Brian Schottenheimer maintains full faith in Cowboys defense despite nightmare 2026 start
Brian Schottenheimer still believes in the Cowboys defense despite a disastrous start.
The Dallas Cowboys are 2-2 after defeating the Houston Texans 34-30 in Week 4. The team remains in the race in the NFC East , but the defense has been one of its biggest concerns early in the season. Even so, head coach Brian Schottenheimer has not lost confidence in that unit.
During a press conference on Monday , the 52-year-old coach said the defense is showing signs of improvement. For Schottenheimer , the group will eventually reach the level needed for the team to rely on it in key moments.
“I think our defense is getting better,” Schottenheimer said. “I don’t want to have to score 30 points every game to win. … But if we got to score 35 or whatever it takes to win, we’ll do that, because at some point they’re gonna bail us out and we’re gonna win a game 10-7.”
The numbers don’t tell the story
Dallas has allowed 28 points or more in three of its four games, and both of its victories came in games where the offense scored 34 or more points. Overall, the Cowboys have surrendered 112 points through the first four weeks, the fourth-highest total in the NFL.
The moves to turn things around
The front office has not stayed quiet. In addition to adding talent during the offseason, Dallas recently acquired cornerback Joey Porter Jr. in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers to strengthen the secondary. With so many new faces on the roster, the team may simply need time to find its defensive identity.
Dallas will have another opportunity to fix its issues in Week 5, when the Cowboys host a struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers team in Thursday Night Football .
