FRISCO — The leadup to a given NFL game is supposed to be shrouded in mystery. Teams hold their cards close to the vest in the hopes of even the slightest of advantages.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer is no exception — except when it comes to the obvious. He’ll disclose and discuss that in the leadup to a game, as he did when it came to one specific element of Monday’s road game against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Cowboys, according to team owner Jerry Jones, could play as many as six new players who weren’t on the field last time the Cowboys played.
“Let me let the cat out of the bag right now,” Schottenheimer prefaced on Saturday as he spoke about the defense, “there’s going to be mistakes on Monday night.”
Schottenheimer was quick to say that those mistakes will be followed by quick fixes. He was adamant about that, as he was forthcoming about the obvious challenges that come from having multiple changes to a defense in the span of two weeks. Schottenheimer did play coy, however, when it came to who might play and how much they might play.
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The leadup to Monday’s game has heightened the importance of a question: How different — from a personnel and performance perspective — can the Cowboys be after being one of the worst defenses in the NFL through 10 weeks?
“There’s no question we’re going to be improved,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM) earlier this week.
Schottenheimer said there are reasons to believe change, contrary to its inherent nature, won’t be overwhelmingly difficult for the Cowboys. It goes back to who they’re potentially adding.
The six potential difference makers for the Cowboys are split up into three categories.
There are the familiar faces: starting safeties Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker — currently on injured reserve but a potential activation before Monday — are both trending toward playing, according to Schottenheimer.
There is the talented twosome: linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and rookie third-round pick Shavon Revel were both activated off injured reserve and could make their highly-awaited season debuts against the Raiders.
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And then there are the new guys: defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and linebacker Logan Wilson, both of whom were acquired via trade at the deadline.
The additions of Williams and Wilson might be the most pivotal — and might be the area that gives the Cowboys the most confidence. Schottenheimer said there’s value in adding veteran players, specifically, during the middle of the season. There’s a professionality with them.
Wilson, for example, was in Dallas just hours after he was traded by the Bengals at the deadline on Nov. 4. He went through his physical and met with the media before he was quickly given a playbook to learn. It’s a process — one that won’t happen overnight, Wilson said this week — but it’s one he’s been committed to. He said he spent extra hours with linebacker coach Dave Borgonzi since he arrived.
Williams already had that familiarity. He played former Cowboys defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton for multiple years in New York. Williams said last week that it’s not a coincidence that his best seasons of his career happened when Whitecotton was his defensive line coach.
“It was definitely easy to catch up, man,” Williams said about learning the playbook. “When it comes down to football, I really trust in my football IQ.”
So does Schottenheimer. While there will be mistakes, he said, he believes in their ability to diagnose why they occurred and correct them.
“Because they are veteran players,” Schottenheimer said. “They’re not going to sit there and get caught up in, ‘Ah, man, I messed that up. We just gave up an explosive play.’ They’re going to move on and take it one play at a time and I think that’s what you want and that’s what you love about adding incredible players that are high-quality leaders.”
There’s also a lot to love, from the Cowboys’ perspective, about the Overshown and Revel. We also aren’t sure how much either will play on Monday.
Schottenheimer has been consistently cautiously optimistic about Revel this year, including during his 21-day practice window. There’s a lot that gets him excited, including Revel’s ability to play press-man coverage, but he’s also been quick to remind people that cornerback is a tough position for anyone, let alone a rookie who hasn’t played a game in over 400 days.
There’s some cautious, outfacing optimism when it comes to Overshown, too. His first two seasons ended with torn ligaments in his knee.
Overshown has been adamant that once he hit the field he’d be able to go 100%. He also confirmed this week that he and coaches had conversations about a potential snap count limit. He understood that, but he also said that he told the coaches that limit might have to be flexible, especially if the game is on the line.
“Look,” Overshown recalled telling his coaches, “[if] it’s a play that needs to be made, I got to be on the field.”
That isn’t a mystery. How well this Cowboys’ defense can play — and how many changes they actually employ — remains one in the leadup to Monday night’s game.
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