NFC Notes: Eagles, Giants, Washington

Eagles

Eagles DT Fletcher Cox told reporters after Sunday’s game that he’s just executing what’s being called for the defense. 

“I don’t get paid to play screens,” Cox said, via Martin Frank. “I get paid to sack the quarterback, play in the backfield, tackle. I don’t get paid to play screens. We get screened all the time. Get out of stack and run to the football.”

Cox admitted that he’s frustrated with some of the calls, but it’s just part of the business.

“It was one of those deals, as a player, I didn’t agree what was called on the defense,” Cox said. “So I kind of let my frustration go, and that’s part of the game.”

• Eagles HC Nick Sirianni said he doesn’t think RB Miles Sanders‘ ankle is broken. (Mike Kaye)
• NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reports Sanders’ injury is a low ankle sprain and shouldn’t keep him out as long as initially feared.
• After the game Sunday, Cox said he’s not allowed to be as aggressive in new DC Jonathan Gannon‘s defensive system as he has been in the past: “Honestly, it’s just not what it’s been. You’ve got to play what’s being called. When you’re so used to playing aggressive the last however many years I’ve been playing, it’s just changed. You can’t be as aggressive.” (Zach Berman)
• Sirianni agreed with Cox that the players need to be allowed to play loosely within the scheme: “We have to call defenses that are going to allow the defenders to challenge more and then our defenders got to challenge more. When someone’s (91%), everyone’s got a piece of that. We’ve just got to be able to challenge more. That’s defensive scheme and playing.” (Berman)

Giants

New York held Carolina’s rushing attack to a team-low 56 yards, and DB Logan Ryan said that Panthers HC Matt Rhule‘s commitment to the run was bulletin board material for the team leading into Sunday’s game.

“I love Matt Rhule to death. He’s a great coach,” Ryan said, via NY Daily News. “But he talked about them establishing their identity and running the ball 33 times to figure out who they are, and they just got to do it next week. They couldn’t establish it against us, so they got to do it next week.”

Ryan said this game was a matter of team pride, and they wanted to go out and prove that they were capable of standing up to the challenge.

“When people say you’re not playing with pride, that’s just inexcusable,” Ryan said. “You shouldn’t even allow that to be questioned. I think today, no matter what was going to happen, we wanted to outscore them personally. I was mad we didn’t beat them – it was 3-2, their offense versus our defense in points. We really wanted to outscore them. It just came out of pride and kind of the way you do it.”

Giants DL Leonard Williams said that the team had a little extra focus this week leading up to the game, and they placed a heavy emphasis on finishing tackles.

“I think it was more just pointing it out and more emphasis on it in practice,” William said. “Even when we’re not in full pads and there’s not much contact in practice, it’s more like making sure your feet and your body are in a good position to make the tackle. I think just overall the focus on that was hyped up this week.”

• The Giants announced S Jabril Peppers has both a knee and ankle injury. (Ryan Dunleavy)

Washington

• NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reports Washington third-round WR Dyami Brown‘s knee injury isn’t believed to be serious. The team will give him this week off but doesn’t think there are structural issues with his knee. 
• Washington HC Ron Rivera said QB Ryan Fitzpatrick will get another MRI in two weeks and be reassessed then. (Jonathan Jones)