Dak Prescott has a plan for dealing with brutal part of Cowboys' 2026 schedule

Quarterback Dak Prescott and other members of the Dallas Cowboys will endure a rough portion of the 2026 regular season that will begin when they have to make a 10-hour flight each way to Rio de Janeiro for Dallas' Week 3 game versus the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 27.

Recently, Prescott insisted that he and his teammates need to begin thinking about how they can "take care of our bodies" leading up to and following the matchup against the Ravens. 

Dak Prescott knows "the biggest keys" to keep Cowboys fresh during stretch of season

"For us, we have to make sure we get some good sleep on the plane," Prescott explained, per Nick Eatman of the Cowboys' website. "I think that's one of the biggest keys. Sleeping on a plane hasn't ever been too difficult for me. Hopefully, it doesn't become an issue that week. We'll just manage. We've done it before with Thanksgiving week, just not with travel like this. Other teams have, though. It's not new. They're doing everything they can to make sure we have the best plan and resources for recovery. I'm looking forward to it."

The Cowboys don't get any break following the game versus a Ravens side that again should be a playoff contender. In Week 4, Dallas will play at the Houston Texans on Oct. 4. The Cowboys then will welcome the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a "Thursday Night Football" showdown at Dallas' AT&T Stadium that will take place on Oct. 8. 

Dak Prescott and the Cowboys are no strangers to playing three times in less than two full weeks

"We've been part of three games in 11 days before," Prescott added during his comments. "Every year with Thanksgiving, it's nothing new. The key is getting on top of it and winning those games. It all happens fast, so you have to stay locked in and not let those games slip by."

As Prescott referenced, the Cowboys will host the Tennessee Titans for a Week 11 game on Nov. 22. Four days later, Dallas will spend Thanksgiving facing the rival Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium.

"The travel will be tough," Prescott acknowledged about the Week 3 game against Baltimore, "but international games are part of growing this game. It's something we'll manage." 

How the Cowboys manage that stretch of the season will determine whether or not the club heads into its Week 6 "Sunday Night Football" game at the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 18 with a winning record.