Brian Schottenheimer and Caleb Downs outlined where the Cowboys went wrong in Week 1, and why not all hope is lost within the walls of the Dallas defense.
The Dallas Cowboys' new-look defense - equipped with the hopeful pairing of secondary-specialist coordinator Christian Parker and versatile first-round rookie defensive back Caleb Downs - offered a less-than-inspiring debut in their 28-20 loss to the New York Giants.
Second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart was 23 of 29 through the air for 230 yards and three touchdowns for Dallas’ division rivals. Running back Cam Skattebo rushed for 81 yards and another score, and the Giants were relentless in keeping the Cowboys' defense on the field. New York was 9 of 11 on third down.
Dallas coach Brian Schottenheimer voiced his frustrations by looking forward to the Cowboys' next two opponents - the Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens - who are each led by dynamic quarterbacks similar to Dart: Jayden Daniels and Lamar Jackson, respectively.
"To lose [containment] on a guy like Jaxson that is that athletic, and it was multiple guys at multiple times. ... We have Jayden this week, and then you guys have maybe heard of Lamar Jackson coming in a couple weeks. So we certainly have to get better with our discipline," Schottenheimer said.
Downs spoke to CBS Sports about the early-season struggles and why he's staying optimistic about Parker's system.
"I think it's just first-game execution honestly," Downs said about the lack of communication. "I don't necessarily think it's not getting a call or anything like that. I think it's just making sure we're detailed in our work and doing our jobs at the highest level more so than anything else. Just executing our job is the biggest thing."
Parker, just 34 and beginning his first season as a defensive coordinator, still has the trust of his prized rookie. Downs sees his career development aligning with Parker's.
"We're going through the same journey at the same time," Downs said. "It's my first season, and it's his first season calling the plays and being the defensive coordinator. So I think there's a lot of similarities there, and we're just trying to succeed at what we do, and that's the biggest thing."
"Everything that we made mistakes on is very fixable," Downs added after Week 1. "Defense is pretty simple. At the end of the day, it's not like we're playing rocket science. It's just we got to do our jobs when we're on the field, and that's the biggest thing."
Downs himself wasn't among the Cowboys whose debut was underwhelming. The No. 11 overall pick out of Ohio State recorded eight tackles (4 solo) and a booming sack on Dart that briefly dislodged the ball from the quarterback's grasp. New York turned the fumble into a short gain after offensive lineman Jon Runyan Jr. caught the ball out of the air and took off running.
"I think Caleb played really, really well," Schottenheimer said. "Jaxson Dart never saw him on the blitz. He gets a free run and the ball goes spiraling through the air, and the 320-pound guard catches it and rumbles for five yards. That's kind of how the night went for us. I think that's one of the positives of what we did on defense: we attacked the ball. We had four forced fumbles."
As a result, Schottenheimer sees Downs' Swiss-army-knife style continuing to be an advantage moving forward.
"Caleb is a guy that can move around, but we like him down near the line of scrimmage," the coach said, suggesting more nickel packages and blitz opportunities.
CBS Sports' Garrett Podell asked Downs about his versatility feeling similar to his time with the Buckeyes. Even dating back to when Downs started as a true freshman at Alabama under Nick Saban, he's been able to play in a variety of spots in the secondary.
"Yeah, a lot similar to college, being able to move around," Downs said of his role with the Cowboys. "So being able to play, whether it's nickel, being able to play safety and then third down, being able to play dime as well. I think just being able to make plays wherever you're at, that's the biggest thing. So I have confidence in my ability, and that's what I'm going to go out and do.
"I think I can play the run game really well. Play the pass game, whatever it is, whether it's man or dropping zones. I'm an extra corner or extra linebacker. Whatever you need."
Wherever Downs lines up, the biggest factor will be the communication within each level of the Cowboys defense, which featured seven newcomers in the starting lineup ... and likely another being added as veteran safety Malik Hooker sustained a fractured forearm in the game.
"The other thing that I will say, looking at the game, that we need to be better in is our communication on defense," Schottenheimer stated. Communication is two parts. It's the person that gives [the call], and the person that receives it has to acknowledge it. Some of the things that we did in the red zone late where we didn't have anybody accounting for [running back Devin] Singletary, who is a pretty dynamic player.
"Those were communication issues. That can't happen because those are self-inflicted wounds that get you beat."
