NFC Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Saquon Barkley

Cowboys

• Cowboys OC Kellen Moore said that the team likes where they’re at heading into the final stretch of the regular season. “I think we feel good about where we are. It’s an NFL season. There’s gonna be highs, there’s gonna be lows. You go through these dips. It’s a long, long season. I think our guys understand that. You’re not going to go smooth sailing for (13 weeks).” (Jon Machota)
• Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the team has to keep improving without straying from their identity: “We have adjustments, but not dramatic adjustments to make. You could call it being on the sight of a rifle. You’re just a fraction of being where you want to be. This is fine-tuning. Dramatic (changes) would be way off base.” (Machota)
• Jones mentioned OL La’el Collins will start at right tackle while OT Terence Steele will be the sixth offensive lineman: “We will use the fact we’ve got Collins at his best this year. We’ve got Steele; we’ll use that as a way to help our running game. We will do that.” (Michael Gehlken)
• Jones added the plan all along was to give RB Tony Pollard more opportunities: “That’s not necessarily because of Zeke. We just want him to have the ball more.” (Gehlken)

Eagles

Eagles QB Gardner Minshew may not have won the starting job in Philadelphia with his performance in Week 13’s win. But he definitely caught eyes for the future with a 20-25 day passing, including 242 yards and two touchdowns with no picks. More importantly, he won his first start since Week 1 in 2020 with the Jaguars. 

“It felt so good, man,” Minshew said via NBC Sports’ Dave Zangaro. “It’s the best time I had since Week One of last year. There’s nothing like that feeling. Glad to do it with this group of guys. They made it easy for me. So, it was a lot, a lot of fun.”

Giants

Giants RB Saquon Barkley said he isn’t surprised by his lack of touches in the offense. He noted he’s not playing well enough right now to keep the offense on the field and get more. 

“I mean, you know, we’re not producing in the run game right now so I can’t be upset that I’ve got 11 carries. We’re not doing anything,” Barkley said, via Lou Dipietro of WFAN.com. “I’m not doing anything in the running game. I’m not affecting the game in that aspect. That kind of happens, especially when you get down and you play from behind.”

Barkley added he isn’t listening to the negative comments and people who believe he isn’t the same player.

“It’s week whatever in the NFL, no one is 100 percent physically. That’s their opinion, but I know I am,” Barkley said.

• Giants OL Wes Martin and QB coach Jerry Schuplinski have tested positive for COVID-19, according to HC Joe Judge. (Ralph Vacchiano)
• Judge acknowledged they will get QB Jake Fromm ready to go if QB Daniel Jones and QB Mike Glennon are both unable to play this week. Practice squad QB Brian Lewerke is also preparing. (Dan Salomone)
• Fromm was a fifth-round pick by the Bills in 2020 and one NFL executive isn’t expecting much if he starts: “We did a lot of work on him. And, honestly, at best, he’s just a guy. He doesn’t have a lot of arm strength, he isn’t mobile, he’s just not an NFL quarterback.” (Matt Lombardo)
• A former NFL head coach had a much rosier impression of Fromm, though: “I loved the way he managed the pocket and made a lot of throws and good decisions [in college]. This is a kid who won a ton at Georgia, against top-tier competition.”