There's a lot wrong with the Dallas Cowboys right now, but nothing is more frustrating than the inconsistency of the passing game and the offense as a whole. This looked like a top-five unit through the first four weeks of the season, but over the last two games, moving the ball has felt like pulling teeth.
More George Pickens targets certainly wouldn't hurt. However, he struggled to get open against the Packers' secondary on Sunday night. Some of that has to do with Brian Schottenheimer's vanilla play design, but Pickens wasn't exactly running crisp routes.
Schottenheimer was asked on Thursday what Pickens can do to get himself more involved. His answer:
"He needs to understand that he impacts us in the running game as well. He’s got to do the same thing in the run game, picking up safeties and blocking corners, just like Javonte (Williams) does, picking up blitzes so he can catch balls.
“That’s part of the team-first mindset, and GP does understand that. When he’s going, they’re going to play soft inside. When he’s not going then the safeties get pretty good runs at our backs. And that’s got to improve.”
Brian Schottenheimer basically called out George Pickens' effort
Schottenheimer hasn't gotten a lot right this season (understatement), but he said what needed to be said about Pickens.
Didn't Sunday night feel like one of those George Pickens games? Every now and then, he'll have a game where his energy just doesn't seem to be there. He's never been the gold standard when it comes to route running, but his routes against Green Bay looked more lackadaisical than usual.
And Pickens' effort, or lack thereof, when he wasn't getting the ball was hard to miss. On pass plays when he seemingly knew the ball wasn't coming his way, he had a tendency to go through the motions rather than finish his route.
The same issue showed up in the running game. As Schottenheimer noted, Pickens didn't do a good enough job blocking cornerbacks and safeties on the perimeter.
None of that means Pickens suddenly isn't invested. He's nearly done a 180 in terms of flipping the narrative that followed him out of Pittsburgh. But the details matter.
Even when his number isn't called, finishing routes and competing as a blocker can influence a play. Dallas' offense is having a hard enough time finding consistency without one of its best players effectively taking snaps off when the ball is going elsewhere.
Cris Collinsworth mentioned it during the Sunday Night Football broadcast. A former three-time Pro Bowl receiver, Collinsworth does not hesitate to praise players when he's on the call for NBC. The fact that he felt compelled to mention Pickens' effort makes the criticism difficult to dismiss.
To be clear, Pickens is not to blame for the struggles of Dallas' rushing attack. The offense itself needs to be more balanced, regardless of game script. That's on Schottenheimer. He can't lose sight of the run game's importance when the team is trailing. The run blocking has also been hit or miss.
It starts in the trenches, but tight ends and receivers play an important role. They have to be willing to do the dirty work required of the position. Winning blocks on the perimeter can be the difference between a modest gain and a run that breaks into the second level.
Schottenheimer gets criticized for being buddies with his players. Maybe being too friendly. I have no problem with him peeling back the curtain about what Pickens can do to get more involved. He's a pro athlete. He should be able to handle being held accountable, especially when effort is part of the conversation.
If Pickens doesn't respond, that says more about him than his head coach.
Schottenheimer said what needed to be said.
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