The inaugural season of the Brian Schottenheimer era with the Dallas Cowboys is coming to a close. While there have been many ups and downs, the team sits on the outside looking in for what will likely be their consecutive season missing the playoffs, barring a miracle that even Roger Staubach and Drew Pearson couldn’t create.
Given the flaws of the roster Schottenheimer was handed, and the loss of their franchise star defensive player one week before the regular season, some would argue a six- to eight-win season exceeded their initial expectations for the head coach. The Cowboys do have two games following Sunday’s matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers, but make no mistake—the home finale is the last test for Schottenheimer this season.
Winning or losing against the Washington Commanders and New York Giants over the next few weeks won’t tell us anything new about the 2025 team. Winning or losing against the 10-4 Chargers squad could say a lot. Los Angeles is currently on a three-game winning streak, having recently eliminated the Kansas City Chiefs from the playoffs and defeated the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.
The Jim Harbaugh-led team is not the world-beater you see with the Los Angeles Rams or the New England Patriots. They play their own brand of football, which keeps things physical and close until the very end. In one-score games this season, the Chargers are 6-1. Despite their lopsided nature, the Cowboys are 3-2-1 in the same category.
Schottenheimer’s biggest challenge will be how he game plans for Jesse Minter’s defense. The Chargers’ defensive coordinator is a hot name among head coach openings because of what he’s been able to do for the defense over the last few seasons. In 2025, LA is allowing 174.4 passing yards per game (3rd-best) and 104.4 rushing yards per game (10th-best). They also have 20 total takeaways (7th) and 40 sacks (T-6th). Bottom line: the Chargers have a top-10 defense.
The best part of the Cowboys this season has been their offensive attack led by Dak Prescott, Javonte Williams, George Pickens, and CeeDee Lamb. Since the Lions game, the offense has hit a wall and is not producing at the same level it was at the start of the season. Dallas is not running the ball the way they want to, gaining just 229 yards on the ground, which ranks 16th over the last two weeks. Pickens has been in a slump with eight receptions for 70 receiving yards and zero touchdowns.
How Schottenheimer fares against Minter could also have long-term implications, especially if a team like the New York Giants wants to maximize their talent on defense and go with a head coach in Minter to get Lawrence Taylor-level production from Abdul Carter. It could be just the beginning of a matchup we see for the next few years.
Schottenheimer’s plan over the last three weeks is to “win.” Doing so against the Chargers will show some positive momentum heading into a crucial offseason. However, if the Cowboys fall flat and cannot compete with a team that has a winning record yet again, it could call into question Schottenheimer’s long-term sustainability in Dallas as the coach who finally gets them over the Super Bowl hump.
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