Bears 

Bears HC Ben Johnson highly praised QB Caleb Williams‘ improvisational skills following Week 10’s win over the Giants, pointing out that the quarterback has shown a “natural ability” to break the pocket. 

“We just watched the whole game together. He made a number of really good plays that we needed in the moment,” Johnson said, via BearsWire. “And there’s a handful of them that we talked about. And in hindsight, you might play them a little bit different. Same thing for me as a play caller. There’s a number of calls that I probably want back. In those two particular instances, the first one, we felt like we had enough time to hang in the pocket and throw that ball to (WR) DJ (Moore), without breaking contain. It’s a balancing act for him. He feels the pressure and like I’ve been saying all along, he’s got a natural ability to know when to escape and carry on. That’s not something that we want to take away from his game.”

Johnson added that he’s been pleased with Williams’ ability to hang in the pocket and deliver big passes. 

“But we are encouraging, at times when we see it, where we can hang in there and either get the throw down the field or check the ball down,” Johnson said. “So the one to DJ, we felt like there was some space over the top there that we might be able to throw him open into in the end zone. And then the second one, if I remember it right, we had a number of crossers on that play, and I thought a couple guys popped. It’s a play that we hit. He threw really well in practice we felt good about. And, it’s probably another one that he felt the pressure, got out of it, but we could probably hang in there and deliver that ball down the field.”

Packers

Packers C Sean Rhyan is getting the opportunity to return to the starting lineup after spending the better part of this season in a reserve role.

“Obviously disappointment was there,” Rhyan said, via the team’s website. “If you’re a real competitor, you want to be out there with the guys, grinding it out and doing hard (stuff). But hey, I try not to hold grudges and stay ready, so that when I get my opp, I can go in there and do my thing.”

Packers QB Jordan Love said he has the utmost confidence in Rhyan and his ability to be the anchor of the offensive line.

“I think he did a great job coming into the game on Monday,” Love said. “All of our exchanges were pretty clean. We’ve just got to keep building on that. But it’s always a next-man-up mentality. I think Sean’s done a great job of staying ready, wherever he’s been called at this season. It’ll be no different for him at center.”

• Packers OLB Lukas Van Ness will practice today for the first time since Week 6, HC Matt LaFleur said. (Matt Schneidman)

Vikings

The Vikings are currently 4-5 and in last place in the NFC North. Minnesota WR Justin Jefferson said he’s trying to recapture some of his magic from the 2022 season, when he recorded career highs in receptions and yards. 

“Just going out there and just killing it, and not worrying about the plays, not worrying about anything else,” Jefferson said, via Kevin Seifert of ESPN.

When asked what has caused him to get away from the level he played at in 2022, Jefferson responded: “Life.”

“Just different things going on in my life and just wanting to get back to that kid phase of loving it. I still love football, but overly loving football and overly loving just being out there on Sundays and making the big plays and just being a part of this great organization. So, just wanting to get back mentally into that mode.”

Jefferson recalled one of the interceptions in Week 10’s loss to the Ravens, where he slipped and fell. 

“I want to win,” Jefferson said. “I’m not really mad at the situation that I’m in or I’m not mad at the players that we have or the plays that’s being called. Of course, I’m mad after an interception. You want me to be happy and go chase them down? That’s not really something that I want to happen. Of course, the outcome of the game is us losing, and I was the one that’s getting thrown that ball and it is getting picked off. So, a lot of emotion goes towards that. But at the end of the day, I want to win, and I’m an ultra-competitor, and a lot of people that don’t play this game and don’t play sports don’t understand the competitive side of it. So yeah, I want to win, and emotionally, things get heated sometimes and things weren’t going our way at that moment. So, just wanting a better outcome. And of course, the offense that we have, I feel like we should be playing better than what we are.”