The Dallas Cowboys suffered their second consecutive preseason defeat on Saturday, falling 31-13 to the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium. Despite back-to-back losses and defensive struggles, head coach Brian Schottenheimer emphasized that the team is not panicking but rather hard at work.
“We’re not going to panic, and we’re not pushing the panic button,” Schottenheimer said. “We’re pushing the work button, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
While Schottenheimer isn’t satisfied with the results, he made it clear that he views these games as valuable evaluation opportunities. “We’re not going to say this is just a preseason game,” he added. “We’re not going to say, ‘Oh, we’re fine.’ We’re going to look at it… The fact that we lost both halves that’s something we have to get corrected. There are too many good players and too many good coaches for us to perform the way we did tonight.”
Quarterback Joe Milton’s performance was another point of concern. In his second preseason start, he completed 9 of 18 passes for 122 yards and threw an interception. He also took a safety on the opening drive an execution issue Schottenheimer believes Milton and the offense must address. “I wouldn’t say I’m concerned… We came out with a different mindset in trying to run the ball, but they got him with a blitz and spooked him. He has to try to throw the ball away. It wasn’t just him. We have to run the ball better and take care of the football,” the coach said.
Schottenheimer also stressed that no decisions about roster roles particularly the backup quarterback spot have been made yet. “I feel like I don’t have to decide anything today. I’m going to keep letting these guys practice… All of these position battles that’s not today’s business,” he said.
Looking ahead, the Cowboys wrap up the preseason this Friday against the Atlanta Falcons. With a short turnaround, Schottenheimer acknowledged limited practice opportunities, but reiterated his focus on using the remaining time wisely before the regular-season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles slated for September 4.