Cowboys Rumors: Dallas could open 2023 season vs division rival in primetime

The 2023 NFL schedule will be released in full Thursday at 7pm CT. Insiders have started leaking games, though Dallas Cowboys fans are still awaiting the team's first game leak.

In the meantime, the international schedule is out -- the Cowboys unsurprisingly will not be involved -- as is a Christmas Day game (Giants vs Eagles) and the league's first-ever Black Friday showcase, when the Jets will host the Dolphins.

The Cowboys are a virtual lock to have numerous primetime games. They had five such games last year and that feels like a safe floor for the 2023 season. With games against the Eagles, Bills, Chargers and 49ers, among others, Dallas' list of opponents has plenty of box-office appeal.

What if the NFL handed the Cowboys a primetime game to open the season? That could be where things are headed, as the latest rumblings indicate Dallas will open on the road against the Giants on Sunday Night Football.

Cowboys Rumors: Dallas to play Giants Week 1 on Sunday Nigh Football?

We would take this "rumor" with a grain of salt given anyone can pay for a verified blue check mark these days, but the above account has nailed some games so far, including that the Eagles would host a game on Christmas Day.

If you take a step back, though, the Cowboys traveling to East Rutherford for a showdown against the Giants makes perfect sense. Cowboys-Giants in Week 1 used to be a tradition -- or at least that's what it felt like -- but they haven't opened against each other in four years, largely because New York hasn't been relevant.

With both teams each notching a playoff win last season, this is the first time the matchup would be interesting in at least six years. Before 2022, New York hadn't put together a winning season since 2016. Before that, it was 2012.

The idea of Dallas hitting the road would be a huge win for the NFL, too. The league champions entertainment and MetLife Stadium undoubtedly would sell out with bloodthirsty Giants fans breaking the sound barrier on every third down and big play.

Again, we wouldn't go spreading the news that this matchup is set in stone. Wait for the league itself or a prominent insider -- your Adam Schefter's, Ian Rapoport's, Tom Pelissero's, etc. -- to spill the beans on social media.

That said, we're hard-pressed to think of a better time for the NFL to bring back one of its most intriguing season-opening matchups.