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Saints vs. Cowboys: Quarterback Matchup
Yahoo Sports NFLSource ↗
Backup QB battle between Cowboys and Saints may determine who wins the job
Trevor Siemian
QB · FA · 34 yrs · exp 11 · Northwestern
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Falcons put OT Jawaan Taylor on PUP list
The Falcons signed offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor this offseason, but he won’t be on the field for their first practice of training camp. Taylor was one of four players placed on the physically unable to perform list on Wednesday. Taylor was pencilled into the right tackle spot, but the team will turn to another former Chief in Wanya Morris for the time being. Defensive back Billy Bowman, linebacker DeAngelo Malone, and linebacker Troy Andersen are also on the PUP list. Defensive linemen Zach Harrison and Anterio Thompson are opening camp on the non-football injury list. All of the players count against the 90-man roster limit and they can be activated at any point during training camp. As previously noted, the Falcons also released quarterback Trevor Siemian with a non-football injury designation. They are expected to sign Cooper Rush to fill out the quarterback group that is managing injury situations with Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix
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Tua Tagovailoa won't practice after injury 'flared up,' Michael Penix won't do team drills
The Falcons’ quarterback competition is on hold as the team starts training camp on Wednesday. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said that Tua Tagovailoa will not practice after an injury “flared up.” Stefanski did not specify the injury, but Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the quarterback is dealing with back tightness . Stefanski said the injury is not considered serious and that they expect him back sooner rather than later. The head coach also said that Michael Penix has not been cleared for team drills, so neither of the players who are vying for the starting job in Atlanta are going to be fully participating in practice at this point. The Falcons released Trevor Siemian with a non-football injury on Wednesday, which leaves undrafted rookie Jack Strand as the only healthy quarterback on the roster. The Falcons are expected to sign former Cowboys and Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush to give them another option at the position as they wait for Tagovailoa and Penix to get the green light for full practice activities. It’s not an ideal way to kick off camp in Atlanta and the Falcons will be hoping for better news for both quarterbacks before they get too much deeper into their preparations for the 2026 season
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Projecting the Falcons roster heading into training camp
The dead zone is nearly over, as Atlanta Falcons training camp begins on Wednesday, July 29. Things have been mostly quiet since my post-draft roster projection back in May, but a few notable roster moves along with reporting from OTAs and minicamp have adjusted my expectations for the Falcons’ 53-man roster slightly. I also finally got around to watching all the tape from the Browns 2025 offense—you’re welcome—and that changed a few of my assumptions a bit. There are definitely some notable training camp battles to watch, with a few starting spots up for grabs. The back end of the roster is likely to be very competitive with an entirely new offensive coaching staff and head coach in the building. Headlining all of this is a truly open competition for QB1 between veteran Tua Tagovailoa and 2024 first-rounder Michael Penix Jr , the outcome of which could significantly alter Atlanta’s plans for this season and beyond. Let’s dive right in to my latest thoughts on Atlanta’s 2026 53-man roster. The roster projection is also available in both video and audio format, which you can find embedded below. If you enjoyed the written version, consider giving us a click on these platforms as well. Listen to the audio version of this article using the player below, or find it on your favorite podcast platforms. Italics denote a change from the previous roster projection. Tua Tagovailoa Michael Penix Jr. Trevor Siemian We’ve received little clarity on the quarterback competition through OTAs and minicamp. The hope is that Michael Penix Jr. is ready to return for the start of training camp, and all signs are pointing to that being the plan. For the time being, I’m moving Tua Tagovailoa into the “presumptive starter” spot, simply by virtue of him being the healthiest option at this stage. This will be the biggest and most prominent battle of training camp. Hopefully it’s an exciting duel between two hungry, young QBs looking to prove themselves—and not utterly depressing a la Desmond Ridder vs Marcus Mariota . There’s an outside shot that Jack Strand, with a very impressive camp, could displace Trevor Siemian. Bijan Robinson Brian Robinson Jr . Nate Carter Cash Jones While 90%+ of the carries and snaps will be handled by the duo of Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr., I do think this team may keep four running backs this season. Atlanta may wind up being one of the most run-heavy teams in the NFL (for good reason), and having a stable of talent to rotate in and develop over the course of the season is wise. I feel like I’m Nate Carter’s only remaining believer, so I’ll stay on that hill until something notable changes. There’s been enough chatter around Cash Jones to take his roster chances seriously, especially given his special teams prowess. Kyle Pitts Charlie Woerner Austin Hooper After doing a deep dive into the Browns offense, I feel pretty confident that the Falcons will mostly lean on 12 personnel. As a result, keeping a fourth tight end is largely unnecessary. What’s less certain is who emerges as the TE2 alongside Kyle Pitts: the superior blocker in Woerner, or the more well-rounded Hooper? It may be something that changes week-to-week based on the matchup, but it’ll be fascinating to see what this staff values more. Unlike Zac Robinson’s offense, the TE2 will be expected to catch the ball sometimes . Drake London Jahan Dotson Zachariah Branch Olamide Zaccheaus Chris Blair I actually feel pretty solid about this wide receiver group. We all know this is not a group that will be ranked highly among the NFL’s best, but that is partially by design. Drake London is the only one from this group who will be heavily targeted—the rest will be role players and specialists. Jahan Dotson has a real opportunity to carve out at least 3-5 targets a game as the WR2 if he can prove himself worthy of that attention, and he’s got the most well-developed route tree of the bunch. Zachariah Branch is the wild card: his yards-after-catch abili [... truncated ...]
