The Dallas Cowboys are still reeling from their tough loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Rio de Janeiro. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has made it clear to his players that he is taking responsibility for the 34-31 defeat.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport reports that Schottenheimer spoke to the whole team in a meeting and shared a strong message about taking responsibility.
“I messed up,” Schottenheimer said.
Schottenheimer reportedly told his players these words as he admitted his part in Dallas' tough finish against Baltimore.
The Cowboys lost 34-31 to the Ravens after making some costly decisions in the final seconds. Dallas had a chance to take the lead late in the fourth quarter. Instead, they chose to kick a game-tying field goal by Brandon Aubrey.
After that, things got even tougher for Dallas.
Schottenheimer admitted he gave quarterback Dak Prescott too much direction on third down. This might have influenced Prescott's choice to throw the ball away. He also accepted blame for kicking the next kickoff through the end zone. That decision gave Baltimore the ball at the 35-yard line to start its last drive with seven seconds remaining.
Article Continues BelowLamar Jackson threw a 27-yard pass to Zay Flowers to set up Tyler Loop's 56-yard field goal to win the game.
The Cowboys faced criticism for how they played at the end of the game. However, Schottenheimer's honesty about his mistakes might help him earn more respect from his players.
According to Rapoport, Schottenheimer wanted to show he holds himself to the same standards of accountability that he expects from his players.
Now, Dallas needs to back up those words with action.
The Cowboys have a tough game coming up in Week 4 against the Houston Texans. Schottenheimer now has to show that what he learned in Rio will lead to better choices.
Admitting mistakes is a good start, but winning games will show if his message really matters to the team.