Are Brian Schottenheimer's Cowboys Underrated?

We don't have to look too far for skeptics and naysayers of Brian Schottenheimer's Dallas Cowboys in 2025, and in truth, after the 2024 season, that's warranted.

However, there is more than enough talent on the roster to think Dallas should be a playoff team in Year 1 for Schotty.

The biggest thing is injuries and the ability for Schottenheimer to bring his vision to life quickly enough, so the Cowboys don't find themselves in the same position they were last year.

Questions surround Dak Prescott's health, the effectiveness of the run game and offensive line, coupled with the unknown commodity that is Matt Eberflus' defense, all pointing to many reasons to doubt the Cowboys.

However, The Athletic has a rather interesting thought on Dallas. It might be underrated.

“Replacing Mike McCarthy with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer felt like an underwhelming head coaching move,” The Athletic writes. “The running back position remains underwhelming. As a whole, expectations aren’t very high outside of the organization. But the healthy return of Dak Prescott could dramatically improve an offense that floundered without him last season.

"The pairing of George Pickens with holdover CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Tolbert and tight end Jake Ferguson could make it hard for defenses to key on any one weapon — as long as Pickens can carry himself with maturity. A rebound from last year’s 7-10 record and contention with Washington for a playoff spot behind Philadelphia might not be out of the question."

If, and that's a big if, things click, the Cowboys will be in business in the NFC.

It all hinges on whether Dak can be healthy for a full season because, as we know, more often than not, when he is, Dallas is a division winner and playoff team.

The passing game with the addition of Pickens looms large, but the big question is the run game and what it can produce behind a revamped offensive line. If it is better than last season with Miles Sanders, Javonte Williams, and Jaydon Blue, Dallas will have multiple avenues to dissect defenses with.

Is Dallas overrated heading into 2025? That, my friends, is quite the conversation starter.