Cowboys 2026 schedule predictions: Dallas projects for winning season after defensive overhaul
Dak Prescott shares his thoughts on playing three games in 11 days
FRISCO, Texas -- The 2026 Dallas Cowboys offseason is all about fixing the NFL's worst scoring defense, and for good reason.
Dallas now knows how and when that remade unit, led by new defensive coordinator Christian Parker and 2026 11th overall pick defensive back Caleb Downs, will be tested. The Cowboys maintained their offensive infrastructure from coach Brian Schottenheimer's first season, when he also served as the offensive play caller. Dallas averaged 27.7 points per game, the seventh-most in the NFL, thanks to quarterback Dak Prescott and a talented slew of skill players around him.
Cowboys 2026 schedule
Below are score projections for all 17 Cowboys' regular-season games.
| WEEK | DATE | OPPONENT | KICKOFF TIME (ET) | NETWORK | SCORE PREDICTION (COWBOYS' RECORD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sept. 13 | at Giants | 8:20 p.m. | NBC | 35-24, Cowboys (1-0) |
2 | Sept. 20 | vs. Commanders | 4:25 p.m. | FOX | 35-24, Cowboys (2-0) |
3 | Sept. 27 | vs. Ravens (Brazil) | 4:25 p.m. | CBS | 31-27, Ravens (2-1) |
4 | Oct. 4 | at Texans | 1 p.m. | FOX | 24-20, Texans (2-2) |
5 | Oct. 8 | vs. Buccaneers** | 8:15 p.m. | Prime Video | 26-20, Cowboys (3-2) |
6 | Oct. 18 | at Packers | 8:20 p.m. | NBC | 30-27, Packers (3-3) |
7 | Oct. 26 | at Eagles* | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN/ABC | 24-23, Eagles (3-4) |
8 | Nov. 1 | vs. Cardinals | 1 p.m. | FOX | 38-27, Cowboys (4-4) |
9 | Nov. 8 | at Colts | 1 p.m. | FOX | 34-20, Cowboys (5-4) |
10 | Nov. 15 | vs. 49ers | 4:25 p.m. | FOX | 27-24, Cowboys (6-4) |
11 | Nov. 22 | vs. Titans | 1 p.m. | FOX | 35-26, Cowboys (7-4) |
12 | Nov. 26 | vs. Eagles*** | 4:30 p.m. | FOX | 24-20 Cowboys (8-4) |
13 | Dec. 7 | at Seahawks* | 8:15 p.m. | ESPN/ABC | 20-17, Seahawks (8-5) |
14 | Dec. 13 | BYE | N/A | N/A | N/A (8-5) |
15 | Dec. 20 | at Rams | 4:25 p.m. | CBS | 31-28, Rams (8-6) |
16 | Dec. 27 | vs. Jaguars | 8:20 p.m. | NBC | 34-31, Jaguars (8-7) |
17 | Jan. 3 | vs. Giants | 1 p.m. | FOX | 45-24, Cowboys (9-7) |
18 | TBD | at Commanders | TBD | TBD | 29-20, Cowboys (10-7) |
* Monday night
** Thursday night
*** Thanksgiving
Cowboys' key schedule notables
- Toughest stretch by opponents: Weeks 12-16. In the span of five weeks, with a bye breaking up the stretch right down the middle, Dallas will play at home against the defending NFC East champion Eagles on Thanksgiving in Week 12, at the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks on "Monday Night Football" in Week 13, bye in Week 14, at the NFC runner up Rams in Week 15 and home against the defending AFC South champion Jaguars in Week 16. Two of the games are at home, two are on the road, with the two away games being at the two NFC West powerhouses. At that point in the season, the stakes will be higher, and the Cowboys will be playing their toughest opponents. The football world will truly know what the 2026 Cowboys are about after this stretch.
- Toughest stretch by logistics: Weeks 3-7. As my CBS Sports colleague John Breech pointed out, 17 of the NFL's 32 teams will play international games this season, and of those 17, 12 have a home game the following week and 3 have a bye the week after. The Dallas Cowboys and the Indianapolis Colts have to play on the road after playing abroad. This setup means the Cowboys play three games in an 11-day span beginning with Week 3 in Brazil. After a 10-hour flight home, Dallas has a short road trip to Houston and its ferocious defense. Then, the Cowboys line up the following Thursday to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dallas then hits the road in consecutive weeks for two emotionally-charged primetime showdowns: Week 6 at the Green Bay Packers -- in a game in which Micah Parsons should be back from his torn ACL -- and Week 7 at the Philadelphia Eagles on "Monday Night Football."
"Honestly, I'm excited," Prescott said last week at the annual Reliant Home Run Derby to benefit the Salvation Army. "First time playing an international game going into my 11th season. I would have thought we would have had one by now, but it's all good, obviously, right? The travel will be tough, but it's a part of growing this game, something we'll manage. We'll just figure out the best way, obviously, to take care of our bodies. We've been a part of three games in 11 days, right? Every year pretty much with our Thanksgiving Day game, so nothing new. Just having to do it earlier and bounce back. What it is is if you can get on top and win those games, it happens fast. So you just got to make sure you're locked in and don't let those games get by you."
- Easiest stretch: Weeks 8-12. Dallas will play four home games in a five-game span. Two of the games, home against the Cardinals in Week 8 and home against the Titans in Week 11, will be against teams that drafted inside the top five of the 2026 draft. However, Dallas can't afford to overlook either squad, especially the Cardinals. The only win Arizona had in quarterback Jacoby Brissett's 12 starts last season came at AT&T Stadium against the Cowboys in a 27-17 victory by the road team. Brissett completed 21 of his 31 throws for 261 yards passing and two touchdowns. That "Monday Night Football" defeat drove Jerry Jones to trade for All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams the very next day.
- The Cowboys' Week 14 bye in 2026 will tie the latest bye in Dallas history.
- Dallas remains a primetime regular with six night games plus its usual Thanksgiving afternoon special in Week 12.
