Cowboys VP Stephen Jones says 'there’s a lot to look at' regarding 2024 schedule

Late-Season Cold Games

One of the things that even we fans pay attention to at schedule release is what cold weather cities will the Cowboys have to travel to in November and December?

The answer to that question this season is one, just one. A Week 17 matchup at Philadelphia that could have major division and playoff implications.

There is a Week 15 matchup in Carolina, and although there might be some rain in the forecast, the average temperature in Charlotte in mid-December is between 40 and 60 degrees.

The Week 15 showdown with Bryce Young will be the second in as many years, and it's a noon kickoff, further lessening the chance of inclement cold weather.

There are four road games versus cold weather cities but the Cowboys were fortunate enough to draw those games closer to the beginning of the season to avoid frosty conditions.

At Cleveland in Week 1, at the New York Giants in Week 4, at the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 5, and at the Washington Commanders in Week 12 are lucky schedule draws.

We've seen late-season games versus the Giants and Commanders sway in the opponent's favor solely because of inclement cold weather, and we all remember the sub-zero game in Pittsburgh on Terrell Owens' birthday many years ago.

Dallas plays two other games versus cold weather cities (Week 3 vs Baltimore and Week 14 vs Cincinnati) but was fortunate enough to draw those games at home.

If There's 3 Straight Road Games

Fortunately for the Cowboys, the 2024 season will not feature a gauntlet of three straight road games.

The schedule does feature consecutive road games twice throughout the season. First, in weeks four and five, visiting the Giants and the Steelers, respectively.

Then, immediately after the bye week in Week 7, the Cowboys travel to San Francisco followed by a trip to Atlanta.

Those are the only two stretches on the schedule where Dallas has to travel on consecutive weeks.

On the other side of the coin, Dallas also doesn't have three consecutive weeks of home games either. The closest they get to experience that is a mini-bye between Thanksgiving vs the Giants and home matchup vs the Bengals.

That stretch could feel like three consecutive weeks of staying at home, albeit only two games will be played. They also have consecutive home games across weeks two and three as well as weeks 10 and 11.

Strength of Opponents Late in Season

This one is tricky because you can't really analyze it until you get to that point in the season.

Parity in the NFL is at an all-time high, and we never know which teams will rise from worst to first in their division, or worse, first to worst.

Let's assume that “late in the season” means December and January games for Jones. We've often heard him, Jerry Jones, and Mike McCarthy speak about how important December and January are as a benchmark of how the team has come together.

Dallas' late-season schedule starts late. They don't play a game in December until the 9th when they will host the Cincinnati Bengals in Primetime on Monday Night Football.

Cincinnati finished the 2023 season one game shy of the playoffs, but there is no doubt that with a fully healthy Joe Burrow, the Bengals are in the AFC Championship Game conversation yet again.

One week later, the Cowboys travel to Carolina for their second matchup of QB Bryce Young's early career. Carolina finished the season 2-15, the worst record in the NFL.

They should be better this season, but as of right now on paper, the Cowboys should win that game handily.

Week 16 features a home matchup versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who advanced to the Divisional Round of the playoffs with a Wildcard win over the Cowboys' next opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles.

Tampa Bay will be a tough out in late December, even playing at home in Arlington.

A road game in Philadelphia the following week doesn't make the division or conference race any easier until a home game versus the Commanders to finish the regular season.

The NFC East

Each team in the NFL will play six divisional games. Two each versus each of the three division rivals.

The times and locations of these six games are crucial, and aside from a late-December road game at Philadelphia, the Cowboys seem to have drunk Liquid Luck from the stores of Professor Slughorn for a more fortunate schedule. (Only Harry Potter fans will understand).

Dallas' first division game is a Week 4 road matchup with the Giants on a short week after a physical game vs the Baltimore Ravens.

The new-look Giants might pose a threat to a team recovering from such a hard-fought game versus a physical team on a short week.

Dallas doesn't play another division game until Week 10 at home versus the Eagles. Then there are back-to-back division games in weeks 12 and 13.

First a road game at Washington, then they again play the Giants on a short week. This time in Arlington on Thanksgiving Day.

The season ends with consecutive division games. The late-season road game at Philadelphia followed by a home game versus the Commanders.