The Dallas Cowboys’ schedule has been released, and while there are a lot of tough opponents, the games were lined up fairly well for the team overall. They get extra time to prepare against three of their toughest opponents on the road: the Seattle Seahawks, the Green Bay Packers, and the Los Angeles Rams. Another Thursday night contest doesn’t follow the Thanksgiving game, the team has only one bad stretch of travel games, and it’s early in the year.
The betting sites agree with the Cowboys’ lenient schedule; they raised their projected win totals from 8.5 to 9.5 after the full schedule was released. Which game on the schedule is the toughest? This will break down every contest from the easiest to the toughest, and everything in between.
Dallas gets a full seven days of rest; it’s their third home game in four weeks, and the Tennessee Titans are a rebuilding roster, making this Week 11 matchup the easiest game on the Cowboys’ schedule.
No. 16: Week 2 vs Washington Commanders
The Cowboys’ home opener is against a young quarterback who’s returning from injury with a new offensive coordinator to call plays. Dak Prescott and the offense know what to expect from Dan Quinn on defense; this should be an early win.
The Arizona Cardinals have played the Cowboys tough in recent years, winning eight of the last nine contests. Still, the Cardinals are tanking, and Dallas has a better run unit on the defensive line than they’ve had before.
No. 14: Week 17 vs New York Giants
The New York Giants should be healthy by Week 17, but they are likely out of the playoffs and just playing for pride by then. Dallas could be battling for the division or a playoff berth, and that could be the difference.
No. 13: Week 1 at New York Giants
Prescott beats up on the NFC East, but especially the Giants. He is 3-0 in his last three matchups against them in Week 1. New York is under a new regime, but it’s unlikely they’ll have Malik Nabers or Cam Skattebo at full strength, if at all. The Cowboys are the more talented team.
No. 12: Week 16 vs Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are an underrated opponent. They had the third-best record in the AFC last season, with the sixth-best scoring offense and a top-11 yards-per-game offense and defense, including the best rushing defense in the NFL.
No. 11: Week 18 at Washington Commanders
This game is tough, not because of the opponent, but because Dallas has to end the year on one of the league’s worst fields. Dallas needs to be able to sit their starters in the last game of the season to avoid the chance of major injury on a poor field that has been torn apart by a long year. A loss in this game could mean much less than the loss of a player to injury.
This game sneaks into the top 10 because it is on the road, and the Indianapolis Colts were a top team with a healthy Daniel Jones. He should be back by Week 9, and they may be one of the better teams in the AFC by the middle of the season.
No. 9: Week 6 at Green Bay Packers
The likelihood is that this could be the first start of the season for Micah Parsons. He could start on the pup list, which would keep him out of the first four weeks. If he returns for their Week 5 game, it could be in rotation with limited snaps. He will fight to make sure he plays against his former team. Dallas gets extra time to prepare after a Thursday game against Tampa Bay, or this probably goes higher on the list.
No. 8: Week 15 at Los Angeles Rams
The Cowboys have held their own against the Los Angeles Rams. Prescott is 2-2 against them in the regular season and 2-3 overall. He has averaged 260 yards and has an 11-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Dallas also comes off a bye week, so they get extra time to prepare for Sean McVay.
Both teams have to deal with the short week, and this will be the second matchup so that they will know one another. Health could be a significant factor, but the Cowboys should get a boost from the Thanksgiving Day game.
No. 6: Week 7 at Philadelphia Eagles
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – SEPTEMBER 04: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles scores a 10 yard touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter in the game at Lincoln Financial Field on September 04, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
This matchup will be a little tougher than the Thanksgiving Day game because it’s on the road. Unlike the short week for the Thanksgiving game, both teams get an extra day for Monday Night Football, but the Cowboys play Sunday night at Green Bay the week before.
No. 5: Week 13 at Seattle Seahawks
This game will rank higher on some lists because the team is facing the Super Bowl champion Seahawks at home, but Dallas gets extra rest to prepare and travel after the Thanksgiving game against Philadelphia. The toughest games aren’t always about the opponent alone.
No. 4: Week 10 vs San Francisco 49ers
This is just about the opponent. The San Francisco 49ers are the Cowboys’ boogie man. Kyle Shanahan has owned Dallas, and until they show up and beat them, this will remain one of the toughest games.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers game at Dallas seems too high, but it isn’t when you look at the overall schedule. The Cowboys travel from Brazil to Houston, playing back-to-back physical AFC teams with nearly 4,000 miles of travel. Then the Tampa Bay game is on a short week, Thursday night. Dallas will not have their typical rest after a brutal travel schedule and two tough opponents.
No. 2: Week 3 Baltimore Ravens at Dallas Cowboys (Brazil)
After back-to-back division games, the Cowboys have to travel to Brazil to face off with Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Baltimore is 2-0 against Dallas with Jackson at quarterback, and they were up by double-digits both games.
No. 1: Week 4 at Houston Texans
The toughest game on the schedule isn’t the best opponent, but a mix of factors, including the quality of the opponent, influence the rankings. The Texans have an elite defense, but it’s the travel schedule that makes this game the toughest. Dallas has to play the Ravens in Brazil the game prior and then travel for an early game at Houston. The team will be worn down and facing the best defense on their schedule.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or on YouTube at Across the Cowboys podcast.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 2026 Schedule Release: Ranking Cowboys opponents by weekly difficulty