Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens is in elite form, and his dominance on Thanksgiving vs. the Kansas City Chiefs showed why. The slant route became nearly impossible for Steve Spagnuolo’s defense to stop, especially in key late-game moments when Dak Prescott repeatedly found Pickens on third down to close out the win.

As Week 14 approaches, the conversation has shifted to whether the Detroit Lions defense can take away Pickens’ signature slant. Pickens has already made it clear that no defense can shut it down, and now Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer is doubling down.

Schottenheimer Issues Message to Lions DC Kelvin Sheppard

Speaking ahead of Thursday night’s showdown at Ford Field, Schottenheimer made it clear that the slant isn’t going anywhere:

“He’s going to run slants in this game,” Schottenheimer said. “Kelvin Sheppard, he’s going to run slants. That’s part of the deal. If they want to play him, they can. Executing something the defense knows is coming is really cool.”

The message is simple: Pickens will run slants, and Dallas isn’t hiding it.

Why Pickens Is Essential to the Cowboys’ Week 14 Game Plan

Prescott currently has two legitimate No. 1 receivers in Pickens and CeeDee Lamb—a nightmare for opposing defenses. If teams double one, the other gets one-on-one coverage. Last week, Chiefs star corner Trent McDuffie struggled to contain Lamb, proving that defenses can’t simply key in on a single target.

When defenses attempt to shade coverage toward both receivers, that’s when the slant route becomes deadly, offering quick, high-percentage throws with big yards-after-catch upside.

And that’s all before mentioning Javonte Williams and the Cowboys’ strong run game.

Can the Lions Stop the Cowboys’ Slant Game?

Schottenheimer has made it clear: the slant is coming, and Dallas plans to test Detroit’s secondary early and often. Whether the Lions can adjust or survive Pickens’ dominance will be one of the biggest storylines of Week 14.