NFC Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

Cowboys

• Per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said LT Tyron Smith is dealing with neck stingers and the team wanted to hold him out Week 2 to give him more time to heal. 
• Cowboys’ HC Mike McCarthy said DE DeMarcus Lawrence was limited on Sunday due to a first-half knee injury “that we were just keeping an eye on” and the team plans to have a better update when they return to practice on Wednesday. (Michael Gehlken)
• McCarthy also had no update on Smith but was able to say that Smith is improving. Another injury to CB Chidobe Awuzie was diagnosed as a hamstring strain and the team is also awaiting an update on him. (Todd Archer)
• Cowboys’ ST coordinator John Fassel on having more trick plays up his sleeve: “Oh you know it. That game we emptied it out, but we have a bullpen full of them that we can fill it back up with.” (Jon Machota)
• Cowboys DC Mike Nolan isn’t happy with two sacks in two games from his pass rushers and puts the onus on himself to improve that number: “I would like to think it’s more the coordination of all four guys. That’s what we can work on. The individual battles are things guys have to work on all the time regardless of the game … But I’m a bit disappointed with just the coordination and playing together as one in the defensive line these first two weeks.” (Archer)

Eagles

Eagles’ GM Howie Roseman says that the team felt they had suitable replacements for veteran S Malcolm Jenkins or else they would not have let him go in free agency.

“We wanted to make sure that if for some reason it wasn’t going to work out with Malcolm,” Roseman said, via Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer “we had someone back there who could continue to get us lined up and provide leadership, and we feel we did that.”

Eagles’ HC Doug Pederson also weighed in on the issue of Jenkins’ departure leaving a hole in the team’s secondary.

“It’s hard to replace a Malcolm, you know?” Pederson said. “I think it’s hard. His leadership the last couple of seasons is something that’s hard for someone to just step in and take that role.”

• Eagles DC Jim Schwartz took the blame for Philadelphia’s defensive collapse against the Rams in Week 2: “We had some very experienced players make uncharacteristic mistakes. …When too many of those things happen, I don’t blame the players. I blame myself.” (Zach Berman)

Giants

• ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports the NFL and NFLPA continue to review the 49ers’ complaints about the turf at MetLife Stadium, which has undergone 20 inspections since it was installed in June, with the most recent inspection coming on September 12th.
• Giants’ RB Saquon Barkley‘s season-ending knee injury means his fifth-year option for 2022 will be equal to the 2021 running back transition tag, due to the fact that he was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2018. (Joel Corry)