FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys defense can play fast because the players know the primary packages that well, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Wednesday, and he said the group was a little too complicated early last season.
Schottenheimer was answering a question about a remark DeMarvion Overshown made a day earlier, that the way defensive coordinator Christian Parker calls plays helps the defense play fast. Schottenheimer said the reason is identity, and that Parker knows what he wants to be.
“We’ve got really great complements to our base stuff, but we’re really good at our base stuff. When I say base, I don’t mean base defense. I mean what I would say are primary first and second down packages or primary third down packages, red zone and beyond,” Schottenheimer said. “And I think they can play fast because they know them so well. And I think that’s important in year one.”
What Changed From Last Season
Schottenheimer did not cast stones about last year, but he said the defense was carrying too much too early.
“As I look back a little bit on last year, not casting stones, not going back, but maybe a little too complicated early on,” Schottenheimer continued. “And this year, CP has done a great job along with this staff of really saying, hey, this is who we want to be. And then as we get going into the season, we’ll have complements. We have complements. But I think that’s a big part of it.”
Dallas allowed 511 points in 2025, 30.1 per game. That was last in the NFL. The Cowboys finished 7-9-1 and second in the NFC East while scoring 471 points, seventh most in the league.
The Personnel Behind The New Scheme
Parker replaced Matt Eberflus and has moved Dallas from a 4-3 to a 3-4. The Cowboys rebuilt the front around Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams inside, with Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku outside. Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas were traded in March.
Overshown played 218 defensive snaps in 2025. Caleb Downs went No. 11 overall in April and has worked at safety and in the slot. Devin Moore followed in the fourth round at No. 114.
The 2025 snap leaders on that side were Kenneth Murray with 873, Clark with 748, DaRon Bland with 746, and Odighizuwa with 692. Murray and Odighizuwa are both gone.
Dallas held seven picks in April and used five of them on defense. The Cowboys spent the first three weeks of camp in Oxnard, California, and have practiced at The Star since Aug. 24. They have to move 37 players off the 90-man roster by Sunday.
Through two preseason games the defense has allowed 7 points at Seattle and 13 at Arizona. Friday’s finale against New Orleans kicks off at 7 p.m. CT at AT&T Stadium on CBS locally. Rosters must be at 53 players by 5 p.m. CT Sunday, Aug. 30. Dallas opens the regular season Sunday, Sept. 13, at the New York Giants at 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC.
