It was known ahead of time that the Dallas Cowboys would have a difficult 2025 schedule. However, Wednesday's big reveal manage to blow away everyone's expectations. While there are some small victories baked in here and there, the negatives far outweigh the positives.
Look no further than Dallas' opponents from Week 12 to 17 having a combined 81-21 record last season. They will also set an NFL record with a whopping four Thursday games, according to ESPN. That sounds impossible if you read it out loud.
While the end-of-season gauntlet will determine the season, the NFL handed the Cowboys another disadvantage in a matchup that otherwise does not move the needle: their Week 9 tilt against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football.
Incredibly, the Cardinals will have their bye before the primetime clash.
Cowboys hit with tough disadvantage in Week 9 vs. Cardinals
You'd think the NFL would hand the Cowboys a solid, since they gave them four Thursday night games and scheduled them on Christmas in addition to their annual Thanksgiving game.
While the Cowboys will be licking their wounds from a rugged road game in Denver, Cardinals head coach Johnathan Gannon will be designing a game plan specifically for Dallas.
Related: Cowboys make NFL history with 2025 schedule for all the wrong reasons
The Cowboys are obviously a better team than Arizona, but the NFC West squad has won the last three meetings in this "rivalry", including two in convincing fashion. One of those blowouts happened in 2023 when James Conner ran all over Dan Quinn's defense. Gannon was the head coach then, so he already has a blueprint for how to beat Dallas.
The silver lining? The Cowboys poached Cardinals offensive line coach Klayton Adams to be their offensive coordinator. Adams will hopefully help Brian Schottenheimer give his former team a taste of its own medicine.
However, that does not take the rest factor into account.
It is duly noted that the NFL schedule is too cluttered for teams to not play other squads that are coming off a bye week. It is an unavoidable collision course. But it is undeniable that the Cowboys' schedule is littered with obstacles.