NFC Notes: Joshua Dobbs, Jared Goff, Jordan Love, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Lions

Lions HC Dan Campbell has always been one of the most aggressive coaches in terms of in-game decision-making. In previous years when the Lions were struggling, that drew more scrutiny for the times it didn’t work out. But in a track meet game against the Chargers, Campbell’s gutsy calls on fourth down arguably made the difference in the game. He signed off on going for it five times and Detroit converted four of them, including a 4th-and-2 in Chargers territory that prevented Los Angeles from getting the ball back and let the Lions kick a walk-off field goal. 

Lions QB Jared Goff summed it up, via Pro Football Talk. 

“He’s got big balls, and he showed it there.”

Packers

Packers WR Christian Watson has been unable to carry over the hot streak to end his rookie season into 2023. Watson has been in and out of the lineup with injuries, and when he has been on the field he and QB Jordan Love have struggled to connect. He’s been targeted 33 times and has caught just 14 of those. 

“It’s frustrating for sure, just with the expectation I have for myself, the goal that I have for myself,” Watson said via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “And obviously it’s [frustrating] when we’re not being as successful as we want to be as a team. Just want to find ways to try to make more of an impact. But at the end of the day, I’m only one out of 11 people on the field, so we just need to find a way to get it done as a team.”

Vikings

• Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson having ten catches for 128 yards and one touchdown in the first half: “Yeah, I’m going to be honest with you I don’t really – I kind of blacked out. It was one of those things where you’re just playing …The ball keeps coming to you and I was kind of reading the defenses real well and just feeling it.” (Andrew Krammer)
• The team wanted to limit Hockenson due to a rib issue but he was committed to playing: “They wanted to protect me a little bit. I’m a pretty strong-willed personality, too. … I just expressed I wanted to be out there as much as I could unless something happened, which there were a couple of times.” (Krammer)