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Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa? The answers matters now and in the future
The Atlanta Falcons have had a quarterback problem for years, a statement blindingly obvious to anyone who has been an Atlanta Falcons fan over the past few seasons. Since 2022, when the Falcons hastily traded Matt Ryan to Indianapolis in the wake of a failed effort to trade for Deshaun Watson , they’ve started Marcus Mariota , Desmond Ridder , Taylor Heinicke , Kirk Cousins , and Michael Penix Jr.; that’s more than one starter per season. In fact, they’ve had two different quarterbacks starting for the team in each of those four years, and they have not had one true franchise guy at any point in that span. Penix could still be that player, but it’s hardly a given. We enter 2026 with Penix recovering from ACL surgery, one of many such surgeries in his college and now NFL career, and with very little on-field to suggest he’s a potentially elite quarterback. He’s competing with Tua Tagovailoa, who is coming off a dismal season with the Dolphins where he was benched, and has dealt with scary concussions throughout his career. The only guys behind them are big-armed undrafted free agent Jack Strand and journeyman backup Trevor Siemien, so there’s very little chance of a Cinderella story if Tua and Penix don’t pan out. That makes the quarterback battle crucial on two fronts. It’s obviously important for this year, because the better player needs to have the reins of an offense richly veined with playmakers to help these Falcons shake off eight straight losing seasons and recapture hope and competence. But it’s also important for next year, because any outcome outside of Penix seizing this job and excelling will likely have the Falcons looking to draft, sign, or trade for a potential franchise option. The Falcons don’t want to continue to squander their talent. Bijan Robinson was the league’s most productive running back last year, leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage, but was stuck on a team that had a frequently anemic passing attack and blew far too many games. Drake London and Kyle Pitts are game-changing talents who have dealt with streaky, inconsistent passers throughout their careers. Jahan Dotson , Zachariah Branch, and Austin Hooper offer real talent—and in the case of Branch, really intriguing potential—but could see their production blunted if the quarterback position isn’t effectively settled. A great quarterback would have a passing attack with this many weapons humming. A good quarterback would have it looking capable, at minimum. As we’ve seen over the years, promising but inconsistent quarterbacks and shaky ones alike have conspired to make it look elite for shining moments and disappointing for long stretches. The Falcons badly need to figure out whether Tua or Penix is the right fit for these weapons and this passing attack. At his best, Tua can deliver timely, very accurate passes in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field, a skill set that plays well with the YAC capabilities of Bijan, Brian Robinson , London, and Branch, as well as Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Rees’ screen designs. Penix has been more inconsistent across the board in his brief career, but his ability to attack defenses deep opens up potentially devastating big plays for London, Pitts, and Dotson. There are significant stylistic differences here that might come into play if this ends up being a very close battle, but the likelier outcome is simply that one of these quarterbacks is more healthy and effective this summer and wins the battle outright well before preseason wraps. At the moment, my money would be on Tua, who had a head start as the healthy player earlier this summer and should be able to reliably pepper his supporting cast with short-to-intermediate passes the way Kirk Cousins did at his best last year. Whoever wins, however, will need to be good enough to at least partially unlock this passing game’s significant potential, lest their backup catapult past them midseason. Let’s say Tua grabs the starting job and lands som [... truncated ...]
