NFC Notes: Jerry Jones, Saquon Barkley, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

Cowboys

When appearing on the Cowboys’ flagship radio station, 105.3 The Fan, owner Jerry Jones was questioned about the mistakes they’ve made with the roster following Week 6’s disastrous 47-9 loss to the Lions. Jones took offense to some of the questions and threatened to fire the radio hosts. 

“This is not your job. Your job isn’t to let me go over all the reasons that I did something and I’m sorry that I did it. That’s not your job. I’ll get somebody else to ask these questions. I’m not kidding. You’re not going to figure it out what the team is doing right or wrong. If you are, or any five or 10 like you, you need to come to this (NFL) meeting I’m going to today with 32 teams here, you’re geniuses,” Jones said, via Jon Machota. “You really think you’re gonna sit here with a microphone and tell me all of the things that I’ve done wrong without going over the rights? Listen, we both know we’re talking to a lot of great fans, a lot of great listeners. And I’m very sorry for what happened out there Sunday. I’m sick about what happened Sunday... One of the stupidest things I’ve ever done, that anybody had ever analyzed was buy the Cowboys. It was an idiot that did that. So idiot things can turn into good decisions. Smart things can turn into bad decisions. The facts are when you make one, you don’t really know if it’s going to be good or not at the time. You want some conversation this morning, you’re getting it.”

Jones later explained in a different interview at the league owners meetings that it was jarring to be “grilled” by a radio station he pays. 

“I don’t know that I would go as far as (calling) the volume connotation as yelling,” Jones said, via Dianna Russini and Jon Machota of The Athletic. “OK? But the facts are that if I’m going to be grilled by the tribunal, I don’t need it to be by the guys I’m paying. I can take it from fans and take it from other people. I take a lot of pride in how fair and how much I try to work with the media, we’re brothers and sisters. But I was a little frustrated there today. We got in there as of accounting for decisions made in the offseason. OK? They might as well gone back to decisions made in 2010. My point is, and that’s from my perspective, there’s no question, I’m sure that they would have liked to have grilled me like the fans are thinking, what are you going to do about that? I get it. I get all of that. And really will go along with it.”

Jones feels the wrong people were asking him questions on 105.3 The Fan. 

“The wrong ones were doing the questioning. Now, if those had been real fans sitting there or if there had been people that knew what they were talking about, football people, I might have had a different answer.”

Jones said they have no plans on making changes from HC Mike McCarthy or any of his coordinators. 

“Of course,” Jones said. “Not even a distant thought about that. But the game is repetition. We clearly know what we did wrong. You can see that. The same guys that did it wrong have done it right many times over these past few months. So I know they can go out there and get it right.”

Eagles

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley is set to square off against his former team in Week 7 against the Giants. Barkley doesn’t expect to be booed by the fans at MetLife Stadium. 

“I don’t expect a great reaction. I don’t expect to be booed,” Barkley said, via . “I look at it like this: The Philadelphia Eagles and New York Football Giants probably played in over 200 games. This rivalry was there before me, and it’s going to be there after me.”

Barkley reiterated he doesn’t expect a big re-entrance to New York and feels that part of his life is over. 

“Maybe I’m naive, but I think it’s over. That chapter’s closed,” Barkley said. “I truly don’t care no more, and I’m pretty sure fans don’t care no more.”

• According to Jeff McLane, Eagles TE Dallas Goedert (hamstring) could miss a few weeks while CB Darius Slay (knee) trending toward playing in Week 7. 

Giants

• Art Stapleton, citing a source with knowledge of the situation, reports Giants first-round WR Malik Nabers (concussion) was a non-contact participant in Wednesday’s practice and is on track to return. 
• Giants HC Brian Daboll said Nabers has made “progress” and they are “optimistic” about him getting through the concussion protocol, per Jordan Raanan. 
• The Giants lost OT Andrew Thomas for the rest of the season after suffering a foot injury. Daboll said they plan on slotting in Joshua Ezeudu at left tackle and Jermaine Eluemunor at right tackle, while Evan Neal will primarily work at right tackle, via Dan Duggan. 
• Daboll said P Jamie Gillan did not practice on Wednesday and they won’t be activating K Graham Gano from injured reserve this week, via Duggan.