NFC Notes: Matt Eberflus, Cole Kmet, Caleb Williams, Bears, Vikings

Bears

Following the departure of former HC Matt Eberflus, Bears TE Cole Kmet admitted the building has felt a relief despite Kmet’s good relationship with Eberflus. 

“Yeah, I will say that — I think there is a little bit of an exhale to it,” Kmet said, via Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times. “The exhale for me happened [Wednesday], just finally moving on from it when you get on the grass and practice. For me, it always signifies moving on to the next week.”

• Bears CB Tyrique Stevenson was fined $19,697 for unsportsmanlike conduct in Week 13.

Bears

The Bears extended their losing streak after a beatdown against the 49ers in Week 14. Chicago QB Caleb Williams knows they were outmatched from the start and took responsibility for increased leadership through a two-month losing streak.

“We got our ass kicked today and there’s no way around it,” Williams said, via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. “I think at one point, going into half, they had 240 something [yards] and we had four total yards. Regardless of how we feel, regardless of all that, we got it handed to us today. As an offense, defense and special teams, myself, we got to come out and be better.”

“My job is to lead. The captains’ job is to lead from the front even when it’s tough. My job is not to get you up to come into the facility to do your job or have after hours treatment, all those different things. Our job is to go out there and lead the guys the right way. It’s an internal thing to get up and do the job over and over.”

Vikings

• Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell said that he felt the team grew up a lot offensively on Sunday. (Kevin Seifert)
• Vikings DT Jerry Tillery was fined $15,167 for unnecessary roughness (hit on a defenseless player) in Week 13.