Dallas Cowboys will face a brutal schedule in 2018
The Dallas Cowboys 2018 opponents are already set, and their schedule looks to be likely more daunting than last season.
Although the NFL schedule is not set to release officially till likely some time in April, it is never to early to take a look at the opponent the Dallas Cowboys will face in 2018.
At the conclusion of the 2017 season, the Cowboys finished with the tenth toughest schedule in the NFL. They faced eight opponents that won nine or more games, and their overall opponents record was 134-118.
With the 2017 schedule, the Cowboys had to face all three first place opponents in the NFC, as they placed first in their division in 2016.
In 2018, the Cowboys will face all the second place teams, and also play all four teams from the AFC South division.
Now logically, it would stand to reason that a first place schedule would be tougher than a second place schedule, but in 2018 for the Cowboys, this may not be the case.
Dallas has a number of very challenging opponents they will face next year, and many of their toughest test will come on the road.
The Cowboys have to face the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Seattle Seahawks all on the road.
These three games will be very difficult matchups for the Cowboys, not to mention having to take on all three NFC East teams, the Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants away from home as well.
Dallas will also travel to take on the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts on the road.
The home games wont provide much relief either. Dallas has to face four playoff teams, the Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, and Philadelphia Eagles at home, and all four games will be very difficult tasks.
The Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants and Washington Redskins round out the Cowboys home schedule.
The list of quarterbacks the Cowboys will most likely have to face will take some great performances from their defense if they want to have success.
Baring injury, Carson Wentz, Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Matt Ryan, Russell Wilson, and Matt Stafford are all Pro Bowl level quarterbacks the Cowboys defense will have to deal with in 2018.
Not to mention, the Cowboys offense will have to deal with four of the top ten teams in points per game allowed in the 2017 season.
Next: Cowboys 2018 NFL Draft - Positions off limits in 1st round
However you stack it up, the Cowboys are in for a tough haul with their 2018 opponents, and it will take a much different team than we saw in 2017 to make a deep run in the playoffs next season.