2018 NFL Schedule Thread...

Cowboysrock55

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Man, we really caught a nice break with our schedule down the stretch.

4 of the final 6 games at home and likely only one cold weather game.....NYG week 17.

Watch these SOBs piss away this rare gift from the league.
Yeah I wanted to complain that we have yet another late season road game against the Giants. But frankly they suck and the rest of the schedule sets up really well. I can't really complain on this one.
 

boozeman

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I don't see anything to complain about with this schedule.
 

bbgun

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November is brutal (four games vs 2017 playoff teams) but otherwise it sets up nicely.
 

Cowboysrock55

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November is brutal (four games vs 2017 playoff teams) but otherwise it sets up nicely.
Eh the Titans were like a playoff team by default. AND the Redskins split up the 3 tough games. So yeah not really that bad.
 

data

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2 weeks and extra day to play Titans at home...

...leaving us short week at Philly.
———
1.5 weeks to prepare for Philly at home.
 

Cotton

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2018 Dallas Cowboys game-by-game predictions
8:01 AM CT
Todd Archer
ESPN Staff Writer

The Dallas Cowboys will hope to keep their even-year playoff streak alive in 2018. They made the playoffs in 2014 and 2016, when expectations were not very high, and will not be considered one of the top contenders as they begin 2018. Is it in the cards to get back to the postseason?

Week 1: Sunday, Sept. 9, at Carolina Panthers, 4:25 p.m. ET

Thankfully the Cowboys do not have to see the New York Giants in the season opener, but they will have to be ready for Cam Newton and a Panthers offense led by former Cowboys coordinator Norv Turner. Perhaps that's a good thing for the Cowboys defense to have Newton and Turner still feeling each other out. Record: 1-0

Week 2: Sunday, Sept. 16, vs. New York Giants, 8:20 p.m. ET

Will Dez Bryant be on the other sideline? That would certainly add to the drama, but the Cowboys have found a way to bottle up Eli Manning even if they are just 2-2 against him the past two seasons. The Cowboys' young secondary makes some plays and the Cowboys get the big NFC East win, Dez or no Dez. Record: 2-0

Week 3: Sunday, Sept. 23, at Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 p.m. ET

The Seahawks are going through a transition. No Richard Sherman. No Michael Bennett. Kam Chancellor is a question. The Cowboys have Seattle's old coordinator, Kris Richard, and maybe they pull off a trade for Earl Thomas in the draft. Still, the last time they went to Seattle in September, they were hammered. Record: 2-1

Week 4: Sunday, Sept. 30, vs. Detroit Lions, 1 p.m. ET

The Lions have a new coach in Matt Patricia with his trusty No. 2 pencil tucked behind his ear. More importantly, they will have Highland Park native Matthew Stafford chucking the ball all over the yard. This feels like a game in which Ezekiel Elliott breaks out. Record: 3-1

Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 7, at Houston Texans, 8:20 p.m. ET

Is this where Bryant signs? Deshaun Watson was setting the league on fire last season before he was injured. J.J. Watt will be back from injury. Bryant would be a good addition to this offense with his big-play ability. Stopping Watson will be more of the issue. Record: 3-2

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 14, vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 4:25 p.m. ET

The last time the Jaguars visited AT&T Stadium in 2010, David Garrard had a near-perfect passer rating of 157.8 as the Jaguars blew out the Cowboys. That was Wade Phillips' final home game as head coach. The Jaguars will be a chic pick to be an AFC champion based off what they did last season, but the Cowboys will answer the bell to stay above .500. Record 4-2

Week 7: Oct. 21 at Washington Redskins. 4:25 p.m. ET

The Cowboys have won five straight games at FedEx Field. Kirk Cousins is gone, replaced by Alex Smith. He doesn't have the weapons he had with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Cowboys make it six in a row at FedEx Field. Record: 5-2

Week 8: Bye.

Week 9: Nov. 5, vs. Tennessee Titans, 8:15 p.m. ET

The Titans made the playoffs last season but fired their coach anyway and hired Mike Vrabel. They have some quality pieces on both sides of the ball, including mobile quarterback Marcus Mariota. They will rely on running back Derrick Henry now that they have moved on from former Cowboy DeMarco Murray, but that won't slow down the Cowboys. Record 6-2

Week 10: Nov. 11, at Philadelphia Eagles, 8:20 p.m. ET

The Cowboys have found Lincoln Financial Field to their liking in recent years, including that thrilling 6-0 defeat of the Eagles to close last season that guaranteed the Cowboys back-to-back winning records for the first time since 2007-09. Of course, that meant nothing and cost the Cowboys draft positioning. Oh, Carson Wentz will be healthy and the Eagles will be able to slow down the Cowboys. Record: 6-3

Week 11: Nov. 18, at Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. ET

The low point of last season was the debacle at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when Dak Prescott was sacked eight times. Adrian Clayborn had six sacks and should have sent part of his signing bonus as a free agent to the Cowboys as an appreciation. This time Tyron Smith is healthy. This time the Cowboys leave with a win. Record: 7-3

Full regular-season NFL schedule


The Eagles kick off the NFL season against the Falcons on Thursday, Sept. 6. View the complete week-by-week schedule here.

