Game-by-game predictions for 2022 Dallas Cowboys schedule
By Adam Weinrib
The 2022 Dallas Cowboys will be reckoning with a first-place schedule in their attempt to maintain the top spot in the NFC East, but that may not be as daunting a task as that verbiage implies.
All things considered, Dem Boys appear to have gotten off light, and though the roster has seen a good degree of turnover since the 49ers ended the 2021 campaign at Jerry World, Dallas’ group still looks like the strongest corps in the division.
Yes, even with AJ Brown in Philly.
For a quick refresher course, the Cowboys’ slate of games includes home showdowns with the Bengals and Colts, as well as tough road tilts in Green Bay and Minnesota, where the sport luckily takes place indoors.
All that was unknown entering Thursday night was the order of these games, from crucial divisional matchups to bizarre out-of-conference battles. As soon as the horn sounded, though, we immediately snapped into prediction mode. Here’s how we predict Dallas will fight their way through 2022 behind Dak’s arm, CeeDee’s quick release off the line, and a hefty dose of Demarcus and Micah.
Hopefully, our predictions are a little rosier than Stephen A.’s, who played along spectacularly well in Thursday night’s schedule release.
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Game-by-Game predictions for 2022 Cowboys schedule release
Week 1 vs. Buccaneers: Primetime at home against Tom Brady this time to open the season instead of doing the same song and dance in Tampa, huh? Counting out Brady has always been a fool’s errand, but judging by the razor-thin margin of last year’s contest, we’ll give the Cowboys a win in a similarly tight game this time. 24-23, Win.
Week 2 vs. Bengals: The Cincinnati Bengals are the defending AFC Champions, but somehow remain underrated. They’ve shored up their troublesome line further with ex-Cowboy La’el Collins, Alex Cappa and Ted Karras, and are hungry to prove they weren’t a fluke during their 2021-22 Joe Burrow-inspired run. This feels like the first “Statement” game for an opponent on Dallas’ turf this season. Tee Higgins goes Full Randy Moss. 31-28, Loss.
Week 3 at Giants: Make no mistake about it: the New York Giants are better in 2022 than they were in 2021. Also make no mistake about it: it’s impossible to be worse. This new New York regime, led by Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll, won’t QB sneak on 3rd & 9, but the Cowboys have owned this rivalry for the better part of a decade, and that won’t end just yet. 35-24, Win.
Week 4 vs. Commanders: Who the … heck are the Commanders?! Oh. Right. Yeah. Those guys.
Wait … who the HECK are those guys?! Carson Wentz is the new Washingtonian hope, a slight downgrade from Taylor Heinicke (kidding … maybe?). Terry McLaurin is agitating for a new contract, so all communication between his phone and CeeDee Lamb’s should be cut off until further notice. The Washington offense is deeper than expected and the pass rush is hungry, but the Cowboys still win the home game (man, remember what they did on the road last year, too?!). 27-16, Win.