Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on from the sideline during the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

Cowboys' remaining strength of schedule is bad news for playoff hopes

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Josh Sanchez | Last updated Oct 15, 2025 10:11 AM ET

The Dallas Cowboys have to be kicking themselves entering Week 7 of the 2025-26 NFL season, dropping some very winnable games en route to a 2-3-1 record.

Dallas tied the Green Bay Packers despite being in position to win, blew an opportunity in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles after being plagued by drops, and dropped a very winnable game to the Carolina Panthers.

It's not hard to see the team sitting at 5-1 if there was any competence on defense, but that's not the way things worked out, so now Dallas will need to find a way to bounce back and regain momentum beginning this weekend at home against the division rival Washington Commanders.

The good news for the Cowboys is that the NFC East is wide open. The bad news? There strength of schedule is going to make things increasingly difficult.

Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images

According to the Pro Football Sports Network, the Cowboys have the most difficult remaining strength of schedule.

Interestingly enough, all four NFC East teams land in the top five.

A brutal stretch in the second half of the schedule is an absolute nightmare for the Cowboys, and paints a bleak picture for the team's playoff hopes. In fact, it's a historically difficult stretch.

Cowboys' historically difficult schedule stretch

Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

"Starting in Week 12, the Cowboys will face the Eagles, Chiefs, Lions and Vikings in consecutive games, which will make Dallas to play four straight games against teams that all won at least 14 games in the prior season," CBS Sports contributor John Breech wrote.

"The Cowboys will also face the Chargers and Commanders in that stretch, so they'll also become the first team in NFL history to play six straight games against teams that all won at least 11 games in the prior season. Basically, the Cowboys have a nightmare schedule."

We will learn a lot about the Cowboys during that stretch.

If they are still in the postseason mix entering Week 12, everyone will quickly learn whether the Cowboys are contenders or pretenders. If they are already out of contention, it will be interesting to see how the team approaches the remainder of the schedule, because things could get ugly.