The Dallas Cowboys are staring at a stretch that could tell the whole story of their 2026 season.
Through six games, they’re only 2-4, and that’s the part that stings. Philadelphia sits at 2-4, Washington is 1-4-1, and on paper that should have left Brian Schottenheimer’s team sitting comfortably atop the NFC East picture.
Instead, Dallas is behind a surprising 3-2-1 New York Giants team and looks out of sync on both sides of the ball. The Cowboys still have time to rescue this thing, but the margin for error is shrinking fast.
What makes the next three weeks so important is how workable the schedule suddenly looks. Dallas is heading into a softer patch, and if the Cowboys can’t make hay here, it’s fair to wonder when they will.
The run starts with Week 7 at Philadelphia on Monday night, followed by a Week 8 home game against Arizona and then a Week 9 trip to Indianapolis. That’s not exactly a brutal gauntlet.
The Eagles are on a four-game losing streak and just lost Jalen Hurts for the season. They’ll probably have Saquon Barkley back in Week 7, but they’ve been beat up and battered over the last few games. That’s the spot for Dallas to strike.
Arizona’s Week 6 win over the Los Angeles Rams made noise, but it still feels more like an odd bounce than a real breakthrough. Outside of that, the Cardinals have only beaten the winless LA Chargers, and they’ve already taken their share of lopsided losses this season.
Then there’s Indianapolis, which was rolling from Week 2 through Week 4 before dropping two straight, including a loss to the Tennessee Titans. That defeat led to the firing of longtime general manager Chris Ballard.
By the time Dallas gets to Week 9, the trade deadline will be just days away on Nov. 10.
And the Colts could be a very different team by then if they’ve already moved some of their top players, like Jonathan Taylor, Quenton Nelson, Sauce Gardner, DeForest Buckner and others. Even with that group intact, the Colts shouldn’t scare anybody.
Without them, even less so.
The bigger picture is simple: the Cowboys’ problems are still internal, and that’s where the fix has to come from. But the schedule is helping now, and that means Dallas has to take advantage.
Teams with real playoff ambitions handle stretches like this. Teams that don’t are exposed by them.
That’s why this next three-game run matters so much. Jerry Jones has a track record that suggests he’ll be looking for ways to add at the deadline, but if Dallas stumbles through this stretch at 1-2 or worse, the conversation changes. Then Jones would have to think about selling instead of buying.
A 2-7 or 3-6 record would be hard to ignore, especially if the rest of the NFC East starts moving in a clearer direction. And that kind of mark would look even worse if it came with losses to these kinds of opponents.
At that point, the franchise would have to seriously consider moving pieces like George Pickens, DeMarvion Overshown, or any player who could bring back draft capital and lighten the financial load next offseason. Nobody wants that outcome, but it would be on the table.
The Cowboys can avoid that path by winning at least two of these games and reaching the deadline roughly around .500. If they don’t, the spiral could get real in a hurry.
In Other News...
Cowboys Linked To Young Pass Rusher Who Could Change Their Ceiling
The Cowboys are once again looking for help before the trade deadline, and this time the focus is on the pass rush. According to The Athletic, Dallas could explore a move for Chargers edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu, a young defender whose rise and contract situation have pushed him onto the list of possible trade candidates.
For Dallas, the appeal is easy to understand. The defense has been searching for another disruptive presence, and Tuipulotu would fit the profile of a player who could raise the ceiling of the unit if the Cowboys choose to make a move. The Chargers have struggled this season, which only adds to the buzz around the 2022 draft pick, but for now there is still no deal in place. [Read more 🡒]
Troy Aikman Just Put A Cowboys Reunion Back In Play
Troy Aikmans name is back in the Cowboys conversation for a reason other than his familiar voice on television. With his ESPN contract winding down, Aikman has said he would be open to a front office role in Dallas if Jerry Jones were to start that discussion, adding another layer to a relationship that has long carried more meaning than the usual ex-player chatter. Aikman also spent time this year as a consultant with the Miami Dolphins, giving him a recent taste of the kind of behind-the-scenes work that would matter in a potential return.
Jerry Jones, for his part, has already signaled that he believes Aikman could handle more than broadcasting, saying the Hall of Fame quarterback can succeed in a range of football jobs. No formal opening has been announced, and nothing is imminent, but the idea of an Aikman reunion is no longer just a nostalgic talking point. For a franchise that has often leaned on familiar faces and big-picture personalities, the possibility alone is enough to keep this one on the radar. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Face A Very Different Eagles Offense In Week 7
Philadelphias offense will look different when it meets Dallas in Week 7, and not just because of the matchup itself. DeVonta Smith is out with a hamstring injury after missing every practice this week, removing one of the Eagles most reliable pass-catching threats and forcing the Cowboys to prepare for a receiving group that will have to redistribute a major role.
Saquon Barkley adds another layer of uncertainty. He is listed as questionable, yet he finished the week as a full participant on Saturday, which at least gives Philadelphia a chance to have him available in some capacity. With several other Eagles also working through injury designations, Dallas is left to sort through a game plan that could change depending on who is actually active when kickoff arrives. [Read more 🡒]