The Dallas Cowboys escaped Houston with a 34-30 win over the Texans in Week 4.
It was not a pretty start for the Cowboys, as they were down 23-13 in the middle of the third quarter. Dallas scored 28 points in the second half to win over Houston.
This doesn’t include some decisions made during that game that were highly questionable at the time. One moment in the first half ultimately didn’t hurt them, but the Cowboys could have lost because of it.
Dallas Cowboys HC Talks Questionable Decision in First Half
Near the end of the first half, down 13-6, the Cowboys decided to attempt a 65-yard field goal instead of punting. Kicker Brandon Aubrey has been known for making long field goals, but he missed this one. Houston then needed only 26 seconds to move down the field and kick a field goal to take a 16-6 halftime lead.
After the game, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer was asked about this decision. Schottenheimer was honest about his thought process.
“We have our yard lines that we’re aiming to get to, and we were over it by a yard or two,” Schottenheimer said via The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “We felt very comfortable that (Brandon Aubrey) would make that kick. And at that point in the game, I had no question that if for some reason he missed it that we had plenty of time to fight back. But you’re always going to trust your players in those situations.”
It wasn’t the best day for Aubrey, who hit only two of his four field goals. This season, he has converted 8-of-11 field goals and missed an extra point.
Should Brian Schotteheimer Have Gone for the Field Goal for the Cowboys?
Schottenheimer got lucky that they won. He has been criticized for late-game decisions over the last few weeks.
In Week 3, when the Baltimore Ravens lost, he took accountability for his mistakes at the end of the game. He called two pass plays inside the five-yard line, forcing the Cowboys to settle for a field goal, and gave Baltimore seven seconds to drive down the field and win on their own field goal.
This time, it didn’t hurt for the Cowboys, but Schottenheimer might not be so lucky next time. It’s hard to go against Aubrey, who can hit a 70-yarder in a game.
Dallas doesn’t have to worry about that decision since they are 2-2 and moving on to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The hope is that the Cowboys won’t have to make those kinds of hard decisions against the Bucs.
Brian Schottenheimer Backed His Questionable Decision in Cowboys Week 4 Win