NFC Notes: Dan Campbell, Matt LaFleur, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Lions

Lions HC Dan Campbell was asked how his team will handle their current situation, given that the expectation is for them to come away with a Super Bowl.

“We’ve had attention for four years here,” Campbell said, via Pro Football Talk. “I mean, there’s been more stuff that’s been made out, that’s been built one way, we’ve been so good, we’ve been so bad, we’re a laughingstock, now we’re great, and it’s just been this rollercoaster of up and downs, and it’s the next week of it, you know what I mean? And so this is nothing new that we’re in right now. This is nothing new for me, for the coaches, for the players. We’re in the middle of the circus, man, and it’s about time to perform. That’s the world we’re in.”

Packers

“Shoot, you’ve got to beat ’em,” Bullard said, via the team’s website. “Good teams beat good teams. You can’t consider yourself to be one of those elite teams if you haven’t beat ’em. You know what I mean? I feel like we’re a good team in this league, and our record shows we’re a good team in this league. But to be an elite team, you have to beat an elite team, and we ain’t do that.”

“The big teams in the big games, we gotta win. We just didn’t win the big games,” Nixon added.

“As a team, we need to wake up,” Kraft said. “Everyone talks about how we’re not OK with just making the playoffs, but we have yet to walk the walk. I feel like I have a lot to offer in that (leadership) aspect. This isn’t the end, not at all. This is just the beginning of a long road to next year already.”

• Packers HC Matt LaFleur said the next step for QB Jordan Love is to grow as a “vocal leader” in the locker room: “I think he’s taken steps to get there, but he can really demand a lot. Because the locker room respects him.” (Ryan Wood)
• LaFleur on the team’s receiving group: “I think our collection of receivers is pretty darn good. I think we’ve got 6 guys that we definitely can lean on. Going back to this last game, losing Christian definitely hurt us.” (Wood)
• LaFleur on WR Romeo Doubs‘ concussion history: “I’m concerned, absolutely. But I haven’t talked to our medical people. I haven’t sat down with them about whether there’s a long-term concern, but anytime a guy gets two concussions, I can’t help but be concerned by that.” (Wood)
• Jeremy Fowler reports that Packers C Josh Myers has some swelling but avoided a severe leg injury and will enter free agency in good shape. 

Vikings

• Vikings WR Justin Jefferson won’t weigh in on the team’s quarterback decision: “It’s not my job to say who is going to be the quarterback or who do I want to be the quarterback. At the end of the day, they’re going to figure it out, and whoever they decide to go with, we can work with that.” (Kevin Seifert)