NFC North Notebook: Bears’ Frustrations, Lions’ Resilience, and Watson’s Redemption
Chicago Bears: DJ Moore’s Quiet Day, Kyler Gordon’s Injury Woes
The Bears entered Sunday expecting WR DJ Moore to be a focal point. Head coach Ben Johnson even admitted postgame that Moore was supposed to be heavily involved in the game plan. But when the dust settled, Moore had just one catch - a stat that surprised even Johnson.
“I thought he ran some pretty good routes over the course of the day and we just couldn’t give him the ball,” Johnson said. “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.”
That disconnect between game plan and execution is something the Bears will need to clean up - especially when their most dynamic receiver is getting lost in the shuffle.
On the game’s final play, Moore appeared to be an option, but Johnson explained that the timing didn’t work out. Rookie QB Caleb Williams had already released the ball by the time Moore broke free. Cornerback Keisean Nixon, who was in man coverage on Moore, peeled off to make a play on TE Cole Kmet instead.
“It was a good play by Nixon,” Johnson said. “But I still think if we get the spacing right and a good ball, he’s not going to be able to cover both of those players.”
Meanwhile, the Bears’ defense took a hit with CB Kyler Gordon suffering yet another soft-tissue injury. This time it was a groin strain during pregame warmups - and it’s part of a frustrating pattern for the young corner.
“It’s disappointing,” Johnson said of Gordon’s injury troubles. “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.”
The Bears are throwing everything they have at Gordon’s recovery - both inside and outside the building - to help him break the cycle of recurring soft-tissue issues.
“The biggest predictor of a soft-tissue injury is having a previous one,” Johnson added. “And he’s kind of in this rut right now that we’re not able to get out of.”
Gordon felt the groin issue while warming up, and the team made the call to hold him out rather than risk further damage. His status going forward remains uncertain.
Detroit Lions: Branch Out for the Year, but Campbell Keeps the Faith
The Lions were dealt a tough blow with the news that standout safety Brian Branch is done for the season with a torn Achilles. It’s a significant loss - Branch has been a tone-setter on the back end of Detroit’s defense - but head coach Dan Campbell isn’t sounding any alarm bells.
“We’re good, man,” Campbell said. “We got options here.
You lose a good player, it hurts. But it’s not like we’re in dire straits.”
That’s classic Campbell - confident, gritty, and trusting in the depth of his roster. The Lions will need that depth, especially with DB Thomas Harper still in concussion protocol and DB Kerby Joseph’s status up in the air. In response, Detroit added veteran safety Damontae Kazee to the practice squad, giving them another experienced option to lean on.
It wasn’t just the injury report making headlines in Detroit. Several Lions players were hit with fines this week: Branch was fined $23,186 for a hit on a defenseless player, LB Jack Campbell was docked $17,389 for a hip-drop tackle and another $11,593 for a facemask, and WR Jameson Williams was fined $17,389 for taunting.
Discipline will be something to monitor moving forward, especially as Detroit eyes a deep postseason run.
Green Bay Packers: Christian Watson’s Full-Circle Moment
Christian Watson’s return to action against the Bears wasn’t just about putting up numbers - it was personal. The Packers wide receiver tore his ACL against Chicago last season, and this past weekend, he came full circle with a two-touchdown performance that showed just how far he’s come.
“It means a lot to me, for sure,” Watson said. “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.”
It was a reminder of the kind of playmaker Watson can be when healthy - explosive, dynamic, and a matchup nightmare when he’s in rhythm.
Head coach Matt LaFleur emphasized that Watson needs to remain a key piece of the offense moving forward.
“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.”
And that mutual respect between player and coach is starting to translate into on-field production. If Watson can stay healthy, he gives Green Bay a legitimate deep threat who can stretch the field and open things up for the rest of the offense.
Bottom Line
The NFC North continues to deliver compelling storylines - from the Bears’ struggles to get their stars involved, to Detroit’s next-man-up mentality, to a redemption arc in Green Bay that’s hard not to root for. As the season heads into its final stretch, these teams are facing very different challenges - but each one is revealing something about who they are and who they want to be.