Lions
- Lions HC Dan Campbell said DT Alim McNeill is in concussion protocol. (Justin Rogers)
- Campbell also believes LB Alex Anzalone and WR Kalif Raymond are on track to return in Week 18 or early in the playoffs. (Rogers)
- Regarding a potential return for DE Aidan Hutchinson: “I’m where I was when the injury happened. This is a tough injury — it just is — but I just would never count him out, just knowing who he is.” (Colton Pouncy)
Packers
Packers ST coordinator and former Raiders interim HC Rich Bisaccia praised RB Josh Jacobs for his tenacity on gameday and what he brings to the organization. Bisaccia added that the way Jacobs prepares for gameday is second to none.
“Off the field, he’s got a tremendous sense of people,” Bisaccia said, via The Athletic. “He’s got a character about him that can understand, have empathy for other people’s stories and other things that they’ve been through and so when he sits in somebody’s locker or is in the cafeteria … he’s been through an ordeal himself (growing up homeless), so I think he has the ability to relate to a lot of different things that players may go through. As far as football goes, I still think we’re just scratching the surface with Josh Jacobs. In this building, we’re all just learning about what the young man’s makeup is. He is a real-deal running back. He’s built to carry the ball, he’s built to catch it, he’s built to protect and he loves football. He loves the grind of practice, he loves the grind of mental preparation, he loves the grind of playing in games. What you see from him in games is the way he practices. That’s the way he practiced when we were together before and that’s the way he practices now and I think because of the example he set in practice, they have gotten a certain amount of respect for him and for what he’s going to do in the games.”
Packers TE Tucker Kraft said that Jacobs’ ability to absorb contact and wear down a defense has helped the offense as a whole.
“One thing about Josh is, and he’s proven so far this season, is he can sustain a lot of contact,” Kraft said. “He has great contact balance. He gets hit a lot and something … I was new last year so — this is a disclaimer — I wasn’t here with Aaron whenever he was making his runs as a great running back in the NFL. All I’ve seen from Josh so far this year is he can sustain and play through more than what I was able to see out of Aaron.”
- Packers S Javon Bullard left the stadium in Week 14 on crutches with his right foot in a boot, per Matt Scneidman of The Athletic.
- Packers HC Matt LaFleur announced WR Romeo Doubs and S Evan Williams are both in concussion protocol. (Wes Hodkiewicz)
Vikings
Vikings QB Sam Darnold threw for a career-high 347 yards and five touchdowns against Minnesota’s old QB Kirk Cousins in Week 14. Darnold touched on how meaningful that moment was for him after everything he’s been through in his career.
“That was a lot of emotion for me,” Darnold said, via the team’s YouTube. “I was just excited, man. I feel like I couldn’t just sit there just kind of stoic and straight-faced. I felt like I had to show a little bit of emotion for the fans and gave them what they wanted. That was a special moment for me.”
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