Bears

Chicago RB D’Andre Swift had a dominant showing in Week 6, totaling 175 scrimmage yards on 7.7 yards per carry. Bears TE Cole Kmet opened up about their recent emphasis to establish a run game and creating explosives on the ground. 

“It’s been a point of emphasis for the past few weeks for sure,” Kmet said, via Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. “(Johnson’s) been relentless about it. We knew we were close (to) some of these kind of popping and getting to where we wanted to go with it. It was cool to see it come alive today against what I think is a pretty good run defense. That was awesome to feel that out there and end the game with the ball in our hands like that.”

Bears HC Ben Johnson credited Swift for running with an attitude and purpose.

“Oh, he was huge. I mean, this is the best, the most efficient we’ve ran the ball all year,” Johnson said, via Bears Wire. “Really felt an attitude with him. He did a great job finding a little crease and stepping on the gas as we talked about, played a physical style. Not only that, I mean the catch 55-yard touchdown was really a game-changer for us. There was a time in the game where we needed a little spark. We’re kind of faltering just a little bit as a team, and all it takes is one guy to make a big play like that and really ignite us again. So, I think it’s who I really thought he was going to be going into the season. We’re looking for guys that can elevate the people around him, and he did that here tonight.”

Packers

Jordan Morgan made his first start for the Packers at right guard in Week 6. Green Bay HC Matt LaFleur said there will be open competition between Morgan and Sean Rhyan “from here on out.” 

“It’s going to be a competitive situation from here on out, and that’s true with every position,” LaFleur said, via PackersWire. “I know there’s some positions where you know who’s going to be the guy that’s playing. Those guys have played a lot of ball. Sean Rhyan’s played a lot of football for us, and he’s been available each and every week. So, we have confidence in all of those guys to go out there and get the job done.”

LaFleur said they’ve moved Morgan around a lot since taking him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft and want him to settle into one position. 

“(Morgan) has moved so much throughout his time here. I didn’t feel comfortable going into the game with doing musical chairs up front throughout the whole week of practice,” LaFleur said. “I think in order for a guy to go out there and play their best, they’ve got to get the reps at that position. So, made a decision, and it was truly up in the air with some of those guys. We didn’t know if they were going to be able to go. So, it was going to be somebody else at that position, like [Darian] Kinnard at right tackle if need be, and we went with the decision to play (Morgan) at right guard.”

• Packers HC Matt LaFleur said RB MarShawn Lloyd is getting closer to returning to practice from the IR list, but it won’t be this week. Meanwhile fifth-round DE Collin Oliver’s return from PUP is “up in the air.” (Rob Demovsky)

Vikings

Vikings DC Brian Flores said the team isn’t necessarily looking to increase S Harrison Smith‘s snap count after working his way back from an early-season absence. Asked about Smith’s workload coming out of the bye, Flores made sure to note how well safeties Theo Jackson and Josh Metellus were playing. 

“I think we’re kind of evaluating that and talking about it as a staff,” Flores said, via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “I think he’s been in some of the dime roles, more of the third down kind of obvious pass situations. And I think Theo and Metellus are playing well and I think we’re in a space where potentially we could play him a little bit more, but I think it’s going to be by gameplan what we need from him this particular week, and it’s like that for everybody.”

Flores was asked what changed with Smith presumably past his personal health issue. 

“Well, I mean I think we’re still, again, working back in a lot of ways,” he said. “I would say nothing’s changed from that standpoint as far as his importance to the defense, to the team, but I think there’s some things that I think he’s still working his way back, and we’ll work with him and get him out there as much as we possibly can, but it’s a long season also, and I think we’ve got to be smart about him and some of our older, more veteran players.”

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