Cowboys 2022 Schedule

Cotton

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Dallas Cowboys schedule 2022: Predicting their record and NFC East finish

By Jon Machota
May 12, 2022

An official schedule release was not needed to know that the Cowboys have a favorable path this season. Thanks to playing in the league’s worst division, Dallas should be expected to win double-digit games for the second consecutive season.


But since the entire NFL schedule was released Thursday night, let’s break it all down with some of the biggest takeaways.

NFL SCHEDULES: News, analysis and more

2022 Cowboys schedule


WEEK
DATE
OPPONENT
TIME (CT)
1Sept. 11Buccaneers7:20 p.m.
2Sept. 18Bengals3:25 p.m.
3Sept. 26
at Giants
7:15 p.m.
4Oct. 2Commanders12 p.m.
5Oct. 9
at Rams
3:25 p.m.
6Oct. 16
at Eagles
7:20 p.m.
7Oct. 23Lions12 p.m.
8Oct. 30Bears12 p.m.
9Nov. 6
BYE
10Nov. 13
at Packers
3:25 p.m.
11Nov. 20
at Vikings
3:25 p.m.
12Nov. 24Giants3:30 p.m.
13Dec. 4Colts7:20 p.m.
14Dec. 11Texans12 p.m.
15Dec. 18
at Jaguars
12 p.m.
16Dec. 24Eagles3:25 p.m.
17Dec. 29
at Titans
7:15 p.m
18Jan. 7 or 8
at Commanders
TBD

Week 1 keys to victory

It’s highly unlikely that Buccaneers at Cowboys would have been the season opener had Tom Brady remained retired. But with the seven-time Super Bowl champion back for another season, this rematch of last year’s season opener should be great for TV ratings. This could be a preview of a potential NFC playoff matchup.

Both teams are the favorites to win their respective divisions. Dak Prescott was outstanding in last year’s Week 1 Cowboys loss at Tampa Bay. He’ll likely need another big game for Dallas to come away with the win at AT&T Stadium. It’ll be interesting to see where the passing game is at early in the season, considering that they could be starting a rookie (Jalen Tolbert) and offseason addition (James Washington) at wide receiver if Michael Gallup is still recovering from his knee injury. The Cowboys only rushed for 60 yards last year against the Buccaneers. That probably won’t get the job done this time around, either. If Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, DeMarcus Lawrence and others can cause problems for Brady, the Cowboys might just start 1-0.

Must-watch game: at Los Angeles Rams (Week 5)

Everyone wants to see how they match up against the defending Super Bowl champions. This won’t be the exact same team that won it all in February, but most of the key pieces are still in place. Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp should continue to be a problem on offense while Aaron Donald, Bobby Wagner, Leonard Floyd and Jalen Ramsey still make up one of the league’s best defenses.

Toughest stretch: Weeks 1 through 6

After opening with the Buccaneers and Bengals, the Cowboy get a little bit of a break with the Giants and Commanders, but then it’s right back to another Super Bowl contender in the Rams. In Week 6, the Cowboys close that opening stretch with a road game against the Eagles. It’s certainly possible that the Cowboys start the season 2-4. And if that happens, are they able to get things back on track or does some doubt creep in and things spiral out of control?

Game that has gotten tougher: against the Eagles (Week 6 and Week 16)

Philadelphia has added some nice pieces on both sides of the ball this offseason, most notably WR A.J. Brown on offense and veteran edge rusher Haason Reddick, rookie DT Jordan Davis and rookie LB Nakobe Dean on defense. Reddick has had double-digit sacks each of the past two seasons. Brown is a Pro Bowler who should pair nicely with second-year standout WR DeVonta Smith. If QB Jalen Hurts has improved at all in his third season, this could be a dangerous team and likely the Cowboys’ toughest competition for the division title.

One game the Cowboys can’t afford to lose: vs. Texans, Week 14

All signs point to Houston having the NFL’s worst record. The latest odds via Bet MGM have the Texans as by far the least likely team to win the Super Bowl at +25,000. That’s 10,000 higher than the next-lowest team, the Detroit Lions, who also happen to be playing at AT&T Stadium in Week 7. There’s no excuse for losing either of those home games.

Best offense the Cowboys will face: Buccaneers (Week 1)

Any offense with Brady is going to be one of the most difficult to stop. He still has Leonard Fournette next to him in the backfield, a quality offensive line and outstanding wide receivers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. And you might have heard, Brady is 6-0 all-time against the Cowboys, throwing 14 touchdown passes (one rushing touchdown), four interceptions, 289 passing yards per game and a combined 95.9 passer rating. Tampa Bay has changed head coaches, going from Bruce Arians to former defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, but this still should be one of the NFL’s best offenses.

Best defense the Cowboys will face: Packers (Week 10)

This could easily be the Buccaneers, Rams, Colts, Titans or Eagles, but I’m going with the Packers and playing on the road Nov. 13 at Green Bay. The Packers already had a good defense, led by OLB Preston Smith, DT Kenny Clark, OLB Rashan Gary and CB Jaire Alexander, but then they added two first-round picks in former Georgia standouts LB Quay Walker and DT Devonte Wyatt. The Green Bay offense will probably take a step back with the loss of five-time Pro Bowl WR Davante Adams, but the defense has a chance to be one of the NFL’s best.

