NFC East

A fan who ran onto the field with the Philadelphia Eagles prior to Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys has been banned from Lincoln Financial Field.

Per John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia, the fan is also being charged, and the NFL has opened an investigation into the situation.

The fan somehow got into the tunnel leading onto the field and ran with the Eagles before security was able to remove him.

Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer noted some Eagles players must have thought the fan was supposed to be there, as Jason Kelce and others gave him low-fives in the lineup.

According to Rob Tornoe of the Philadelphia Inquirer, it's unclear if the fan is a season-ticket holder.

Per Lincoln Financial Field's website, anyone who violates the fan code of conduct is subject to ejection from the stadium, arrest or having their ticket and/or parking privileges revoked.

There have been a number of incidents involving fans running onto the field during football games this season.

One day before the Cowboys-Eagles game, a fan who ran onto the field during the Auburn-Mississippi matchup at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium was tackled by security and a Highway Patrol officer.

Los Angeles Rams linebacker Bobby Wagner tackled a fan who stormed the field during a game against the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 3.

The Eagles went on to defeat the Cowboys 26-17, improving their record to 6-0 this season.

Philadelphia Eagles starting linebacker Kyzir White is being sued for allegedly causing a serious car crash in Los Angeles in 2021, according to TMZ Sports.

Christopher Merced, who filed the suit on Tuesday, alleges that White crashed into his 2019 Chevrolet Silverado on Interstate 105 on Sept. 3, 2021. Merced's lawsuit states that traffic had stopped before White, who apparently didn't see the traffic, merged into his lane while driving over 40 mph and collided with him.

Merced said White "did not make any effort to slow down or stop," adding that he believes White was either distracted or impaired. Merced said he suffered serious and permanent injuries because of the crash and he is suing for unspecified damages.

White, who is in his first year in Philadelphia after playing his first four NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, was previously stopped in Orange County, California in 2020 for misdemeanor reckless driving after allegedly speeding at 100 mph and committing an "unsafe turn or lane change" infraction.

White has appeared in all six games for the Eagles with three starts, and he ranks second on the team with 37 total tackles.

It's possible Daniel Snyder's time as the Washington Commanders owner could be drawing to a close.

"I believe there is merit to removing him as owner," Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay told reporters regarding the embattled Snyder.

He added that there may be the required 24 owners around the league willing to vote out Snyder:

"You have to protect the game, you have protect what we're about," Irsay added. "This isn't what we're about."

The Commanders said in a statement that Snyder does not plan to sell the team:

Snyder also sent the following letter to his fellow owners on Tuesday:

"It's an ongoing investigation, when Mary Jo White is done with the investigation, we'll share the report," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters later on Tuesday. "... There’s no reason for speculation until we have [it]."

Irsay also responded to the report from ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr., Seth Wickersham and Tisha Thompson that Snyder believed he had dug up enough dirt to "blow up" a number of powerful figures around the NFL, including Goodell, and had hired private investigators to do so.

Snyder had also reportedly categorized the NFL as "a mafia" to an associate, per ESPN's report, and said that "all the owners hate each other."

"That's not true," a veteran owner countered in the report. "All the owners hate Dan."

One of the figures Snyder reportedly had investigated was Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who was singing a far different tune than Irsay before Tuesday's owner meetings.

"No, I don't think that'll be something discussed," he told reporters regarding Snyder's situation. "That's more a media thing than it is an internal thing. No, I don't think that'll be a highlighted item at all."

There have been conflicting reports regarding where Jones—one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful of the NFL owners—stands with Snyder. ESPN's report noted that "Jones recently told confidants that he 'might not be able' to protect Snyder any longer."

"Snyder's already lost Jerry," a senior executive close to Jones added in that report.

Snyder, through his attorneys and team spokespeople, has denied having his fellow owners investigated.

Snyder, 57, is currently being investigated by the House Reform and Oversight Committee for his organization's alleged history of sexual harassment, misconduct and workplace toxicity, along with a separate investigation into potential financial improprieties.

