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Taking a closer look at the 2017 Cowboys’ schedule.
The 2017 NFL schedule was released last month but let’s take a closer look and break it down to see where the Dallas Cowboys can capitalize.
1. The Dallas Cowboys are already slated for five primetime games as they will be featured on NBC Sunday Night Football four times (Giants, Eagles, Raiders and a Thursday night edition versus the Commanders), and ESPN Monday Night Football once (Cardinals). Depending on how things look in the NFC and NFC East, the Week 16 and 17 matchups against the Seahawks and Eagles could be moved to primetime as well.
2. The Dallas Cowboys face six teams who were in the playoffs last year. As a result, Dallas has the tenth toughest schedule as measured by strength of schedule (opponents had a .531 winning percentage last season). Based on this, Dallas will face the toughest SOS they have had since the 2010 season (.543 winning percentage).
3. The Dallas Cowboys have their home games scattered throughout the season as they have four during the first half of the season, and four in the second half of the season. For the first time in AT&T Stadium history, the Cowboys posted a winning record at home last season as they went 7-1 (or 7-2, including the playoff loss to Green Bay). Can the Cowboys keep home field advantage this season?
4. The Dallas Cowboys typically benefit from playing on Thanksgiving because it provides a ten-day break before the next game. Unfortunately, this season, the Cowboys play back to back Thursday games as Washington pays a visit to Dallas the following week. As a result, this gives Dallas a nice ten-day break before heading to New York to face the Giants. A similar series of events took place last season when Dallas faced Washington on Thanksgiving Thursday, the Vikings the following Thursday and then the Giants the following Sunday. Can this year’s ten-day break bring Dallas a win in New York this time around?
5. As a result of playing against the AFC West and having divisional games in the NFC East, the Cowboys will travel cross-country twice this season. They have back-to-back away games early in the season in San Francisco and Washington, and then pay visits to New York and Oakland in consecutive weeks later in the season.
6. This season will provide Dallas with a walk down memory lane as they will re-connect with two of the most valuable and loved former players, Demarcus Ware and Tony Romo. Dallas will head to Denver early in the season and will be on hand for Ware’s retirement ceremony. Additionally, Tony Romo will head back to Dallas in November to broadcast his first Cowboys game as Dallas faces Kansas City.
7. December is daunting, to say the least. Dallas faces its most difficult stretch of the season at the end of the year as they head to New York to face the Giants, then to Oakland to face the Raiders, followed by a Christmas Day home game against Seattle before they finish the season in Philadelphia. In all likelihood, the Cowboys success over the 2017 season will come down to how many of these four games they can win, and how the rookies and sophomores handle their toughest dose of adversity.
Cowboys Regular Season Schedule
Week 1 (Sun Sept 10th): Giants @ Cowboys 8:30 PM ET NBC
Week 2 (Sun Sept 17th): Cowboys @ Broncos 4:25 PM ET FOX
Week 3 (Mon Sept 25th): Cowboys @ Cardinals 8:30 PM ET ESPN
Week 4 (Sun Oct 1st): Rams @ Cowboys 1 PM ET FOX
Week 5 (Sun Oct 8th): Packers @ Cowboys 4:25 PM ET FOX
Week 6: BYE
Week 7 (Sun Oct 22nd): Cowboys @ 49ers 4 PM ET FOX
Week 8 (Sun Oct 29th): Cowboys @ Washington 4:25 PM ET FOX
Week 9 (Sun Nov 5th): Chiefs @ Cowboys 4:25 PM ET CBS
Week 10 (Sun Nov 12th): Cowboys @ Falcons 4:25 PM ET FOX
Week 11 (Sun Nov 19th): Eagles @ Cowboys 8:30 PM ET NBC
Week 12 (Thurs Nov 23rd): Chargers @ Cowboys 4:30 PM ET CBS
Week 13 (Thurs Nov 30th): Washington @ Cowboys 8:25 PM ET NBC
Week 14 (Sun Dec 10th): Cowboys @ Giants 4:25 PM ET FOX
Week 15 (Sun Dec 17th): Cowboys @ Raiders 8:30 PM ET NBC
Week 16 (Sun Dec 24th): Seahawks @ Cowboys 4:25 PM ET FOX
Week 17 (Sun Dec 31st): Cowboys @ Eagles 1 PM ET FOX
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