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Ranking the 5 best and worst QB situations for 2026: 49ers and Browns at opposite ends of spectrum
Football is the ultimate team sport, but some positions are still more important than others. You won't be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy with lackluster quarterback play. We've seen Patrick Mahomes power a dynasty that reached the Super Bowl five times over a six-year span, while the greatest player of all time, Tom Brady , won a record seven Super Bowls during his Hall of Fame career. A quarterback room is more than just the starter. Half of the starting quarterbacks around the NFL can't stay healthy for a full season, and it's up to the backup to come in and guide the offense. The Indianapolis Colts weren't prepared for Daniel Jones going down, and it sank their season. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers fared just fine when Brock Purdy was forced to miss some time. The second-string quarterback is the most overlooked position in today's NFL . Which NFL teams have the best quarterback situations and which have the worst? Below, we will break down the five worst and five best QB rooms in the league. QBs: Michael Penix Jr. , Tua Tagovailoa , Trevor Siemian , Jack Strand One of the more strange moments from this offseason was when the Atlanta Falcons immediately pivoted to Tua Tagovailoa after the Miami Dolphins made the decision to take on an NFL-record $99 million in dead cap just to get rid of him. Tagovailoa led the NFL in passer rating in 2022 and passing yards in 2023, but has struggled with both consistency and injuries since signing that massive $212.4 million extension. It's also understood that he's not an electric playmaker who can carry offenses alone with his arm. He played his best football in a Mike McDaniel scheme that relied on timing, yet Miami reached the postseason just twice. Tagovailoa threw a career-high 15 interceptions last year while averaging a career-worst 6.9 yards per attempt. Can he resurrect his career under Kevin Stefanski? If it's not Tagovailoa, then it will be Michael Penix Jr. under center for Atlanta. The former No. 8 overall pick is recovering from the third torn ACL of his football career, and is just 4-8 as a starter. Penix is averaging one touchdown pass per start and has completed fewer than 60% of his passes. As a prospect, it was hard not to be intrigued by his arm, but Penix just hasn't been good enough. His bad throw percentage (24%) ranked worst in the NFL last season, according to Pro Football Reference. The Falcons' offense features several fun weapons, including Bijan Robinson , Kyle Pitts and Drake London . However, if this group doesn't have a legitimate starting quarterback that can get them the ball, Atlanta is in for its ninth-straight losing season. QBs: Malik Willis , Quinn Ewers , Cam Miller , Mark Gronowski The Dolphins secured the most intriguing quarterback in this free agency class with Malik Willis. It wasn't a surprise, as Miami hired a general manager and head coach that Willis was familiar with. Jon Eric-Sullivan, Jeff Hafley and Willis all come over from the Green Bay Packers . Willis completed 79% of his passes while averaging 10.9 yards per attempt with six touchdowns and zero interceptions in his two seasons with the Packers. He became the first quarterback to complete 85% of his passes in a game while averaging 13+ yards per attempt and rushing for 60 yards. If you want to extrapolate his numbers over three starts, Willis would be a franchise quarterback. The problem is our sample size for Willis is very small. According to Kurt Warner , Willis had just 28 dropbacks over the past two seasons if you take out screen plays, "pick-n-stick" throws at five yards and quick scrambles. He will also be quarterbacking for what is expected to be one of the worst teams in the NFL. De'Von Achane is a fantastic running back, but Malik Washington , Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell are not exactly elite wideouts. Willis is a huge question mark in general, but even if you're optimistic about his talent, you have to admit that the rebuilding Dolphins are not in a great [... truncated ...]
