Week 1 is here, and for Cowboys fans that means two things: Dallas needs to handle the Giants, and the rest of the opening slate can quietly do some work for the season ahead.
The most obvious win on the board is Dallas taking care of business in the division. Beyond that, the Cowboys have a handful of games to keep an eye on, especially when NFC contenders are involved. Early in the year, the picture is still blurry, but even now there are teams that look more likely to threaten Dallas down the line than others.
In the NFC East, the best result for Dallas is a Commanders win over the Eagles.
For most people, the race in the division still looks like a Philadelphia-or-Dallas fight, with Washington and New York trailing behind. And right now there’s plenty of concern in Washington after a rough preseason, with long-term questions hanging over both the offensive line and the defense. If the Commanders can beat Philly at home, that’s a major favor to the Cowboys.
When NFC teams are playing each other, the rooting guide gets a little simpler: go with the teams that look less likely to pile up wins and crowd the playoff picture. That’s why the preferred winners are the 49ers over the Rams, the Saints over the Lions, the Panthers over the Bears, and the Vikings over the Packers.
The logic is straightforward. The more 13- and 12-win teams there are in the NFC, the tighter the road gets for Dallas.
A season can turn into a traffic jam fast when strong teams stack up around the top seeds and wild-card spots. The fewer of those clubs that are clogging the standings, the better the path for the Cowboys.
Of course, one or more of those presumed contenders may end up being a lot less dangerous than expected. But heading into Week 1, those are the teams Dallas would rather see take a step back.
There’s also a section of the schedule where the Cowboys can root against an AFC opponent without worrying about NFC fallout. That starts with Patriots over Seahawks, Bengals over Bucs, Falcons over Steelers, and Chargers over Cardinals.
Most AFC matchups don’t matter much for Dallas’ playoff picture, so the general rule is easy: take the AFC team. The Falcons-Steelers game is the exception.
Dallas owns Pittsburgh’s fourth-round pick in 2027 as part of the recent Broderick Jones trade, and the Steelers are a team the Cowboys will usually want to lose. Atlanta may be in the NFC, but it isn’t viewed as a real contender, so there’s no reason to deviate here.
The rest of Week 1 is made up of AFC vs. AFC games that don’t have any direct impact on Dallas.
Pittsburgh is the only team in that group tied to a future Cowboys draft pick, and those games may matter more later in the season. For now, they’re just part of the early shuffle that helps shape the AFC race.
In Other News...
Cowboys Enter Week 1 With A Tight End Problem
As the Cowboys get ready for their regular-season opener against the Giants, the tight end room is already looking thinner than anyone around the team would like. Luke Schoonmaker sat out practice with his status still unclear, while practice squad tight end Michael Trigg is rehabbing a toe injury, leaving Dallas to sort through a position group that has taken a hit before the games even start.
Princeton Fant and DJ Rogers are both on injured reserve, which is why the Cowboys may need to look at a practice squad move just to keep the depth chart functional. One possible answer is James Mitchell, who could be elevated if Dallas decides it needs another body at tight end for Week 1. [Read more 🡒]
John Harbaugh Is Already Turning Up The Tension Before Cowboys Opener
With Sunday nights opener against the Cowboys looming, John Harbaugh is already treating the week like a chess match. The Giants coach declined to get into game plans or specific player details at his press conference, making it clear he sees no value in handing over any competitive edge before the season even begins. It is the kind of early-week posture that tends to sharpen the edge around a division game, especially when two teams know each other well.
Harbaughs guarded approach comes as reports have also pointed to some pointed evaluations of quarterback Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo during camp. For Dallas, that only adds another layer to a game that already carries plenty of attention, with the Cowboys opening against a rival that appears intent on keeping every meaningful card close to the vest. The questions around how much the Giants are willing to reveal will wait until kickoff, and maybe well after it. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys May Have Found A Scary New Way To Use George Pickens
The Cowboys are already thinking ahead to 2026, and George Pickens is central to the plan. After a strong first season in Dallas, the wide receivers role could grow in ways that make the offense less predictable, with the team looking to move him around more and use him in different alignments instead of keeping him in one familiar spot.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer wants the passing game to create more problems for defenses, and Pickens versatility could be a big part of that approach. Dallas is hoping that a more varied deployment, including more work in the slot, can build on a season in which Pickens piled up 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns and turn an already dangerous weapon into something even harder to track. [Read more 🡒]