NFC Notes: Taylor Heinicke, Commanders, Cowboys, Giants, Saquon Barkley

Commanders QB Taylor Heinicke said he approaches each appearance like it will be his last game. 

“Every time I step onto that football field I feel like it might be my last play, in my last game. So I go out there and just have fun and leave it all out there,” said Heinicke, via CommandersWire.

Heinicke said he spoke to Carson Wentz after being named the team’s starter. 

“We sat down in the locker room and talked for about ten minutes. We have a great relationship. It’s been a great room. He has been helping me out a lot in any way he can. He sees a lot of things I don’t see.”

Cowboys

• Cowboys QB Dak Prescott on his interceptions today, including his game-ending interception in the loss to the Jaguars: “Frustration grows. To end the game on a pick-6, it’s tough, it’s frustrating.” (Jon Machota)
• Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy on the secondary: “I wouldn’t say I’m concerned (with our secondary). I’m more concerned about (our injuries).” (Machota)
• Cowboys CB DaRon Bland is the first Cowboys rookie to record four interceptions since 2003.

Giants

Giants RB Saquon Barkley denied that his declining play is due to injury or a heavy workload, with HC Brian Daboll weighing in on the situation as well.

“I’m just not playing well,” Barkley told Jordan Raanan of ESPN. “Try to make plays. That’s what I feel I have to get back to. Feel like I’ve been lacking the last couple of weeks being the guy making those explosive plays, especially when it matters most. Not cause of being banged up. It’s the truth. I haven’t had a big run in a long time.”

“I think some of the things earlier in the year, too, is we had some good numbers but some of those were from big runs, too,” Daboll said. “So, you look at the type of game you’re playing in, whether you’re behind, whether you’re getting as many touches as you want to get. You look at the play design; you look at all 11 on the same page. I think it’s probably a variety of things. Certainly missing a few big plays out there is one of them.”