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Falcons training camp 2026: 5 roster battles to watch on offense
While we twiddle our thumbs, tap our feet impatiently, and sigh deeply during the long wait for training camp, we can still talk about training camp. And we will. Let’s start by talking about some of the true roster battles for the 2026 Falcons, rather than those guys duking it out for a starting job. I’m focused on the spots down the depth chart that could be become vital in a pinch and have plenty of players competing for them, from swing tackle to fifth wide receiver and a few in between. We’ll get into the battles for starting jobs in more detail a little later this summer. Is Jack Strand vs. Trevor Siemian an actual battle? Siemian has gone from occasional starter to third quarterback type over the years, with a fairly successful run in 2021 with the hated Saints giving way to uninspiring stints with the Bears and Jets. He last appeared in an NFL regular season game in 2023, and is entering his age 35 season. For all that, he has 33 career starts, 40 games of experience, and 44 touchdowns against 32 interceptions, and his tenure and experience commanding an NFL offense will likely make him the favorite for third quarterback duties given that Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. both have injury concerns. Strand is probably a practice squad stash, but he does have the live arm and intrigue to make it interesting if he has a strong summer. He was an uber-productive Division II quarterback who has thrown the ball well at camp, and his age and affordability make him a fun developmental option for QB3 and (maybe eventually) QB2 down the line. With a strong enough summer, he could knock Siemian out, given that the Falcons will only owe $1.3 million to the veteran. With Carlos Washington cut, you’re looking at Nate Carter , Tyler Goodson , and rookie Cash Jones for this spot. Carter has the advantage of a year in Atlanta, pretty impressive speed, and some experience on special teams. He had nine carries for 60 yards, highlighted by a 12 yard run, in garbage time in 2025. If the Falcons are looking for long speed and good burst in their third spot, Carter can carve it out, providing he shows well as a pass catcher and blocker over the summer. Goodson is easily the most experienced candidate for this job, and that and his versatility might make him the favorite. He was a decent runner—albeit on the smaller side—in Indianapolis , and supplemented that with quality kick return skills and good enough hands to be used as a weapon out of the backfield at times. Over the past two seasons, he logged heavy usage on Indy’s special teams and has appeared in 33 games, and the ability to do a little bit of everything is an important ability down the depth chart. Jones is a rookie out of Georgia who seems to be more likely to carve out a long-term role at receiver, where the team is putting him through the paces early on. But Jones has experience as a runner from college and is an elusive player who can be very dangerous with the ball in his hands, and serving as a sort of RB3/WR6 or WR7 hybrid would give him additional appeal for Atlanta. His pass catching ability, shiftiness, and potential versatility should at least keep him in this competition. You have Drake London , Jahan Dotson , Zachariah Branch, and Olamide Zaccheaus set to take the top four spots on the depth chart. Beyond that, very little is certain. Familiar faces like Chris Blair and Dylan Drummond , both annual summer standouts, are certainly in the mix. Undrafted free agents Keelan Marion, Vinny Anthony, and Le’Meke Brockington have a shot to impress. Recent UFL signing Antwane “Juice” Wells is a new addition to the group, as well, one who adds physicality and ruggedness to a team that could use more of both, especially with Dotson, Branch, and OZ all running on the smaller side. But with a new coaching staff, it’s hard to name a favorite here. Blair is a player I think deserves more of a real shot to prove himself—mostly because he’s looked really strong in camp and [... truncated ...]
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Who were the best and worst draft picks in Broncos’ history?
This article discusses the best and worst draft picks in Denver Broncos history, highlighting Shannon Sharpe as the best pick due to his seventh-round selection and Hall of Fame career, and Terrell Davis as a close second. Paxton Lynch is identified as the worst pick, selected 26th overall in 2016, and his tenure is seen as a catalyst for a decade of mediocrity
WR · ATL
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Ultra cautious" Falcons hold Drake London out of minicamp practice
Falcons receiver Drake London did not participate in Tuesday’s minicamp practice, but it is not expected to be a major issue
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Trevor Siemian — Questionable
Sleeper status change for Trevor Siemian (2549). Before: status=Active, injury_status=—. After: status=Active, injury_status=Questionable
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Falcons' Week 1 QB competition: Tua Tagovailoa odds-on favorite to win battle of lefties vs. Michael Penix Jr.
