Inside The Star
The last thing I wanted to do this time of the year was talk about the 2026 season, but with how things have unfolded this year, it is what we have to do.
The Dallas Cowboys are guaranteed to finish second in the NFC East. They will face the second-place teams from the NFC North, on the road, AFC North at home, and the NFC South at home for the 2026 season.
They were already set to play the 49ers and the Cardinals at home, so the NFC West does not all but matter that much.
With the #DallasCowboys guaranteed to finish second in the NFC East, they will face the second-place teams from the NFC North (on the road), AFC North (at home), and NFC South (at home) for the 2026 season.
— Ali Jawad (@AliJawad024) December 21, 2025
So, normally not winning your division would set you up for a decent path the following year, but, of course, in the Cowboys’ case for next season, the NFC is loaded this year, and the second place teams are better than them.
Just looking on the surface, the Cowboys will play the teams that finish second in their division, and after this weekend it looks as if they will play teams such as the Packers, Ravens, and Buccaneers.
While the NFL schedule won’t be released until May, we are now getting a firm understanding of who Dallas will play when 2026 rolls around.
Due to seasonal rotations, the Cowboys will follow their 0-4 campaign against the NFC North in 2025 with the other current juggernaut division in 2026; the NFC West. On the AFC side, they’ll square off against the AFC South, along with the 17th game to be played against an AFC North opponent.
None of this will even matter though, if Jerry Jones does not fix the issues that this football team has, and after the loss yesterday, it was the same ole story from him.
“I’ll admit that the Cowboys management has played a big role (in the 30-year Super Bowl drought). … But seriously, I’m very disappointed that the way we’re structured and my role puts us here tonight. I’m tremendously disappointed,” he said after the game.
Jerry Jones: “I really am better when I’m getting my ass kicked than I am when I’m having success. … I’ve seen some of the decisions I’ve made work.”
Jones on the 30-year Super Bowl drought: “We get one team that gets to go to that Super Bowl every year. Two that get to go to… pic.twitter.com/jRabxnswWg
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 22, 2025
Jerry, you gave us the same run around after the loss to the Packers in the playoffs, you ran it back, and look what happened.
This defense is not good enough to compete in 2026, so it won’t matter who they play next year, because they can’t stop anyone.
I think the play calling...
