Cowboys Quarterback Criticizes New Offensive Scheme After Eight Games

Dak Prescott told reporters Thursday in Frisco that he is unsure if the Dallas Cowboys are proud of their current offensive approach. The quarterback stated the team will improve but expressed doubt about the identity the squad has built over the first eight games of the 2026 season.

The criticism follows a shift in how the offense operates under new play caller Brian Schottenheimer. Dallas is averaging 27.4 points per game, but the statistical breakdown shows a drop in variety compared to the previous year. The team now ranks second from the bottom in pre-snap motion usage.

In 2025, the Cowboys used motion on 56.6 percent of plays, ranked in the top half for play action at 28.2 percent, and utilized under-center formations 38.4 percent of the time. This season, those numbers have fallen sharply. Motion usage sits at 36.5 percent, under-center rates are at 30.4 percent, and play action ranks 21st among 32 teams.

The ground game has also struggled. Dallas is averaging 94.1 rushing yards per game, which is the eighth-worst total in the league. The team is carrying the ball on only 32.5 percent of its plays, the fifth-lowest rate in the NFL. This pass-first design relies heavily on Prescott and his receivers, but the lack of diversity in the run game has limited effectiveness.

Prescott believes the current scheme ignores a key tool for gathering information. He noted that motion helps disrupt defensive tendencies and allows him to see disguises and matchups. He said, 'Sometimes it's used strictly for me to see the disguise, to see the matchups that we've got.'

Schottenheimer has suggested that using motion while trailing makes it harder for the quarterback by 'clouding the picture.' Prescott disagrees, arguing that motion can dress up a play to get it completed. The two have different views on how the offense should function on a given play.

The Cowboys will look to adjust their strategy as they continue the season. The team must find a balance between its passing attack and the ground game while addressing the disconnect in offensive philosophy between the head coach and the quarterback.