NFC Notes: Commanders, Cowboys, Dak Prescott, Giants

Commanders

Commanders WR Curtis Samuel is excited to get back on the field this year after being held out for quite some time due to injury.

“I’m just really excited. I feel like I’m just in a different place right now,” Samuel said, via Ben Standig of The Athletic. “Mentally, my focus is there. I’m just happy. People probably don’t know that about me because I wasn’t really around last year, but I like to enjoy myself. I like to have a good time. I like to smile, and joke around. Pretty much enjoy myself. I played with a lot of guys growing up that wish they was here now. I was just one of those guys that made it so, you know, I try to make them happy by seeing me out here.”

“I’m not gonna say (entering) last year I took (football) for granted. But when you experience something like that, it’s a little different,” Samuel added. “I’m saying things change. Your mindset, focus, everything changed. So you just enjoy it. Because you never know when the game will get taken away from you.”

Cowboys

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott said he’s excited about the team being featured on Sunday Night Football in Week 1 against the Buccaneers. 

“It’s awesome,” Prescott said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “I’ve said over and over that pressure is a privilege. I think playing in as many prime-time or national games as we do, it just allows those expectations and standards that everybody has, not only for myself, to always be heightened. When you’re playing on national TV, each game, you’re only as good as your last game.”

Prescott mentioned that he received advice from Derek Jeter about his recovery from an ankle injury, where the MLB Hall of Famer told him to not rush himself back. 

“Really, it’s what I used and hung my hat on throughout the injury: Come back on my time,” Prescott said. “He said he was trying to push with his ankle injury (in 2012) to try to get back for a certain date. He did and then re-injured his ankle (in 2013). He was like: ‘I was mad at myself because nobody made me do that. I just forced myself.’ He was like: ‘You’ve got time. Focus on getting healthy.’ And I told you all that nonstop — that this is my time, I’ve got time. That was one of the best (pieces of advice from him). He’s an awesome dude.”

Prescott feels like they must win the NFC East this season, which would be their first time winning two consecutive division titles since 1996. 

“It’s definitely time for us to go back-to-back winning this division,” Prescott said. “Getting to the playoffs — things that haven’t been done in my career and haven’t been done here in a long time. That’s how you make those steps. You got to compile good years on top of good years to make those runs, to give yourself a good chance. We’ve got a great team, great coaching, great organization. So, now it’s time to not have any lapse, be better than we were last year and take the next step on top of last year.”

Giants

Giants WR Darius Slayton is eager to prove how much he’s developed this season. 

“Probably just that I’m a good football player. I think I’ve shown that in the past, but I look forward to showing that again and showing that I’m a better player than what I’ve been in the past,” said Slayton, via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. 

Regarding Slayton being excused from practice this week to discuss a pay cut with the Giants’ front office, HC Brian Daboll said that he’s glad Slayton was able to reach an agreement and return for next season. 

“There’s obviously football stuff, this was the business side of it,” Daboll said. “Those guys kind of ironed out, with his representatives and [general manager] Joe [Schoen]. Good to have him back.”