Bears

• Bears HC Ben Johnson talked about the lack of targets for WR D.J. Moore: “I thought he ran some pretty good routes over the course of the day and we just couldn’t give him the ball. Which, that was not the intent. I thought going into the game we might have had more for him than any other player in the offense. Was a little surprised at the end when I saw the stat sheet for one catch like he had.” (Scott Bair)
• Johnson also discussed the last play, where Moore seemed like he might have been an option: “I didn’t see him as being the answer in that time. I think he came open more after the ball was released from Caleb. (Keisean) Nixon was man-to-man with DJ and was trailing him and ended up falling off and making a play on Cole there. So, you know, it was a good play by Nixon and yet I still don’t think if we get the spacing right and all that, and a good ball, that he’s gonna be able to cover both of those players like that.” (Bair)
• With CB Kyler Gordon suffering a groin injury, Johnson spoke on the frustration for his player having to start and stop football activities so often: “It’s disappointing. I wish I had a better feel for the individual. But with him being out as much as he has been, I haven’t really gotten to see him on the field and competing and get to know him like I’d like to at this point yet.” (Dan Wiederer)
• Johnson said they are doing everything they can to get keep him healthy so he can get out of the rut of constant soft-tissue injuries: “I do know the biggest predictor of a soft-tissue injury is having a previous one and he’s kind of in this rut right now that we’re not able to get out of. So we’re going to exhaust all of our resources in and outside of the building to make sure we’re addressing it and doing what we can to get him back and healthy again.” (Wiederer)
• Chicago’s coach talked about how the injury happened and their thought process of handling it: “He was warming up in pregame and felt it, felt his groin (strain). We didn’t feel like we were in a good spot to have him play and compete and put him in that spot. We’ll see how it goes from here on out.” (Wiederer)

Lions

After losing S Brian Branch for the season with a torn Achilles, Lions HC Dan Campbell admitted how tough it will be without him, but doesn’t think it’s something they cannot overcome. 

“We’re good, man. . . . We got options here, but it’s like anything — you lose a good player, it hurts,” Campbell said, via the team’s YouTube. “But it’s not like we’re in dire straits.”

• Branch was fined $23,186 for a hit on a defenseless player, LB Jack Campbell was fined $17,389 for a hip-drop tackle and $11,593 for a facemask, and WR Jameson Williams was fined $17,389 for taunting.
• Dan Campbell said DB Thomas Harper is still in concussion protocol, they’ll see about DB Kerby Joseph this week, and signed DB Damontae Kazee to the practice squad. (Dave Birkett)

Packers

Packers WR Christian Watson went for two touchdowns in his first game against the Bears since tearing his ACL versus them last season. Watson spoke on what his performance meant and admitted it was on his mind a bit during the game.

“It means a lot to me, for sure,” Watson said, via Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. “Honestly, I tried not to think about it that much, but as the game was kind of getting going, it was definitely creeping in my mind a little bit. I’m just so thankful and blessed to be able to do what I do, and I’m glad that today panned out how it did.”

Green Bay HC Matt LaFleur insisted they need to keep getting Watson the ball, and he praised the receiver for the work put in to get back to where he’s at. 

“He’s a dynamic player, and we’ve got to continue to find ways to get him the ball,” LaFleur said. “What happened a year ago versus the Chicago Bears and how he’s responded and how he’s worked to get himself into a spot now where you go out and you see what he can do, I’ve got a lot of love and a lot of respect for Christian Watson.”

• LaFleur said WR Dontayvion Wicks‘ will be “day to day” with an ankle injury: “Certainly we need him out there. He’s a guy who, you can see it early in the routes he’s running…his ability to get a guy to move off the spot is pretty impressive.” (Ryan Wood)

The post NFC Notes: Brian Branch, Christian Watson, Bears, Lions, Packers appeared first on NFLTradeRumors.co.