The Dallas Cowboys 2017 opponents have been released. They will now know who they will play next season, home and away. The only thing they don’t know is when they will play these teams.
Previewing the 2017 Dallas Cowboys Schedule
This list of home and away opponents are for teams not in the NFC East. It’s obvious that the Cowboys will play the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins at Dallas and on the road.
Home Opponents
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are unpredictable right now. No one knows who their next head coach will be. That next coach could make Jared Goff look like the next Joe Montana. For right now, however, this is looking like a blowout win for the Cowboys. The Rams were one of the worst teams in 2016, losing 12 of their final 13 games after starting 3-1. The Cowboys were the best team in the league, despite finishing with the second best record.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks have been the same team year in and year out since 2012. They also give the Cowboys a tough challenge when these two teams face off. We could be seeing a rematch of the NFC Championship game should they meet on January 22.
Kansas City Chiefs
Under Andy Reid, the Chiefs are the second best team in the AFC. The Cowboys will have their hands full with this team. Kansas City will bring everything they can to stop Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott.
San Diego Chargers
Many people don’t take the Chargers seriously. This team is very competitive, however. They had a streak of games where they could have easily won. They are not the 4-12 team their record shows. At the same time, their defense is not good enough to help them out. With that defense going up against the high-powered Dallas offense, this looks like an easy win for the Cowboys.
Green Bay Packers
This matchup will be a very exciting one indeed. The Packers have won six in a row after losing four in a row, and they’re looking like they could take that into 2017. The Cowboys won at Lambeau Field in 2016 for the first time since 2008. That was against a struggling Packers team. That team is no longer struggling and will bring a challenge to Dallas in 2017.
Away Opponents
Arizona Cardinals
Every time the Cowboys travel the desert to play the Cardinals, a good game is expected. Things may be different this time around. The Cardinals aren’t the same team that went the NFC Championship game in 2016. It’s looking like an easy win for the Cowboys.
San Francisco 49ers
The Cowboys beat the 49ers in 2016 in San Francisco. They fell behind by 10 points, but came back to win. In that game, Blaine Gabbert was their quarterback. In 2017, the Cowboys will most likely have to face off against Colin Kaepernick. Kap is the best player on that team. If the Dallas defense can stop him, they’ll win in San Francisco for the second straight season.
Denver Broncos
A trip to Denver is never easy, no matter what team it is visiting. It has nothing to do with the team led by Trevor Siemian, either. That will be easy to do.What won’t be easy if facing the weather and altitude. The high altitude in Denver makes it harder to breathe. If the Cowboys can beat the weather conditions, they can beat the Broncos.
Oakland Raiders
This will be the first or second toughest road game the Cowboys play all season. The defense will have to find a way to contain quarterback Derek Carr. That won’t be their only problem, though. They will also have to contain wide receivers Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper. On the other side of the ball, the offensive line will need to make sure Khalil Mack gets nowhere near Prescott or Elliott so they can make this offense a successful one.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are a hot and cold team. They could be hot again in 2017, but they could also not be. Looking at it now, it’s a matchup against the two top seeds in the NFC. The biggest problem will be wide receiver Julio Jones.
Jones was great in 2016, finishing second in the league with 1,408 receiving yards, despite missing two games. If he is to repeat this in 2017, the Cowboys defense will need to plan for him accordingly. They will also need to plan on how to stop running back Devonta Freeman. He has been a great running back the last two seasons and shows no signs of slowing down.
Schedules Don’t Matter
While the Cowboys 2017 schedule looks tough, they have proven that doesn’t matter. Their 2016 schedule looked tough and they went 13-3. That’s a 13-3 record where they lost to the Giants twice by a combined four points. It also counts a loss to the Eagles where Prescott played two series and Elliott didn’t play at all.
In 2017, all teams will be competing for a chance at Super Bowl LII. That game will be played at U.S Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on February 4, 2018.
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