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Schottenheimer Sees Hope In Cowboys Defense Despite Struggles
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- Schottenheimer Sees Hope In Cowboys Defense Despite Struggles
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Brian Schottenheimer is not looking at the bad stats and calling it a day. He is looking at the players getting healthy and seeing a real turnaround coming. The Dallas defense ranks dead-last against the run, which is a hard pill to swallow for fans who want to see the best unit in the league. Sports Illustrated reports that the unit holds the 24th position for points allowed per game and the 20th spot in pass defense. These numbers look ugly on a sheet of paper, but the coach sees something different.
Health Changes The Whole Game
The excitement from the coach comes from a simple fact: players are finally back on the field. Schottenheimer told 105.3 The Fan that he felt great about DeMarvion Overshown returning to the lineup. "You felt (DeMarvion Overshown) coming back, I thought that was great," Schotty said on 105.3 The Fan. Injuries have decimated the defense at nearly every position for several weeks. Along the defensive line, at linebacker, cornerback, and safety, Dallas has lacked players. Jonathan Bullard has missed every game except three during this season. When you lose that many bodies, the system breaks down.
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Schottenheimer believes the return of these key pieces is the main reason for the optimism. "I think getting healthy is a big part of it," Schotty said. The edge rushers managed to stay healthy, which helps, but the rest of the group was depleted. Now that bodies are returning, the unit should look much sharper. "We're getting bodies back and that's huge for us," he added. This is not just hope; it is a shift in the roster reality.
Proof From The Last Game
There is some proof that the defense can stop a team when it is not fighting through a list of injuries. In Week 7, the Cowboys allowed 21 points to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys' second-lowest single-game point total this season was 21, which they surrendered to the Eagles. Quarterback Jalen Hurts was unavailable to the Eagles. They also did not have the services of top-two receivers DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks. Against the Cowboys, Saquon Barkley was not healthy and fluctuated in and out of the game. Even with a weakened opponent, holding them to 21 points shows the defense has a floor.
Schottenheimer summed up the mood on Saturday by focusing on the future health of the group. "Overall, I think the health of this defense is what's getting us really excited," he added. The team faces the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Nov. 1, at AT&T Stadium. If the health trend continues, the Cardinals will face a very different defense than the one that struggled earlier in the month. The numbers are bad now, but the roster is getting stronger by the day.
