**
**
IRVING, Texas – The Cowboys' 2014 season will kick off with a bang on Sunday, Sept. 7, as they are set to play host to the San Francisco 49ers from AT&T Stadium.
The NFL released its full, 17-week schedule for the entire league on Wednesday evening, highlighted by a renewal of the classic Dallas-San Francisco rivalry during the 3:25 p.m. slot in Week 1. That matchup pits two of the league's most storied franchises against each other, as the two have combined for 10 Lombardi Trophies.
The 49ers have been one of the NFL's best teams in recent years, as they have reached the NFC Championship Game in each of the past three seasons and the Super Bowl in 2012.
Despite their rich history, which includes seven playoff meetings, the Cowboys have never opened a season against the 49ers. The all-time series is split evenly at 16-16-1, with the Cowboys taking the past three games.
That's just the beginning for the Cowboys, as this year's schedule calls for five different primetime games – not to mention the Week 10 game against Jacksonville in London and the traditional Thanksgiving home game.
In an unusual twist, 2014 will actually see Dallas play two Thursday games. The Thanksgiving opponent will be Philadelphia – just the second time the Cowboys and Eagles have played on the holiday. One week later, on Dec. 4, the Cowboys will travel to Chicago to play the Bears on Thursday Night Football.
A look at the Cowboys opponents for the 2014 season.
The Cowboys' 2014 schedule took shape on Wednesday, highlighted by five primetime games, a trip to London and a season-opening home tilt against NFC power San Francisco.
For the second year in a row, the Cowboys will begin the season at home at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX.
15 June 2017: Views
of the Dallas Cowboys during minicamp day 3 practice at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Photo by James D. Smith/Dallas Cowboys
15 June 2017: Views
of the Dallas Cowboys during minicamp day 3 practice at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Photo by James D. Smith/Dallas Cowboys
Week 2: The Cowboys travel to Nashville to take on the Titans at LP Field.
The Cowboys last played the Titans in 2010 in Dallas.
Week 3: The Cowboys travel to St. Louis to play the Rams at the Edward Jones Dome.
The Cowboys and Rams last met at AT&T Stadium in 2013.
The Cowboys and Rams last met at AT&T Stadium in 2013.
15 June 2017: Views
of the Dallas Cowboys during minicamp day 3 practice at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Photo by James D. Smith/Dallas Cowboys
15 June 2017: Views
of the Dallas Cowboys during minicamp day 3 practice at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Photo by James D. Smith/Dallas Cowboys
Week 4: The Cowboys take on the New Orleans Saints on Sunday Night Football at AT&T Stadium.
Week 5: The Cowboys match up with the Houston Texans at AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys and Texans last played in 2010.
15 June 2017: Views
of the Dallas Cowboys during minicamp day 3 practice at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Photo by James D. Smith/Dallas Cowboys
15 June 2017: Views
of the Dallas Cowboys during minicamp day 3 practice at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Photo by James D. Smith/Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys and Seahawks last met in Seattle in 2012.
The Cowboys then return to AT&T Stadium for a three games at home.
Week 7: The Cowboys have their first NFC East match-up of the season against the N.Y. Giants.
Week 8: The Cowboys host another NFC East match-up at home, this one against the Washington Redskins.
Week 9: The Cowboys then host the Arizona Cardinals at AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys and Cardinals last met in the 2013 preseason in Arizona.
15 June 2017: Views
of the Dallas Cowboys during minicamp day 3 practice at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Photo by James D. Smith/Dallas Cowboys
15 June 2017: Views
of the Dallas Cowboys during minicamp day 3 practice at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Photo by James D. Smith/Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys will play the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium.
Jacksonville has agreed to play in the UK every year through the 2016 season.
The Cowboys last played the Jaguars in Dallas in 2010.
Week 11: Bye week.
15 June 2017: Views
of the Dallas Cowboys during minicamp day 3 practice at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Photo by James D. Smith/Dallas Cowboys
15 June 2017: Views
of the Dallas Cowboys during minicamp day 3 practice at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Photo by James D. Smith/Dallas Cowboys
15 June 2017: Views
of the Dallas Cowboys during minicamp day 3 practice at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Photo by James D. Smith/Dallas Cowboys
15 June 2017: Views
of the Dallas Cowboys during minicamp day 3 practice at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Photo by James D. Smith/Dallas Cowboys
Week 13: The Cowboys will host the Philadelphia Eagles on Thanksgiving for their first match-up of 2014.
