NFC Notes: Commanders, Sam Howell, Cowboys, Eagles, Linval Joseph

Commanders

Commanders HC Ron Rivera was recently asked about the development of fifth-round QB Sam Howell and where’s he at right now. 

“I think he’s getting more and more comfortable,” Rivera said of Howell, via CommandersWire.com. “There’s some little details to his technique and his footwork that I know ]QB coach] Kenny [Zampese]’s really harping on. In college, you can get away with those things, and he did, and he did a really great job, but there are some things that in this league you have to be really good at.”

“Great example, a couple of times in the preseason when he got sacked or got hit, it was understanding that you’re in shotgun; we considered this a five-step drop. Well, it’s not catch the ball, shuffle your feet and throw it. It’s you may have to take a step and a half to make it a five-step drop and that helps aid in the timing, helps aid in the protection, because if you’re only at three and a half, four yards, that guard or that tackles expecting you to be at five or six and you’re not, that’s tough on him. So those are little things that he has to understand what certain plays call for in terms of the depth of your drop and how important that is to your protection.”

• Commanders OC Scott Turner made NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero‘s annual list of first-time head coaching candidates under the age of 45. 
• Regarding the sale of the Commanders, Mark Maske reports that previous bidders on the Broncos organization are expected to contend for the Washington franchise, including Behdad Eghbali, Jose Feliciano, Josh Harris, and Todd Boehly, while fellow members Mat Isbhia and Bryon Allen have already shown interested. 
• Maske notes that Jeff Bezos declined to comment on his possible bid for the Commanders: “I can’t talk about it.”
• According to Maske, prospective bidders are taking a “next in line” approach in case Bezos does not proceed with purchasing the Commanders or if he puts a ceiling on how much he’s willing to play.  
• District of Columbia Attorney General Karl A. Racine indicated that the lawsuit against Pro Football Inc., which owns the Washington Commanders, is for “implementing an illegal scheme” to cheat season-ticket holders out of their deposits and use the money “for its own purposes.” (Ben Standig)
• Commanders HC Ron Rivera said DE Chase Young will be a game-day decision for Week 11 if they activate him from injured reserve: “We’ll sit down tomorrow and talk about it. So if we activate him tomorrow, then a decision will come on game day.” (John Keim)

Cowboys

• Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy said DE DeMarcus Lawrence (feet, knee) was limited on Friday but is expected to play in Week 11: “I have all intention for him to play.” (Michael Gehlken)
• McCarthy also expects RB Ezekiel Elliott (knee) to play: “I anticipate him going, too.”
• Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones is glad to have Elliott back and thinks they are a “better team” with him available: “We are a better team when we’ve got him and got him available. …I’m glad to have him back. It does look like he’s going to be available.” (Michael Gehlken)
• Jones said that they never had an interest in DT Ndamukong Suh prior to the veteran defensive tackle signing with the Eagles: “No, we didn’t have contact. I like where we are with our big boys in the middle.” (Jon Machota)

• Cowboys OG Zack Martin said RB Ezekiel Elliott is the heart and soul of the team: “When I think of Zeke, I think of the identity of our football team kind of wrapped into a player. Just his willingness to do anything asked of him, his physical style of play. He brings all of that to our team. And it rubs off on guys.” (Jon Machota)

Eagles

Eagles’ recently signed DT Linval Joseph said he’s been observing the organization throughout the season and thinks they are the only well-balanced team in the NFL. 

“I’ve been watching this team because they were 8-0. So I was watching them every week,” Joseph said, via Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports. “I wanted to see what made them so good. And just seeing that they’re well-balanced is pretty big. Because right now I think they’re the only team in the NFL that’s well-balanced in every room.”

Joseph added that their “ultimate goal” is to win the Super Bowl. 

“The ultimate goal here is to get another ring and I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure we can get that done,” said Joseph. 

Joseph has been keeping himself in shape during his team as a free agent and is now focused on learning Philadephia’s playbook. 

“That’s the goal,” Joseph said. “I’ve been training for this moment. It all comes down to the playbook. It’s a new playbook but I’m picking it up. I don’t know how much I’m going to play but the goal is to be on the field on Sunday.”