonathan Gannon said they were actually defending the run and praised Williams for making a “huge play.”

“Yeah, huge play. I actually thought run there, closed the middle of the field and they threw a shot. That wasn’t great to see the ball go up in the air like that. Shame on me; good call by Frank (Reich). Yeah, both safeties that we have and Bull include that, all our guys that are out there, I think they’re very multi-dimensional skill-set players and that’s why they’re good players because they can deploy in different ways and you don’t feel like it’s a mismatch, whatever they’re doing. As much as I love X in the middle, I’m good with X going down and Evan being in the middle, or whatever the case may be. They’re playing well right now and they’re playing well as a group, which is good to see,” Gannon said, via the team’s site. 

As for DB Javon Bullard, Gannon said he’s been one of the best nickels he’s ever coached and expects him to keep carving out roles in multiple positions. 

“I’ve been fortunate of being around some really good nickels and he’s up there. He definitely is. I think he’s going to find another level. He can find another gear. That’s pretty rare. Truthfully. It really is. We feel good about him in the run game, in the pass game, in zone, in deep zones, and underneath zones, playing man-to-man. Not just slots, but receivers on the perimeter. Blitzing. Doing it all. And what goes unnoticed with him because we talk about the safeties all the time and Zaire (Franklin), is the mental capacity that he has right now and he’s doing a really good job of handling everything that we put on his plate because it’s a lot,” Gannon said. 

Regarding DE Lukas Van Ness, Gannon thinks he has underrated instincts and brings a lot of physicality to their defense. 

“He’s violent and disruptive. He’s a big man. He’s physical. He plays with really good pad level and technique and he’s got instincts to find the ball and that goes overlooked sometimes. So that’s been cool. We give those guys a little bit of freedom and he’s taken to that. You can’t abuse it because you can’t hurt the defense, but we want those guys to be able to play free and try to make plays, so I think all those edge guys are doing a really good job right now, but he definitely had a big-time game,” Gannon said.