‘Truly What Coaching Is About’: Brian Schottenheimer On Dallas Cowboys’ In-Game Adjustments After Arizona Cardinals Comeback

FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Monday that in-game adjustments are what coaching is truly about, and that Dallas has not adjusted to the level it needs to. Schottenheimer spoke a day after the Cowboys gave up 30 second-half points in a 33-30 overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Schottenheimer said the Cowboys have to limit what opponents’ best players get and get the ball to their own. Arizona’s top playmakers took over late Sunday.

“Yeah, Nick, I think adjusting is a huge part of our game. We’ve talked about it both good and bad throughout the course of the season,” Schottenheimer said. “We need to do a good job of limiting ops to their best players. We gotta get the ball to our best players. But again, it’s something that we talk about week in and week out.”

“I think adjustments are a huge part of this game and really that’s truly what coaching is about,” Schottenheimer continued. “Because you go into most games and it’s going to play out different than you thought it would. Or there’s injuries and things that come up that you have to adjust on the fly.”

Brian Schottenheimer On Arizona Cardinals’ Second-Half Flip

Arizona had 136 total yards and 3 points in the first half and finished with 467 yards. Tyler Allgeier ran 11 times for 147 yards and caught 5 passes for 44 yards, with a touchdown each way. Michael Wilson caught 8 passes for 111 yards and the tying touchdown with 6 seconds left, and Trey McBride caught a 14-yard touchdown with 2:11 remaining.

The Cowboys have adjusted well at certain times this season, according to Schottenheimer. He said the staff is self-critical first and has not been where it needs to be.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s never perfect. There’s always things in a game you come out, you’re like, man, we should have maybe done this a little quicker or that,” Schottenheimer explained. “We’re always going to be self-critical first, but throughout certain times of the year, I do think we’ve adjusted well, but, again, not to the level that it needs to be.”

Schottenheimer Says Dallas Cowboys Are ‘Evaluating Everything’

Dallas is 3-5. Chad Ryland pushed the go-ahead extra point wide left after Wilson’s touchdown, and Dallas forced a three-and-out to open overtime before going 3 plays for minus-5 yards. Schottenheimer said the staff keeps going back to the film, making notes, and looking for solutions.

“Yeah, you keep going back and looking at the games and see what happened and keep making notes and see where we can be better. And we are evaluating everything. We’re looking for solutions,” Schottenheimer said. “And, again, these games all come down to the fourth quarter, and you’ve got to be able to finish those games off.”

“And how do you do that? Well, it comes down to execution,” Schottenheimer added. “It comes down to all of us being committed to find and make the plays that we need to do.”

When momentum swings Dallas’ way, the Cowboys have to cash it in by executing, according to Schottenheimer. He pointed to the stop to open overtime.

“Yeah, you have to go out and make plays. You have to execute as a group, as a unit, as a coaching staff. And you saw the momentum swing in their favor in the fourth quarter,” Schottenheimer said. “And when we went into overtime again, the defense went out, did a great job getting a stop. And unfortunately, we weren’t able to sustain a drive. And we expect to be able to do that.”

Dallas visits the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, Nov. 8, at Lucas Oil Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon CT on FOX.