Predicted record: 11-6

I have the Cowboys going 7-2 at home with losses coming to the Buccaneers and Bengals. I have them going 4-4 on the road with losses coming at Green Bay, Los Angeles, Tennessee and Philadelphia. My favorite thing when doing this exercise is the complaints I receive about having the Cowboys “losing to all the good teams” and “defeating all the bad teams.” Well, that’s pretty much what happened last year. Of course, the actual wins and losses are difficult to predict this far out, considering injuries and how several teams will be worse than expected and several will be better. But 10 or 12 wins seems about right for this Dallas team. It’s more about finally making some noise after Week 18.

Predicted NFC East finish:

1. Cowboys
2. Eagles
3. Commanders
4. Giants

Although the gap is closing, the Cowboys still have the best team in the division. I realize that this result would mean a team winning the NFC East back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2004. The Cowboys also haven’t made the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2007. But if they can’t put an end to those streaks this year, some significant offseason changes need to happen.
 

Cotton

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Cotton

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Cotton

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Here’s how SportsDay’s columnists and Cowboys insiders think Dallas‘ season will go:


Tim Cowlishaw
Cowboys’ record: 9-7-1

In the era of 14 playoff teams, if you are gifted with a late season stretch of five games against teams that missed the 2021 playoffs, you are fortunate. Consider the Cowboys — who face Minnesota, Giants, Indy, Houston, Jacksonville in a November/December run — fortunate. But schedule makers also put Dallas’ two toughest home games at top of schedule (Tampa Bay, Cincinnati), so do not expect a smooth ride. Throw in games at Rams and Eagles, and one could argue 4 of 5 biggest challenges come in first 6 weeks.


Michael Gehlken
Cowboys’ record: 11-6


For the first time since the strike-shortened 1982 year, three of the Cowboys’ first four regular-season games will be played at home. That’s interesting, although perhaps no shock considering nine of their 17 games are at AT&T Stadium. It is notable the Cowboys will meet the Chargers in the preseason sometime between Aug. 19-21. Look for at least one joint practice between the clubs beforehand, likely at the Chargers’ facility in Costa Mesa, Calif. They have been in talks.

David Moore
Prediction: 11-6

The Cowboys play eight games against teams that are coming off a winning record. Four of those are jammed into the first six weeks of the season. Dallas opens at home against Tampa Bay and Cincinnati, teams that combined for a 23-11 record last season. After two division games, Dallas hits the road for back-to-back games against the LA Rams and Philadelphia, teams that combined for a 21-13 record last season. The Rams are the defending Super Bowl champions, the Bucs the year before that and the Bengals lost to the Rams. Tough start for Dallas.


Calvin Watkins
Cowboys’ record: 10-7


The early part of the Cowboys’ schedule will determine whether this team can at least clinch a playoff berth. Teams in the NFC East are better, particularly the Eagles, so if the Cowboys get off to a 3-1 start, you should feel confident about the team’s abilities going into that Week 4 game against division rival, Washington. Of course big games at Green Bay and Minnesota in consecutive weeks in November will put some stress on the season. The Cowboys are good at finishing the season. Three of the last four games are on the road. And last season, Dallas went 5-1 to close the year and in 2020, 3-2. Coach Mike McCarthy builds his teams to close the season with the hope that if you’re playing well late it will carry over into the postseason. We’ll see if that happens again.

Kevin Sherrington
Cowboys’ record: 11-6

Talk about diving into the deep end: Opening the regular season with a couple participants in the last two Super Bowls. Too bad Tom Brady didn’t renege on his retirement. Maybe Fox can make him an offer he can’t refuse. Anyway, the Cowboys’ close loss on the road to the Bucs in last year’s opener gave Cowboys fans a lot of false hope. What would a win do? Set up the next week’s game against Cincinnati to build the same set of expectations, that’s what. Get by those first two weeks unscathed, and it inspires all sorts of intrigue.

 

p1_

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Joined
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Messages
26,691
Here’s how SportsDay’s columnists and Cowboys insiders think Dallas‘ season will go:


Tim Cowlishaw
Cowboys’ record: 9-7-1

In the era of 14 playoff teams, if you are gifted with a late season stretch of five games against teams that missed the 2021 playoffs, you are fortunate. Consider the Cowboys — who face Minnesota, Giants, Indy, Houston, Jacksonville in a November/December run — fortunate. But schedule makers also put Dallas’ two toughest home games at top of schedule (Tampa Bay, Cincinnati), so do not expect a smooth ride. Throw in games at Rams and Eagles, and one could argue 4 of 5 biggest challenges come in first 6 weeks.


