From 3-5-1 to three straight wins, Schottenheimer ignites Cowboys' culture and playoff push, sparking national Coach of the Year buzz.
FRISCO - The good vibes are flowing for the Dallas Cowboys as coach Brian Schottenheimer's team has rallied from being 3-5-1 to 6-5-1 with three straight wins. ...
And the coach is getting a great deal of credit for the turnaround.
To some, 6-5-1 might not seem like much, but when you factor in the Cowboys have beaten the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, both of whom were in the Super Bowl last year, coupled with navigating the tragic passing of Marshawn Kneeland as Schottenheimer galvanized the locker room, there is something building at The Star.
And Schotty is the one doing the building.
Indeed, following the Thanksgiving Day win over the Chiefs, Schotty is now getting Coach of the Year consideration from national critics like PFT's Mike Florio.
Granted, the likes of the Patriots' Mike Vrabel, the Seahawks' Mike Macdonald, the Bears' Ben Johnson still figure as front-runners.
Taking a team from being bad one year to being good the next is the most common way to win COY, and maybe Dallas last year under then-coach Mike McCarthy being 7-10 is "bad.''
But in any event, if the Cowboys keep the tidal wave of momentum they are carrying going? If they beat the Detroit Lions next Thursday, that'll be four straight.
If they run the table in the final four - they'll be favored in each over the Chargers, Vikings, Commanders and Giants but still a tough thing to achieve - and make the playoffs?
Schotty would definitely be a consideration for the award.
"If they get in, Schottenheimer should receive serious consideration for the Coach of the Year award that his father, Marty, won in 2004," Florio wrote.
Again, we're not there yet.
But we will make this argument: Schottenheimer's candidacy for the Coach of the Year award isn't just about the turnaround or the wins; it's also about how a rookie has handled this entire season.
A first-time head coach has led the Cowboys to be one of the best offenses in football - and Schotty is the offensive play-caller.
He's been charged with overseeing the team's dealing with passing of Kneeland and brought the entire franchise together to lead them through the emotions of the tragedy.
And his much-ballyhooed push for "culture'' seems to be paying off once the games begin.
With the entire season on the line, he upset the Eagles after being down 21-0.
And then, four days later - with the entire season still on the line - he out-coached Andy Reid as the Cowboys hung 31 points on the Chiefs.
Said QB Dak Prescott: “It’s been amazing. It has. And I just credit him for being the same, being consistent, and it’s something that he talks about, but to actually watch him be consistent and be the same man through the adversity and now through some success, right?
“He’s a hell of a leader. He’s the right guy for the job. We’re all following him.
Is he going to do it again on the field? And again? What if Dallas somehow overtakes the slumping Super Bowl-champion Eagles and wins the NFC East?
When you add all of that up, there is a chance for Schottenheimer, if his team can maintain this hot run and make the playoffs, to win the award.
Yes, it's a longshot, but like Dallas' playoff hopes, there's a chance.