The defeat followed a strong preseason where Jerry Jones’ Dallas Cowboys cruised past the Arizona Cardinals 34-13, and Schottenheimer praised the roster’s depth and overall talent compared to the previous year.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer did not mince words when assessing his squad’s performance after the game, acknowledging the steep climb ahead in a 17-game season.
“As a football team, we were pretty poor. This is a humbling business and we got humbled tonight. That’s what I told the guys. We lost mile one of a 17-mile marathon, and we have to be better, and we will be better.”
Brian Schottenheimer, Cowboys head coach
Brian Schottenheimer Assesses the Season Opener After Giants Defeat
Schottenheimer admitted he struggled to recall an opener quite as disappointing as the one in Week 1.
“This one feels pretty bad just because at the end of the day, we just didn’t perform the way we’re capable of playing. We didn’t play defense the way we’re capable of playing. We didn’t play offense in the first half the way we’re capable of playing.”
Brian Schottenheimer, Cowboys head coach
Despite the difficult start, Schottenheimer emphasized that the coaching staff will not panic over a single setback. He noted that a long season leaves plenty of room for adjustment and that nobody in the organization expected the team to go undefeated.
Roster Depth and Preseason Confidence Before the Opener
Prior to the regular-season kickoff, Dallas delivered one of their most convincing preseason performances Saturday, cruising past the Arizona Cardinals in a 34-13 victory that left Schottenheimer impressed after another demanding week of training camp practices. With the 2026 NFL season approaching, Dallas entered the year carrying significant expectations, possessing plenty of talent while remaining one of the league’s more unpredictable playoff contenders.
“If you take our roster from last year and you lay it down next to our roster from this year, there’s no question that the depth and the overall talent is higher. This is a good football team. We got a lot of confidence. We just got to make the right decisions as we get to the cut-down day, which we will.”
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Brian Schottenheimer, Cowboys head coach
The comments came at an important point in the preseason, with teams preparing to reduce their rosters from 90 players to the regular-season limit of 53. Entering the year, improving the defense stood out as one of the biggest priorities, as Dallas surrendered 511 points last season, creating an obvious need for upgrades. The organization addressed that weakness by reshaping the bottom portion of its roster through draft selections, veteran additions, and defensive system changes under coordinator Christian Parker.
The result, at least during training camp and the preseason, was a deeper 90-man roster than the Cowboys had a year ago, with increased competition making upcoming roster decisions especially difficult for the coaching staff. Several players caught Schottenheimer’s attention during Saturday’s victory, including quarterback Joe Milton, Malik Davis, Jaydon Blue, Jonathan Mingo, Nick Leverett, Trevor Keegan, Jaishawn Barham, LT Overton, Jay Toia, Shavon Revel, and the team’s safeties.
Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer Talks Pickens, Micah & More with Rich Eisen | Full Interview
Daniel Richardson is the Editor-in-Chief of Archysport, where he leads the editorial team and oversees all published content across nine sport verticals. With over 15 years in sports journalism, Daniel has reported from the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games, NFL Super Bowls, NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tennis tournaments. He previously served as Senior Sports Editor at Reuters and holds a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. Recognized by the Sports Journalists' Association for excellence in reporting, Daniel is a member of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS). His editorial philosophy centers on accuracy, depth, and fair coverage — ensuring every story published on Archysport meets the highest standards of sports journalism.