Michael Gehlken
Cowboys’ record: 11-6


For the first time since the strike-shortened 1982 year, three of the Cowboys’ first four regular-season games will be played at home. That’s interesting, although perhaps no shock considering nine of their 17 games are at AT&T Stadium. It is notable the Cowboys will meet the Chargers in the preseason sometime between Aug. 19-21. Look for at least one joint practice between the clubs beforehand, likely at the Chargers’ facility in Costa Mesa, Calif. They have been in talks.

David Moore
Prediction: 11-6

The Cowboys play eight games against teams that are coming off a winning record. Four of those are jammed into the first six weeks of the season. Dallas opens at home against Tampa Bay and Cincinnati, teams that combined for a 23-11 record last season. After two division games, Dallas hits the road for back-to-back games against the LA Rams and Philadelphia, teams that combined for a 21-13 record last season. The Rams are the defending Super Bowl champions, the Bucs the year before that and the Bengals lost to the Rams. Tough start for Dallas.


Calvin Watkins
Cowboys’ record: 10-7


The early part of the Cowboys’ schedule will determine whether this team can at least clinch a playoff berth. Teams in the NFC East are better, particularly the Eagles, so if the Cowboys get off to a 3-1 start, you should feel confident about the team’s abilities going into that Week 4 game against division rival, Washington. Of course big games at Green Bay and Minnesota in consecutive weeks in November will put some stress on the season. The Cowboys are good at finishing the season. Three of the last four games are on the road. And last season, Dallas went 5-1 to close the year and in 2020, 3-2. Coach Mike McCarthy builds his teams to close the season with the hope that if you’re playing well late it will carry over into the postseason. We’ll see if that happens again.

Kevin Sherrington
Cowboys’ record: 11-6

Talk about diving into the deep end: Opening the regular season with a couple participants in the last two Super Bowls. Too bad Tom Brady didn’t renege on his retirement. Maybe Fox can make him an offer he can’t refuse. Anyway, the Cowboys’ close loss on the road to the Bucs in last year’s opener gave Cowboys fans a lot of false hope. What would a win do? Set up the next week’s game against Cincinnati to build the same set of expectations, that’s what. Get by those first two weeks unscathed, and it inspires all sorts of intrigue.

Give us a post season projection. Then we’ll talk.
 

Genghis Khan

The worst version of myself
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
38,021
Here’s how SportsDay’s columnists and Cowboys insiders think Dallas‘ season will go:


Tim Cowlishaw
Cowboys’ record: 9-7-1

In the era of 14 playoff teams, if you are gifted with a late season stretch of five games against teams that missed the 2021 playoffs, you are fortunate. Consider the Cowboys — who face Minnesota, Giants, Indy, Houston, Jacksonville in a November/December run — fortunate. But schedule makers also put Dallas’ two toughest home games at top of schedule (Tampa Bay, Cincinnati), so do not expect a smooth ride. Throw in games at Rams and Eagles, and one could argue 4 of 5 biggest challenges come in first 6 weeks.


Michael Gehlken
Cowboys’ record: 11-6


For the first time since the strike-shortened 1982 year, three of the Cowboys’ first four regular-season games will be played at home. That’s interesting, although perhaps no shock considering nine of their 17 games are at AT&T Stadium. It is notable the Cowboys will meet the Chargers in the preseason sometime between Aug. 19-21. Look for at least one joint practice between the clubs beforehand, likely at the Chargers’ facility in Costa Mesa, Calif. They have been in talks.

David Moore
Prediction: 11-6

The Cowboys play eight games against teams that are coming off a winning record. Four of those are jammed into the first six weeks of the season. Dallas opens at home against Tampa Bay and Cincinnati, teams that combined for a 23-11 record last season. After two division games, Dallas hits the road for back-to-back games against the LA Rams and Philadelphia, teams that combined for a 21-13 record last season. The Rams are the defending Super Bowl champions, the Bucs the year before that and the Bengals lost to the Rams. Tough start for Dallas.


Calvin Watkins
Cowboys’ record: 10-7


The early part of the Cowboys’ schedule will determine whether this team can at least clinch a playoff berth. Teams in the NFC East are better, particularly the Eagles, so if the Cowboys get off to a 3-1 start, you should feel confident about the team’s abilities going into that Week 4 game against division rival, Washington. Of course big games at Green Bay and Minnesota in consecutive weeks in November will put some stress on the season. The Cowboys are good at finishing the season. Three of the last four games are on the road. And last season, Dallas went 5-1 to close the year and in 2020, 3-2. Coach Mike McCarthy builds his teams to close the season with the hope that if you’re playing well late it will carry over into the postseason. We’ll see if that happens again.

Kevin Sherrington
Cowboys’ record: 11-6

Talk about diving into the deep end: Opening the regular season with a couple participants in the last two Super Bowls. Too bad Tom Brady didn’t renege on his retirement. Maybe Fox can make him an offer he can’t refuse. Anyway, the Cowboys’ close loss on the road to the Bucs in last year’s opener gave Cowboys fans a lot of false hope. What would a win do? Set up the next week’s game against Cincinnati to build the same set of expectations, that’s what. Get by those first two weeks unscathed, and it inspires all sorts of intrigue.


What kind of ass predicts a tie?
 
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