Commanders

Commanders WR Antonio Williams has 18 receptions on 26 targets for 205 yards and one touchdown so far this season after being a third-round pick in this year’s draft. Washington OC David Blough said Williams has been “very consistent” since he arrived, and the team is excited about his development. 

“He’s been very consistent since he’s been here,” Blough said, via Zach Selby of the team’s site. “We saw it on the tape. You see some of the ball skills that show up in the game. And so, as we continue to grow here, we’re excited about his progression as we go down the road here.”

Commanders QB Jayden Daniels reflected on Williams’ touchdown reception against the Eagles in Week 1, when the receiver plucked the ball before it hit the ground. 

“Antonio made a hell of a grab,” Daniels said. “I am super happy for him and the work that he put in. In the biggest moments, guys make plays like that. He showed us all the work that he put in, and the type of player that he is, and how they scouted him throughout the draft. Super excited to continue to build him for the future.”

Williams said he’s focused on becoming the “best version of myself” and beating expectations. 

“I’m going to put my head down every day and put in all the work and be the best version of myself, and hopefully that’s more than they expect from me,” Williams said.

Cowboys

The Cowboys ran for 204 yards in their 38-21 win over the Eagles on Monday. Dallas owner Jerry Jones said their goal is to “establish the run” and to stick with it going forward. 

“Our whole thing here is to establish the run,” Jones said, via 105.3 The Fan. “We’ve got to stick with this run.”

Eagles

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley finished with 62 yards and a touchdown on just seven carries in Week 7’s loss to the Cowboys. Philadelphia HC Nick Sirianni pointed out that Barkley was on an obvious pitch count after recovering from a hamstring injury. 

“Obviously, you saw that he was on a pitch count out there today,” Sirianni said, via ProFootballTalk. “There was constant communication to see how he was feeling, see where he was, and obviously, he came out early in the second half. Again, when you go into something like that, you make sure that the player’s health is first and foremost. Is he ready to go? Do they feel ready to go? Do the doctors and trainers feel like they’re ready to go? We felt like that was the case today, but obviously wanted to keep a close eye on him, and he’s tough as heck. He wanted to be out there for his teammates, probably had to slow him [down] as far as — he’d be out there every play because of the person he is and the teammate he is and the player he is and the toughness that he has. So, we tried to be smart with him there, but it was good to have him back out there. He obviously had a nice game and was very productive when he touched the football.”

Barkley visibly throttled back on his first carry to avoid sprinting at full speed. Sirianni reflected on the play, saying the running back did well to protect himself and he normally would separate from defenders in that situation. 

“He obviously got out of there on that and did a good job of protecting himself,” Sirianni said. “I think that’s a play that, normally with Saquon, you see him break out of that and it’s hard to catch him in those situations. I mean, you change as you go. Obviously, I think he probably played a little less than what we initially thought. He definitely played a little less than what we initially thought. But like I said, he’s tough as heck and it’s good to have him back out there, just to have his presence out there and then his playmaking ability.”