Cowboys schedule released
The NFL released the 2008 schedule for the upcoming season and the Cowboys play in five primetime games, which is pretty incredible. I'm going to attempt to break down the schedule and try to predict the Cowboys record for the upcoming season despite the fact that it's the middle of April and we still don't know if Pacman Jones will be playing in Irving this year.
Week 1
at Cleveland -- The Browns made some great strides last year and have one of the younger, more up-and-coming teams in the league. If this was in Dallas it'd be a blowout, but it will be a close game. As of now, I've got to go with the Cowboys.
Week 2
Philadelphia (Monday night) -- Home opener, Texas Stadium, Monday Night Football, Eagles, so on and so forth. Philly will struggle this year and has been on the decline for the last few years, plus T.O. always likes to play the Eagles. Cowboys 2-0.
Week 3
at Green Bay (Sunday night) -- The Aaron Rodgers era will begin in 2008 and the Packers returns a quality bunch of players that are extremely young and extremely talented. If Rodgers plays like he did in relief of Brett Favre last November, the Packers will win this game. Cowboys 2-1.
Week 4
Washington -- The Redskins always seem to give the Cowboys trouble but I think Washington will regress this year, leaving the Cowboys and Giants as the lone players in the NFC East. Cowboys win to go 3-1 in September.
October
Week 5
Cincinatti -- The Bengals have a lot to improve on from last season and the internal strife in that locker room doesn't seem too promising. Cowboys roll in this game as Chad Johnson makes outrageous claims that he's better than T.O. in the week prior and T.O. goes off, playa-style. Cowboys 4-1.
Week 6
at Arizona -- Everyone knows games in Arizona are basically home games for the Cowboys. Everyone also knows the Cards will not go anywhere with Matt Leinart under center despite their ridiculous talent at wide receiver. Cowboys roll to 5-1.
Week 7
at St. Louis -- This game has all the makings of a hiccup game. Last year, the Cowboys jacked around until the end of the third quarter before pulling away in a noon kickoff game. This year? Noon kickoff, but this time it's in St. Louis. I smell an unexpected loss here. Cowboys 5-2.
Week 8
Tampa Bay -- Well, it's actually just "Tampa" but whatever, NFL. The Bucs will be sorry next season, just as they were last season when they had the benefit of playing in possibly one of the worst divisions in NFL history. Cowboys rebound to go 6-2.
November
Week 9
at New York Giants -- Oh man, revenge is sweet. The Giants upended Tony Romo and the Cowboys' storybook season and paved road to the Super Bowl, and not only did they upset Dallas, they went on to two more upsets and a Super Bowl championship. Eli Manning is now legit and the Cowboys won't get their revenge -- yet. Cowboys fall to 6-3.
Week 10 -- bye
Week 11
at Washington (Sunday night) -- Again, Washington won't be good next year. Dallas will be. That equates to a season sweep in another primetime Sunday night game. Dallas is 7-3.
Week 12
San Francisco -- The Niners will be a much improved team from last season with Mike Martz controlling the offense and one of the league's best backs in Frank Gore (Big ups to Merkin Madness, my championship fantasy team that got a late surge from Gore last year). It won't be enough to beat Dallas at home in what used to the game's best rivalry back in the 90s and early 80s. Cowboys go to 8-3.
Week 13
Seattle (Thanksgiving Day) -- With the annual three-day break, the Cowboys will play one of their best Turkey Day opponents in quite some time and it will also mark the return of Julius Jones. Haha. So what. This will be a tough game but Tony Romo will shine in the national spotlight as Carrie Underwood sings the National Anthem and Tony Romo begs for her to take him back and she accepts. (Never understood why you dumped her for Jess, Tony. Horrible decision). Cowboys move to 9-3.
December
Week 14
at Pittsburgh -- Oh, the feared December slide that's plagued this team for what seems like ages now and it starts with their most difficult December game, a road trip to likely cold and windy Heinz Field. The Cowboys lose and fall to 9-4.
Week 15
New York Giants (Sunday night) -- As I said back in November, the Cowboys wouldn't get their revenge yet, that's because they'll get it on this day at home against the Giants. Boys win to move to 10-4 and get back in the running for an NFC East title and possibly a first-round bye.
Week 16
Baltimore (Saturday night) -- The NFL Network will roll into town sans Bryant Gumbel (thank you, lord) and will bring the offense-less Ravens with them. Thing is, Baltimore used to live off its insane defense and last year finished in the bottom half of the league in defense. Bad news for the Ravens. Cowboys simply annihilate the Ravens to move to 11-4.
Week 17
at Philadelphia -- Cowboys win and move to 12-4 to finish one game worse than their regular season record last year and have the Rams to think for it. The Cowboys will edge out the Giants for the division title and fall just short of the top seed in the NFC to the Packers after Rodgers has his breakout season. The Cowboys will earn the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs and will make it to the NFC title game, which is where my prognostication stops. It's simply too early to make a Super Bowl prediction.
Tell me your thoughts. I bet I'll win.