The Dallas Cowboys officially have their schedule for the 2025 season, and with some great matchups on the docket, there are some head-scratchers to take note of.
The Cowboys are set to face the Washington Commanders twice this season, as they always do, being division rivals. They are set to face off in Week 7 and in Week 17, with the Week 17 games being a big one if it comes to playoff spots. The head-scratching things to look at for the second matchup of the season isn't when it's played, but instead the week before.
In Week 16, the Commanders are set to play the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday, while the Cowboys are set to play the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. The NFC East foes will have an entire extra day of rest for a big game that could be a deciding factor in either playoff seeding or playoff spots.
With the Cowboys and Commanders playing on Christmas Day, which happens to fall on Thursday this season, the Cowboys will only have three full off days while the Commanders will have four. As seen with the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers last season, those short weeks can take a serious toll on both teams, but the Cowboys will have it worse.
The NFL has dealt the Dallas Cowboys a tough stretch of games late in the season
The Cowboys will face a very tough stretch of games after their bye week in Week 10. The game against the Las Vegas Raiders will most likely be the easiest of the final eight games of the season for America's team. After the game against the Raiders, the Cowboys will face the Eagles at home, the Chiefs at home on Thanksgiving, head to the Lions, host the Vikings, and then the Chargers, travel to the Commanders on Christmas, and finish the season on the road against the Giants.
Ending the season with two divisional games will be tough, especially when it comes to the playoff contention. If the Cowboys are fighting for a playoff spot at that time, every win matters, but divisional wins matter even more. So, having to play those last two weeks on less rest than normal is also putting the team at a disadvantage.
The NFL really screwed the Cowboys, especially also with playing four Thursday night games in the 2025 season, which has never been seen before in the history of the game. Staying as healthy as possible will be even more crucial throughout the season and late into the season, especially with less rest.