The NFL had previously investigated the organization's workplace culture, fining Washington $10 million in 2021, though they didn't make the findings of that investigation public.

But the Commanders have remained a source of turmoil and bad publicity for the NFL, and it appears there is a growing push to have Snyder removed from the league. The fact that Irsay was willing to publicly say as much is telling.

A lawyer representing former Washington Commanders employees sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell alleging the league violated confidentiality agreements with women who testified in the investigation into the Commanders' workplace culture.

Attorney Lisa Banks said four of her clients were approached by private investigators believed to have been hired by Commanders owner Dan Snyder after the NFL shared information on the investigation with the organization, per Don Van Natta Jr. and Seth Wickersham of ESPN.

A previous ESPN report, which is cited by Banks in her letter, said attorneys hired by the Commanders enlisted private investigators to "harass" former employees who cooperated with the investigation. Snyder is alleged to have compiled an "enemies list" from information obtained by the NFL investigation.

"If true, this was in clear violation of a very specific promise the NFL made to our clients, through Ms. Wilkinson and her team, that witness names would be kept confidential and not shared with Mr. Snyder or the Washington Commanders," Banks wrote.

"If true, the 'tip sheet' allegation is not only morally reprehensible, but it also provides the basis for us to take legal action against the NFL, which we will do given the serious harm caused to our clients by their reliance on the NFL's promises."

A Commanders spokesperson later released a statement in response to Banks’ letter:

“Neither the Team nor Mr. Snyder was ever advised by the NFL, Ms. Wilkinson, or anyone else, about the progress of the investigation, or who had been interviewed in connection with it -- either during the investigation or afterwards. Even now, the team and Mr. Snyder have not received any information from the NFL or Ms. Wilkinson on these matters. ESPN was advised of this fact before they ran their story last week, but proceeded to go forward with the story, based on their discussions with 'unnamed sources.' The story was false last week, and it is false today.”

The NFL fined the Commanders $10 million and Snyder relinquished day-to-day control over the franchise after an investigation found he presided over a toxic work environment that included sexual harassment of female employees, bullying and other forms of intimidation.

No formal report was ever made public. Instead, Goodell had investigator Beth Wilkinson give an oral presentation of her findings to him, and then he levied the punishment. Wilkinson has not expounded on her investigation beyond her meeting with Goodell.

In a Congressional hearing on the matter, Goodell said he preferred the oral report because it allowed people who cooperated with the investigation to maintain anonymity.

"We determined that a comprehensive oral briefing would best allow us to receive the information necessary both to evaluate the workplace as it was, and to ensure that the team put in place the policies and processes to reform that workplace—all while preserving the confidentiality of those who participated in the investigation," Goodell said in June.

The NFL and the Commanders had a "common interest agreement" to share information throughout Wilkinson's investigation. Banks said the agreement was highly unusual, and her clients began facing harassment almost immediately after the NFL took over the investigation.

The attorney also alleged that one team employee who cooperated was fired after the NFL privately released a witness list.

The Dallas Cowboys do not expect Dak Prescott to have any restrictions when he returns from a fractured thumb, owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday.

"I think he's gonna get there," Jones said on Shan and RJ (7:45 mark). "We feel, physically, he's at a position that the risk-reward justifies him being out there in terms of any recurrence of the injury. ... It's a question of him getting ready, and he's gonna be given every opportunity this week.

"He had a very impressive throwing session before the game in Philadelphia. Ball placement, throw the ball, strength, spin, zip, really the whole repertoire of being able to throw that football. ... I don't think there will be any limitations."

Prescott is expected to receive clearance for a full return to practice this week. He practiced on a limited basis late last week and was listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles, but Cooper Rush started as expected.

Rush helped lead the Cowboys to a 4-1 record as a starter in Prescott's stead, serving as a steady game manager as the Dallas defense did the bulk of the work. He threw for 1,020 yards and five touchdowns against three interceptions, with all three picks coming in the road loss to Philadelphia.

