The bye week is over, so let’s catch up with the rest of the division.
While the Packers put their feet up and hopefully did some self-scouting over the bye week, the rest of the division was busy either losing or winning games they probably should have lost. Here’s a look at the latest news and notes from around the NFC North ahead of week 11 of the NFL season.
Chicago Bears
Explaining Chicago’s sack problem – Andrew Whitworth believes the Bears’ sack problem isn’t just down to their sub-par offensive line — the young quarterback, Caleb Williams, must also shoulder some of the blame.
The case for Matt Eberflus – SI’s Gene Chamberlain makes his case for why keeping Matt Eberflus makes sense right now for the Chicago Bears. Spoiler alert: it’s about consistency for a young quarterback. As a Packer fan, I’d welcome the Bears giving their underwhelming head coach one more year.
Shane Waldron was “too nice” – As the dust settles following Chicago’s firing of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, reports from the locker room emerge that shed light on what may have gone wrong.
Detroit Lions
Lions injury report is up and down – The most recent injury report for the Detroit Lions is a mixed bag. On the positive side, left tackle Taylor Decker was a full participant on Thursday after. On the negative side of the ledger, Detroit’s starting safety and linebacker were both downgraded.
Jameson Williams slots right back in – After serving a two-game suspension, Lions receiver Jameson Williams picked back up where he left off, both in terms of on-field production and in trust from the coaching staff.
Former Lion charged in connection with J6 – Leander Antwione Williams, a former linebacker for the Detroit Lions, has been formally charged with two felonies in connection with the attack on the Capitol in 2021.
Minnesota Vikings
Good news on Vikings injury front – Vikings fans probably feel they could use some good news, and it looks like this week’s injury report may be just the ticket. Among other players on the mend, Aaron Jones (ribs) looks poised to play in Sunday’s game against the Titans.
Darnold coming back to earth – ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reports on the Vikings current offensive conundrum: balancing QB Sam Darnold’s aggressiveness (which can be good) with his recent penchant for throwing interceptions. Can Darnold find an equilibrium and reestablish his recent renaissance?
Update on JJ McCarthy’s knee – The promising rookie QB underwent knee surgery earlier this year and has been progressing well through rehab. However, we recently learned that a setback required a second knee surgery, adding some question marks to his future outlook.