Sturm: Decoding Schotty Week 8 - The OL Did Not Lead

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Decoding Schotty Week 8 - The OL Did Not Lead​

Sometimes you score 30 points but still look bad doing it.​

Bob Sturm
5 hours ago



Here we go. Our objectives for today –

• Overall Offensive Evaluation - vs Arizona
• The worst offensive performance of 2026
• Offensive Line all struggled in every department.
• Pressure teams remain a problem
• Look at plenty of All-22 film and see what we can see.

Let’s dive in!

Offensive Evaluation – Vs Arizona​

This is just such a difficult tape to go through because the casual fan will say, “they scored 30, how is this about the offense?” and I will say that anyone who watched the game simply cannot believe the offense performed well enough.

To me, there are a number of ways to evaluate the offense and they failed at most of them.

But, let’s look at a few.

First, successful play rate. Obviously, we track these because they matter quite a bit. How well are you performing on a play-to-play basis.

So, we are looking for a overall success rate around 48%, first downs should be at about 50%, the run success is about 45% and the pass success is ideal at 50%.

The worst offensive performance of 2026​

As you can see, Week 8 against Arizona was a season low in three of the four major departments.



In particular, the run game was awful. 1st downs were awful. And that dragged everything down. 1st down runs? Oh, my goodness.

So here were the 1st down runs.



That’s 16 first-down runs, many into stacked boxes, and the Cowboys had success twice. 12:49 in the first quarter and 6:39 in the second quarter. The other 14 runs on first down led to second-and-long. And rinse and repeat.

Just look at the running game by week. 2.4 yards per carry is easily the worst of the year. Not a great showing by your OL.

To demonstrate how poor things were in running the ball, here are 62 seconds of Javonte Williams running into a brick wall over and over again.


Dallas was determined to run the ball like they did in Philadelphia. Arizona came in here and demoralized every single blocking scheme Dallas had in mind.

How else do we measure offensive line play? How about sacks allowed? Oh look, another “worst of the year” performance.

Offensive Line all struggled in every department.​

What if we looked at something like PFF grades to determine which OL was having a bad day? Let’s do it.

• Left Tackle Tyler Guyton – second-worst game of the year (Green Bay).
• Left Guard Tyler Smith - easily worst game of the year.
• Center Cooper Beebe - easily worst game of the year.
• Right Guard Tyler Booker - easily worst pass blocking game of the year.
• Right Tackle Terence Steele - second-worst game of the year (Tampa Bay).

It was just horrendous all the way through the tape. I am shocked to death that they took that fantastic work in Philadelphia and followed it up with this one. But, yeah, 30 points and all.

DATA BOX VS ARIZONA​

3.6 yards per play is comically bad. 261 yards in a game is brutal. Dallas had 13 drives and had multiple first downs on only four of them. They allowed a season high in sacks and had more failed plays than at any time this season.



Yes, they scored 30 points. That is an objective fact. But, they also had three different possessions from the Arizona side of the field and their best average field position of the season.

So, what happened? Why did the offense look so out of sorts?

Pressure teams remain a problem​

It seems like all of the roughest offensive outings have one thing in common.



Every game and even every play tell a different story, but there is one thing in common.

In my very basic conclusions here, all I see is that from the eight games above, the three teams that brought almost no pressure in blitzes and such – The Giants, Texans, and Eagles – were when Dallas looked most comfortable on offense. But, each week they are seeing pressure, in particular the Ravens, Buccaneers, Packers, and Cardinals would all appear to be when Dallas is very uncomfortable and producing the worst version of their offense.

This is not just a passing game issue, because we see it also leaks over to the running game. But, most importantly, Dallas does not have solutions ready. And the pressure will continue until the solutions improve.

DAK PRESCOTT THROW CHART​

I am not sure how I would rate the Prescott performance. Perhaps indifferent. He wasn’t bad like he was vs Tampa Bay, but he also wasn’t good. This offense is sometimes about the QB, but there are games like this one where the QB seems like a small part of what is happening. This seems like the game plan was all wrong. Stubborn ideas and very few solutions.

One thing we know, is that running stubbornly into run fronts with big box counts is not happening. That reel above and these stats below show you Javonte Williams is not here to punch through a brick wall. The numbers tell us the story and it is exactly what you would expect it to be.

