Dallas Cowboys Look To End Alarming Trend in NFL Preseason Opener

The Dallas Cowboys enter the 2026 NFL preseason with a lot of hype, but will have to buck a recent trend to prove they are heading in the right direction.

Dallas Cowboys players huddle during a joint practice against the Los Angeles Rams | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Dallas Cowboys are just days away from kicking off their NFL preseason schedule, with a primetime Saturday showdown against the Seattle Seahawks set to get things underway. It will be our first real look at the revamped roster in a game situation, as fans eagerly wait to see whether the chatter about the new-look defense is legit.

Dallas has received a lot of hype throughout the preseason thanks to its offseason changes, headlined by the hiring of defensive coordinator Christian Parker, and now it's time to put everything on display.

While the Cowboys enter the preseason with more hype than a year ago, which was Brian Schottenheimer's first year as a head coach, the team will need to overcome some recent demons in Week 1 of the preseason.

As pointed out by Blogging the Boys, it has been nearly a decade since the Cowboys won their first game of the preseason. Since 2018, the Cowboys have not won a Week 1 preseason game, and it won't be any easier in 2026 against the reigning Super Bowl champions.

A Dallas Cowboys helmet with a Guardian helmet cap during a joint practice against the Los Angeles Rams | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dallas has also confirmed that starters will not play in the preseason, so that's another hurdle for the team to face.

Of course, the preseason isn't necessarily about winning and losing. It's about evaluating the roster, and the Cowboys have a lot of crucial decisions to make over the next few weeks as the team cuts down to its 53-man roster.

Finding the players who can help the most when the games matter next month is the main goal, but it'd be nice to see the Cowboys start the new season on a high note and gain some momentum under ahead of what will hopefully be a bounce-back season and return to the NFL Playoffs.

Dallas Cowboys 2026 NFL Preseason Schedule

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer reacts during a joint practice against the Los Angeles Rams | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Week 1 - Saturday, August 15, 8:00 p.m. ET: at Seattle Seahawks | Lumen Field | Seattle, Washington
Week 2 - Saturday, August 22, 9:00 p.m. ET: at Arizona Cardinals | State Farm Stadium | Phoenix, Arizona
Week 3, Friday, August 28, 7:00 p.m. ET: New Orleans Saints | AT&T Stadium | Arlington, Texas

* home game in bold

Prior to the preseason finale, the Cowboys will return home to Texas for some practices that will be open to the public, before its lone home gameon Friday, August 28, against the New Orleans Saints.

Then, the team will hit the road again for the regular-season opener against the division rival New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, September 13 in primetime. So, get your popcorn ready, Cowboys Nation, because Dallas football is almost officially back.

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