Lions

The Detroit Lions recently added another stunning trick play to their highlight reel during their Week 16 victory. They executed a faked fumble that resulted in a touchdown by TE Sam LaPorta. Lions QB Jared Goff shared insights on how they perfected the play, revealing that OC Ben Johnson initially wanted him to actually fumble the ball.

“We practiced it three or four times throughout the week,” Goff stated, as noted by Tim Twentyman from the team’s website. “It originally started with Ben asking if I could genuinely fumble on purpose and then pick it back up. I replied, ‘I’m not so sure about that.’”

“The part where Gibbs dives really sells the play. It worked perfectly.”

Packers

Packers TE Tucker Kraft has drawn comparisons to the legendary TE Mark Bavaro.

“Just being physical, being tough,” Kraft remarked, as shared by ESPN. “YAC is really what he focused on… so I’m trying to channel my inner Bavaro.”

Kraft’s high school coach, Ryan Kimbel, recounted a moment when Kraft persevered through an injury to help his team win.

“He rolled his ankle during a game,” Kimbel recalled. “He said, ‘I can still play, but I can’t run.’ So we threw him in at guard, and we ran his freshman cousin right behind him. [Kraft] couldn’t run, but he could block.”

Packers RB Josh Jacobs described Kraft as an excellent teammate who possesses just the right amount of intensity.

“He’s a little crazy, but I love it,” Jacobs expressed. “Crazy in all the good ways. You can see how he plays—it’s exciting to play alongside someone who will put their body on the line for you, taking hits from multiple defenders just to gain a first down. You’ve got to appreciate teammates like that.”

Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings secured a vital victory over the Seahawks, keeping them in contention for the NFC’s top seed, propelled by a stellar performance from WR Justin Jefferson. Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell elaborated on how Jefferson consistently succeeds despite opponents crafting game plans specifically designed to limit him.

“He’s become really adept at understanding how defenses are playing him, both pre- and post-snap,” O’Connell stated, as cited by SI.com’s Albert Breer. “He plays incredibly fast and knows how to run the most effective route possible. Sometimes, it’s a dynamic situation. We often give him the room to make a play within a concept rather than locking him into a single route since coverage can vary.”

“There’s a strong intent to defend him. We’ve invested significant time discussing how to manage that and enable him to play swiftly regardless of how he’s defended.”

O’Connell also addressed the ongoing narrative surrounding QB Sam Darnold, stating that perceptions of Darnold often don’t reflect his true abilities as a player.

“Once people have formed an opinion that you can’t play, it sometimes overshadows the reality of what a player is achieving,” he explained. “It’s not fair to him or his performance. He came here for this opportunity, to be a Minnesota Viking, to thrive in our system, and I thoroughly enjoy coaching him.”