NFC Notes: Jayden Daniels, Mike McCarthy, Commanders, Cowboys, Giants

Commanders

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels has had his first struggles in the NFL after taking the league by storm to begin his career. Daniels spoke on adjusting to the longer season but isn’t ready to say he’s hit a rookie wall.

“I mean, I don’t know,” Daniels said, via Grant Gordon of NFL.com. “Obviously, it’s longer, so it’s different. It’s just stuff getting used to, like usually right now in college, the season’s about [to] end. Our season, it’s just starting, somewhere like the second half of the season. So, I mean, that’s different, but I don’t really know the definition of a rookie wall. I just know that NFL season is longer [than] college.”

• Commanders HC Dan Quinn said CB Marshon Lattimore is close to playing and didn’t yet rule him out for Week 13. (Nicki Jhabvala)

Cowboys

Dallas moved to 4-7 after a road divisional win against the Commanders in Week 12 despite having several regulars out. Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy discussed how big the win was for their locker room and shifted his focus to next week against the Giants.

“Oh, we needed it. It’s been frustrating, no doubt,” McCarthy said, via ESPN’s Todd Archer. “I think everybody in our circle has been very accountable for it. But I think you’re getting a look at who we are. Just a tremendous fight. They fought from the time that ball was kicked off at the beginning all the way down to the end. That’s what this team is about. Hopefully, we can continue to get healthy.

“And we got to win this next one. That was a division game. That was a big win for us. We got another one right around the corner here. Nice to get some wins, get some momentum.”

• ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler are split on whether the Cowboys could be a potential landing spot for former Patriots HC Bill Belichick. Graziano doesn’t buy he’d be a fit in Dallas under owner/GM Jerry Jones, while Fowler points out Belichick has a strong relationship with the Jones family and appreciates Dallas’ NFL brand. 
• Fowler adds Belichick is open to giving up some control with personnel in his next job. Graziano counters he’ll believe it when he sees it.
• Jones believes it’s “more than likely” that DE DeMarcus Lawrence will return next week against the Bengals. (Josh Tolentino)
• Jones also expects WR CeeDee Lamb to be ready to go next week with his shoulder injury. (Tolentino)

Giants

• Per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, Giants DT Dexter Lawrence said he dislocated his left elbow during the Thanksgiving game against the Cowboys. 
• Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes New York HC Brian Daboll isn’t worried about his job security after falling to 2-10 on Thursday against Dallas. 
• Daboll on who will start at quarterback next week: “We’ll see where we’re at. We’ll see where Tommy’s at. We’ll see where Drew’s at. … We’ll evaluate the two games that both of those guys played.” (Ralph Vacchiano)