Brian Schottenheimer's team didn't enjoy the cleanest game in their preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks, as the Dallas Cowboys made several glaring miscues and were penalized far too many times. But they emerged victorious, which still matters in the preseason, winning 17-7.
More important than the final score, however, is how the Cowboys' players and coaches are meshing and progressing through the exhibition contests. And while there was a lot of good and bad, the starters didn't play, at least not most of them, so Dallas fans can't be too upset with the messy outing.
After the game, and again on Monday, Schottenheimer spoke with reporters. If you missed his media availabilities, or simply like reading the quotes instead of listening, then we've got you covered. Here is everything the Cowboys' head coach said after the preseason win over Seattle, broken up by topic.
- Cowboys' Injuries
- On Roster Battles
- Roster Evaluation
- On Specific Players
- General Takeaways and Observations
Cowboys' Injuries
General:
"I think we came out okay. Little bumps and bruises. I think everybody's okay. We'll figure out a little bit more when we wake up in Oxnard [on Sunday] morning and get them all treated. I know they're going to be busy tomorrow. It's a physical game, as you'd expect coming in and playing the Seahawks, led by Mike Macdonald."
Phil Mafah:
"He's okay, I talked to him. He's okay."
Justin Barron:
"Justin Barron, he got rocked a little bit."
On Roster Battles
QB:
"It's hard to speak on quarterbacks when you don't watch the film. But I thought both guys functioned outstanding. They both were tasked with going out there and playing against heavy pressure. A Mike Macdonald-Aden Durde defense is going to be a heavy-pressure team. And they brought a bunch of things against us that, not that we weren't prepared for, but that, maybe, we didn't handle very well. So, they were taking some shots. But they just hung in there and made the throws when they had to make them. They were both very efficient, and that's what we want.
We evaluate quarterbacks by a couple of things: One, moving the team, scoring points. And then two, protecting the football. I thought both guys did that. Joe, with his legs. I mean, he's pretty much unstoppable on quarterback sneaks, so it didn't take me long to figure out that I wasn't going to do anything different, I was just going to let him sneak it. He's a big, powerful man. But they both played well."
RB:
"Again, I think -- I'll work backwards. I thought, late in the game, Izzy [Abanikanda] ran really hard, man. It was heavy box, and they knew that we were in four-minute, and I'm really proud of our ability to stay on the field and not have to give them the ball back after we got the big stop after the muffed punt. Thought Izzy ran really, really hard. Thought the receivers blocked really well.
Malik, he's just a slasher, man. Just his vision and understanding of blocking schemes and all that, I think was great. Phil [Mafah] had some really good runs. And then Jaydon [Blue], there wasn't a whole lot there, but you get him going on screens and things like that, he's a weapon.
Again, I'll know more watching the film. They all ran hard, we found our rhythm a little bit in the second half, and there's certainly a lot to clean up there."
Roster Evaluation
On the defense holding up in the red zone:
"The defense's job is to keep people out of the end zone. That's what we're tasked to do. I'm fine winning games 7-3, 10-7, I don't care. But I thought they were terrific. I thought we were a little sloppy early on, and we gave them some hidden yards with penalties early on.
But I thought they really buttoned down, and I thought the pass rush was really good. We let [Seahawks QB Jalen] Milroe get out a few times, which he's very athletic. But overall, I was very, very pleased. Anytime you can get three-and-outs and four-and-outs and the red zone stops, that's what you want."
On whether the OL settled in during the second half:
"I think so. A lot of moving parts; it's hard. Lot of moving parts, like I said, they threw a lot of things at us. I want to look at the film. Definitely some leaky moments, but early on, especially, we struggled to move their guys up front. I think you'll see that. That's why the run numbers in the first half weren't very good. [The Seahawks] were doing a good job plugging up the middle.
So, we started the second half, actually, with a perimeter play. We have those, we didn't want to show too many of them, but give them some credit, because I thought, early on, their defensive front was really a handful for us."
When asked about the difficulty of evaluating RBs if the OL isn't playing well:
"Yeah. I mean, you got to get what's blocked. Again, I thought all of our guys ran hard. Give it up for Malik Davis, just the holiday horror. It wasn't -- was it a holiday today? I don't think it was a holiday today, but he was amazing Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, whatever the day is. The 14th of August. I love that guy."
On Specific Players
Jonathan Mingo:
"Jonathan Mingo, I think it was the first half, made an incredible play on a punt return, stopped it."
Camden Brown:
"The game is not too big for him. He does that every day in practice. We see it all the time. I thought it was a really, really good throw by Sam [Howell]. Tight coverage, but they trust him. And then Joe [Milton]'s throw on the fade, he gets blasted, and the one-handed catch. But he's been doing that the whole time.
What I love about [Brown] is [that] he does the little things, too. You watch him on special teams and in 1-on-1 drills, things like that. He realizes that that's how you make this football team when you've got a receiver room that's filled with George Pickens, CeeDee Lamb, Ryan Flournoy, people like that. That stuff matters. Really good day, but he's got to keep stacking him like he's been doing."
"We've wanted to get him in there a little bit with the first team, and when we've put him in there, he's done a really good job. We actually moved him over to that position for the second one because he normally plays flanker, and we moved him over there.
Like I said, the throw from Joe [Milton] was terrific, but the catch was incredible as well. He's just consistent, and that's what we want as coaches: We want people that are consistent, and they are the same every day. And they may have a bad day or dip, but then they bring it right back."
Malik Davis:
"Give it up for Malik Davis, just the holiday horror. It wasn't -- was it a holiday today? I don't think it was a holiday today, but he was amazing Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, whatever the day is. The 14th of August. I love that guy."
Caleb Downs/Malachi Lawrence:
"I know it seemed like Caleb was out pretty quick. That was the plan, of course. Which, you stick to the plan. And then I thought Malachi had a couple really good rushes that I saw affecting the quarterback. I thought he definitely settled in. For the most part, those guys, we see it every day. They're going to get great work against the Saints here in a couple days. All in all, I thought they played well."
Traeshon Holden:
"I don't know [if he was pressing]. I mean, I want to talk to him. I know he was disappointed; he knew he made a mistake. Traeshon wants to win; he's competing. I think any time players step up, you can be affected by that. But Traeshon's a pro. He'll bounce back."
James Houston:
"He's mad at me because I accepted the penalty. So, I said, 'Hey, you get lots of sacks, you'll be fine.' The guy has just got a knack. He's an awesome rusher. He's been doing it in this league for a long time, and I really just appreciate the way he works. It's a special trait that he has."
General Takeaways and Observations
On the game as a whole:
"Lot of great things. [I] thought the second half was really well-played. I thought the defensively, they were amazing. I think three or four three-and-four-and-outs. I thought they were awesome. A couple of the red zone stops.
Jonathan Mingo, I think it was the first half, made an incredible play on a punt return, stopped it. Obviously, we muffed the fumble there late. Defense goes right back out there [and gets a stop]. Little bit of training camp football, a little sloppy. That's kind of what you deal with. But overall, I thought the team effort to get the win against a good opponent was really good.
Things we obviously need to clean up: The penalties. They threw a lot of penalties, really, on both teams. But that's what the preseason is for. Work on your hand placement, get better. But overall, I was really, really proud of our guys."
On Christian Parker:
"I thought he was really good. I was over there listening on two, and he is what he is, man. He's calm, cool, convicted. Again, when we gave him the ball on the muffed punt down there low late, he said, 'They ain't in.' There was zero -- we need that. We need the adversity. There's going to be adversity. That's going to happen in this season, so it was really cool for our guys to respond. I thought he did a great job."
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