George Pickens Sends A Clear Message After Brian Schottenheimer’s Blocking Criticism Before Dallas Cowboys-Philadelphia Eagles

George Pickens Shrugs Off Brian Schottenheimer's Critique as Cowboys Chase Answers© X/@NFL_DovKleiman

George Pickens has caught plenty of heat this week, but the Dallas Cowboys receiver is not taking the bait. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer questioned his effort as a run blocker on Thursday. Pickens answered by pointing at the whole locker room. The timing matters. Dallas sits at 2-4, owns the 31st ranked rushing attack, and travels to face the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football with the NFC East wide open. Add a shoulder injury on the practice report and a trade deadline set for Nov. 10, and a quiet week in Frisco feels loud.

Why Brian Schottenheimer Wants More From George Pickens In The Dallas Cowboys Run Game

Schottenheimer did not soften his message. "He needs to understand that he impacts us in the running game as well. He's got to do the same thing in the run game, picking up safeties and blocking corners, just like Javonte (Williams) does, picking up blitzes so he can catch balls," he said, via Jon Machota of The Athletic.

The numbers explain his frustration. Dallas runs on just 32.5% of its plays, the lowest rate in the league, and gains only 76.0 rushing yards per game. When the run stalls, play-action loses its bite.

Cowboys WR George Pickens on what he can do to be more involved in the offense: “Well, I'm doing what they tell me to do. So, do what they tell me to do.” On Schottenheimer saying he needs to block better: “I feel like if you narrow the comments down, you're talking about the team. Most definitely, I feel like as a team, just keep improving.”

— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) October 23, 2026

Pickens, 25, chose a wider lens. "I feel like if you narrow the comments down, you're talking about the team. So most definitely, I feel like as a team, just keep improving." He has 428 receiving yards this season, 12th in the NFL. Last year he finished with 1,429.

How The Dallas Cowboys And George Pickens Can Fix The Offense Against The Philadelphia Eagles

Teammates are not wavering. CeeDee Lamb said, "I don't think about it [the criticism]. I hang around GP more than pretty much anyone in this building, and I'm always going to be on his side."

The fix looks like a mix of scheme and execution. Offensive coordinator Klayton Adams admitted defenses are doubling Pickens early, which makes it hard to get him the ball. Dak Prescott also struggles when teams send extra rushers. His passer rating against the blitz has dropped from 103.8 last season to 89.1. Dallas has only 34 explosive plays, which ranks 22nd.

Here is the practical read. Pickens plays the best when he sees the ball early, and the Cowboys can design that with screens or by splitting him away from Lamb. Nothing in the reporting says Dallas is shopping him. Fans are loud, but the team is not.

The opportunity is real. Philadelphia is also 2-4, and the division has gone winless for two straight weeks. Another loss would make that opening harder to reach.