Schottenheimer's decision to hide scheme, personnel well worth the Cowboys dud of a debut
In a game that was about as exciting as counting ceiling tiles during a dental visit, it was a necessary step for them, offering both team and fans some tough medicine. L.A looked like the far superior team most of the evening and the Cowboys looked every bit the playoff longshot many are billing them to be.
Brian Schottenheimer's first game as a head coach probably wasn't the tone-setter he would have preferred it to be, but it was a statement and potentially a season-saving statement at that. As a first-time head coach, Schottenheimer remains a bit of a mystery around the NFL. He hasn't called plays in half a decade and when he last did, he worked somewhat under the thumb of the conservatively minded Pete Carroll.
Being a man of mystery is something Schottenheimer has embraced, even saying plainly he was purposely going to show as little as possible in the leadup to the regular season. Joint practices, public practices and preseason games would all be played close to the vest. He would fight the urge to fight back and keep his motion, play fakes and general trickery under wraps.
He didn't just show restraint in play calling strategy and scheming, but he also resisted the urge to roll heavy with starters in an attempt to set a new tone on the new season. For years the Cowboys have suffered from the 'soft' label and for years the Cowboys have done little but reaffirm that reputation. Schottenheimer has taken an active role in burying that trait this summer, keeping practice physicality dialed up and risking extra injuries for the sake of this culture shift. The temptation to play starters and push for the win surely was present but the new coach showed maturity and restraint in his decision to keep those starters bolted to the sideline.
It offered fans a glimpse of some terrible football. It showed everyone what he was protecting and illustrated risk without reward is an endeavor best avoided. While this may seem to run contrary to the physical vibe he's transmitting in practices, it shows confidence in himself and the team, and an understanding that all risk is not equal and preseason games offer far more danger than quite possibly any other event on the NFL calendar.
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