When the Falcons kick off their 2026 NFL season on Sunday, Sept. 13, at the Steelers , most of the national attention will be on Pittsburgh quarterback and future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers in the final Week 1 start of his career. But who gets the call under center for Atlanta? It will be a southpaw. Let's break down the competition, with odds from FanDuel. Fans who want to wager on NFL futures and tail Matt Severance's picks need to see the latest FanDuel promo code . I will start with the process of elimination and say that if current third-stringer Trevor Siemian (+8000 to be the Week 1 starter) is the guy, then something clearly went badly wrong at Falcons camp. The journeyman, who is 15-18 as an NFL starter but hasn't been one since 2023 with the Jets , was signed to a one-year deal in March simply to provide depth and experience as the QB3. Personally, I can't remember the last time we had a pair of lefties battling to be an NFL starting quarterback, but that's the case for the Falcons with new addition Tua Tagovailoa and incumbent Michael Penix Jr . And with the injury histories of both, maybe it's not such a long shot that Siemian plays some this season. How rare is it simply to have a lefty starting QB in the league? When the Dolphins visited the Browns in Week 7 last year, the QBs were Tagovailoa for Miami and Dillon Gabriel for Cleveland. It marked the first matchup between left-handed starting quarterbacks since Sept. 17, 2006, when the Falcons' Michael Vick faced off against the Buccaneers ' Chris Simms. Tagovailoa and Penix were set to meet in Week 8 of 2025 in Atlanta, but Penix missed it injured and Tua instead faced off against Kirk Cousins , who was released this offseason and now fighting for the Week 1 job with the Las Vegas Raiders . The Falcons are starting over, with former star QB and CBS Sports NFL analyst Matt Ryan hired as president of football in a newly created position, Ian Cunningham as the new general manager and former Browns coach Kevin Stefanski as the new HC. Stefanski took Cleveland to the playoffs twice, in 2020 and 2023, being named NFL Coach of the Year both seasons. The Falcons haven't made the playoffs in eight seasons -- the second-longest drought in the NFL -- or finished with a winning record since 2017. The team's win total this season is set at 6.5, and it is +310 to make the playoffs and -400 to miss. If you plan to bet on NFL futures, check out the latest DraftKings promo code for the best offer. Penix is recovering from the third torn ACL of his career -- he suffered two on his right knee during his time at Indiana. This one was his left knee, suffered in Week 11 last year. Penix is able to do individual drills and 7-on-7 work, as he did last week in OTAs, but is not medically cleared for team drills yet. Needless to say, how ready Penix might be by the time training camp rolls around could determine whether he's even in the mix for Week 1, and he's -106 to be the guy. Penix, 4-8 as an NFL starter, said he started throwing again in mid-March, but last week. Stefanski said he wasn't ready to put a timetable on when Penix might be ready for live play, but he expects the QB to be fine for camp. Like Cousins was with the Falcons, Tagovailoa was a cap casualty with the Dolphins, despite being owed tens of millions of dollars, and Tua signed with Atlanta in March. The franchise wasn't about to give up on Penix, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 draft, and certainly wasn't going into the offseason with a rehabbing Penix and Siemian as the only two legit QB options. Because Tagovailoa is owed $54 million from Miami this year, he signed only a one-year, $1.3 million deal with Atlanta to compete for the top job, and he's the -120 favorite to be the Week 1 guy. Obviously it helped Tua that the Falcons made a coaching change, as the offensive scheme is entirely new to both he and Penix. Stefanski has long directed an attack that relies on timely release and accuracy, saying t [... truncated ...]
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Projecting the Falcons roster heading into the summer
The Falcons wrapped up their major offseason moves, with free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft behind us. While there are likely to be a few veteran additions sprinkled over the next few months, they aren’t likely to be earth-shattering maneuvers. For better or worse, Atlanta seems to be moving forward with a conservative, future-focused approach. Which, for the record, I agree with wholeheartedly. Despite the quieter approach to team-building to kick off the new regime, I think Atlanta has made significant strides in improving the depth and overall quality of the roster. While the starting talent has taken a step back, the roster itself is likely to be a lot more well-rounded. Whether this results in success or failure in the win column remains to be seen. All that being said, it’s time to take my first shot at predicting the Falcons eventual 53-man roster. As you’ll see below, some position groups have gone through pretty drastic transformations this offseason. Others have remained largely intact with one or two key additions. My initial takeaway is that I like the overall look of this team even if their ceiling is probably capped more than in previous seasons. The roster projection is also available in both video and audio format, which you can find embedded below. If you enjoyed the written version, consider giving us a click on these platforms as well. Listen to the audio version of this article using the player below, or find it on your favorite podcast platforms. Italics denote a change from the previous roster projection. Michael Penix Jr. Tua Tagovailoa Trevor Siemian The Falcons will be engaging in a full-on quarterback competition this summer. Much depends on Michael Penix Jr.’s health and return to play timeline heading into his third season. I think Penix still has a strong chance to win the job, and the team would probably prefer that outcome. It’s in everyone’s best interest to see Penix play, whether he ends up looking good or bad. If Penix isn’t healthy in time for training camp, it’ll be tough to for him to overtake veteran Tua Tagovailoa. Tua is a high-variance quarterback but has certainly put together some strong seasons, and it’s entirely possible he outplays Penix this summer and wins the job outright. While I’m intrigued by UDFA addition Jack Strand, he’s very much a developmental project. I can’t really see him overtaking steady veteran Trevor Siemian without a legendary training camp and preseason performance. Bijan Robinson Brian Robinson Jr . Nate Carter I think the Falcons will continue with a light running back room in 2026 despite the coaching changes. Bijan Robinson dominates touches to such a degree that a even the RB3 is unlikely to get snaps on a weekly basis. Brian Robinson Jr. is a solid Tyler Allgeier replacement who can handle a similar role, although I’m not expecting him to be quite as effective. I still believe in Nate Carter, who brings a speed element to Atlanta’s run game that the rest of the group lacks. He’ll face stiff competition from veteran Tyler Goodson , former UDFA Carlos Washington Jr., and new UDFA Cash Jones. Kyle Pitts Charlie Woerner Austin Hooper Brandon Frazier Editor’s Note: This roster projection was written prior to a series of roster moves. I’m leaving in my thoughts on TE Brandon Frazier so you can all enjoy how wrong I was. Atlanta kept their top two tight ends from 2025, with a long-term extension possibly looming for Kyle Pitts and Charlie Woerner retained despite a high salary cost. The team also brought back Austin Hooper, who can provide a veteran presence with solid blocking and receiving in 13 personnel. I’m guessing blocking will be a bigger emphasis with this coaching staff, and UDFA Brandon Frazier could stake his claim to the roster with a strong training camp performance. Drake London Jahan Dotson Zachariah Branch Olamide Zaccheaus Chris Blair With tight end likely to have a larger presence, I expect Atlanta’s wide receivers to take on a [... truncated ...]
