NFC Notes: Matt Nagy, Bears, Lions, Vikings

Bears

• Adam Schefter reports that Bears’ chairman George McCaskey and president Ted Phillips told HC Matt Nagy that reports of him being fired were a “complete lie” and McCaskey met with the team to inform them that no one has told Nagy he is being fired.
• Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports that some sources around the NFL wouldn’t be surprised if Nagy gets more time to play the season out.
• Fowler notes that the Bears have never fired a coach midseason in their 101-year history.
• A league source tells Fowler: “I just don’t think they will be reckless with it.”

Lions

Lions HC Dan Campbell, who recently took over play-calling duties from OC Anthony Lynn, admitted that he’s still working through the nuances of the role.

“Certainly there’s things I wish I could have back,” Campbell said, via the Detroit Free Press. “But I’m growing at it as well.”

Campbell said with the circumstances surrounding his offensive personnel, most notably with QB Jared Goff out, the play-calling hasn’t opened up exactly the way he’s hoped for early on.

“We’ve kind of found the running game here, but I think that maybe there’s a couple of calls there where — it’s tough to say because you could say, ‘Well maybe we ought to pass it here,‘” Campbell said. “But also, wanting to be mindful of the first week you’ve got a guy who you don’t feel like can push the ball down the field, you want to be smart, and the conditions aren’t good and then we come back with another game where the conditions aren’t great. And then Boyle hasn’t — it’s his first start. So just, you go back and forth on that. Do you try to care of them? Do you try to get it with Swift on the ground or do you put it in his hands? So you play that game a little bit.”

The Lions have averaged fewer yards and points per game under Campbell than Lynn. However, with such a small sample size, the results could be skewed.

“I think that it’s no different than anything else,” Campbell said. “You always look at yourself and figure out where you can improve. I mean, certainly, there’s a couple of calls I wish I could have back. I think that certainly finding some runs has been pretty good. I feel like just mixing it up and letting those guys go up front has been pretty good and it’s helped us.”

• Campbell reiterated his faith in DC Aaron Glenn: “I got a ton of faith [in Aaron Glenn.] I think he’s one of the best.” (Dave Birkett)

Vikings

• Vikings OC Klint Kubiak said OL Mason Cole and OL Garrett Bradbury will both play this week: “Well one would have to play guard or one guy might have to play center. We know that both guys are going to help us throughout the season and maybe it’s in this next game, maybe it’s both of them, maybe it’s not. But both guys are going to contribute as our all of our reserve guys that aren’t getting time right now.” (Courtney Cronin)
• GM Rick Spielman said the team employed their Emergency Action Plan when they heard they needed to help DE Everson Griffen: “We got him the necessary help that he needs and he’s in the care of medical professionals.” (Chad Graff)
• According to Minnesota PD, Griffen is in the hands of professionals and the situation is under investigation. (Ben Goessling)
• Chris Tomasson believes that Vikings’ DT Sheldon Richardson could have a larger role this week against the 49ers with DT Dalvin Tomlinson and DE Everson Griffen currently experiencing issues.