Every April, NFL fans obsess over the draft order, and for the Cowboys, that chase is going to involve plenty of other teams’ problems in 2027. Dallas owns the Packers’ first-round pick, the Steelers’ fourth-round pick, and the Texans’ seventh-round pick next April, while also being without some of its own selections because of earlier trades. So while the full board won’t come into focus for a while, the early season struggles in Green Bay, Pittsburgh, and Houston are already worth tracking.
Green Bay gave Dallas a big reason to pay attention on Thursday night. After opening the season with a two-game road swing that left them fortunate to be 1-1, the Packers got hammered at home by the 0-2 Atlanta Falcons, falling 35-14.
The offense was already under pressure after a season-opening loss to a Carson Wentz-led Vikings team and an overtime escape against the Jets, and this latest performance only deepened the concern. Even with several offensive line starters sidelined, the Packers looked overmatched, and Bijan Robinson carved them up for 194 rushing yards.
Matt LaFleur’s play-calling has come under fire, the run game has vanished, and the passing attack has enough juice to flash but not enough structure to stay on track. For Dallas, that Week 6 trip to Lambeau no longer looks nearly as intimidating.
Pittsburgh has its own mess to clean up after a shaky 1-1 start. The Steelers opened with a surprisingly flat showing at home against the Falcons, then followed it by getting shut down 21-3 by the Patriots.
That’s not exactly the kind of start that screams AFC contender for Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers in 2026. This week doesn’t offer much relief, either, with the 2-0 Bengals coming to town.
Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have had plenty of heated battles in recent years, but this version of the Steelers is under a different setup, and the McCarthy-Rodgers reunion has not exactly found its rhythm. The Bengals will be eager to add more pressure.
Houston, meanwhile, is already digging out of an 0-2 hole after starting both games at home. The Texans have been one of the league’s steadier success stories under DeMeco Ryans, with double-digit wins in each of the last three seasons and a 12-5 finish last year.
But 2026 has started in a very different place. They dropped a hard-fought opener to Buffalo, then got handled by the Bengals in Week 2.
Now comes a road test against the Colts, a team whose record doesn’t tell the whole story. Indianapolis was outclassed by the Ravens in Week 1, but pushed the Chiefs to overtime in Arrowhead last Sunday.
With both teams trying to avoid 0-3, this one carries real weight.
In Other News...
Cowboys Fans Already Have A Dak Problem Before Rio Kickoff
The Cowboys are about to make history in Rio de Janeiro, but the buildup to their regular-season game at Maracan Stadium has already turned into a debate over more than just travel and logistics. Players have noted that the field was very soft, which is enough to make anyone around the team pay closer attention to how the surface will hold up once Dallas and Baltimore actually take the field.
Even before kickoff, though, Cowboys fans found another reason to grumble. Social media lit up after caricatures of Dak Prescott and Lamar Jackson were displayed at the stadium, and plenty of viewers thought Prescotts version did him no favors. It is a small detail in a big international showcase, but for a fan base that already watches every Dak storyline closely, it was the kind of pregame image that got people talking fast. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Brazil Game Suddenly Comes With A Serious Field Concern
The Cowboys trip to Brazil for their upcoming game has picked up an unexpected wrinkle, and it has nothing to do with the opponent. NFLPA executive director JC Tretter raised concerns about the field quality at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, pointing to problems with traction and stability after recent heavy rainfall and a long soccer season have taken their toll on the surface.
Maracana is not an NFL facility, and the leagues previous games in Brazil were played at a different venue with a smaller capacity, which only sharpens the scrutiny on how this one will hold up. Experts have already recommended reinforced stitching and other measures to improve the field, but the real question now is whether those fixes will be enough before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Defense Faces Its Biggest Early Test Against Lamar Jackson
The Cowboys pass rush has been active enough to create disruption in the first two games of the 2026 season, but the finishing touch has not been there. Dallas has produced 31 pressures and 10 hits, yet only two sacks, and the early result has been a defense that has had trouble turning heat into clean stops. That has mattered even more because opposing quarterbacks have found space to run, with Dallas allowing 135 rushing yards to the position over those two games.
Now comes Baltimore and Lamar Jackson, the kind of matchup that can expose even small cracks in a front sevens discipline. Jacksons mobility and scrambling ability make him a difficult target for any defense, but especially one that has already shown some frustration getting quarterbacks to the ground. For Dallas, this looks like the first real stress test of how well its pass rush can hold up when the passer is also a threat to turn a broken play into a big gain. [Read more 🡒]