Cowboys' Special Teams Struggles Reach Breaking Point After Loss to Lions
The Dallas Cowboys' special teams unit has been a problem all season, but Thursday night’s 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field put a spotlight on just how costly those issues have become. From poor kickoff coverage to ineffective punting, the Cowboys gave the Lions favorable field position all night - and Detroit didn’t waste the gift.
Let’s start with the numbers: the Lions' average starting field position was their own 42-yard line. That’s a dream scenario for any offense, and it put Dallas' defense in a tough spot before they even stepped on the field.
The Cowboys punted six times and kicked off six times, and on far too many of those plays, the coverage team failed to flip the field or even hold serve. That’s not just a bad night - that’s a trend.
And it’s one that offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is finally addressing. After weeks of silence on the issue, he spoke candidly following the loss, acknowledging the special teams breakdowns and calling out the need for immediate improvement.
“We certainly didn’t cover very well,” Schottenheimer said postgame. “I thought that kind of flipped the field, gave them a bunch of short fields, and we have to look at why that was. And we’ll do that - certainly an area for us to clean up.”
The numbers back him up. The Cowboys gave up 261 yards on kickoff returns, a staggering total that reflects not just one or two missed tackles, but systemic breakdowns in coverage and lane discipline.
At his Monday press conference, Schottenheimer didn’t mince words. The issues, he said, come down to technique, discipline, and potentially personnel.
“The kickoff coverage leverage has not been very good. We’ve lost contain,” he said.
“The way it’s all set up now is: if my left arm is free, I’ve got to keep my left arm free. Guys are trying to make plays, and the way you cover kicks well is to have everybody do their job, stay in their lane, keep their contain, play with the correct arm free.
We haven’t done that. We’ll be looking at maybe some personnel adjustments as well.”
That last line - “personnel adjustments” - is the one to circle. Because while special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen has drawn plenty of criticism from outside the building, Schottenheimer’s comments suggest the coaching staff is now seriously considering changes to the player rotation in coverage units.
That’s a big deal. Sorensen was hand-picked by Jerry Jones back in January, and Jones is known for standing by his hires. But even the most loyal owner can’t ignore the on-field product forever, especially with the Cowboys' playoff hopes hanging in the balance.
At 6-6, Dallas is clinging to .500 in a crowded NFC wild-card race. The margin for error is gone. Every phase of the game has to be sharp - and right now, special teams are dragging this team down.
The road ahead doesn’t get any easier. The Cowboys are set to face the Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders, and New York Giants in the final month of the season. That’s a mix of playoff contenders and division rivals, and any slip-up could be the one that seals Dallas’ postseason fate.
The good news? There’s still time to course-correct.
The bad news? That clock is ticking fast.
If the Cowboys want to make noise in January, they’ll need to start by cleaning up the basics - and that means getting their special teams house in order, now.