NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Giants, Redskins

Cowboys

Cowboys HC Jason Garrett may have stemmed the questions about his job security for at least a week with Dallas’ huge, 37-10 win against the division-rival Eagles on Sunday night. However, the consistent theme on the subject from ownership has been that Garrett is safe regardless of what happens and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will not fire a coach midseason and he’s looking for reasons to keep Garrett beyond this year, which is the final one of his contract. 

“I am looking for reasons. I’m looking for reasons to keep him,” Jones said via Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams. “It’s merited here. It’s hard to get an effective coach and get it locked in with all you have to do retool and redo. I’m comfortable. We have established some security apart from the won-loss. He represents the organization well on and off the field. You don’t have to wake up in the morning reading about it.”

• Cowboys LB Leighton Vander Esch tells Jane Slater that he’s good after suffering the first neck stinger of his career. Vander Esch also disputed his reported “history” of neck issues and said he would have continued playing but “wasn’t up to me.”
• Cowboys WR Amari Cooper says his injured quad felt good following Sunday night’s game after he left last week’s game early with the injury: “It feels a lot better. It’s like 90 percent.” (Jon Machota)
• Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones says the team received good news on Vander Esch and DE Robert Quinn (ribs) and both should be able to play after the bye: “We feel good with their prognosis that they should be ready to go.” (Machota)

Giants

Giants RB Saquon Barkley returned to the lineup Sunday only a few weeks after suffering a high ankle sprain that would have kept most other players out for a month longer. Barkley was held to 80 total yards and a touchdown by the visiting Cardinals in a 27-21 loss, but the second-year back says he didn’t feel limited at all in his first game back from injury. 

“I felt like I was running well,” Barkley said via NJ.com’s Darryl Slater. “I think I did a little too much on some stuff. But that’s part of my game. Sometimes, it doesn’t work. Most of the time, it works. I think cutting was fine. I broke some long ones today, made some people miss. I think I did fine. I know I felt fine, but didn’t do enough to help my team win. I was able to take my normal workload. Physically, I feel good.”

Giants first-round rookie QB Daniel Jones has come back to earth after winning his first two starts. The Giants have dropped the last three games and turnovers have started to become an issue for Jones. However, Giants HC Pat Shurmur was firm in stating Jones was the team’s starter and he would not be going back to veteran QB Eli Manning.

“No. I think Daniel’s going to learn from everything that’s going on,” Shurmur said via Pro Football Talk. “Just like all the other rookies that are playing are going to learn from the things that happen. But you have to learn and you have to win games. I’m well aware of that. Totally well aware of that.”

Redskins

Redskins QB Alex Smith has resumed throwing at the team facility in recent weeks. Smith, who is still on Washington’s PUP list, was seen on Monday throwing 20-yard passes while standing still. stationary.

“He’s working diligently and trying to get himself back to 100 percent,” Redskins interim HC Bill Callahan said via ESPN’s John Keim. “I’ve never seen anything like the effort he’s pouring into rehab. It’s so impressive. He’s got the ultimate respect from all of us… He’s getting closer.”

• Per NBC Sports’ JP Finlay, Redskins RB Chris Thompson believes first-round rookie QB Dwayne Haskins would be fine if the coaches decided to give him the start: “I think he would be ready.”
• Thompson adds he believes the coaches are trying to prepare Haskins for the future and not put him in bad situations where he’ll develop bad habits: “The coaches are doing their best.”
• ESPN’s Josina Anderson reports the team won’t be rushed into starting Haskins by the media or outside forces, saying they drafted him with the long view in mind: “It’ll happen when it happens.”
• Redskins running back Adrian Peterson underwent an MRI on an ankle Monday morning. (John Keim)