FILM STUDY​

1Q - 11:00 - 4-1-DAL 32 - J.Williams up the middle to DAL 30 for -2 yards (Ma.Wilson).​

This is that initial fourth down from the Dallas 32-yard line. I am sure people were upset with the decision to run this, but I didn’t mind it. I assumed they would definitely be calling a QB sneak here and just follow Tyler Booker for one yard. Dak is one of the biggest and strongest QBs in the league and should be great at a simple sneak behind the RG. Instead, they turn, retreat, give the ball to Javonte Williams who is back on the 26-yard line – a full 7 yards from the marker – and we have chaos in the middle of the line as Tyler Smith of all people is on the ground and there is a massive hole in the Cowboys wall in which 1-Wilson comes charging through and Javonte has no chance. I am going to assume that Smith was stepped on in this play because he doesn’t look like that very often. This was pretty poor and even if Smith plays well, this play looks like a poor idea as there are red jerseys everywhere.

1Q - 5:28 - 2-8-DAL 3 - D.Prescott pass incomplete deep right to G.Pickens [L.Collier].​

This is the very predictable Arizona tactic to blitz on Sunday and Dallas once again does not pick up the pressure. 91-Collier (TCU’s own) barges through Beebe and then Javonte to affect Dak’s throw as Prescott tries to throw a vertical to Pickens out on the right sideline. As you can see, Beebe had two guys to handle and Williams will always have a very hard time against a 291-pound DT, so this comes off as a very dangerous situation that could have easily been a turnover.

1Q - 2:40 - 2-4-ARZ 4 - J.Williams left tackle to ARZ 2 for 2 yards (B.Baker). FUMBLES (B.Baker), recovered by DAL-J.Mitchell at ARZ -2. R2 TOUCHDOWN.​

Cowboys run a beautiful counter here in the deep red zone and watching Tyler Booker out front is just great to see. Booker gets the edge so he is joined on the counter by 18-Mingo. Obviously, there are a number of ways you can run counter and the Cowboys will use a FB, TE, or WR most of the time. But a WR is the least capable as a lead blocker and here Mingo can’t quite get to 3-Budda Baker in time. Budda is one of the best safeties in the league and this is outstanding in that he beats the block to the runner and even causes a fumble. Wow, that is excellent work. Luckily, James Mitchell is there to recover the fumble, but you clearly need Javonte to protect the ball better than that.

2Q - 12:21 - 1-10-DAL 15 - D.Prescott sacked at DAL 11 for -4 yards (A.Billings).​

I don’t really understand this sack because the Cowboys want to take a shot here to CeeDee Lamb and the Cardinals were sitting on that deep play and there is nothing there. At the same time, the 4-man rush from Arizona is causing Dak all sorts of discomfort. In particular, 95-Billings (Baylor’s own) keeps walking 52-Booker right back into Dak and the edges are collapsing. I think Dak could have quickly checked this down, but once he doesn’t do that, he is done. Not a great way to start a drive, to say the least.

2Q - 10:03 - 2-2-DAL 34 - D.Prescott pass deep left to C.Lamb pushed ob at ARZ 39 for 27 yards (M.Melton).​

Now, here is what happens when you defend a 6-man pressure well. Arizona is stacking the line and that leaves all sorts of real estate in the secondary for your receivers to run free from the Arizona zone. You see Lamb and Pickens on each sideline and both looking like options, so Dak finds Lamb for 27. Not really the smoothest looking play, but this is a throw Prescott can easily make, so they just take what they are offered. But, it all starts with 6OL and a RB protecting well on 2nd and short where Arizona is thinking you are probably going to run. Again, pass in running situations and run in passing situations are the keys to finding favorable outcomes.

2Q - 9:29 - 1-10-ARZ 39 - D.Prescott pass short left to T.Goodson to ARZ 28 for 11 yards (J.Burch).​

Next play on this drive, I just want to start giving some love to Tyler Goodson. I am really enjoying his RB2 work this season and I think he is providing a fair amount of solid play from a position that the Cowboys do not often get much. He has been a nice returner, too. Here is a simple screen that get all three Tylers out in space in front of a 4th Tyler. A true convoy of Tylers.

2Q - 7:23 - 3-5-ARZ 23 - D.Prescott pass short left to C.Lamb to ARZ 18 for 5 yards (D.Stills).​

Best way to beat a blitz is to get the ball out fast. But, Arizona is expecting you to get the ball out fast, so they have your most obvious solution covered, too. Then, those Cardinals rally to the ball as fast as they can. That is a team that defends like their hair is on fire. So, really, this isn’t really blocked up or easy. This is about CeeDee Lamb just being a superstar and making guys miss until he converts a 3rd down. Sometimes, we just have to depend on our special players being special. This is how you beat a blitz, but boy, that wasn’t easy for anyone to get 5 yards. That will go down as a simple 5-yard gain, but there is nothing simple about what Lamb did there.

