2026 Dallas Cowboys Road Matchups Will Cause Problems

The aftermath of the 2026 NFL Draft has brought a ton of hype toward the 2026 Dallas Cowboys, and for good reason: they hit the draft out of the park, especially with the addition of superstar defensive back Caleb Downs.

After missing out on the postseason in both 2024 and 2025, the team is looking stronger than it has in a couple of years, thanks to that draft class and some bonus additions in free agency.

As I said, the optimism is warranted, but there is a negative aspect of this season that is being underrated.

Dallas is set to take on a brutal road schedule in the 2026 campaign; they’ll face their division opponents, of course, as well as four playoff teams from this past postseason. The only non-playoff teams the Cowboys will face on the road are the Commanders, Colts, and Giants.

Let’s go through the divisional, the NFC, and the AFC sides on the schedule in detail.

The NFC East: All Three Teams a Threat on the Road

Starting with the three road teams we will know best this season, it is important not to look past this side of the schedule, even with the success Dak Prescott has had against division opponents throughout his NFL career.

The Philadelphia Eagles are, naturally, the front-runners here, as they have been for a few seasons now.

We may see some regression from them in 2026, but even if we do, it is hard to see the Cowboys going into Philly as the favorites to win. That game, whenever it takes place, should be a dogfight as it always is.

When it comes to the New York Giants, they are riding the kind of momentum that we haven’t seen from Big Blue in years. I think it may be slightly overblown, but Dallas’s trip to MetLife is expected to be more difficult than it has been in a long time.

The Commanders took a turn for the worse after an electric 2024 season, but with added reinforcements on defense, a healthy Jayden Daniels, and a hungry Dan Quinn, they could still be a threat on the road in 2026.

The External-NFC Matchups: Dallas Must Travel to 3 Elite Teams

Flipping over to the non-divisional NFC opponents, this is where things get incredibly daunting for the 2026 Dallas Cowboys.

We will see the team travel to Seattle to take on the defending champion Seahawks, who, despite some losses in free agency (Kenneth Walker, Tariq Woolen), seem poised to head back to the postseason with their elite defense. This game will be a major uphill battle for Dallas.

Speaking of the NFC West, the only team that truly gave the Seahawks a run for the NFC title was the Los Angeles Rams and MVP Matthew Stafford.

Of course, the Cowboys will see them as well in a West Coast battle at SoFi Stadium. The Rams may just be the Super Bowl favorites this year, as their elite coaching and stacked roster have only grown stronger this offseason. Again, that’ll be a doozy for Dallas.