Shemar James heard it Wednesday: Arizona is going to force-feed Trey McBride the ball. Brian Schottenheimer sharpened that warning Friday, saying the Arizona Cardinals run their offense through McBride as Dallas prepares for a short-week game plan.
McBride has 59 catches for 472 yards and 4 touchdowns in 7 games, and he has caught at least 7 passes in every Arizona game. He also set season highs Sunday with 10 catches for 111 yards and a touchdown in a 30-16 loss to the Denver Broncos.
Schottenheimer on McBride
"He’s got receiver movement qualities in a tight-end body. He’s got running back, make-you-miss, change-of-direction ability in a tight-end body," Schottenheimer said Friday. "But, I mean, the offense runs through him. The play just gets started when he just gets the ball, because he is dynamic with the ball in his hands."
That is the part Dallas has to solve. Schottenheimer said the Cowboys have plans to take McBride away on a short week after they played Monday night in Philadelphia, so the defensive conversation is already centered on one target rather than an entire passing tree.
Jacoby Brissett and the target load
Brissett has thrown 282 passes, completed 65% of them, and produced 1,600 yards, 10 touchdowns and 6 interceptions through 7 games. Schottenheimer compared Arizona's use of McBride to the way the Indianapolis Colts used Jack Doyle, a comparison that points to volume and timing more than field-stretching theatrics.
"One, his preparation is elite. He works incredibly hard. He’s an early morning guy. I used to love our meetings together, just watching film and grinding film," Schottenheimer said of Brissett. "The arm talent is real. He’s got a big arm. He can make all the throws. Very competitive. He’s hard to get down on the ground."
AT&T Stadium memory
The last meeting also gives Dallas a specific reference point. On Nov. 3, 2025, Brissett beat the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium, going 21-of-31 for 261 yards and 2 touchdowns while adding another score on the ground in Arizona's 27-17 win.
Mike LaFleur said Monday that Brissett remains the starter, which keeps the same quarterback-target pairing in place. Dallas can change the coverage picture, but Schottenheimer's own words make the assignment plain: if McBride keeps getting the ball first, the Cowboys' margin for error shrinks fast.