It's only the second time the Cowboys and Eagles have played on the Thanksgiving. The only other Thanksgiving game between the Cowboys and Eagles happened in 1989.
Week 14: The Cowboys follow their Thursday Thanksg
2014 marks the second-straight season the Cowboys will travel to Chicago in the month of December.
In 2013, the Cowboys set their regular season record for the coldest game in franchise history in Chicago, as the temperature fell to 8 degrees at kickoff and the wind chill made the field feel 9 degrees below zero.
Week 15: The Cowboys travel to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia for their second game against the Eagles.
Honorable Mention Xavier Woods – It wasn't a bad summer for Woods, but he just didn't make any true standout plays. He's in the right position and if he gets another interception or two, he's probably five spots higher.
Honorable Mention Xavier Woods – It wasn't a bad summer for Woods, but he just didn't make any true standout plays. He's in the right position and if he gets another interception or two, he's probably five spots higher.
- Lucas Wacha – Free agent linebacker from Wyoming, Wacha has stood out in many ways here in the offseoasn, which isn't always easy for his position. It'll be interesting to see what happens when the pads come on but for now, he's got himself around the ball and shows off his instincts. Could be a good special teams player as well.
- Lucas Wacha – Free agent linebacker from Wyoming, Wacha has stood out in many ways here in the offseoasn, which isn't always easy for his position. It'll be interesting to see what happens when the pads come on but for now, he's got himself around the ball and shows off his instincts. Could be a good special teams player as well.
- Dan Skipper – Right now, the Cowboys are still experimenting with him at both guard and tackle. At 6-10, he seems like a natural fit at tackle but he's playing both. And to make this team as a backup lineman, position flex is crucial. Skipper has some potential and he's showing it here in the last couple of weeks.
- Dan Skipper – Right now, the Cowboys are still experimenting with him at both guard and tackle. At 6-10, he seems like a natural fit at tackle but he's playing both. And to make this team as a backup lineman, position flex is crucial. Skipper has some potential and he's showing it here in the last couple of weeks.
- Joey Ivie – Another player who might shine more in camp when it gets more physical, but Ivie has some strength. So far in the practices, he hasn't been overwhelmed by the Cowboys' veteran offensive line. He'll likely hold his own, especially at the 1-technique.
- Joey Ivie – Another player who might shine more in camp when it gets more physical, but Ivie has some strength. So far in the practices, he hasn't been overwhelmed by the Cowboys' veteran offensive line. He'll likely hold his own, especially at the 1-technique.
In addition, the Cowboys will play on Sunday Night Football three times – Sept. 28 vs. New Orleans, Nov. 23 at New York and Dec. 14 at Philadelphia. They also host Washington for Monday Night Football on Oct. 27.
The first half of the season will see the Cowboys spend plenty of time at AT&T Stadium. Six of their first nine games come at home, interrupted by trips to Tennessee in Week 2, St. Louis in Week 3 and Seattle in Week 6. Conversely, that means a heavy slate of road trips after the team returns from London in Week 10. After the bye week in Week 11, the Cowboys play four of their final six games on the road – including all three division road games. After playing road night games against New York and Philadelphia, the season finale comes Dec. 28 at Washington.
In keeping with league trends, this is the eighth-straight year the Cowboys have finished the season against a division foe. Dallas is 2-5 in its previous seven season finales, including the last three in a row. [embedded_ad]
This season also marks the first time the Cowboys will host Arizona at AT&T Stadium. The Cardinals travel to face the Cowboys in a noon game on Nov. 2 – one week before the trip to London to face Jacksonville.
Other schedule highlights:
- Dallas and Houston will face off Oct. 5 at noon. It's the fourth regular season meeting between the teams since the Texans entered the league in 2002 and the first at AT&T Stadium. The two teams have played seven preseason games.
- Texas product Andrew Luck will play his first-ever game against the Cowboys on Dec. 21, when the Indianapolis Colts travel to AT&T Stadium for a Week 16 tilt.
- The Cowboys travel to face the defending champion Seahawks in a Week 6 game on Oct. 12. This is the third time in five years Dallas has played the defending champion – the Cowboys split a pair of games with New York in 2012, and they lost to New Orleans in 2010.
- 2014 marks the second-straight season the Cowboys will travel to Chicago in the month of December. The Bears thumped the Cowboys, 45-28, in sub-zero temperatures last season on Monday Night Football.
- The only other Thanksgiving game between the Cowboys and Eagles happened in 1989. The Eagles won, 27-0.
