Yesterday kicked off the official start of the 2018 season with the defending World Champs Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Atlanta Falcons. The rest of the NFL will have to wait until Sunday or Monday to kick-off their season. Of those teams, the Dallas Cowboys will open their 2018 campaign against the Carolina Panthers. Coming off a 9-7 season last year and a disappointing missed playoffs for the Cowboys they look to turn it around this season. Yes, they lost Dez Bryant to free agency that is addition by subtraction in my book. Do you want proof? look at the Seattle Dallas game on Christmas Eve last season. Dallas needed a victory to keep their slim playoff hopes alive but everything was breaking their way as Zeke was coming back from suspension. With Dallas leading 6-0 and about 5 minutes left in the first half Dez who had not been targeted yet can be seen on the sideline complaining. So Dak throws him the ball and this is what happened.
Then the weekend before the draft the Cowboys lost their future Hall of Fame Tight End Jason Witten to the broadcast booth. That one is going to hurt the team more than they are willing to admit. Witten had the best hands on the team and was definitely a safety blanket for Dak Prescott. Here is the Cowboys schedule and how I think they will play each game.
Week 1 @ Carolina- Dallas opens the season at Carolina and it’s going to be a tough one the running game of McCaffery and Newton will be tough and throw in the ability to pass the ball it makes them a dangerous team. I think Dallas pulls out the victory in the slimmest of forms.
Week 2 vs NY Giants- Dallas’s home opener is against division rival Giants, Giants are going to be better but that’s expected as they only won 3 games last year. Dallas should get the win and move to 2-0 on the season
Week 3 @ Seattle- Tough road game as going into Seattle is never easy and even with Seattle on the downside of their defense and are no longer the Legion of Boom. Still, a tough game and I think if they win the Carolina game they may drop this one but if they lose Carolina I see them pulling this one out, either way, Dallas comes out of week 3 with a 2-1 record.
Week 4 vs Detroit- Dallas gets a bit of a break here with Detroit coming to town, last season many myself included, feel like Detroit overachieved winning 9 games. Just don’t see it from them this season and Dallas moves to 3-1.
Week 5 @ Houston- Big lone star state battle between Texans and Cowboys, with the return of Deshawn Watson this team could be tough to beat but we won’t know anything until we see how Watson recovers from his injury. For now, give Houston the win Dallas drops to 3-2
Week 6 vs Jacksonville- Here comes Dallas’s first fork in the road they just dropped one to Houston now they play a tough defense in Jacksonville. This game will come down to if the offense can make the big plays I just don’t think they will, therefore, Jacksonville gets the win and Dallas drops to 3-3.
Week 7 @ Washington- Washington lost QB Kirk Cousins and now has Alex Smith running the show, Dallas has owned Washington and that won’t change Dallas moves to 4-3
Week 8 Bye
Week 9 vs Tennessee- Titans will be improved but the home field advantage for the Cowboys will be the difference in the game. Dallas wins back to back games to get to 5-3.
Week 10 @ Philadelphia- Cowboys first trip to the defending champs place where last year the Cowboys managed a 6-0 win in the last week of the season. This time though Philly gets them back and Dallas falls to 5-4.
Week 11 @ Atlanta- Dallas travels to the A and takes on the Falcons if you would have asked me 2 weeks ago maybe I think Atlanta wins this game but now after seeing the Week 1 game. Dallas gets the win and moves to 6-4
Week 12 vs Washington- The second of the series with the Redskins and no different from the first one Dallas gets the win and moves to 7-4.
Week 13 vs New Orleans- A Tough game against what I believe will be the best offense in the NFC and for some reason I don’t think Dallas will be able to match firepower with the Saints so Dallas falls and drops to 7-5.
Week 14 vs Philadelphia- Dallas will be hoping for a split with the Eagles and even last year with their Superbowl win Dallas managed a split so I think Dallas will get the split. Record 8-5
Week 15 @ Indianapolis- Andrew Luck is returning from injury but his percentage of actually being healthy all season is low therefore he probably will not be the QB for this game. Give me Dallas for the win moving to 9-5
Week 16 vs Tampa Bay- Reports are that they are taking down pictures of Jamies Winston at Raymond James stadium and head coach Dirk Cutter is also saying Winston is not guaranteed the starting job when he comes back from suspension. Give me Dallas and move them to 10-5.
Week 17 @ NY Giants- As much as I hate this I don’t know that Dallas will sweep both Washington and NY so I am saying split with Philly and split with NY and they end the season 10-6.
So there you have it Dallas ends season 10-6 will that be good for the playoffs I would hope so but stranger things have happened.