‘That’s what we’re going to try to do’ – Brian Schottenheimer reveals Cowboys’ plan to face division rivals early in the season
When Brian Schottenheimer took over the Dallas Cowboys’ head coaching job, he prioritized one thing. In his words, “building a kickass staff.” One area that appeared to be a priority was the offensive line. He brought in former Arizona Cardinals OL coach Klayton Adams as offensive coordinator. To coach the offensive line, he hired one […]
When Brian Schottenheimer took over the Dallas Cowboys’ head coaching job, he prioritized one thing. In his words, “building a kickass staff.”
One area that appeared to be a priority was the offensive line. He brought in former Arizona Cardinals OL coach Klayton Adams as offensive coordinator. To coach the offensive line, he hired one of the most renowned OL coaches in the college football world in Conor Riley.
Getting the offensive line department right isn’t just about team philosophy but about dealing with NFC East rivals with elite defensive lines. The Philadelphia Eagles winning the Super Bowl in February had a lot to do with the defensive line dominating opponents all year long. Though the New York Giants’ roster has plenty of holes, the defensive line is a huge strength. Even the Washington Commanders, though missing an elite edge rusher, have strong pieces in place, especially at defensive tackle in Daron Payne and Javon Kinlaw.
The Cowboys open the season with back-to-back division games, visiting the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1 and hosting the New York Giants in Week 2. When asked about dealing with such elite defensive lines, head coach Brian Schottenheimer revealed the team’s plan.
“The best thing you can do for any offensive line—any offense—when you’re playing elite defensive linemen is pound the football,” Schottenheimer told reporters Wednesday. “Just freaking try to shove it up their ass. And that’s what we’re going to try to do. We’re going to be physical.”
While Schottenheimer did preface his comments on his plans for the offensive line by saying he thinks every defensive line in the NFL is elite nowadays, the comments matter more for those early-season opponents.
Especially because right now, we don’t know much about Schottenheimer’s offense. These comments suggest he’s serious about wanting to establish the run and be a physical unit more than a finesse one. For better or worse, it seems like this will be a run-first offense.
To do that effectively against the Eagles and Giants, the first step is to figure out who will step in for starting left tackle Tyler Guyton, who isn’t guaranteed to be around for those first two games as he deals with an injury expected to sideline him for four to six weeks.
“I’m just excited to watch (backup tackle Nate Thomas) go out there and compete against some elite pass rushers we have out here, (Asim Richards), to see him compete,” Schottenheimer said. “And again, they’re not going to win every rep—they’re going to make mistakes, and that’s part of practice.”
Dallas Cowboys News
‘He’s blossoming’ – Cowboys OC Klayton Adams says what fans want to hear about explosive playmaker one week into training camp
Strong words from coach.
