The Dallas Cowboys ended 2023 in all-too-familiar fashion, grabbing a No.2 seed in the NFC but bowing out to the No.7 seed Green Bay Packers. The Cowboys are searching for a way to get past their playoff demons, as the fans are sick of being strictly a regular-season team. It doesn't matter what playoff seed the Cowboys get after the regular season this year, as their performance in the postseason will be the only thing the fans remember. Let's preview the Dallas Cowboys 2024 schedule and make predictions for their record at the end of the season, game-by-game.
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Week 1 @ Cleveland Browns
The Browns had plenty of promise, thanks to the acquisition of Deshaun Watson and star running back Nick Chubb. However, Chubb is still recovering from last season's gruesome knee injury, and Watson hasn't been worth the contract he received from Cleveland. The Browns will win some games thanks to their defense, but this won't be one of them.
WIN
Week 2 vs. New Orleans Saints
The Saints will always present a difficult opponent, but the Cowboys win this talent battle. The Saints have Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara but will struggle to get these playmakers the ball until they get a better-quality quarterback.
WIN
Week 3 vs. Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson won his second MVP in 2023, but the team fell short in the playoffs. The Ravens and Cowboys are their conference's version of each other, which makes this game even more interesting. The Ravens have won five of six games against the Cowboys, but the Cowboys are 1-1 since Dak's debut.
LOSS
Week 4 @ New York Giants (Thursday Night Football)
The Cowboys' dominance over the Giants will continue in 2024, with the Cowboys winning both matchups with their divisional opponent. A poor showing in 2024 could be the final straw for the Daniel Jones experiment.
WIN
Week 5 @ Pittsburgh Steelers (Sunday Night Football)
Who will be the starting quarterback for the Steelers when this game kicks off? Russell Wilson is the likely recipient of the starting job to start the season, but if he doesn't improve from last season's form, Fields will be knocking on the door for the job. At this point in Wilson's career, it may be in Dallas' best interest to play them early in the season when he still has the job.
WIN
Week 6 vs. Detroit Lions
We already know what the storyline will be heading into this game. Taylor Decker received an ineligible receiver penalty on a two-point conversion play last season, losing the game for the Lions. If there's one thing Dan Campbell does well, he motivates his team, and he will have his team ready to avenge that loss.
LOSS
Week 7 BYE
Week 8 @ San Francisco 49ers
The Cowboys have a long way to go before being recognized as a perennial playoff contender like the 49ers. The Cowboys always have good regular seasons but fail to produce when the games get more difficult. A good start would be finally beating the 49ers, as San Francisco has won three straight meetings, including two in the playoffs. The Cowboys have been outscored 78-45 over that span.
LOSS
Week 9 @ Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons won't be the walkovers they have been since Matt Ryan retired. They were held back by questionable decision-making from Arthur Smith, and now have a serviceable quarterback in Kirk Cousins. If Cousins can connect with all their young weapons, the Falcons will be a good team in 2024.
WIN
Week 10 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
It was a tale of two offseasons for the Eagles and Cowboys, as Dallas didn't make many personnel changes, while the Eagles acquired Saquon Barkley. The Eagles also had a better draft from the outset, grabbing Cooper DeJean in the second round. The Cowboys and Eagles will continue being the class of the NFC East, but the Eagles widened the gap this offseason.
LOSS
Week 11 vs. Houston Texans
The Texans may be one of the more difficult tests for Dallas' new-look defense. CJ Stroud was one of the league's most surprising stories last season, but he expects to have plenty of success in 2024.
WIN
Week 12 @ Washington Commanders
The Cowboys-Commanders rivalry will return in 2024, with Dan Quinn taking over Washington's head coaching job. Quinn will improve the Commanders' defense but does Mike McCarthy know too much about Quinn's scheme for it to be effective?
WIN
Week 13 vs. New York Giants (Thanksgiving Game)
The Cowboys have dominated the Giants, winning six in a row and 13 of the last 14 matchups. The Giants confirmed their belief in Daniel Jones when they didn't draft a quarterback, but was that the right move if they can't beat their division rivals? The Giants nabbed Malik Nabers instead, a wide receiver from LSU, to give Jones another target.
WIN
Week 14 vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Monday Night Football)
The Bengals had a disappointing season in 2023, highlighted by the fact that Joe Burrow missed most of the season with injuries. They'll have fully healthy Burrow in 2024 as he tries to get the Bengals back on the precipice of a Super Bowl. The Cowboys have won five in a row against the Bengals, including a 20-17 win in 2022.
WIN
Week 15 @ Carolina Panthers
The Cowboys have a challenging schedule in 2024, but Car0lina will be one of their easy matchups. The Cowboys took care of the Panthers in 2023, and the Panthers should be improved, but not enough to compete with the Cowboys.
WIN
Week 16 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Sunday Night Football)
Many expected Tampa Bay to be making one more run before losing a lot of their best players to free agency. The Buccaneers went all in when they acquired Tom Brady and would have been okay with a rebuild to get back on track. However, Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, and Antoine Winfield Jr resigned in the offseason, setting the Buccaneers up for another run at the playoffs.
LOSS
Week 17 @ Philadelphia Eagles
The Cowboys will need to win one of the two meetings this season to keep pace in the race for first in the East. If they don't, the Eagles will likely be the team with the higher seed and a better matchup in the first round.
WIN
Week 18 vs. Washington Commanders
The return of Dan Quinn to Dallas will be a much-hyped matchup. Dallas fans were upset with Quinn's defensive decisions in the playoffs, so his return may not be as well-received as he might like.
WIN
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