3 Cowboys Schedule Factors That Will Actually Matter & 2 That Won't

There's a lot to unpack with the Cowboys 2026 schedule and while many factors are important, some won't be.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer on the field during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Thursday was a fun day in the NFL as the 2026 schedule was officially announced. Teams have made it an annual event by releasing creative videos to reveal their own schedules, which is something the Dallas Cowboys have always executed flawlessly.

While the videos are the fun part, especially when they poke fun at other teams, there's much more to unravel after the schedule is released. Opponents are already known beforehand, but when they play one another matters, especially when it comes to travel, prime time games, short weeks, etc.

That being the case, let's check out three factors from the Cowboys schedule that will matter, and two that are of no real concern.

Will Matter: Rest Time Before Week 5, Week 6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield throws a pass against the Carolina Panthers. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

There's some give and take here as the Cowboys will be hindered by the short rest between Week 4 when they visit the Houston Texans and Week 5 when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dallas will be in Houston following their trip to Rio to play the Ravens. After taking on the daunting Texans defense, they have just a couple of days to prepare for Baker Mayfield and the Bucs.

With it still being early in the season, the defense could still be finding its footing, and Mayfield is capable of lighting up any defense if they're not on point. The good news, however, is that they get extra time to prepare for their Week 6 showdown with the Green Bay Packers.

That contest takes place on Sunday Night Football, but this time, defensive coordinator Christian Parker will be able to fine tune his game plan before taking on the Packers.

Won't Matter: International Travel

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott hugs Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson after their game. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

With Dallas taking part in the International Series, there will be much made of their travel. The Cowboys will go from Arlington in Week 2 to Rio De Janeiro in Week 3 to face the Baltimore Ravens. While the travel could be an issue, the same holds true for the Ravens. Both teams, however, are likely to be fueled by adrenaline as soon as the crowd gets into the game, which they're likely to do considering it's the first NFL regular season game to ever be played in Rio.

Will Matter: 3 Games in 12 Days

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley runs with the ball in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Every year, the Cowboys play on Thanksgiving Day and it's always a crucial period since they play 12 games in three days. This year, two of those games are going to be incredibly tough, and one could be a trap game if the Cowboys aren't careful.

On Nov. 15, Dallas will host the San Francisco 49ers, a team that has had their number as of late. On Nov. 22, they take on the Tennessee Titans, a team they shouldn't overlook. Then on Thursday, Nov. 26, the Cowboys host the Philadelphia Eagles on Thanksgiving.

Last year, Dallas won these three games, knocking off the Las Vegas Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, and Kansas City Chiefs. They improved to 6-5-1 at that time and while they faltered down the stretch, it was a reminder of how important this stretch can be.

Won't Matter: Starting Season on the Road

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Kavontae Turpin returns a kickoff as New York Giants punter Jamie Gillan attempts to tackle. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Dallas has to start the season on the road and while that might seem like a disadvantage, it's really not. The Cowboys playing against the New York Giants on the road isn't a problem, especially since Dak Prescott has had no problem defeating them.

The Cowboys lost his first two career games against the Giants, but then reeled off 14 straight wins over the G-Men. His only other loss was in the season finale when Prescott didn't play the whole game and Dallas had nothing to play for. That said, it would be surprising to see the Cowboys start 0-1, even with the opener being on the road.

Will Matter: Week 14 Bye

A view of Dallas Cowboys players' helmets on the bench against the Washington Commanders. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Cowboys got very lucky when it comes to their bye week this season, which will take place in Week 14. While this means they will have a long stretch of games to deal with before taking a break, they get to rest and regroup late in the season.

That means when they take the field in Week 15 against the Los Angeles Rams, they will be well rested and ready to put their best foot forward in their final four games.

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