When Brian Schottenheimer was named the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys this offseason, many fans weren’t exactly thrilled with the decision. Cowboys supporters had hoped for a proven head coach with an established reputation in the league — someone new and different — but the organization chose to promote from within instead. While Schottenheimer may not have been the candidate fans were dreaming of, he might just be the one to lead this team to the playoffs. In fact, one particular stat suggests he could be exactly the right man for the job.
CBS recently revealed a stat ranking the most points scored in the NFL over the past five seasons, with the Cowboys coming in second with 2,251 points sitting just behind the Buffalo Bills — with 2,415 points. That’s an impressive feat for Dallas.
And ...
Schottenheimer deserves partial credit for this success, having served as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator for two of those seasons. In his first year as OC, he led the Cowboys to the league’s top-scoring offense, and even helped Dak Prescott enter the MVP conversation.
The Cowboys arguably could have claimed the top spot over the Bills if it weren’t for Dak Prescott’s injury last season, which ultimately cost them a playoff berth. With that setback — and competing against Buffalo’s explosive offense led by Josh Allen — it’s understandable why Dallas fell just short of the top of the leaderboard.
But as everyone knows, leading in a particular stat line isn’t the ultimate goal. For an organization like the Cowboys, the goal is to win — and to bring home a championship for America's Team. What this stat does show, however, is that Schottenheimer can orchestrate one of the league’s best offenses when injuries don’t derail the team and when the front office, led by Jerry Jones, provides him with the right weapons. With playmakers like Micah Parsons, DaRon Bland, and Trevon Diggs anchoring the defense, Schottenheimer has a realistic chance to be the leader this team needs — and perhaps finally guide the Cowboys back to glory.
The offensive numbers say it can be so.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!