Predicting the Cowboys' 2024 record, game by game

The NFL has rolled out their 2024 season schedule and things look rather positive for the Dallas Cowboys. There are 2023 playoff teams sprinkled throughout, but the biggest hurdles that can face some teams are nowhere to be found. There are no road trips of three games in a row, no Friday or Saturday games, no Christmas games on the special Wednesday either. Even the dreaded four-games-in-19-days Thanksgiving gamut is missing, replaced by not just a Sunday follow-up, but a Monday night contest instead.

The back half of Dallas’ schedule features four-in-six, and six-in-nine home games, for a team that has won 16 straight in the regular season. Not only that, the road opponents during that stretch are the very familiar confines of Lincoln Financial Field, FedEx Field, and the woeful Carolina Panthers. In other words, as far as scheduling goes, the Cowboys should feel better than most teams. The rest is literally going to be on them.

So how will they do? Well, there’s a lot that will happen between now and Week 1, but here are our predictions for the 2024 regular season schedule of the Dallas Cowboys.

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Week 1: Cowboys @ Cleveland Browns

Dallas travels to Ohio to take on Deshaun Watson and old friend Amari Cooper to start the season.

Prediction: Win (1-0)

Week 2: Cowboys vs New Orleans Saints

Derek Carr doesn’t scare anybody.

Prediction: Win (2-0)

Week 3: Cowboys vs Baltimore Ravens

Dallas had a horrible Week 3 experience last year on the road, and this year they get the reigning MVP, but in their building. Same result.

Prediction: Loss (2-1)

Week 4: Cowboys @ New York Giants

Stop it.

Prediction: Win (3-1)

Week 5: Cowboys @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Two storied franchises battling it out with QBs on the final years of their deals.

Prediction: Win (4-1)

Week 6: Cowboys vs Detroit Lions

The Lions get their chance at revenge for the late-season trickery-gone-wrong. They get it.

Prediction: Loss (4-2)

Week 7: Bye Week

Rest up.

Week 8: Cowboys @ San Francisco 49ers

Another season, another trip to the San Francisco Bay to take on the 49ers. Perhaps Mike McCarthy can finally solve the puzzle.

Prediction: Win (5-2)

Week 9: Cowboys @ Atlanta Falcons

A ton of Cowboys fans are waiting for the date of this matchup to get their travel plans together. Atlanta is going to be a crazy road trip.

Predict: Win (6-2)

Week 10: Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles

The Cowboys have won six straight home games in this series, by an average score of 36-20.

Prediction: Win (7-2)

Week 11: Cowboys vs Houston Texans

The little brothers come to town.

Prediction: Loss (7-3)

Week 12: Cowboys @ Washington Commanders

The Cowboys visit Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels for the first time.

Prediction: Loss (7-4)

Week 13: Cowboys vs New York Giants

Stop it.

Prediction: Win (8-4)

Week 14: Cowboys vs Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow appears on schedule to return and hopefully be welcomed back to AT&T Stadium in similar fashion.

Prediction: Loss (8-5)

Week 15: Cowboys @ Carolina Panthers

The Cowboys travel to the Queen City to resume their NFC Sout rotation.

Prediction: Win (9-5)

Week 16: Cowboys vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Dallas took a year off from the Bucs but will square off against Baker Mayfield and company.

Prediction: Win (10-5)

Week 17: Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles

Sweeping the Eagles like it’s 2021.

Prediction: Win (11-5)

Week 18: Cowboys vs Washington Commanders

Feels like this is going to be a tradition, ending the season against the Commanders, but unlike the last two years this one happens in Dallas. Four more years!

Prediction: Win (12-5)

Summary

Somehow frustration over the lack of free agency additions morphed into forgetting just how good of a roster Dallas has even after those defections. The Cowboys are still a good team and a favorable schedule looks to set them up for at least nine wins and as many as 14. There are wild cards galore, starting as always with health and continuing to how well they adapt to Mike Zimmer’s defense in Year 1 and Mike Solari’s blocking schemes in Year 2.

But none of it matters until the playoffs. Dallas should be there with anything above nine wins, but what happens from there is anyone’s guess. The NFC is growing stronger each season.