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5 key takeaways from the Cowboys 2026 schedule
The official 2026 Dallas Cowboys schedule has been finalized! Analyzing the schedule is a fun exercise that allows us to examine the high-upside opportunities, and brace for the inevitable brutal stretches. To fully break down how this piece of paper will shape the upcoming season, here are five observations that stand out the most. Hoarding the national spotlight! The Cowboys and primetime games are like peas and carrots. They just go together. The NFL gave them five games under the lights this year, and that does not even include their traditional Thanksgiving Day affair. Three of these primetime games come in back-to-back-to-back weeks with contests against Tampa Bay , Green Bay , and Philadelphia . This is nothing new for America’s Team as they are frequent performers on the week’s biggest stage thanks to their enormous television draft. Packing heavy for hostile territory Every schedule has a drawback, and for this year’s group, it is the travel itinerary against top-tier competition. Of the seven toughest opponents on the slate, a staggering six of them will be played far away from the comfortable confines of AT&T Stadium. Dallas will have to pack their bags for brutal road tests against the Green Bay Packers , Los Angeles Rams , Seattle Seahawks , Philadelphia Eagles , and Houston Texans . Even their “home” game against the Baltimore Ravens is way over yonder in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. It feels incredibly unlucky to look at the marquee matchups on your calendar and realize almost all the toughest games will be on the road, forcing the team to dig deep with an extra layer of resiliency this year. Scaling the twin peaks Surviving the season will come down to navigating two distinct, punishing stretches of games that will test the roster depth to its absolute limits. The first gauntlet hits early, spanning from Week 3 through Week 7, where they will play five-straight games against teams that have won their division at least once in the past two seasons. If they survive that initial wave, an even more exhausting stretch looms from Week 10 all the way to Week 15 as all but one of those games will feature an opponent who has played in the NFC Championship game over the past three seasons. This late-year mountain features very little room for error, requiring the coaching staff to have their guys firing on all cylinders before the winter weather even sets in. A soft takeoff before the storm Fortunately, the football gods offered a bit of mercy at the very beginning. Dallas gets an arguably easier start to the year by opening up against the New York Giants and Washington Commanders for their first two games. This soft beginning is an absolute blessing because it allows the team to ease into their brand-new defensive scheme without being thrown directly into the fire against a powerhouse offense. The luxury of development time is extended even further when you realize they face five teams who finished in the Top 10 in scoring last year, but they do not have to see a single one of those explosive offenses until Week 9. Channeling the ghosts of 1990 Perhaps the weirdest element of this 2026 campaign is the extraordinarily late bye week. The last time the Cowboys had an off-week this deep into the winter calendar was all the way back in 1990. History loves a good rhyme because that 1990 season featured a similar backdrop to what we see today, including a second-year head coach trying to establish his culture and a massive defensive scheme change taking place on the field. To top it all off, that historical team was operating under the immediate fallout of trading away a star player for massive draft capital the year prior. Back then, it was Herschel Walker. This time, it’s Micah Parsons . When you stack up everything, the 2026 schedule delivers all the fun and excitement that each year’s fresh slate of games offers. The Cowboys will be tested, but the level of difficulty will have more to do with how good they are than [... truncated ...]
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Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.