NFC Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Washington

Cowboys

Cowboys’ DC Mike Nolan has certainly noted the team’s lack of effectiveness in the pass rush this season and is willing to take a look at changing things up as the season progresses.

“To be perfectly honest with you, I think we need to do a better job of executing our pass rushes, whether it’s the rush, whether it’s how we handle the pocket,” Nolan said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic. “I’m a bit disappointed with just the coordination and playing together as one in the defensive line these first two weeks. That’s an area we definitely have to improve on. So we’ll continue to work on it, like other things, but that is an area that we’ve got to get better.”

Cowboys’ HC Mike McCarthy said he was unwilling to sacrifice having good players on the roster in order to fit the system.

“When you’re throwing away good players because they don’t fit your system, you got to take a hard look at your system,” McCarthy said. “If the guy is a good football player, he can play for me.”

• McCarthy said DE DeMarcus Lawrence (knee) was moving well on Thursday: “He’s progressing very well.” (Jon Machota)
• As for RT La’el Collins (hip, injured reserve), who is eligible to resume practice next week, McCarthy said: “That determination hasn’t been set yet. I just know in the training room meeting yesterday, he’s making progress.” (Michael Gehlken)
• McCarthy mentioned that LT Tyron Smith (neck) “is making progress. He’s getting better. I think one of the tests will be tomorrow’s practice.” (Michael Gehlken)
• OUT for Week 3: CB Chidobe Awuzie (hamstring)
• QUESTIONABLE for Week 3: DE Demarcus Lawrence (knee, not injury related), T Tyron Smith (neck)

Eagles

Eagles’ HC Doug Pederson says that the team came into Week 2 with plays designed around rookie QB Jalen Hurts, which is why he played over listed backup QB Nate Sudfeld.

“We always do what we feel sometimes is best for the football team each and every week,” Pederson said, via Mike Kaye of NJ.com. “We felt this week with him up, they could give us an opportunity to possibly use him in those situations that we did, and obviously he went in, executed them well, and it’s a starting point as something we’ll evaluate each week.”

• Pederson said on Friday that deciding who will be active between Hurts and Sudfeld will be a week to week situation. (Jeff McLane)
• Pederson confirmed that Nate Herbig will start at left guard and Matt Pryor at right guard. (Jeff McLane)
• OUT for Week 3: CB Rudy Ford (groin), WR Alshon Jeffery (foot), WR Jalen Reagor (thumb)
• QUESTIONABLE for Week 3: DT Fletcher Cox (abdomen)

Giants

With all of the big injuries on the team, veteran CB Logan Ryan knows that he has to step up and be a leader despite his short tenure with the organization.

“This team is working hard. They’re not outworking us, I promise you that,” Ryan said, via Art Stapleton of NorthJersey.com. “It’s just executing better in the game. I don’t know if I’ve been 0-2 before, but I was 2-4 last year and was in the AFC Championship [at season’s end]. So, I do know something: if you have a strong locker room, if you have strong leaders, if you have guys that love to play ball and love to practice hard, you can dig yourself out of some holes here. [Being] 0-2 is horrible, but I think we’re a game out of the division here. It’s not like our division is world beaters at the moment. We’re a game out from being a division leader. It’s football. You have to keep playing the games. You have to get over the tough losses.”

• Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post says that the stellar play of Giants’ No.1 CB James Bradberry has led to teams exposing other defensive backs on the roster, including cornerbacks Isaac Yiadom and Corey Ballentine.
• DOUBTFUL for Week 3: S Adrian Colbert (quadricep)
• QUESTIONABLE for Week 3: CB Brandon Williams (groin)

Washington

Washington HC Ron Rivera is not worried about the criticism facing S Troy Apke and T Geron Christian as they struggle to find their footing this season.

“A lot of these young guys have not played a lot of football. The only way they get better is to play,” Rivera said, via Ben Standig of The Athletic. “That’s what we’re doing with Geron Christian. Apke’s a guy that hasn’t played a lot of football. We’ve got to get him on the field and give him an opportunity to show us what he can and can’t do. That’s really just where we are with that. Troy didn’t play as well as he’s capable of. A lot of guys didn’t play as well as they’re capable of last week. But, Troy is a smart football player. He’s a savvy guy that understands. I will tell you this much; he didn’t play as bad as people think he did. There were a couple of plays that happened that thank goodness Troy was there to make the tackle. I’m going to tell you that much right now. For the most part, a lot of people don’t know what happened on that play. Everybody wants to point to the wrong person without knowing.”

• Washington HC Ron Rivera said of QB Alex Smith: “I wouldn’t have any trepidation about making him active. Now it’s just a matter of opportunity.” (Nicki Jhabvala)
• OUT for Week 3: T Saahdiq Charles (thigh), LB Cole Holcomb (knee)
• QUESTIONABLE for Week 3: T Morgan Moses (hip), WR Steven Sims (toe)