Cowboys
- Cowboys WR Amari Cooper said he doesn’t feel alarmed by his limited chances given they have a “bunch of playmakers on offense”: “We have a whole bunch of playmakers on offense. There’s only one ball. I think it’s more that than the defense. I’m not getting double-teamed or something like that. I’m just staying ready for when my opportunity comes because it will come.” (Michael Gehlken)
- Cooper mentioned that “it’s frustrating” to not get a lot of action but sees the benefit in being the target during important situations: “It’s frustrating, but it’s not something I can control. I do think there’s a benefit in me getting the ball in those important situations like red zone and third down. …Like I said, I’m just going to stay ready for when that time comes.” (Michael Gehlken)
- Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy is “hoping” TE Blake Jarwin (hip) will return to practice at some point over the next two weeks. (Michael Gehlken)
- Cowboys DL coach Aden Durde has entered the league’s COVID-19 protocol. (Michael Gehlken)
- Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott said he is practicing with a brace on his knee to get used to it: “Just kind of getting used to wearing it in practice. I think once you wear it enough you kind of forget it’s there.” (Jon Machota)
Eagles
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts has done well enough with his one-year audition that there’s a strong chance he’s back in 2022 with Philadelphia using their stash of picks to build around him rather than replace him. There’s a chance if he continues to develop that he could cement his hold on the job even more. Former Eagles HC Doug Pederson who was a part of the decision to draft Hurts said Hurts reminded him a lot of Seahawks QB Russell Wilson.
“From an athletic standpoint, from a throwing standpoint, his mobility,” Pederson said via ESPN’s Tim McManus. “I had a chance to work Russell out when he was at Wisconsin, and felt at the time, Russell was gonna have a lot of success in the NFL, which he did, and he got on the right team. He’s done extremely well. And I initially thought when I was studying Jalen, I kind of saw the same things.
“You see similar movements in the pocket, you see similar throwing, the stature is about the same, so, it’s just a lot of similarities that way between those two. Can Jalen be a Russell Wilson? I mean, that’s obviously up to Jalen to do that, but I think if he continues to work and the type of person he is, I think he can have that type of career.”
- NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo reports Eagles RB Miles Sanders has multiple injuries, including his calf injury.
- By being named to the 2022 Pro Bowl, Eagles C Jason Kelce earned a $500,000 roster bonus next year. (Michael Rothstein)
Washington
Regarding Washington’s 27-17 loss to the Eagles on Tuesday, DT Jonathan Allen responded that he doesn’t think their defensive line did “anything well” after allowing 238 rushing yards.
“I don’t think we did anything well today when you give up however many yards we did today on the ground,” Allen said, via Ethan Cadeaux of NBC Sports. “We got our a– kicked. They were just the better team today.”
Washington DE Montez Sweat added that their run defense was “unacceptable” on Tuesday night.
“It was unacceptable how [the Eagles] were rushing the ball,” Sweat said.
Allen mentioned that their defensive line gives them a chance to win games when they are playing well.
“I’ve got to play better. If I play better, I give our team a better chance to win,” Allen said. “If the defensive line plays better, we give our team a better chance to win. This game is on the D-line.”
As for Washington losing several players to the COVID-19 list, Allen said it “really doesn’t matter” and thinks they would’ve won with better play.
“In the NFL, you get paid to handle adversity. It is what it is,” Allen said. “We can [explative] and moan about COVID, nobody cares. It really doesn’t matter. If we do our job, we win the game today. We didn’t do our job and we got embarrassed.”
- Washington HC Ron Rivera said RB Antonio Gibson‘s toe injury in Week 15 was similar to his turf toe in 2020: “Part of the problem is when it’s the big toe, you got to stick that foot in the ground and drive off of it and go. it hampers you a little bit; it’s unfortunate because he is a big part of what we do.” (John Keim)
- Washington QB Taylor Heinicke said he started to feel recovered on Wednesday morning and followed with two negative tests results to clear the COVID-19 protocol. (Nicki Jhabvala)
- Heinicke mentioned that there was a portion of his illness where he felt winded after doing simple tasks around the house that required 20 feet of walking. (Ben Standig)
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