The Dallas Cowboys' 2026 schedule features six prime-time games and a Thanksgiving showcase, along with a notable game in Rio de Janeiro against the Baltimore Ravens. Analysts suggest that the Cowboys may be poised for a breakthrough season.
Key points
Dallas Cowboys have six prime-time games in 2026
Thanksgiving showcase is part of the schedule
Notable game against Baltimore Ravens in Rio de Janeiro
Cowboys aim for a breakthrough after 30 years without a Super Bowl appearance
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We're now past that most important waypoint on the NFLâs annual calendar â when we learn how many times and various ways the league can showcase the Dallas Cowboys, the famous/infamous âAmericaâs Teamâ seemingly half of the country embraces and the other half loathes ⊠because thereâs no such thing as middle ground in âMerica â26. But I digress.
But letâs put the Cowboysâ national (over?)-exposure aside for a minute. A closer examination of their schedule might just suggest that the countryâs most high-profile sports brand â Dallas won five of the first 30 Super Bowls and played on Super Sunday three other times but hasnât reached the leagueâs ultimate showcase in the past 30 years â might finally be ready for a breakthrough.
Disagree? Letâs do a, ahem, shallow dive into the Cowboys' 2026 schedule and see how many wins we can find for Jerry Jones and Co.:
Q&A
What are the key games on the Dallas Cowboys' 2026 schedule?
The Cowboys' 2026 schedule includes six prime-time games, a Thanksgiving showcase, and a game against the Baltimore Ravens in Rio de Janeiro.
How many prime-time games will the Cowboys play in 2026?
The Dallas Cowboys are scheduled to play six prime-time games in the 2026 season.
When is the Cowboys' Thanksgiving game in 2026?
The Cowboys' Thanksgiving game in 2026 is part of their annual showcase, though the specific date is not detailed in the schedule.
Why is the Cowboys' 2026 schedule significant?
The 2026 schedule is significant as it may indicate a potential breakthrough for the Cowboys, who have not reached the Super Bowl in the past 30 years.
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John Harbaughâs first game with a rebooted organization, WR Malik Nabers likely to play limited snaps â best case â and QB Jaxson Dart brazenly leaving the pocket on every third down while facing an entirely reimagined Doomsday D?
The 2026 home opener at JerryWorld, when QB Dak Prescott torches that Dan Quinn-designed defense he knows so well. Meanwhile, on the other sideline, new Commanders WR Brandon Aiyuk suffers the first of many meltdowns, reminding Washingtonians why the Niners gladly disposed of him in the first place.
ⶠWin (2-0)
Week 3: Cowboys vs. Baltimore Ravens (Rio de Janeiro), Sept. 27
As many sick days as Ravens QB Lamar Jackson uses during the practice week, imagine what a 5,000-mile flight will do to the two-time MVP? OK, on a more serious note, Jackson and his offense might still have the chills in their third week trying to employ new coordinator Declan Doyleâs offense. Meanwhile, Prescott and the offense will be in their third year working with Brian Schottenheimer. Christ the Redeemer deems the Cowboys the victors.
Admittedly, the tongue is frequently firmly planted in the cheek here. Doesnât mean weâre not taking this exercise (semi)seriously. And the long trip back from Brazil followed by a short intra-Texas flight to face the leagueâs best defense from 2025 seems like a good formula for a maiden L.
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield may be a native Texan. But playing on the road on a Thursday night is suboptimal in nearly every circumstance, particularly with the added pressure of performing in front of your Lone Star friends. Advantage: Dak.
After âbeatingâ Micah Parsonsâ Packers 40-40 last season, the Cowboys leverage their mini bye to notch a legit W against their former teammate, whose ACL will likely still be well shy of 100%, and exorcise some demons from their Lambeau Field house of horrors.
Tempting as it is to project an extended Dallas hot streak, weâre guessing Jalen Hurts will still be a few months shy of making his last stand even as the A.J. Brown-less offense begins to collapse around him. But it's early enough for Jalen Carter and Co. to spit out another win against Big D.
Could Thanksgiving be Hurtsâ last stand? Will the Iggles have already desperately turned to former Dallas QB2 Andy Dalton? Projected drama aside, a projected split with Philly seems fair â especially to cap a three-week homestand in North Texas.
Accounting for their Week 14 bye, this will be the Cowboysâ second game in a 24-day span â and also a home contest in front of their adoring California contingent, Oxnard and otherwise, forcing reigning MVP Matthew Stafford (or rookie Ty Simpson?) into using a silent count at SoFi Stadium.
ⶠWin (11-3)
Ryan Flournoy (19) and Jake Ferguson (87) celebrate after Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys scored a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on Nov. 23, 2025
Ryan Flournoy (19) and Jake Ferguson (87) celebrate after Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys scored a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on Nov. 23, 2025
The Jameis Winston-led G-Men stand no chance in the regular seasonâs penultimate weekend, when the Cowboys will lock up the NFCâs No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. Believe it!
ⶠWin (13-3)
Week 18: Cowboys at Washington Commanders, Jan. 9/10
Câmon, weâre realists here â no way Dallas wins 14 games ... when it can rest its starters.
ⶠLoss (13-4)
So that was fun.
Are 13 Ws a pie-in-the-sky scenario? Theyâre almost certainly a best-case scenario amid a light-hearted blitz through the Cowboysâ docket with the glass just about brimming over. But, truly, itâs not hard to be upbeat about a talented team that legitimately seems to have a fairly favorable pathway back to the playoffs ⊠if the overhauled defense is even merely average for rookie coordinator Christian Parker ⊠and Prescott avoids whatâs become a biennial tradition with him, namely a serious injury ⊠and WR George Pickens doesnât come unglued while playing on the franchise tag.
Are the Cowboys ready to end their three-decade Super Bowl absence? Jones most certainly is ... but we'll have to get back to you on that front.
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