NFC Notes: Cowboys, Giants, Washington

Cowboys

• According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Cowboys DT Trysten Hill will likely be fined for excessively twisting Seahawks RB Chris Carson‘s knee when he was already down. Rapoport says Hill should avoid a suspension, though.
• Cowboys OT Terrence Steele was not benched Sunday and instead had to leave the game because of the effects of food poisoning that he had been battling. (Jane Slater)
• Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones said LT Tyron Smith remains day to day with his neck injury but came close to playing in Week 3. However, OT La’el Collins is “probably a little further away” from returning: “He’s working through a couple injuries that he’s trying to get right.” (Jon Machota)
• Jones added Cowboys DE DeMarcus Lawrence is also playing through some injuries: “One of the things that we loved about D-Law when we paid him is that he’s shown this time and time again that when he’s not 100% he shows up to play for his team.” (Ed Werder) 

Giants

• According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Giants S Jabrill Peppers is believed to have suffered a low ankle sprain in Sunday’s loss to the 49ers that may turn out to be less severe than it looked. 

Washington

The Washington Football Team was competitive against the Browns on Sunday and even took the lead at one point in the second half. But turnovers from QB Dwayne Haskins, three interceptions and a fumble on a sack, doomed the team to a 34-20 defeat. Washington HC Ron Rivera committed to Haskins after the 2019 first-round pick responded well to his challenge this offseason. But he offered a reminder that his wagon isn’t hitched tightly to Haskins and there’s a point where he would consider making a change. 

“Yes. There is and you brought up the point, and it’s a very good point, that there are guys in that locker room that are playing well enough for us to win,” Rivera said via the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala. “And again, we have to make sure everybody is playing well enough for us to win at that point. And there is a cut-off point for me. There is.” 

• Per ESPN’s John Keim, Rivera said they want to try and get third-round RB Antonio Gibson and RB J.D. McKissic involved more in the offense: “We saw how dynamic those guys are when we hand the ball off to them. It does tell you if we can get the ball to them in space, they can be pretty good.”
• Gibson is converting from playing wide receiver in college at Memphis. Washington OC Scott Turner said some transition is expected, especially with no preseason, but they want to see Gibson rely more on his instincts: “You just want to see him play like he’s just out there playing ball instead of just overthinking it or being too reactionary because he’s thinking: ‘Hey, I’m out here playing in the NFL.’ That’s what you’re seeing from him, and I think that’s what happens a lot of the time with these young guys.”
• Washington first-round DE Chase Young left Sunday’s loss to the Browns with a groin injury and was ruled out. However, it’s not believed to be a major injury that should keep Young out for an extended period. (Ian Rapoport)
• Washington WR Dontrelle Inman avoided a fracture in his hand, as X-rays were negative. (Ben Standig)