Brian Schottenheimer was promoted to head coach of the Dallas Cowboys in January 2025. The team had a forgettable 2025 season, and now, through five weeks in 2026, the defense he oversees has given up 136 points while the team sits at 2-3.
The Cowboys have made a salary-cap investment on defense to expect better results, but the unit has repeatedly allowed opponents to hang around in games while the offense has generally been the stronger unit. Former New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce placed the blame directly on the Cowboys’ coaching.
Antonio Pierce Blasts Cowboys’ Coaching for Recurring Defensive Breakdowns
The Cowboys’ defensive issues have been a recurring occurrence even this season. Dallas has given up 34 points to Baltimore and 28 to the Giants, yet still managed to lose to a Tampa Bay side that was winless entering Thursday night’s game.
During a segment on CBS Sports’ NFL Today+, Pierce pointed out that the problems mostly stem from the basics of tackling and fundamentals that should have been addressed weeks ago.
“When you just watch this team defensively, and I don’t like, you never want to knock a coach, but when you look at something that’s not getting fixed, I kind of struggle. If you see the guy, the curl flat or the quarter’s flat defender not taking order, or the corner not squeezing enough, you need a reroute. All those things started to come into play and you say, ‘Damn, they got a lot of money on this team,’ especially up front,” Pierce said.
The former Pro Bowler then addressed a comment Jerry Jones made after Thursday night’s loss and pushed back directly on the owner’s framing of what went wrong.
“And I hear a quote from the owner. I was surprised. ‘They were able to run the ball down the middle of our defense. We expected them to run on the outside.’ Well, that’s what was really happening. Jerry Jones, you guys are not doing anything right. It doesn’t matter from inside to outside,” Pierce said.
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Schottenheimer joined the Cowboys as a consultant in March 2022 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in February 2023, when Kellen Moore departed for the Chargers.
When the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy parted ways in January 2025, Schottenheimer stepped into the head coaching role. He inherited a talented roster, but the defense has not played to that level last year and through the first five weeks of this season.
Pierce closed with the assessment that had been building through the entire breakdown. “And from a fundamental, technical standpoint, when you watch this team, they are, and be honest, they’re not, it’s hard to say, but they’re poorly coached and they don’t play hard,” he said.
What is going on in Dallas?
“They are poorly coached and they don’t play hard.” -@AntonioPierce https://t.co/sleLAN0orU
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 11, 2026
Despite the losses, quarterback Dak Prescott has been productive through the first five weeks. He is completing 67.2% of his passes for 1,381 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions, carrying a 97.2 passer rating through the campaign.
His best game came in Week 2 against Washington, where he completed 83.9% of his attempts for 279 yards and four touchdowns in a 37-20 win.
Dallas sits at 2-3 in the NFC East with the Giants holding the division lead at 3-1. The Cowboys lead the division in points scored at 138 but have also allowed 136, a number that reflects a defense that has repeatedly allowed opponents to hang around despite strong offensive production.
America’s Team is ranked third in PFN’s NFL Offense Impact metrics with a grade of 82.8 and 30th in PFN’s NFL Defense Impact metrics at 68.1, sitting dead last in pass defense at 32nd in the league.
The Cowboys now have an extended break before visiting the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 18 for Sunday Night Football.
