NFC Notes: Bucs, Cowboys, Redskins

Buccaneers

Buccaneers HC Dirk Koetter said Friday that he doesn’t want Ryan Fitzpatrick worrying about the possibility of him being benched while he’s the team’s starter.

“I really don’t want Fitz looking over his shoulder,” Koetter said on the Buccaneers Radio Network, via JoeBucsFan.com.

However, Koetter followed that up by saying he believes Jameis Winston will get another shot.

“I do think the day is coming when Jameis [Winston] will get another opportunity to get back out there,” Koetter said.

Cowboys

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott says that if the team is going to turn things around and make a push for a playoff spot, they’re going to have to get the running game going.

“We’ve got to get this run game going, point blank, period,” Elliott said, via ESPN.com. “We’ve got to get it going. We’ve got to figure out how we’re going to do that.”

Cowboys HC Jason Garrett agreed that fixing the running game should help to open things up for their passing attack.

“Certainly we want (the run game) to be a big part of what we do,” Garrett said. “It starts with the guys up front, but it’s really everybody. Tight ends blocking, receivers blocking, certainly the impact of the runner.

“So that’s always going to be a big part of what we try to do week in and week out. Sometimes it will be harder based on what the defense is trying to do, what they’re trying to take away. Sometimes they load up the box and say, ‘We ain’t letting you run.’ So you have to beat them other ways. You have to be able to attack through the passing game and run them out of those fronts, run them out of those defenses.”

Redskins

• The Washington Redskins officially ruled out WR Jamison Crowder (ankle) from Sunday’s Week 10 game against the Buccaneers.