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11/28 15:22 CST Brian Schottenheimer's stewardship helps Cowboys shine through
pain of Kneeland's death
Brian Schottenheimer's stewardship helps Cowboys shine through pain of
Kneeland's death
By SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Pro Football Writer
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) --- Brian Schottenheimer has three consecutive victories
over Super Bowl-winning coaches in his first year in charge of the Dallas
Cowboys after 25 years as an NFL assistant.
The first winning streak of the season for Dallas has coincided with the club's
return following the death by an apparent suicide of defensive end Marshawn
Kneeland during the open week.
Star quarterback Dak Prescott said after a 31-28 victory over the Kansas City
Chiefs --- four days after the Cowboys beat last season's other Super Bowl
team, defending champion and NFC East rival Philadelphia --- that those three
wins in just 11 days were no coincidence. Dallas had to wait almost two weeks
to play while processing the loss of Kneeland.
"I just credit him for being the same, being consistent and it's something that
he talks about, but to actually watch him be consistent and be the same man
through the adversity and now through some success, right?" Prescott said.
"He's a hell of a leader. He's the right guy for the job. I know you all see
clips of the emotions and guys follow him, but that's just throughout the day.
If you were in every team meeting, you would understand that's who Schotty is."
The run that has the Cowboys (6-5-1) over .500 for the first time this year and
has kept them in the playoff conversation started with a 33-16 victory over the
Las Vegas Raiders and coach Pete Carroll, who won a title with Seattle.
Dallas rallied from a 21-point deficit in the 24-21 victory over Nick
Sirianni's Eagles. The Cowboys, who visit Detroit on Thursday next week, had
another poor start against three-time Super Bowl winner Andy Reid when Prescott
was intercepted on his second throw of the game and Patrick Mahomes needed just
two passes to give the Chiefs a 7-0 lead.
Owner and general manager Jerry Jones drew plenty of criticism for what was
considered a less-than-inspiring hire when he decided to move on from Mike
McCarthy and ended up picking Schottenheimer, who had been the offensive
coordinator without play-calling duties for McCarthy's final two seasons.
"Better than I could have hoped for," Jones, who was holding a turkey leg in
his meeting with reporters after the Thanksgiving Day victory, said when asked
about that decision. "This team is seeing him really as a head coach evolve as
a part of their play. And, boy, that's really good stuff to build on. I'm
seeing great, great tangible things that this team can use next week and in the
future."
Before he had to figure out how to navigate the big emotional swings of an
in-season death of a player, Schottenheimer spoke freely and unapologetically
of feeling the presence of his late father, Marty Schottenheimer, a 200-game
winner as an NFL head coach.
When the Cowboys lost at Carolina --- a little less than a month before
Kneeland died --- Schottenheimer's aunt and uncle gave him one of his dad's
playing cards. "No. 57. Boston Patriots," Schottenheimer said.
The coach said he has carried the card in pocket the past couple of games, even
had to get a staff member to retrieve it before the win over the Eagles because
he forgot it.
"When times are a little bit difficult, I talk to him and now I can feel his
presence with me holding that football card," Schottenheimer said. "It just
reminds me, I want to make him proud. I think he's a legendary football coach,
but like I said, he was an incredible and better person and father and leader
of men."
Schottenheimer is having to lead in ways he couldn't have imagined in his
head-coaching debut.
What's working Prescott had his fourth 300-yard game against the Chiefs, tops in the NFL. He bounced back from the early interception to finish 27 of 39 for 320 yards with two touchdowns and recorded his seventh 100-plus passer rating at 100.4. What needs help The Cowboys have been fortunate the past two games that fumbles at critical moments didn't hurt them. KaVontae Turpin had one of those fumbles against the Eagles, then bailed out George Pickens against the Chiefs by scrambling to recover Pickens' fumble inside the Kansas City 10-yard line in the fourth quarter. Without Brandon Aubrey's field goal on the next play, Dallas would have ended up tied at 28-all when the Chiefs scored their subsequent touchdown. Stock up Lamb answered a drop-filled game against the Eagles with Dallas' first touchdown catch before finishing with team highs of seven catches for 112 yards. Lamb and Pickens have at least 75 yards receiving apiece in four of the past six games. Stock down RB Jaylon Blue has blown a good opportunity to be the backup as a rookie after Miles Sanders' season-ending knee injury early. He was a healthy scratch again for the Kansas City game, when Malik Davis had a 43-yard touchdown run. Davis was added to the practice squad during the season and is the firm No. 2 behind Javonte Williams. Injuries Jones said Friday he expects CB Trevon Diggs to return against the Lions. The 2021 All-Pro hasn't played since sustaining a concussion in an accident at home Oct. 16. He has also been dealing with a knee issue. Key number 35.1% --- The Cowboys' third-down percentage on defense in three games since acquiring star DT Quinnen Williams. That would be in the top five in the league for the entire season in a category Dallas has ranked last most of the year. Next steps The Lions ended a six-game losing streak against Dallas with a 49-7 victory at AT&T Stadium last season. It was the worst home loss of the Jones era. He bought the team in 1989. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl |
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