NFC Notes: Sam Howell, D’Andre Swift, Commanders, Eagles, Giants

Commanders

In his second career start and first as the full-time starter in 2023, Commanders QB Sam Howell secured a win, which is the most important thing. But there’s a ton to clean up from a game against a Cardinals squad that was expected to be the worst in the NFL this year. Howell turned the ball over twice and took six sacks. That number wasn’t reflective of the quality of protection he was getting from his offensive line, either. 

“Yeah, I mean I’m always gonna err on it was my fault just because I think I could’ve done a better job,” Howell said via USA Today’s Bryan Manning. “I mean, there were some of ’em where I just ran out of bounds at like a yard or two behind the line of scrimmage which is just dumb. You know, just throw the ball away.  And you know, obviously the strip sack for the touchdown, that was on me. I was just trying to do too much, especially down there backed up. Don’t try to reverse out and spin out of it. Just be smart.”

Eagles

Eagles HC Nick Sirianni noted that the team has to do a better job getting the ball to RB D’Andre Swift, who had just one carry and one catch in Week 1 against the Patriots.

“Yeah, I think he can play both those roles, no question about it,” Sirianni said, via Pro Football Talk. “He’ll be in that role sometimes where he carries the load for the game, and he’ll be in the role sometimes like he was in last game. Again, we don’t ever want to come out with him only having those many touches. That’s just kind of how the flow went in the game. We had things called for him, but sometimes the ball doesn’t go for him in a certain way. That’s just the way the defense takes it away. Now, you can always get it to him by just handing it off to him, but I see him being able to play any role that he’s in because of the type of back and the skill set that he has.”

• Per Jeff McLane, Eagles S Reed Blankenship (ribs) and RB Kenneth Gainwell (ribs) are trending downward for Week 2 while CB James Bradberry also remains in concussion protocol. He added DT Fletcher Cox (ribs) should be ready to play.
• The Eagles later ruled out Blankenship, Gainwell and Bradberry for Thursday night. 

Giants

Giants DT Dexter Lawrence admitted that New York was embarrassed by the Cowboys in Week 1 but knows the team can’t let the defeat linger too long in their minds. 

“We got embarrassed,” Lawrence said, via Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. “But you’ve got to own it and move on, don’t let it linger. That’s the message that we’re gonna live by. Just go out and execute. Prepare the same this week as we did last week. I thought we had a good week of practice and meetings, so keep preparing the same way and the results will come.”

• According to Pat Leonard of the NY Daily News, Giants CB Amani Oruwariye had to be carted off the field on a backboard during practice in what was described as a scary scene. Oruwariye was taken via ambulance for evaluation. 
• NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo reports Oruwariye’s evaluation and testing for a neck injury cleared him to return to the team facility.