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The criticism mounts for Brian Schottenheimer as the Cowboys keep finding ways to lose
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- The criticism mounts for Brian Schottenheimer as the Cowboys keep finding ways to lose
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Owner Jerry Jones and quarterback Dak Prescott tried to shield coach Brian Schottenheimer from mounting criticism after the Dallas Cowboys again failed to put together consecutive victories.
The latest loss was the most crushing of Schottenheimer's season-plus in charge, since the Cowboys matched the biggest blown fourth-quarter lead in franchise history at 14 points in Arizona's 33-30 overtime victory , according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
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Questions about Schottenheimer's job security had already come up this season. Now, they've lost to backup quarterbacks twice — Gardner Minshew's huge rally for the Cardinals coming after the previous home loss was against undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels for then-winless Tampa Bay in his second career start.
Dallas (3-5), which visits Indianapolis (2-6) on Sunday, has lost because of poor performances from a defense that can't seem to figure things out. There was a defeat directly tied to Schottenheimer's questionable game management in the final seconds.
Put it together, and the Cowboys have had a winning record after just one of 25 weeks under Schottenheimer, whose only winning streak was a three-game run last November.
"I will say that a lot of people let Brian down today," Jones said when asked why he still had confidence in his ninth head coach in 37 years as owner and general manager. "And so for whatever criticism we want to have of Brian, we can all get in line."
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Prescott would count himself among those who let the coach down with a supposedly high-powered offense that has sputtered in all three losses during the current four-game stretch. The 11th-year starter bristled when asked about Schottenheimer after the game.
"Don't put the blame on one person," Prescott said. "I think that's weak. I think that's cowardly. This game is about all 11 that touch the field and every person that has a part in it, coaches and support staff. It's never just one person's fault. Even if I go out there and throw a bunch of interceptions, it's never just truly one person's fault."
Jones traded star pass rusher Micah Parsons a week before Schottenheimer's first game last season, but has since made several moves to try to bolster the roster, especially on defense.
That included last year's trade for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams that cost Dallas one of the two first-round draft picks from the Parsons deal. The Cowboys gave up a 2028 second-round pick to get cornerback Joey Porter Jr. this season.
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Wade Phillips is the only coach Jones fired midseason. The Cowboys were 1-7 and had just been embarrassed on national TV in Green Bay when Phillips was let go in 2010. Jason Garrett coached most of the next decade.
"I made a change, and I don't want to mention it, because I'm not proud of it," Jones said. "But I made the change with Wade Phillips there in the middle of the season. And I don't see that here."
What's working
The defense was working, for most of three quarters — and that was after a strong second half in a win at Philadelphia the previous week. Then Tyler Allgeier ripped off a 63-yard touchdown run, and a 52-yarder on Arizona's next offensive play.
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Minshew threw for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the last to cap an 80-yard drive in just 63 seconds. The only reason the Cardinals didn't win in regulation was because Chad Ryland missed the PAT with 6 seconds to go. A Dallas defense that is among the worst in the NFL suddenly looked the part again.
"We have to see what exactly went wrong, but it's just — it can't happen," said linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, who forced a fumble for one of Dallas' season-high two takeaways. "It just can't happen."
What needs help
The Cowboys have to get better at finding WR George Pickens. He's not even close to his numbers from a breakout 2025 season. He barely stayed on the field long enough to see Ryland's winning field goal go through the uprights before jogging past fans in a field-level club on his way to the locker room.
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Stock up
Shemar James Sr. seems to be entrenched now as the starting middle linebacker and the defense's primary communicator. He played all but three snaps and had his first career interception.
Stock down
The inconsistency isn't limited to the defense. The offensive line was terrible a week after the Cowboys rushed for a season-high 204 yards. Dallas averaged 2.4 yards per carry and allowed four sacks, both season worsts.
Injuries
Safeties Caleb Downs, the rookie first-round pick, and P.J. Locke are in concussion protocol. Edge rusher Malachi Lawrence has an ankle injury that Schottenheimer says is more serious than those of Porter and Jake Ferguson, the tight end who left early against Arizona and didn't return. Porter's ankle injury is limiting his snaps when the Cowboys need him on the field.
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Key number
191-0 — Dallas' record at home before Sunday when leading by at least 14 points in the fourth quarter since 1991, according to Sportradar. That included the playoffs.
Next steps
It doesn't seem to matter that three of the next four opponents will have losing records regardless of what happens before they meet the Cowboys. Dallas keeps finding new ways to lose.
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