The NFL released the full 2013 regular season schedule April 18, and it’s clear that if the Cowboys fail to make the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season, it won’t be because the competition was too stiff.
Romo and the Boys are in a position to succeed, with four primetime games, including a Monday-night tussle at Chicago on December 9 that poses probably the most difficult assignment. Even then, though, they’ll be coming off Thanksgiving against Oakland on November 28, which will give them a few extra days to prepare.
Dallas opens the season at home against the Giants in NBC’s Sunday-night slot on September 8 before a light three-game run against Kansas City, St. Louis and San Diego.
Both Denver and Washington follow at home to start October, and it’s possible that Robert Griffin III will be recovered from his ACL injury by October 13 to play.
The only back-to-back road games of the campaign come against Philadelphia and Detroit, October 20 and 27, before hosting Minnesota to begin November.
The Cowboys have a late bye this year in week 11, a departure from the past few seasons, when it generally came earlier. The bye breaks up a Sunday-night matchup at New Orleans on November 10 and then a trip to play the Giants on November 24.
The Cowboys host the Packers on December 15 before playing at Washington on December 22. They close the season at home against the Eagles.
All in all, it’s a pretty doable schedule that won’t allow for excuses should the Cowboys falter down the stretch. We could start predicting wins and losses right now, but with the Cowboys, it would be an exercise in futility, because this is a team that simply refuses to be logical.
They could probably go -4 and apples on the season, even though those aren’t things football teams can do.
Tony Romo recently signed a contract extension for six years and $108 million.
