Culture was a buzzword around Brian Schottenheimer. Over the summer and through training camp, many people noted the culture that the head coach was building for and through the Dallas Cowboys.
That, obviously, has felt a bit hollow as losses have piled up this season, but on Sunday, during a win, it was on full display in the worst possible way.
In case you have no idea what is happening here, allow me to explain:
- The Cowboys were holding on to a 20-17 lead against Indianapolis
- It looked like the Colts were about to score
- Quinnen Williams forced a fumble from Jonathan Taylor of all people
- Shemar James recovered it and took it to the Dallas 30-yard line
The video in question is the Cowboys defense celebrating. Why would they not? They just took the football away at a critical moment. Their hard work was worthy of jubilation.
But someone else enters the frame. You can see someone, as the official described to be in sweats while assessing the penalty, run into the celebration. That was DeMarvion Overshown and as he was not a part of the team for the game (he was inactive) he was assessed with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
This was the case because the celebration was not happening on the sideline where Cowboys players and staffers happened to be. You can see in the video that the action is quite literally in the middle of the field. Somehow, some way, Overshown ran out that far into the field and backed the team up 15 yards as a result.
Quite simply, this cannot happen. Overshown has been around for a while and is regarded to be among the team’s leaders. His inability to stay healthy is an issue, but he has always been seen as someone who at the very least is great from a leadership standpoint. This certainly was not that.
Consider that the Cowboys did wind up getting those 15 yards back right away, but they punted on the ensuing possession and the Colts went on to tie the game up before eventually taking the lead that Dallas took back once and for all. But maybe the lack of penalty yards could have helped Dallas put the game away sooner.
The point isn’t to live in hypotheticals. The point is that Overshown directly impacted his team’s ability to win and he did so while not even a part of the game.
Brian Schottenheimer has to take care of that kind of thing.