While some inexplicably called for Rush to remain the starter even after Prescott was healthy, the Cowboys never seemed to give that serious consideration. Prescott is the unquestioned franchise quarterback in the second year of a four-year, $160 million contract.

The Cowboys can find comfort in knowing Rush is a capable long-term backup, but their offense should return to being one of the best once Prescott is 100 percent.

"Sky's the limit," wide receiver CeeDee Lamb told reporters Sunday of his expectations when Prescott returns. "The offense is very good, and everyone knows this. When we get him back, we're going to show everybody."

Opposing teams are reportedly hopeful that the New York Giants make wide receiver Kadarius Toney available ahead of the Nov. 1 trade deadline.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported teams "wouldn't be surprised" if the Giants look to move on from their oft-injured 2021 first-round pick.

Fowler also noted that rival executives "wouldn't be surprised" if New York explored a move at wide receiver, even if it doesn't involve Toney, because of their lack of depth and production at the position.

Toney has logged just two receptions for zero yards this season. He has not played a snap since Week 2's win over the Carolina Panthers because of a hamstring injury that has lingered since the preseason.

The Florida product's NFL career has been riddled with injuries, limiting him to just 12 games played—and limited action at that. In the rare times he's been on the field, Toney has flashed bursts of speed as a dynamic playmaker in the slot and out of the backfield.

The problem is the Giants haven't been able to rely on him to stay healthy, and he's had plenty of red flags behind the scenes.

Perhaps the NFL's most surprising team through the first six weeks, the Giants desperately need help on an offense that's been propped up by the brilliance of Saquon Barkley. A healthy and engaged Toney is the exact type of player who could infuse life into the Giants' receiving corps, but it's possible the situation has reached a point of no return.

Toney and Kenny Golladay have been intermittently hurt or in the doghouse for most of the past two years, and the team may decide to move on and make a blockbuster move at the position elsewhere.

Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz is set to miss around a month of action, if not more, after suffering a fractured ring finger.

With Wentz out, Taylor Heinecke is the next man up on the Commanders' depth chart.

The 29-year-old played in 16 games (15 starts) in 2021 for Washington. He completed 65 percent of his passes for 20 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and 3,419 yards (6.9 yards per attempt). He also rushed for 313 yards and one score.

Per Pro Football Reference, Heinecke finished last year ranked 25th out of 33 qualifiers in quarterback rating and 24th in ESPN's QBR metric. He was 22nd in both Football Outsiders' DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) and DYAR (defense-adjusted yards above replacement) stats.

The Old Dominion product's best career game occurred in the 2020 NFC Wild Card Round against the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He completed 26-of-44 passes for 309 yards and one touchdown (one interception). He also rushed for 46 yards and one more score.

Heinecke's rushing ability makes him a decent enough option as a backup quarterback or fringe option in two-quarterback leagues. He's shown enough with his arm as well to make rosters as a backup.

His rankings are a drop down from Wentz's 2021 work with the Indianapolis Colts (13th in quarterback rating, 10th in QBR, 16th in both Football Outsiders' DVOA and DYAR), but Heinecke wasn't necessarily a hindrance for Washington skill-position players to produce.

McLaurin caught 77 passes for 1,053 yards and five touchdowns last year, and he has a somewhat disappointing 22/367/1 stat line this year. According to FantasyPros, he finished 29th among all wideouts (10-game minimum) in fantasy points per game in point-per-reception leagues. His 130 targets were 13th-most in the NFL among wideouts.

Gibson rushed for 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns on 258 carries last year. He also caught 42 passes for 294 yards and three scores. He scored the 17th-most points per game among all running backs in PPR leagues last year, per FantasyPros.

This year, however, he has lost his starting role to rookie Brian Robinson, who has rushed 26 times for 82 yards and a score in two games. He's a strong flex candidate with legitimate RB2 upside.

McLaurin, meanwhile, is still a flex option. Gibson is more of an RB4 unless he regains his starting gig back from Robinson.

