Despite high-octane scoring, Brian Schottenheimer must resolve a glaring second-half touchdown drought and stagnant red-zone efficiency to transform Dallas into a reliable, four-quarter offensive powerhouse this season.
OXNARD, Calif. - The Dallas Cowboys' offense, for most of 2025, was one of the best units in football, regularly putting up 30+ points in games.
In fact, in seven of their first 13 games, Dallas did just that. ... and the fireworks were alluring.
But the final five weeks of the season saw the unit drop off, production-wise, and the Cowboys ended the year with a 7-9-1- record.
Now, looking at the season as a whole, the Cowboys' offense was good, but if we delve a little deeper, we know there is ample room for improvement.
And it is here where Brian Schottenheimer has to come up with answers. ... starting this week as the Cowboys have arrived here in Oxnard for training camp.
For how productive Dallas was in so many ways, some might forget that in the second half of the season, it was sort of allergic to the end zone in the second halves of games.
Remember?
It was three consecutive games that the Cowboys failed to score a second-half touchdown, and it was only Joe Milton in Week 18 against the New York Giants that halted Dallas from not scoring in the second half for four weeks.
So, the big question aimed at Schottenheimer's feet this offseason is ... How does he fix that?
When it came to scoring touchdowns in the red zone, Dallas ranked 16th, finding the end zone 56 percent of the time.
When you employ Dak Prescott and you have weapons in CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Jake Ferguson, Javonte Williams and others, you would think the Cowboys could have fared a little better.
Now, scoring inside the 20 is notoriously tough anyway, and the Cowboys did find it next to impossible in the final four games. Of course, their opponents matter, too.
The Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Chargers are two elite-level defenses that gave Dak and Company nightmares.
As for the Washington Commanders, game, Dallas just stalled out, and the New York Giants outing, well, that was a skeleton crew for the entire second half.
So the big thing for Schottenheimer to address this offseason is the work in the red zone.
Now, is the number low because Dallas knew it had Brandon Aubrey in its back pocket, and therefore allowed itself to play more conservatively down there?
Maybe.
Or were the Cowboys just not very good in the red zone because of miscues and mis-calls? After all, even a team like lowly Tennessee fared better.
In the end, for all the good the Cowboys did, punching it in for six wasn't their strength, and Schottenheimer has to figure out how to make it one in 2026. ... a process that starts in earnest this week for the Cowboys here in California.
