Do you like the way the schedule sets up, where the Cowboys face some tough, physical opponents in the first half of the season (Browns, Ravens, Steelers, Lions, 49ers), but can then really take care of business late in the season as a battle-tested unit? Or would it be better to ramp up with the easier portion coming earlier in the schedule, so the team is perhaps more in sync and not as beat up by the latter half? – Robert Garza/San Antonio, TX
Nick Eatman: I mean we use the phrase "it is what it is" a lot, but the NFL schedule seems to fall into that category as well. There's nothing you can really do about it, and right now, we don't really know how the schedule is. We THINK it looks tough early on and then there's a stretch of games that appear winnable. But we always get thrown a curveball or three when the season kicks off. As to your question, I think I like this way better if it holds up. Just keep your head above water by the bye week and then the 49ers game, and after that, there's about eight straight games the Cowboys should win. They probably won't win them all, but if there is a slow start to the season, that's the part where they have to make up ground and I think it's doable.
Kurt: I have to admit this schedule worries me. There is a new defensive coordinator calling plays, perhaps two rookies on the offensive line, injured players like Trevon Diggs and DeMarvion Overshown making their way back, and the starters probably won't be playing in the preseason. Heck, who knows right now if the star receiver will be in training camp. Will they truly be ready to hit the ground running in Week 1? And now here comes a slew of teams in the first half of the schedule that have a tough reputation. Of the Cowboys' first seven opponents, five made the playoffs last year and only one had a losing record, that being the rival Giants who Dallas will face on the road. Even if you get through that gauntlet relatively fine, are the players going to be healthy enough to then battle through the remaining 10 games, including four more against 2023 playoff clubs and another favorite in the Bengals? We've already seen guys like Micah Parsons seemingly slow down in the latter half of the season. Should we expect anything different with this schedule? And, of course, Mike McCarthy and his staff are in the final year of their contracts and Dak Prescott may possibly be as well. Given that, can the Cowboys afford to get off to a slow start? If they do, I fear this season could snowball downhill in a hurry, certainly making the "easier" half of the schedule no walk in the park.
