The Cowboys’ Cheat Code: How Brandon Aubrey Shrinks the Field for Dak
Midfield is three points now
When your offensive coordinator says he is comfortable sending his kicker out from “70-ish,” the offense only needs to reach the logo before three points are in play. NFL.com reported Brian Schottenheimer would have tried Brandon Aubrey from about 70 yards.
Why Aubrey is a cheat code for Dallas
Aubrey tied the Giants at the end of regulation with a 64-yarder and then won the game with a 46-yarder in overtime, which is exactly the profile of a kicker who lets a quarterback hunt chunk gains without forcing the ball into the end zone. Schottenheimer has framed Aubrey’s range in the high 60s and said the staff has seen him hit from about 70 in practice, which explains why Dallas can play for 12 to 18 yards in hurry-up and still feel favored by the clock. That changes how you call second down, how you use the middle of the field, and how you manage the final 30 seconds once you cross midfield.
The two-minute blueprint with Aubrey
In a frantic endgame, Dallas does not need miracles so much as manageable yards. One completion to reach the logo and a simple hash-set run can be enough to flip the scoreboard when the kicker’s realistic window starts in the 60s. The Giants' finish is the template everyone on the sideline now believes in.
Dak Prescott has described Aubrey like a baseball closer and even joked about giving him walk-up music, which tells you how confident the offense feels once it reaches plus territory. DallasCowboys.com captured Dak’s closer line after the win.
Calm mechanics, cold-blooded results
Teammates keep pointing to how composed Aubrey is when the game tightens, and that composure shows up in how the offense approaches the clock. When your quarterback trusts three points from the logo, he can stay patient and keep the ball out of harm’s way rather than forcing throws that are not there.
The advantage that travels in January
With a kicker the staff trusts into the high 60s, the Cowboys’ offense only needs to go 50 yards, not 80, on most drives. That is an edge that holds up when the weather turns and the margins shrink, and it is why Dallas treats midfield like a scoring position.
Confessions of a Cowboys fan: gushing over a kicker
I never thought I would be gushing over a kicker, but being a Cowboys fan is a crazy experience, and this is where it’s led me. When you have the best in the game, the math changes, the mood changes, and honestly, your Sundays change. If this is what it feels like to have a closer who shrinks the field and calms the huddle, then sign me up for more field goals from the logo and fewer heart attacks in the red zone.