The Dallas Cowboys don’t need perfection in 2026. They just need enough easy wins to stack the record, stay in the NFC East race, and make the kind of push that puts them in the playoff conversation.
After finishing the 2025 NFL season with the league’s worst scoring defense but still winning seven games, Dallas enters 2026 with a roster that looks built to improve on that side of the ball. The offense was already a top-10 scoring unit, so the real story was always going to be whether the defensive changes - including the coordinator switch - could move the group from liability to strength.
If that happens, the Cowboys should have a real shot at double-digit wins. And when you scan the schedule, four games jump off the page as the best chances to pile them up.
Week 2 against the Washington Commanders feels like the cleanest early test Dallas should pass. Washington won seven fewer games from 2024 to 2025 and still enters the new season with major concerns. The Commanders are missing Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil, the center spot remains a problem, and while they added Stefon Diggs and were active in free agency, the roster doesn’t clearly stack up with Dallas.
The setting matters too. The Cowboys get Washington at home, where Dak Prescott owns a 47-21-1 record with a 103.5 passer rating, according to Pro Football Reference.
Jayden Daniels, by comparison, is 6-6 on the road. Add in Dallas’ revamped defense and its expected pass-rush edge, and this looks like a spot where the Cowboys should be able to control the game.
Week 8 brings another favorable matchup when Arizona comes to town. The Cardinals have some talent on offense, but the rest of the roster is shaky, and they don’t have the quarterback firepower to match Dallas.
Arizona did beat the Cowboys in Dallas in 2025, but that result doesn’t carry much weight now with the defensive overhaul in place. The Cardinals might have trouble even getting to three wins this season, which is why this one has the look of a comfortable Dallas victory.
Then there’s Week 11 against Tennessee. The Titans are still in the middle of a rebuild and are hoping Cam Ward takes a real jump in year two.
That’s possible, but this is still a team with plenty of holes. It’s only year two of the Mike Borgoni era, the offensive line is a major question, and the defense isn’t close to finished.
Robert Saleh could help the defense take a step, but Tennessee’s offense doesn’t look built to keep up if the Cowboys turn it into a shootout.
The last obvious one comes in Week 17 against the Giants. New York does have some reasons for optimism.
John Harbaugh’s arrival gives the franchise a legitimate head coach, and Jaxson Dart showed real production as a rookie with 24 total touchdowns in 14 games in 2025. Even so, the Giants still carry the feel of a team trying to shake off years of dysfunction.
There’s upside there, and the Giants could absolutely improve. But their ceiling still looks limited in 2026, and the roster probably needs more time to settle in.
Divisional games always bring some chaos, and Dallas could certainly lose to New York once during the season. Still, if the Cowboys are where they want to be by late December, this is the kind of home game they should handle.
In Other News...
Cowboys May Have Found A Back Kansas City Let Slip Away
The Cowboys added a familiar name to their backfield by claiming running back Emari Demercado off waivers after Kansas City let him go. It is the kind of move that can fly under the radar, but it comes with a little more intrigue than most because Chiefs coach Andy Reid had praised Demercado, and some around the league believed his skill set could have fit well in Kansas Citys offense.
For Dallas, the appeal is obvious. Demercado is expected to step into a meaningful rotational role, giving the Cowboys a back who is known for pass protection and an efficient running style. In a backfield that always needs reliable pieces, the question now is not whether he has traits worth keeping, but how quickly he can carve out real snaps and prove Kansas City may have moved on a little too soon. [Read more 🡒]
Jason Witten Is Already Earning Serious Respect In His New Role
Jason Witten is back on the sideline in a different capacity, and the early word out of Oklahoma suggests the former Cowboys great has slipped into coaching with the same steady presence he showed as a player. The 11-time Pro Bowl tight end was hired as the Sooners tight ends coach, and his first game in the role comes when Oklahoma hosts UTEP. For Cowboys fans still accustomed to seeing Witten as one of the most reliable figures in franchise history, it is a notable next step in a football life that already seemed destined to stay close to the game.
Inside Oklahoma, Witten is already drawing praise from offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and head coach Brent Venables, who have both noticed how quickly he has made himself useful. He has also been actively mentoring quarterback John Mateer, a sign that his value may extend beyond the tight end room as he settles into coaching. It is still early, but Wittens arrival has clearly made an impression, and the Sooners appear to be embracing the kind of knowledge and credibility he carried for years in Dallas. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Finally Sent A Message Fans Have Been Waiting For
The Cowboys moved quickly after trimming down to their initial 53-man roster, and the flurry of decisions gave fans a clearer picture of how the front office wants this team built. Dallas waived Joe Milton, claimed Emari Demarcado and also added Broderick Jones in a trade that sent out Nate Thomas, part of a busy stretch that underscored how aggressively the team has been trying to reshape the roster while still keeping an eye on future assets.
The Jones deal was especially notable because it included a draft-pick swap that stretches well beyond the immediate season, with Dallas getting Jones and a future fourth-rounder while giving up a future third and sixth that originally belonged to Pittsburgh. For a fan base that has spent plenty of time waiting for a stronger signal on how the Cowboys plan to balance present needs with draft capital, the latest moves offered one, even if the larger picture is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]