• Record predictions, analysis for all 32 teams
• Winners, losers of the schedule release
• More NFL coverage
• NFL draft news, analysis

Week 12: Nov. 22, vs. Washington Redskins, 4:30 p.m. ET

Is Dez Bryant on this team? The Cowboys have lost four of their past six games on Thanksgiving. So much for the home-field advantage. Let's give the Redskins the W here as Daniel Snyder's team spoils Jerry Jones' holiday. Record: 7-4

Week 13: Nov. 29, vs. New Orleans Saints, 8:20 p.m. ET

This is the third straight year the Cowboys will have played back-to-back Thursday games, so the NFL likes the idea. Saints coach Sean Payton will like it too. So will Drew Brees. Is Bryant on this team? The Saints have enough firepower to make it work without Bryant. Record: 7-5

Week 14: Dec. 9, vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 4:25 p.m. ET

The Cowboys will have 10 days to get ready for Philadelphia, and that is a good thing. They'll need it. Prescott gets his revenge on Wentz as the Cowboys get a must-win for their playoff hopes. Record: 8-5

Week 15: Dec. 16, at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET

Will Andrew Luck still be Andrew Luck? If so, then this game will be a little more difficult. The last time the Cowboys played at Lucas Oil Stadium, Sean Lee intercepted a Peyton Manning pass and returned it for a touchdown in 2010. He'll do the same against Luck. Record: 9-5

Week 16: Dec. 23, vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET

The Buccaneers seem to have talent but can't seem to put it all together. Will Dirk Koetter still be the coach? If not, then that means the Bucs' season is in a tailspin. They will put up a fight, but the Cowboys will get to 10 wins in a pivotal season for coach Jason Garrett. Record: 10-5

Week 17: Dec. 30, at New York Giants, 1 p.m. ET

The Cowboys will need a win to make the playoffs for the third time in five seasons. They have faced this winner-take-all scenario three other times in the Garrett era and come up short. They will come up short here, too. Dez Bryant throws up the X for the game-winning touchdown. Record: 10-6
 

1bigfan13

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I just took a closer look at the overall schedule and it looks like FOX was successful in getting the NFL to put some of the better matchups on Thursday night.

There are some very good matchups on the Thursday games that FOX is carrying.
 

data

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2018 Dallas Cowboys game-by-game predictions

Week 17: Dec. 30, at New York Giants, 1 p.m. ET

The Cowboys will need a win to make the playoffs for the third time in five seasons. They have faced this winner-take-all scenario three other times in the Garrett era and come up short. They will come up short here, too. Dez Bryant throws up the X for the game-winning touchdown. Record: 10-6
:lol

Garrett would go down as the most unclutch coach of all-time. At least Marv Levy made those Super Bowls. Hell, at least he made the AFCC...hell, at least he made the playoffs.
 

Genghis Khan

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That schedule honestly doesn't seem all that daunting, but I'll be pretty surprised if we have as many as 10 wins. We seemingly got worse at several positions, and our depth throughout the roster is pretty spotty.
 

1bigfan13

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That schedule honestly doesn't seem all that daunting, but I'll be pretty surprised if we have as many as 10 wins. We seemingly got worse at several positions, and our depth throughout the roster is pretty spotty.
You also have to factor in that we have the same uninspiring coaching staff. What was our "major" change in the coaching staff this offseason? The QB coach?
 

Genghis Khan

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You also have to factor in that we have the same uninspiring coaching staff. What was our "major" change in the coaching staff this offseason? The QB coach?
Yep that's also a factor.

We'll see how the draft shakes out, but I'm guessing we'll be somewhere under .500.
 

Cowboysrock55

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Yep that's also a factor.

We'll see how the draft shakes out, but I'm guessing we'll be somewhere under .500.
I'd be very surprised to see us under .500 without a catastrophic injury to Zeke or Dak. We basically dealt with everything that could go wrong last year and still ended up 9-7. I see no way this team is 2 games worse with a focused Zeke.
 

Chocolate Lab

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I don't think we'll be under .500 either -- or at least we definitely shouldn't be -- but I hardly think last year was an "everything that can go wrong does go wrong" kind of year. We haven't had many season-ending injuries, for one. What if Tyron's back takes him out for the year, or Frederick or Martin blow out a knee.

And if Dak plays like he did the last month of the year, we won't even need a lot of injuries to flirt with .500.
 

Cowboysrock55

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I don't think we'll be under .500 either -- or at least we definitely shouldn't be -- but I hardly think last year was an "everything that can go wrong does go wrong" kind of year. We haven't had many season-ending injuries, for one. What if Tyron's back takes him out for the year, or Frederick or Martin blow out a knee.

And if Dak plays like he did the last month of the year, we won't even need a lot of injuries to flirt with .500.
Tyron, Lee, Zeke all missed significant time and they may be the 3 best players on the team. But yes, injuries could be worse.
 

Cujo

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I'd be very surprised to see us under .500 without a catastrophic injury to Zeke or Dak. We basically dealt with everything that could go wrong last year and still ended up 9-7. I see no way this team is 2 games worse with a focused Zeke.

Agree. 10-6 shouldn't be difficult, but like Smitty said, I think we miss the playoffs. Red has made a living getting down on these easy schedules.
 

Genghis Khan

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I'd be very surprised to see us under .500 without a catastrophic injury to Zeke or Dak. We basically dealt with everything that could go wrong last year and still ended up 9-7. I see no way this team is 2 games worse with a focused Zeke.
I think we're a much worse team than last year.

We are worse at WR, RB (basically nothing behind Zeke now), OL (possibly), TE, LB (much worse in fact), CB, and S.

The wild card is Dak, if he's much better it'll make a big difference, but I'm not counting on that.
 
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