It's hard to trust anyone else on the Washington side, though. Curtis Samuel has 50 targets though six games and 34 catches for 287 yards and two scores, though showed far more chemistry with Wentz under center than he ever did with Heinecke last season. Keep him in consideration for your flex, but don't be surprised if Wentz's injury hurts his fantasy stock.

Jahan Dotson has cooled off after a hot start, catching 12 passes for 122 yards and four scores. He's on the flex radar as well, though his touchdown reliance thus far in the season likely isn't sustainable.

Logan Thomas was Washington's top tight end last year and fared well in limited action (18 catches, 196 yards, three touchdowns in six games), but hamstring and knee injuries forced him out of action. He started the season on the physically unable to perform list due to the knee injury and in four games has 13 receptions for 106 yards and a score.

In sum, there are probably no players on this roster who are unquestionable starters, with McLaurin and Robinson likely being the most reliable going forward. Heinecke is fine enough as a backup, and everyone else is difficult to trust for one reason or another.

Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz underwent successful surgery on his finger injury Monday and is expected to make a full recovery.

While the team did not announce a timeline, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported Wentz's doctor provided a four-week recovery timetable:

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo previously reported Wentz was expected to miss the next four to six weeks with the injury.

As a result of the potential recovery timeline, the Commanders reportedly are considering placing Wentz on injured reserve, which would require him to miss at least four games.

Wentz's injury opens the door for Taylor Heinicke to run the offense, and the change may not be much of a downgrade to the offense.

Heinicke was serviceable as the starter in 2021, throwing for 3,419 yards, 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He ranked 23rd in QBR (45.8), per ESPN.com, which is better than Wentz's current position (27th; 34.1).

The MMQB's Albert Breer speculated Heinicke's ascension "will open up the playbook for the offensive staff" because of the continuity he carries over from last year.

Amid a 2-4 start, Washington could decide to put its short-term fortunes aside to give fifth-round draft pick Sam Howell an extended look instead. Qualifying for the postseason is already going to be an uphill climb, so why not see whether Howell is worthy of QB1 status.

Regardless of whether it's Heinicke or Howell under center, it's not a stretch to say fans might have seen the last of Wentz as the Commanders' starter.

Washington can easily move on from him in the offseason since none of his $26.2 million salary hit will count against the cap if he's cut. The franchise has a vested interest in limiting his usage before then as well.

If things are going well with Heinicke, then head coach Ron Rivera can point to that as a reason to keep Wentz on the bench once he's healthy enough to play again. If the season continues going off the rails, then Rivera could plausibly argue there's no harm in playing Howell and looking toward next year.

Either way, Wentz's injury may have hastened the inevitable.

If there was ever going to be a quarterback controversy for the Dallas Cowboys, it would have come after Cooper Rush pushed his record as a starter this season to 5-0 with a victory over the league's only undefeated team.

So much for that.

The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Cowboys 26-17 in Sunday's NFC East showdown and improved to 6-0 in the process. Dallas fell to 4-2 in a strong division that also features the 5-1 New York Giants.

While Rush deserves plenty of credit for keeping his team afloat with four straight wins after Dak Prescott suffered a fractured thumb that required surgery in a Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the magic ran out under the Sunday Night Football spotlight.

He finished 18-of-38 for 181 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions, and social media didn't hesitate to put an end to any starting quarterback debate with Prescott approaching a return:

To Rush's credit, he overcame an abysmal first half to help the visitors climb back into the game after falling behind 20-0. His touchdown pass to Jake Ferguson in the fourth quarter helped cut the deficit to a mere three points and brought a concerned hush over the Philadelphia crowd.

Yet the Eagles responded with a 13-play, 75-yard drive that Jalen Hurts capped off with a touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith before Rush threw Dallas' chances at a comeback away with his third interception overall and second pick to C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

Next up for the Cowboys is a home game against the Detroit Lions, which may be when Prescott returns to the field and reclaims his unquestioned spot as the team's starting quarterback.