2Q - 5:22 - 3-1-ARZ 9 - D.Prescott pass short middle to R.Flournoy for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.​

Ok, so this is 3rd and 1. The Cowboys take off Lamb and Pickens and replace them with a 2nd TE and a 6th OL to the left side. They plan, of course, to use this 13 personnel to sell run and then come up with a play-action pass to the end zone. The first read is 89-Spann Ford but he draws a holding. 84-Mitchell is wide open in the right flat as nobody knows who he is and feels compelled to cover him. But, Flournoy coming across is too tasty for Dak so he puts it on him and Flournoy reels in a pass that is a bit behind him and scores. Sort of wild that Dak sees Mitchell wide open for a first down and still passes, but of course, they will come back to this idea in the fourth quarter with 2:02 to go.

2Q - 1:01 - 2-10-DAL 47 - D.Prescott sacked at DAL 37 for -10 yards (Z.Collins).​

Boy, this one is a mess. 2nd and 10 and the Cowboys in their two-minute offense. The Cardinals have seven-up on the line and five are coming, but which five? Dak is trying to get it sorted and definitely seems to gesture to Flournoy that he needs a hot route to deal with 25-Collins coming off the edge. But, Flournoy doesn’t break it off (slant or out) and now Dak is dead. There are a number of potential blames here, but this is still something the offense doesn’t have sorted as to how so many free runners are getting to the QB based on this seven-across look that is all over the league. Tampa Bay, Green Bay, and now Arizona continue to cause Dallas issues with something that you would wish was cleaned up by Week 8. It keeps happening. So, you will keep seeing blitzes like this.

3Q - 0:51 - 1-10-DAL 38 - D.Prescott pass short left to G.Pickens ran ob at ARZ 25 for 37 yards (D.Burke).​

Here is a drive starter late in the third quarter that is 21 personnel and the Cardinals are really sending more and more pressure. This time, it is a 6-man pressure and the Cowboys have Pickens and Mingo out there – again, selling run – and with Tyler Goodson getting a piece of Budda off the edge, Dak delivers a throw to George Pickens who thankfully comes back to meet the ball and this allows all sorts of RAC. But, you see that the Arizona pressure game is impressive. Teams are done playing passive against the Cowboys pass game.

4Q - 14:26 - 3-5-ARZ 5 - D.Prescott scrambles right end for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.​

3rd and Goal and Dallas needs a touchdown here. Good job by the QB here quickly seeing man coverage and realizing that he might be able to get in there on his own. Baron Browning gets Terence Steele for a pressure, but Dak uses those legs and easily scores. You can tell he is not amused by 28-Wingard flying in to try to smash him at the goal-line, but he missed at the last second. Touchdown should be huge here, Dallas up 14 in the 4th Quarter.

4Q - 2:02 - 2-10-ARZ 20 - D.Prescott sacked at ARZ 26 for -6 yards (L.Collier).​

This entire concept made me crazy on Sunday. With 2:02 to go, the Cardinals know that you are not worried about the clock because in two seconds, we have the two minute warning. Ok, so this is a perfect time to pass. Also, it is 2nd and 10 which is a passing down. But, here are the Cowboys with 22 personnel and only 1 WR – not CeeDee Lamb or George Pickens – trying to convince the Cardinals that they are going to run again. Nobody is going to fall for this bluff, but you still want to sell it. Predictably, nobody is open and the protection folds quickly because the Cardinals are sitting on it. Now, if I am going to pass here – and I am – I am going to put my best pass out there with my best weapons on the field and I am going to trust my offense. This is not that. This is a wildly predictable play-action to Spann-Ford, I guess, who the Cowboys are now using like he is Rob Gronkowski. Steele loses to Collier (who turned into a beast after his personal foul) and this play is a total disaster on every front.

OT - 7:53 - 3-8-DAL 31 - D.Prescott sacked at DAL 24 for -7 yards (J.Sweat).​

This is arguably the biggest play of the game and the the Cowboys have another look at the Cardinals showing seven-across. Which five are coming? Well, the fact is that if your left tackle is going to lose to Josh Sweat that fast and your right tackle is going to lose to Baron Browning that fast and Sweat and Browning are going to meet at the QB who has no chance, it doesn’t matter who is dropping. This one is easy - Linemen did not lead the way. Brutally bad.

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CONCLUSION:​

Yes, the defense played poorly and we will get to them shortly. But, the offense is not humming along anymore and we are starting to see it creep up more and more. You want the most depressing part?

Well, they have a significantly worse offense than last year, despite returning 11 starters out of 11 and having a fully healthy offense for a great deal of the season. In other words, there are really no excuses that hold water. They have declined and lack consistency and efficiency.

I would switch play-callers to Klayton Adams right now in an effort to jump start the season. One week after looking like they figured things out against the Eagles, we are now left to believe that they have been figured out. Very rough scene for the offense.

But, they scored 30 points!