FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys‘ 2025 schedule was released along with the rest of the NFL slate Wednesday.

A fast start is a key for every team, but especially for a team with a new head coach, like the Cowboys with Brian Schottenheimer. Opening with consecutive division games against the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants could go a long way in telling the story of the Cowboys’ season.

Quarterback Dak Prescott, who is coming back from right hamstring avulsion surgery, is 9-4 all time against the Eagles and has a 13-game personal winning streak against the Giants. So that’s a help to Schottenheimer.

The bye week comes at a good time for the Cowboys in Week 10 because they close the season with six of eight games against teams that made the playoffs in 2024.

Here’s what’s in store for the Cowboys:

Cowboys 2025 regular-season schedule

Week 1: Sept. 4 at Philadelphia Eagles (NBC)

Week 2: Sept. 14 vs. New York Giants

Week 3: Sept. 21 at Chicago Bears

Week 4: Sept. 28 vs. Green Bay Packers (NBC)

Week 5: Oct. 5 at New York Jets

Week 6: Oct. 12 at Carolina Panthers

Week 7: Oct. 19 vs. Washington Commanders

Week 8: Oct. 26 at Denver Broncos

Week 9: Nov. 3 vs. Arizona Cardinals (MNF)

Week 10: Bye

Week 11: Nov. 17 at Las Vegas Raiders (MNF)

Week 12: Nov. 23 vs. Eagles

Week 13: Nov. 27 vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Week 14: Dec. 4 at Detroit Lions (Prime Video)

Week 15: Dec. 14 vs. Minnesota Vikings (NBC)

Week 16: Dec. 21 vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Week 17: Dec. 25 at Commanders (Netflix)

Week 18: Jan. 3/4 at Giants*

*Date for Week 18 to be determined

Strength of schedule: The Cowboys are tied for the fifth-hardest schedule in the league (opponents had a .557 winning percentage in 2024).

Over/Under: 7.5 wins

Biggest takeaway

The Cowboys play four Thursday games, opening the season against the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles on Sept. 4. On Thanksgiving, they welcome Patrick Mahomes to AT&T Stadium for his first start there with the Kansas City Chiefs, followed a week later with a Thursday night game at the Detroit Lions. The final game comes on Christmas Day at Washington. For a first-year head coach, Schottenheimer will be tested in how he keeps his team fresh, especially late in the season when three of the Thursday night games come in a five-week span.

Circle this date

Maybe it could have been Oct. 26 at Denver, since the Cowboys have lost seven straight to the Broncos. Maybe it’s the Sept. 28 rematch of the 2023 wild-card game against the Green Bay Packers. Or even the first regular-season game at the Las Vegas Raiders. But let’s go to Week 3 at Chicago. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus will not have to wait long to see his former team. He went 14-32 in two-plus seasons as the Bears head coach from 2022 to 2024. He will downplay the return, but he will also want a good showing from his new defense against quarterback Caleb Williams & Co.

Key stretch

The second half of the schedule looks to be difficult, and it includes three of the four Thursday games. All six games come against teams that made the playoffs in 2024, including the Super Bowl participants in the Eagles and Chiefs. Then comes Mahomes’ first pro start at AT&T Stadium on Thanksgiving and the Thursday trip to Detroit. Those teams were a combined 44-7 last season. Ten days later, the Cowboys host the Vikings. They close the stretch with a Christmas Day trip to Washington and are 1-3 all time on the holiday. The Cowboys will be tested physically and mentally.

Bold prediction

The Cowboys will end Kyler Murray‘s dominance at AT&T Stadium. The Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback has not lost in Arlington, Texas, sporting an 8-0 record as a starting quarterback. Only two of those games have come in the NFL. He won five games while at Allen (Texas) High School, won a Big 12 championship game for Oklahoma and is 2-0 as the Cardinals’ starter. Only Prescott and Tony Romo have more wins at AT&T Stadium than Murray.

How do the Cowboys restore home-field advantage?

The Cowboys entered last season with a 16-game regular-season winning streak at AT&T Stadium, then went 2-7 at home in 2024. This season, they will host five teams that made the playoffs in 2024. The Chiefs come in Week 13. Jordan Love will return with the Packers for the first time since dominating Dallas in the 2023 wild-card round. The Eagles and Commanders played in the NFC Championship Game in January and won at AT&T Stadium last season. The Vikings made the postseason with Sam Darnold under center. And then there is Murray’s success at AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys have not beaten the Los Angeles Chargers at home since 1990. At least Dallas has an eight-game winning streak at home against the Giants.