NFC Notes: Lions, Packers, Vikings

Lions

Lions DL coach Todd Wash would be ecstatic if DE Aidan Hutchinson was named Rookie of the Year but thinks the defensive end is focused on winning games. 

โ€œI think if he ends up winning the rookie of the year, itโ€™s just some icing on the cake for him,โ€ Wash said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. โ€œBut thatโ€™s the last thing in his mind. He just wants to win football games and be a positive role for our team, and if it happens, it happens.โ€

Wash said that they plan to keep Hutchinson on the left end and thinks heโ€™s showing consistent improvement. 

โ€œWeโ€™re keeping him on the left side for the most part, I think he likes that,โ€ Wash said. โ€œBut just constant pressure is what weโ€™re kind of looking for and thatโ€™s our expectations and thatโ€™s his expectations. He missed a couple again last week. But thatโ€™s the biggest thing. I think heโ€™s really improved when we looked at the tape last week. He has really improved on setting the edge and staying square. Our edges are getting set, and heโ€™s really took a lot of pride in that. Early on we were turned, we talk about โ€˜ass to the sideline.โ€™ But heโ€™s staying square and doing a really nice job in the run game. We want to see consistent pressure, and thatโ€™s not just for him, thatโ€™s for the rest of our guys. We got some guys who can rush the passer, we just got to finish.โ€

As for Hutchinson falling to them at No. 2 in the 2022 NFL Draft, Wash said that he was the No. 1 player on their draft board. 

โ€œWe liked him. I liked him,โ€ Wash said. โ€œBut I mean, he was a big, physical, powerful player and we liked him going into the draft. But I will say this, I love the one we got.โ€

Packers

Packers HC Matt LaFleur was unwilling to discuss the idea of defensive playcalling being removed from the duties of DC Joe Barry.

โ€œWeโ€™re not going to go down that road,โ€ LaFleur said, via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. โ€œIf I thought there was an issue there, then I would certainly, weโ€™d make the change. But we work as a staff. And collectively, weโ€™re all in this sucker together.โ€

Vikings

  • Vikings ST coordinator Matt Daniels feels that he has been โ€œholding backโ€ return specialist Kene Nwangwu and vows to correct things for him going forward: โ€œIโ€™m kicking myself about how I was going about using this elite player. โ€ฆ Quite honestly I was holding him back, and I can assure you that wonโ€™t happen moving forward.โ€ (Kevin Seifert)
  • Vikings HC Kevin Oโ€™Connell said OT Christian Darrisaw (concussion) is progressing from his injury but they are not rushing him back: โ€œHeโ€™s progressing right along where the doctors want him to be, but we want to make sure we can give him a little bit more time.โ€ (Kevin Seifert)

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