Cowboys Going Back To Pads After Run-Defense Struggles

FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys will practice in pads this week, and coach Brian Schottenheimer said Monday that Thursday should be a physical one. New York ran 37 times for 165 yards in a 28-20 win over Dallas on Sunday night, and Schottenheimer said afterward the physicality had not met the standard.

Asked how the team gets it back, he kept the answer short and concrete.

“Well, it’s a padded practice this week,” Schottenheimer said. “And, again, our guys know that they need to play lower, they need to play better. But I would assume that Thursday’s practice is going to be pretty physical and understand we’ve got another physical opponent coming in here.”

Schottenheimer said the first half is where the problem showed up most, and gave credit to Dennard Wilson, the New York Giants defensive coordinator, for techniques Dallas had not prepared for.

“I felt like really the physicality in the first half is where it showed up the most. Again, I think they did catch us off guard on defense, give Dennard Wilson and his staff some credit,” Schottenheimer said. “They surprised us with some of the techniques and things that they were doing. But again, to me, it’s early season football. And it’s not the standard. It’s not who we are. From a block destruction standpoint, we have to better.”

Brian Schottenheimer Called The Linebacker Fits Passive

Schottenheimer tied the run fits to the misdirection New York used, and said the ball handling pulled his second level out of position.

“I do think that the way the linebackers fit was a little bit passive at times. And whether that was the cross actions with the ball handling and things like that, the misdirection maybe, but we’re better than that, and we need to shore that up this week,” he said.

Schottenheimer also identified the offensive staff behind it. Matt Nagy is the Giants offensive coordinator, and Greg Roman is a senior offensive assistant under John Harbaugh.

“It’s a good football team we played. They had a very specific game plan. They wanted to pound the rock. I love Matt Nagy. That looked a lot like Greg Roman,” Schottenheimer said. “They just got real physical, and they wanted to run the football on us in great misdirection. You definitely saw some of the run-read-option stuff, which is a Matt Nagy scheme.”

Quinnen Williams And Kenny Clark Graded Out Solid, Not Dominant

The interior was the one part of the Dallas front that arrived with an established reputation. Quinnen Williams played 53 defensive snaps and Kenny Clark played 50, and Schottenheimer graded both in the middle.

“Played okay. They didn’t play to the dominant ability that they have,” Schottenheimer said. “I think they’ll be two of the guys that are going to be self-critical, so I don’t have to worry about them. But overall, I thought they were solid. But, again, we expect more from them.”

Williams signed a three-year, $105.9 million extension this offseason that runs through 2030. Clark, a three-time Pro Bowl selection who came to Dallas in the Micah Parsons trade, finished 2025 with 36 total tackles, six tackles for loss, and three sacks in his first season with the Cowboys.

Dallas finished the opener with nine penalties for 90 yards. New York held the ball for 36:40 and punted once.

The Washington Commanders visit AT&T Stadium on Sunday. Kickoff is 3:25 p.m. CT on FOX.