Dallas Cowboys: 3 games that will define the 2018 season
With training camp just a few weeks away, we take a look at three games on the Dallas Cowboys 2018 schedule that will define their season.
When the NFL schedule gets released every April, fans of all teams circle some games as key matchups for the season. For the Dallas Cowboys, the 2018 schedule will be a brutal one, and they will face many tough tests on the road and at home.
The Cowboys will face six playoff teams from last season, Carolina, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Jacksonville and Tennessee, and three of these games will come on the road.
Dallas will also face its NFC East rivals two times each, and the division looks primed to be much more competitive than it was last season.
The games against the AFC South will not provide much relief for the Cowboys, as the Titans and Jaguars look ready to return to the postseason, and healthy quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Deshaun Watson will be looming when Dallas takes on the Colts and Texans.
Every year there are a few games that define how a teams season goes, and if they are able to make a deep playoff run. Here are my three games that I believe will end up playing a huge factor in defining if the Cowboys can return to the playoffs in 2018.
1. Week 3: September 23 at Seattle Seahawks
Now a week three matchup may seem a bit early to be one of the most pivotal games of the season, but for the Cowboys this matchup in Seattle will set the tone for the whole year. Dallas has struggled in Seattle, winning just two out of their last six trips there, and it is always one of the toughest places to play in the NFL.
The Seahawks ended the Cowboys season last year, defeating them in week 16 knocking them out of the playoff picture, so Dallas will be looking to serve up some revenge back in Seattle. This game will be extremely pivotal to see how mentally tough this Cowboys team can be. If they can come into Seattle and knock off a tough, hard nosed Seahawks team, it will bode very well for the Cowboys season moving forward.
2. Week 10: November 11 at Philadelphia Eagles
It is always a big time matchup when the Cowboys and Eagles square off, and this week ten game will be no different. The Cowboys have to wait till mid November to get their first shot against the defending champs, and this primetime game will likely have playoff implications moving forward.
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz will for sure be back by this matchup baring injury, so Dallas will have to be on their game in Philly. This is a pivotal game for a variety of reasons. One, it will show how the Cowboys stack up against a team that just won the Super Bowl, and two, getting wins against the Eagles will be crucial if Dallas wants to take back the crown of NFC East champs in 2018.
Last season, the first Eagles Cowboys matchup sent Dallas into a downward spiral they could not get out of, in 2018 if they want to have more success, they will need to bring their A game against the defending champs.
3. Week 13: November 29 vs New Orleans Saints
For the third straight season, the Cowboys will go Thursday to Thursday after Thanksgiving, this time facing a tough opponent in the New Orleans Saints. Dallas has struggled on Thanksgiving two of the past three years, making this game even more important to have in the win column.
Drew Brees and the high flying Saints offense will provide a tough test for the Cowboys defense, and in my opinion this could be a game that determines the ultimate fate of the Dallas D.
If they can stop an outstanding offense with tons of weapons like the Saints, they will have tons of momentum down the stretch into December, where they will face teams with skill on the offensive side of the ball.
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For the Dallas Cowboys, their defense will ultimately determine how far they go. And this late November matchup will be possibly their biggest test this upcoming season.