FRISCO, Texas — Dak Prescott has taken snaps in a version of the same Dallas Cowboys offense under three play callers. Brian Schottenheimer is the third.
When defenses sit back and play soft, Prescott checks the ball down and takes what is available, in Schottenheimer’s description of him.
“There’s a lot of decisions. I think he’s awesome at just handling lots of information, down and distance, personnel, defensive personnel, formations, motions, things like that,” Schottenheimer said. “And I think it speaks to the benefit of having a veteran, being a guy that’s been in this system for almost five plus six years, whatever it’s been, with Kel and Mike and myself. I think that’s important. But it’s amazing how much he can handle and do it in a short period of time.”
“That’s why people probably don’t talk about, they say some people say the hardest thing to do is hit a baseball, which I can’t hit one. So I’m not saying it’s not, but playing quarterback’s got to be up there, man,” Schottenheimer continued. “These guys are on a time clock against some of the best athletes in the world and they have to process a lot of information. They’ve got to bail us out when we make shitty calls. It’s really hard.”
Prescott arrived in Dallas as a fourth-round pick out of Mississippi State in 2016, 135th overall, and is entering his 11th season. Kellen Moore was the offensive coordinator from 2019 through 2022. Mike McCarthy called plays in 2023 before handing that job to Schottenheimer, who came in as coordinator that year and took over as head coach in 2025. Schottenheimer still calls the offense.
Dallas finished second in the NFL in total offense last season at 391.9 yards per game and second in scoring efficiency at 48.0%. The Cowboys averaged 4.59 yards per carry, ninth in the league, and finished in the top 10 in both rushing and passing offense for the first time since 2021. Prescott threw for more than 4,000 yards. Two receivers cleared 1,000, and so did the running back.
The team went 7-9-1 anyway and allowed more points than any defense in the NFL.
Brian Schottenheimer On What Dak Prescott Does Against Soft Coverage
Third down is where Schottenheimer put Prescott’s value in a separate answer, about a Dallas offense that had the fewest three-and-outs in the league last season.
“What I love about our team, our quarterback, I’ll start there. The actual ability to process information,” Schottenheimer explained. “And if people are playing really, really soft, check the ball down underneath, take what they give us. We’re pretty aggressive when it comes to third and fourth down, certainly in certain parts of the field.”
CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens are the receivers. Jake Ferguson caught 8 touchdown passes last season. Javonte Williams ran for 1,201 yards on 252 carries with 11 touchdowns, all career highs, and Schottenheimer called him the bell cow again Monday.
Klayton Adams is in his second season as offensive coordinator. Conor Riley is in his second season coaching the offensive line.
What Dak Prescott Faces In The Dallas Cowboys Opener
Prescott will play the opener without Tyler Smith. Schottenheimer said Monday that the starting left guard has surgery on his left thumb Tuesday and will likely land on injured reserve with a designation to return, a four-to-six-week absence. T.J. Bass steps in at left guard.
Dallas restructured the contracts of Prescott, Lamb, and Smith after March as part of a series of moves that cleared roughly $19 million in cap space before Week 1.
The defense Prescott sees Sunday belongs to Dennard Wilson, who worked with Schottenheimer in St. Louis more than a decade ago. Schottenheimer said the New York Giants play a lot of shell coverage, disguise well, and are multiple.
Dallas finished 7-9-1 last season. That made two straight years out of the playoffs. Kickoff is 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
