Brian Schottenheimer Identifies Key Areas for Improvement as Cowboys Prepare for Cardinals OXNARD, Calif. – The Dallas Cowboys’ defense made a strong impression in their preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks, limiting the opponent to just 76 yards of offense on their final seven drives. However, head coach Brian Schottenheimer acknowledged that there are critical areas the team must address ahead of their next game against the Arizona Cardinals. During a press conference on Monday, Schottenheimer highlighted two primary concerns: the performance of the special teams unit and the effectiveness of the offensive line. Schottenheimer described the special teams effort as “not good enough” and emphasized the need for the team to return to fundamentals. He expressed disappointment with several aspects of their execution, including a failure to maintain contain and provide kick-side leverage. The coach pointed out specific issues, such as players not keeping the ball on the correct shoulder and poor non-verbal communication among coverage teams. “We had a long special teams meeting today,” Schottenheimer said. “It’s going to be a big part of our emphasis because it wasn’t good enough.” The Cowboys’ struggles were evident in their performance against the Seahawks, where they allowed 144 yards on six combined punt and kickoff returns. The Seahawks’ average starting field position was their own 42-yard line, indicating a lack of containment. Schottenheimer also criticized the team’s inability to establish a consistent running game, noting that the offense rushed for just 40 net yards in the first half of the game. “We didn’t block very well in that first half,” he said. “We weren’t very efficient running the football.#seattle_seahawks #arizona_cardinals #new_orleans_saints #dallas_cowboys #brian_schottenheimer
