Schottenheimer on the Catch Dallas Will Talk About All Week: Dak 'Trusted Flo' — and Pickens Tries to Work Back
By Monday the Cowboys' coach had watched Ryan Flournoy's season-saving 46-yard catch 'many times.' His telling of it is a window into why Prescott threw it — and his other Monday news was about the receiver Flournoy replaced.
FRISCO — The play took eleven seconds of game clock and may have saved the Cowboys' season, and by Monday head coach Brian Schottenheimer had watched it many times. Down 23-20 with 1:37 left in Indianapolis on Sunday, Ryan Flournoy beat Colts cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner down the right side on the first snap of the final drive and hauled in a 46-yard catch from Dak Prescott. Three plays later, Javonte Williams scored from a yard out for the 27-23 win, and a pass-interference penalty on another throw to Flournoy at the Indianapolis 6 figured in the finish as well.
“So it's a scissors combination. They played press one-on-one to him. First play of the drive, so we call it P-and-10. And when he outside released, Dak saw the leverage, trusted Flo, which is the biggest thing that speaks to Flo and what Flo has done since he's been here, and was like, felt great about taking the shot,” Schottenheimer said, in the Dallas Sports Journal's account. “And I have seen the catch many times now, and incredible. Doesn't surprise you. He's the last one off the practice field every day, working on releases and ball skills and catches and things like that. So, awesome moment for him. He's an incredible teammate and awesome player.” Prescott, who finished with 335 passing yards and two touchdowns, said after the game that Flournoy was his read once the safety looked to the wide side and left the one-on-one outside.
Flournoy was starting because George Pickens was inactive with a hamstring injury — the first game Pickens has missed since Dallas traded for him in May 2025 — and Schottenheimer said Monday that Pickens will try to work back this week. Flournoy finished with two catches for 53 yards, including a 7-yard gain on third-and-6 in the first quarter, and stands at 32 catches for 395 yards this season; the sixth-round pick from Southeast Missouri State signed an extension days before the 2026 opener that keeps him in Dallas through 2027. The Cowboys, now 4-5, host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Nov. 15, at AT&T Stadium, with kickoff set for 3:25 p.m. CT on FOX.
