NFC Notes: Marshon Lattimore, Cooper Rush, Commanders, Cowboys, Giants

Commanders

Washington CB Marshon Lattimore made his team debut after being traded while recovering from a hamstring injury. Commanders HC Dan Quinn reviewed his debut and talked about how the clean stat sheet signifies a strong day for Lattimore. 

“That is absolutely it…” Quinn said, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “And so, through my experience when there’s less attention going to you that is a sign that you’ve had a really good game. And sometimes that can even flip to go the other way, where there’s some more production to another player. But [CB] Mike (Sainristil) had a good PBU and an interception. So, those things happen in some games where there’s less targets that go to a particular person, sometimes that also changes when you match and put on a certain player. But in this instance less on the stat sheet from the passing game standpoint, that is a clear signal of a really good game.”

Cowboys

Despite being the first underdog to the Panthers all season, the Cowboys dominated and have won three of their last four after falling to 3-7. Dallas QB Cooper Rush cited HC Mike McCarthy and the team’s culture as why they’ve fought so hard despite the constant adversity faced this season. 

“It’s just who we are, a bunch of guys that love to compete, a lot of winners on this team, a lot of wins over the last few years with coach McCarthy and these core players,” Rush said, via SI.com’s Albert Breer. “There’s a culture there—you’re going to go out there and play your butt off and compete no matter what.”

“It’s just more who he is—it’s just been the attitude the last couple of years. He does a great job having a pulse of the team, keeping guys together, keeping us together in the locker room and creating that culture that no matter who we’re playing, what we’re doing. If you’re out there, you’re competing your butt off. He has us well prepared.”

Giants

• Giants HC Brian Daboll on his mindset amidst people calling for his job: “Yeah, just control what we can control. Get ready to play a game this week.” (Josh Alper)
• Per Ian O’Connor, the Giants loved Commanders GM Adam Peters before hiring GM Joe Schoen. 
• O’Connor also mentioned Chargers GM Joe Hortiz would have hired HC Jim Harbaugh in New York but the Giants thought Hortiz was “a bit nervous in his interview.”