It is taking about as long as expected, but Dallas Cowboys fans are finally beginning to buy in to Brian Schottenheimer the head coach.
The process of how the team landed on Schottenheimer was polarizing to say the least, but he assembled an exciting coaching staff and has already connected with players up and down the roster. His desire to inject more motion and shifts into the offense suggests he learned from studying under Mike McCarthy the last four seasons.
Unfortunately for Schottenheimer, the Cowboys have one of the most difficult schedules in the league this season. They have the second-toughest schedule from Week 12 on. Six of their final seven games will be against teams that made the playoffs last year.
Schotty will be hard-pressed to get Dallas back to the playoffs, but the schedule has presented him with an opportunity to fully erase the Mike McCarthy era.
Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer can avenge Mike McCarthy's playoff loss vs. Packers
At the risk of unearthing the most distasteful memory in recent Cowboys history, the team will host the Green Bay Packers this season in Week 4 on Sunday Night Football. The last time the Packers visited AT&T Stadium, they delivered Dallas arguably the worst playoff loss in franchise history.
The offense got off to a slow start and had zero margin for error as Dan Quinn's defense got absolutely gashed by Jordan Love. They allowed touchdowns on six (!) of Green Bay's first seven possessions. No, Dak Prescott did not play well, but not even Patrick Mahomes would have his team in a position to win if his defense played that poorly.
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Was Quinn more to blame than McCarthy? We suppose, but McCarthy is ultimately responsible for having the team ready to combat adversity. The Cowboys melted down in the heat of the moment.
Schottenheimer leading Dallas to a win over Green Bay this season obviously won't fully avenge that disaster. That won't happen unless the Cowboys beat their NFC rival in the playoffs.
However, a primetime home win over the team that seemingly always gets the better of Dallas dating back to Aaron Rodgers' days as a Cheesehead would do a lot to exorcise the Packers demons. It is a massive opportunity for Schottenheimer to start the season off on a high note.