NFC Notes: Commanders, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

Commanders

• NBC Sports’ Peter King writes the owners aren’t expected to really do anything regarding Commanders owner Dan Snyder at the meetings this week, adding nothing of substance is expected to happen until the NFL investigation led by Mary Jo White is completed.
• However, if that investigation turns out to have teeth and uncovers legitimate personal misconduct by Snyder, that could give the league enough ammunition to get him out, per King. 

Cowboys

• Cowboys QB Dak Prescott believes he can have a full week of practice and play Sunday against the Lions, adding: “That’s my plan.” (Michael Gehlken)

Eagles

When Eagles DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson arrived in Philadelphia via a preseason trade with the Saints, he already had a well-known reputation as a trash talker and one of the most braggadocious players in football. So there was admittedly a transition period for him coming into a new locker room. Things have gone smoothly since that first week, however, and Gardner-Johnson has made a big impact in the Eagles’ 6-0 start, including two interceptions in Sunday night’s 26-17 win against the Cowboys. 

“I had to swallow my pride when I first got here,” he said via the Athletic’s Bo Wulf. “Coach … got on me about it. But it’s all tough love. I think I was the new guy coming in, coming in loud, showboating. But it’s like, I’m not here to do showboating, I’m here to get better, improve and help this team win. So I think the best thing I can do is gradually adjust, gravitate to the group. Because I came in right before the season, so I really didn’t have a full camp or preseason. So I think just being around the guys, understanding where they come from, how they play ball, is just different and I love it. Can’t even complain honestly.”

Giants

A big key to the Giants’ surprising 5-1 start has been the addition of DC Don Martindale, and that was especially so in the Week 6 game against his former team. Martindale has worked past talent and injury limitations to maximize his defensive unit, and New York held the Ravens to 20 points and forced two turnovers from QB Lamar Jackson. 

“He lets us play to all our strengths and allows us to grow new strengths to our game,” Giants S Julian Love said via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. “He also gives us a chance to try in different areas. I’ve never really blitzed before and in the beginning of the season, I was blitzing a little bit. And so stuff like that, he just sees potential in players and he helps to unlock that. And on top of that, yeah, we just have good players who are resilient and tough who have been overlooked for a long time. And so he really was honest in his assessment of us when he got here, and realized what we could do. He’s been trying to play to our personnel, really.”