NFC Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

Cowboys

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott had a regrettable performance on Sunday against the Broncos, but he didn’t use his injured calf or time in between games as an excuse for his play.

“My calf had nothing to do with the whole game,” Prescott said, via PFT. “Obviously, I wasn’t as clean as I normally am or as I have been. It’s tough to say and blame (it on rust). I spent a lot of time off and came back in the first game (in Week 1 against Tampa Bay) different, so I’m not going to sit there and blame two weeks when I had a great week of practice under my belt coming into this one. I just missed some throws, and we weren’t our normal selves in the passing game when we needed to be. We didn’t execute.”

Prescott said that his calf felt fine all game and that he didn’t feel any issues with it.

“It held up fine. It was great,” Prescott said. “I mean, I did a lot of moving, did a lot of scrambling there getting outside of the pocket. No issues. I didn’t feel it. I’m fine.”

• Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy stated that DE DeMarcus Lawrence is not expected to begin his 21-day practice window this week, ruling him out for Sunday’s game against the Falcons. (Michael Gehlken)
• Cowboys OC Kellen Moore said that he and his agent David Dunn haven’t discussed and potential college head coaching jobs this season. “I don’t worry about any of that stuff. That’s Dave Dunn’s job. He does a great job with it.” (Gehlken)
• Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doesn’t know if LT Tyron Smith will play this week: “We’ll see. That is one that we’ll continue to look at. It will be dictated by the amount of frankly pain that he can withstand there. It is really not a lot you can do other than rest it and try it.” (Michael Gehlken)

Eagles

The Eagles have built up a lot of positive momentum on offense the past couple of weeks, obliterating the Lions and pushing the Chargers to the limit in Week 9. The team has asked QB Jalen Hurts to shoulder less of the load on offense and put it more on the running backs. They have 66 carries in the past two games alone after having 96 in the seven before that. 

“We definitely have to build on this,” Eagles HC Nick Sirianni said via ESPN’s Tim McManus. “There is no secret. Jalen has had good practices the last two weeks, played two good games in a row, so we just have to go back and have another week like we did last week, offensively, to put ourselves in position to win next week.”

“Clearly, I think we’ve taken steps throughout the year,” Hurts added. “I think we’ve grown. I think we’ve communicated better. Coach to player, I think we’ve had better conversations and we’ve come to be on the same page on a more consistent basis. Going out there and it’s showing.”

Giants

• Giants HC Joe Judge said the team hopes that RB Saquon Barkley and OT Andrew Thomas will be available following the team’s bye. He added he expects both players to hang around the team facility this week and continue rehabbing. (Art Stapleton)
• Judge also mentioned there will be no changes in who is calling in the plays. Giants OC Jason Garrett will remain as the team’s play-caller. (Jordan Raanan)
• Judge added RB Devontae Booker is seeing doctors for the final time regarding his hip injury. He was cleared to return to the game, but FB Elijhaa Penny was carrying the ball well for the team. (Dan Salomone)
• Giants TE Kaden Smith was not diagnosed with a concussion and is out of the protocol. (Stapleton)