Crucial 6-game stretch will define Cowboys season, let them know if they are contenders

NFL fans have now had the customary 24 hours to digest the new season's schedule.

Thanksgiving matchups, primetime games, bye weeks and other key dates have all been identified.

With the fifth-toughest strength of schedule to begin the season, the Dallas Cowboys have quite a few pitfalls to navigate.In this 2025 schedule, there is a stretch of four games in the back half of the season that will clearly define this season.

It isn't just about the opponents being some of the most formidable, but it's how the schedule impacts each matchup week by week.

The Cowboys go into their Week 12 divisional matchup with one less day to prepare.

They face the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football, while the Philadelphia Eagles face off with the Detroit Lions on Sunday night.

The Lions are one of the most physical teams in the league, so Philadelphia could be the more worn-down team, even with an extra day of rest.Then the Cowboys move to the Thanksgiving game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13.

Both teams will be on short rest, but the Chiefs will have to travel.

Kansas City plays at home, against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 12, not exactly on par with the defending champions and chief rivals.

Dallas has to find a way to split these two games because the next matchup is the toughest on the schedule.The game on the road against Detroit isn't the toughest due to the opponent, but rather because of the schedule for each team leading up to the game.

Neither team is getting the typical 10 days off after a Thursday night game.

Both play on Thanksgiving, but this matchup is the following Thursday night game.

The difference is that Dallas has to travel to Detroit while the Lions will be playing their third game in a row at home.

This is a game that is set up for the road team to struggle, but with the talent on the Lions' team, it isn't a game the opponent typically survives.The final game in the stretch is at home against the Minnesota Vikings.

Everything Dallas had to deal with against Detroit, the Vikings will face at this time.

The Cowboys are playing their third game at home in four weeks and have three extra days to prepare, having played on Thursday.

Minnesota will be traveling for its third road game in four contests.

Unless the Cowboys shock the Lions, they will need to bounce back and defeat Minnesota.No NFL team has ever faced this type of gauntlet before, ever.

If the Cowboys falter and lose three or four games, they will struggle to make the playoffs.

If they can split these games, the playoffs become possible, but if they can find a way to steal three or all four games, they will be in contention for the NFC East crown.

But unfortunately for Dallas, even if they finish this stretch with a split or better, things don't ramp down from there.

The Cowboys get to stay at home, but will host their fifth-straight playoff opponent when Just Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers come to town.

And if that's not enough, the Cowboys will have to jump on a plane on another short week, to travel to Washington for a Noon Central Thursday kickoff on Christmas Day.How the Cowboys manage this six-game stretch will define the Dallas season.

Six of their nine matchups against playoff teams from 2024 all come in a row, and take up the back end of their schedule.

Escaping this stretch at .500 or better would more than likely put the team into the playoffs, and with the confidence they'd be able to make some noise once they get their.This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Schedule: 6 games that will define the 2025 season for the Cowboys.

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