NFC Notes: Justin Jefferson, Montez Sweat, Bears, Lions, Vikings

Bears

Bears HC Matt Eberflus says DE Montez Sweat has invigorated the team’s defense since he was traded to Chicago a few weeks ago.

Eberflus specifically refers to it as the “Tez factor.”

“Having the effect of ‘Tez, the ‘Tez factor, is a pretty cool thing to see,” Eberflus said, via ESPN.com. “You could feel him forcing those incomplete passes, the hits on the quarterback.

“That certainly has an effect on their passing game.”

Eberflus mentioned that having Sweat has really helped their pass rush rotation.

“That factor that we’re talking about will just keep going,” Eberflus said. “I think he’s helping our guys rush.

“We’re rotating our guys a little bit better, keeping our guys fresh. I think that’s going to be important, because you want those rushers in the fourth quarter. The games are always going to be tight, and you want those guys at the end.”

Lions

Lions HC Dan Campbell identified the pass rush as an area that needs to improve despite the win against the Chargers. Detroit didn’t sack QB Justin Herbert and pressured him only a few times, which is why the game ended up being such an offensive explosion. 

“We had a number of different pressures and games that we had lined up in the second down, third down, that we just weren’t getting there fast enough and it was,” Campbell said via USA Today’s Jeff Risdon. “We talk about all the time, the rush into coverage, and it was we’re covering pretty good and then man, we’re just not quite getting there and so (Chargers WR Keenan Allen) 13, we’ve got him doubled, well, he’s able to run through the double because we’re not getting there fast enough.”

“And then on the flip side, we’re getting there, but we’re not tight enough in coverage. So, we’ve just got to get them to mirror up and we’re got to keep working our technique, man. We’ve got to win our one-on-ones when they show up upfront, and really, even in the backend, too. When those times present themselves, we have to win a one-on-one. Certainly, more than we did yesterday.”

Vikings

• Vikings LB Jordan Hicks remained in the hospital Monday after undergoing surgery to relieve pressure in his shin. It swelled up and the Vikings medical staff was concerned about compartment syndrome. (Ben Goessling)
• O’Connell said DE Marcus Davenport underwent a tightrope procedure to fix his high ankle sprain and will be available at an uncertain point in the future. (Goessling)
• O’Connell said the Vikings are going to continue to ramp up WR Justin Jefferson this week. “He handled the workload we started him out with last week. We’ll see what that looks like throughout the week; maybe a little bit more here and there.” (Goessling)
• When asked if Jefferson could play this week, O’Connell replied: “Nobody wants to be out there more than Justin, maybe except for me wanting him out there, but we’ll continue to be smart with Justin and know that when we do get him back, it’ll be a major boost.” (Goessling)