Schottenheimer is a noted offensive coach and currently is not only the head coach, but the offensive play caller. Schottenheimer\u2019s presence has been met with open arms.<\/p>\n
Why not?<\/p>\n
Cowboys<\/p>\n
By signing up, you agree to our\u00a0Terms of Service<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Privacy Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n What\u2019s currently occurring with this defense can best be described as inconsistency. Injuries, scheme, poor play are just surface reasons why the Cowboys rank 31st in total defense<\/a>.<\/p>\n Schottenheimer is providing another set of eyes for the players and coaches with the hope that something will change. <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s always beneficial when you can get that,\u201d defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus said Thursday. \u201cIf it was Frank Reich in there or any offensive guy you\u2019ve been with.\u201d <\/p>\n Reich was Eberflus\u2019 head coach when he was the defensive coordinator in Indianapolis. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really beneficial because you could see it through the offensive coordinator\u2019s eyes,\u201d Eberflus said. \u201cIt gives insight, not only in a meeting, in a defensive meeting or a unit meeting, but also, us just talking in the office together. So I think that\u2019s really important to really soak that in.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2022, Schottenheimer was a consultant under former Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy. Schottenheimer\u2019s duties were to provide the defense with what he was seeing from an offensive standpoint.<\/p>\n One example of Schottenheimer\u2019s help is telling the defensive coaches what he would call based on a certain alignment he sees at the line of scrimmage. If the offensive alignment changes based on a player in motion, then if the defense changed its alignment, he would provide his own comments on what he would do.<\/p>\n Schottenheimer admitted when he was an offensive coordinator in Seattle and with the New York Jets, former coaches Pete Carroll and Rex Ryan would sit in on his meetings when things were going poorly.<\/p>\n It upset him. <\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t like it,\u201d Schottenheimer said. \u201cMyself personally, I took it personal. Like, \u2018Why are you in my meeting? Hey, Pete, get out of my meeting. I don\u2019t want you in my meeting, Pete.\u2019 \u2018Hey, Rex, why are you in my meeting? Get out.\u2019 Flus hasn\u2019t been like that at all. And he\u2019s been very open to some of the thoughts and again, he\u2019s leaning on the staff and again, it\u2019s a good plan. Like I said, there will be changes. And some bigger than others. But the change is not necessarily what makes this thing go.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the issues with the Cowboys is health. Both starting safeties have missed games<\/a> with injuries and one of their backups was knocked out of a game last week in a loss to Denver. The linebacker position is missing Jack Sanborn with a groin injury and has dealt with inconsistencies overall. <\/p>\n The pass rushers don\u2019t have one of the best in the game in Micah Parsons, who was named NFC\u2019s Defensive Player of the Month for his performances in October. What\u2019s left of the group hasn\u2019t produced enough to shake quarterbacks or help the secondary make plays on the ball.<\/p>\n The Cowboys\u2019 best cornerback, Trevon Diggs, is on injured reserve with a knee injury and a concussion. <\/a><\/p>\n Also, the scheme, zone-heavy in the first month of the season, is buffering on consistency and after Diggs and DaRon Bland asked to play more man-to-man coverage, Eberflus obliged. <\/p>\n Eberflus and Schottenheimer offer no excuses for the issues. <\/p>\n After a win over Washington, where the Cowboys compiled four sacks and held their opponent to 205 yards passing, there were slipups in Denver. <\/p>\n The Broncos\u2019 44-24 win was fueled by 426 yards of total offense, 179 rushing, and 63% conversions on third down. Quarterback Bo Nix wasn\u2019t sacked and was hit once.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, sat in here last week, I thought guys were moving in the right direction,\u201d Eberflus said. \u201cThey didn\u2019t play as well as we went into it and we accept responsibility, accountability for that.\u201d<\/p>\n So now a defense that\u2019s gone through all sorts of changes in the offseason with the personnel and scheme seeks fixes that might not work against the Cardinals.<\/p>\n Schottenheimer isn\u2019t coming across as a savior to the defense, but as a person offering solutions to the problems. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good, just got another ear in there just listening to everything,\u201d defensive tackle Kenny Clark said. \u201cIf he got an idea or something that he might see that offenses are trying to attack us in, he\u2019s going to let us know that. It\u2019s cool having him in there.\u201d<\/p>\n Twitter\/X: <\/b>@calvinwatkins<\/a><\/p>\n Murray, an Allen product, has missed Arizona\u2019s last two games due to injury.<\/p>\n Diggs returned to the practice field on Thursday for the first time since an undisclosed accident on Oct. 16.<\/p>\n Jones was the subject of a WSJ story that drew significant reaction on social media earlier in the week.<\/p>\n![\"Arizona](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ATPBXSYKBBEY5IKF4AIE2TZ2TU.jpg\")
<\/a>Kyler Murray (foot) limited in Thursday\u2019s practice ahead of Cowboys-Cardinals<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Dallas](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/EZ4XWUIVGRFYPOBPE6VFOXZ57Y.jpg\")
<\/a>Has Trevon Diggs played his last game with Cowboys? Jerry Jones doesn\u2019t think so<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Dallas](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ZH4ZFINHQFA2JLM2CQ4KD44T7E.jpg\")
<\/a>Dak Prescott understands Cowboys fans\u2019 frustration after Jerry Jones\u2019 oil bounty quote<\/a><\/p>\n