The NFL released its schedule today. The Cowboys will have five prime-time games, though the Sunday night games are subject to change. A few notes before looking at the schedule.
* The Cowboys will host the Baltimore Ravens on December 20 in the final regular season game played at Texas Stadium. This is the only Dallas game scheduled to appear on the NFL Network.
* Mickey Spagnola argues that the NFL dropped the ball by not allowing the final Texas Stadium game to be played on the final week of the season.
* Six of the games that Vic Carucci identifies as the “43 games to watch” involve the Cowboys. No surprises there.
Week 1 (Sept. 7): at Cleveland Browns, 4:15 p.m.
Notes: The last time that Dallas played at Cleveland was 1991, when the Cowboys beat the Browns 26-14. The 1991 game also took place during the first week of the season. The game has significance thanks to the Browns’ emergence last year as well as the fact that the teams in 2007 pulled off a draft day trade that has given Dallas two first round picks this year.
Week 2 (Sept. 15 (Mon.)): Philadelphia Eagles, 8:30 p.m.
Notes: The last time that Dallas faced Philadelphia during the month of September was 2002, when the Eagles destroyed the Cowboys 44-13 at Philly.
Week 3 (Sept. 21): at Green Bay Packers, 8:15 p.m.
Notes: The last time that Dallas faced the Packers without Brett Favre was Christmas Day in 1989. The leading Dallas rusher that day: Daryl Johnston.
Week 4 (Sept. 28): Washington Redskins, 4:15 p.m.
Notes: This is one of the games that Carucci wants to see. The rivalry is starting to pick up again.
Week 5 (Oct. 5): Cincinnati Bengals, 4:15 p.m.
Notes: The Bengals have never won at Texas Stadium, with their last loss taking place in 2000. Good time to keep it that way.
Week 6 (Oct. 12): at Arizona Cardinals, 4:15 p.m.
Notes: Dallas has won three straight over the Cardinals, including a 27-10 win at Arizona in 2006.
Week 7 (Oct. 19): at St. Louis Rams, 1 p.m.
Notes: The Cowboys last traveled to St. Louis in 2002 and came away with a 13-10 win. This will be the second consecutive year that the Cowboys have faced the Rams.
Week 8 (Oct. 26): Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m.
Notes: Dallas played Tampa Bay at home on Thanksgiving Day in 2006.
Week 9 (Nov. 2): at New York Giants, 4:15 p.m.
Notes: This is probably the game we all want to see the most. And we all know why.
Week 10 (Nov. 9): Bye
Notes: The last time that the Cowboys’ bye week came this late was 2002. That was not a good season, so we’ll just forget about it.
Week 11 (Nov. 16): at Washington Redskins, 8:15 p.m.
Notes: Assuming that this game remains on NBC’s schedule, Dallas has a bit of a tough stretch coming off of its bye. Dallas last won at Washington in 2004.
Week 12 (Nov. 23): San Francisco 49ers, 1 p.m.
Notes: The last time that the 49ers visited Texas Stadium (a 31-27 loss for the Cowboys in 2002), Jerry Jones was overheard saying, “That was a stupid [expletive] ballgame! The players played well enough to win. We [expletive] it up!” Our head coach then: Dave Campo. Our defensive backfield coach now: … does it really matter… ?
Week 13 (Nov. 27 (Thurs.)): Seattle Seahawks, 4:15 p.m.
Notes: The last time that Dallas hosted Seattle, Emmitt Smith broke the NFL’s rushing record, but the Cowboys found a way to lose anyway. The last time the teams met, Tony Romo put his team in position to win a playoff game at Seattle but dropped the snap on a sure-thing field goal. And now Seattle has Julius Jones, who will want to ruin Thanksgiving for his former team. Should be a good game.
Week 14 (Dec. 7): at Pittsburgh Steelers, 4:15 p.m.
Notes: This will be the Cowboys’ first visit to Heinz Field and the first visit to Pittsburgh since the opening week of the 1997 season.
Week 15 (Dec. 14): New York Giants*, 8:15 p.m.
Notes: Opportunity for revenge, Part 2.
Week 16 (Dec. 20 (Sat.)): Baltimore Ravens, 8:15 p.m.
Notes: The Cowboys have neither hosted nor ever beaten the Ravens. One bit of good news that we already know: Bryant Gumbel won’t be calling the game, thanks to his retirement from play-by-play announcing. Rick Romo, no more.
Week 17 (Dec. 28): at Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m.
Notes: Dallas has faced Philadelphia during December in five of the last six seasons. But the last time these teams faced each other in the final week of the season? 1988. Bad year. Let’s forget about that one, too.
My Utterly Baseless and Worthless Early Prediction: 11-5
Based purely on imagination and absolutely nothing else, I think Dallas will win the NFC East with an 11-5 record. I think Dallas will start 2-0, but I think the team will stumble at Green Bay. Weeks 4 through 6 look good, but week 7 game at St. Louis could be a trap. I also think that the Cowboys may stumble at New York, given that the Giants could have more confidence now and that the Cowboys will probably want it a little bit too badly (as will we). After the bye, I think Dallas struggles at Washington again this year, even though the teams play after the Dallas bye, and I don’t like the Thanksgiving game against Seattle. Dallas gets a break after falling to 7-5 and rebounds in its final four weeks, beating the Steelers, Giants (Yes!), and Ravens before ending the season with a win over the Eagles to clinch the NFC East.
Does Dallas win a playoff game this year? For the sake of my health, we’d better.
Then again, if Dallas starts the season 7-5, I may not make it through to the playoffs. This was a bad idea.
