NFL 2023 schedule: Cowboys make the most out of new rule
The Dallas Cowboys' 2023 NFL season schedule has been released and it's a fun one. Not only do they get to play Aaron Rodgers' New York Jets in Week 2 and seek revenge over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5, but they'll be playing in primetime.A lot. Six games worth of primetime football. As […]
The Dallas Cowboys' 2023 NFL season schedule has been released and it's a fun one. Not only do they get to play Aaron Rodgers' New York Jets in Week 2 and seek revenge over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5, but they'll be playing in primetime.
A lot. Six games worth of primetime football.
As a result of the new scheduling rules in the NFL, the Cowboys are tied for the most primetime games with the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, and Buffalo Bills.
It's not a surprise, considering the TV-rating behemoth that is America's Team. When the league decided to get rid of the requirement for each NFL team to have at least one primetime appearance, it's the Cowboys they were probably thinking about the most. With the new rules, the NFL can keep teams off of primetime while raising the five-primetime-game limit per team to six.
Lo and behold, the Cowboys are getting six right away. Here's how those break down:
- Week 1: @ Giants (Sunday Night)
- Week 5: @ 49ers (Sunday Night)
- Week 6: @ Chargers (Monday Night Football)
- Week 13: vs Seahawks (Thursday Night Football)
- Week 14: vs Eagles (Sunday Night Football)
- Week 17: vs Lions (MNF on a Saturday Night)
That's without even taking into account the fact that the Cowboys will play on Thanksgiving (as they do every year) against the Washington Commanders.
What's even crazier for the Cowboys is the fact that the league could still flex a seventh game into a night slot if they so desire. Between Week 11-18, the league can move games in and out of Sunday Night Football at any time. The last week of the season, however, must have significant playoff implications.
Now granted, Cowboys Nation wants to see the team take the next step and become legitimate Super Bowl contenders. It's not the number of primetime appearances that define the journey.
But it sure as heck makes it more fun.
