NFC Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Washington

Cowboys

Cowboys’ QB Dak Prescott is currently ahead of schedule as he rehabs his fractured ankle and said that going through the process of a severe injury is certainly surreal.

“To be that guy that’s injured for the first time in my career and missing the rest of the season, it’s different,” Prescott said, via Michael Gehlken of DallasNews.com. “It’s tough. But for me, as I talk about the mental capacity, for me it’s about creating and making small victories. So each and every day, when I wake up and I go in for rehab, it’s about seeing my leg or seeing my body do something that it didn’t do the day before or creating a feeling that I didn’t have the day before, so I know that I’m continuing to get better. At the end of the day, I know my team needs me. I know that they need me now for support, but they’ll need me again later. So it’s about helping them whichever way that I can and however I can. It’s about being right mentally and counting those small victories.”

Eagles

Eagles HC Doug Pederson said he has not been assured by the front office that he will remain Philadelphia’s coach for the remainder of the season. 

“Listen, I’ve been around this league a long time, 25 years I believe as a player and a coach, and we’re always based on and evaluated on our performance,” Pederson said, via Tim McManus of ESPN. “Right now, that’s obviously not my concern as far as that decision goes. That’s out of my hands. But what’s in my hands and in my control is getting the team prepared and ready for Green Bay this weekend.”

Pederson said he still has a good relationship with Eagles’ owner Jeffrey Lurie and communicates with him throughout the week. 

“Our relationship is good. We communicate a lot throughout the week,” Pederson said. “We have our typical weekly meeting and cover a lot of ground. But that relationship is good. Listen, some of these questions might be for Mr. Lurie obviously, but my job is to prepare the team and get ready for Green Bay.”

• NJ.com’s Mike Kaye lists some other cheap quarterbacks the Eagles could pursue to push Carson Wentz if they don’t believe in Jalen Hurts, including Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew, Saints pending free-agent QB Jameis Winston, 49ers restricted free agent QB Nick Mullens, Chargers free-agent QB Tyrod Taylor or Raiders QB Marcus Mariota.
• If the Eagles land a top-ten pick, the Athletic’s Zach Berman and Bo Wulf note LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase, Miami DE Gregory Rousseau, and Penn State LB Micah Parsons are all compelling picks. 
• Pederson is optimistic that DT Fletcher Cox (neck), TE Zach Ertz (ankle), and CB Darius Slay (calf) will play in Sunday’s game. (Berman)
• Pederson confirmed that OL Jack Driscoll will start at right tackle over Matt Pryor in Week 13. (Jeff McLane)
• OUT for Week 13:  S Rudy Ford (hamstring)
• QUESTIONABLE for Week 13: CB Darius Slay (calf)

Giants

Prior to officially listing Giants QB Daniel Jones (hamstring) doubtful for Week 13, HC Joe Judge said they will examine him in practice on Friday and after flying out to Seattle for Sunday’s game. 

“We’ll check with the trainers today to see what kind of progress he made in their eyes,” Judge said, via Matt Lombardo. “We’ll see how he moves on the grass today and we’ll make decisions based on really after practice and see how he does after a long flight out to Seattle.”

Judge added that Jones must show the ability to protect himself in the pocket and operate while on the run. 

“I think there’s a mix between whether we need to do enough with him in practice so he can go back there and operate, have an ability to protect himself, move in the pocket, throw the ball away, or tuck it under and run if we need to.”

• Giants HC Joe Judge said that Giants’ recently waived QB Alex Tanney will clear the league’s COVID-19 protocols on Saturday and officially sign with New York in time for Week 13’s game in Seattle.  (Vacchiano)
• DOUBTFUL for Week 13: QB Daniel Jones (hamstring)
• QUESTIONABLE for Week 13: LB David Mayo (knee)

Washington

Washington HC Ron Rivera revealed the status of injured RB Bryce Love when talking with the media, saying the team was going to be cautious when bringing him back.

“He’s just been slowed down a little bit with some soreness,” Rivera said, via Rhiannon Walker of The Athletic. “We’re going to be careful with him, and we’re going to hold him out a little bit. We’re hopeful. He’s had a couple of really good days with the trainers. I think it’s close to getting him back out there. Again, he was having a really good camp. He got sore for a little bit, and we just rested him, to be quite honest. He’s taken advantage of it. He’s done a lot of really good things in the training room. An opportunity for us to get him back on the field is coming soon.”