Dallas Cowboys Face An Unusual Opening Month In 2026
The Dallas Cowboys begin their 2026 NFL season against the New York Giants on September 13, but their opening month will take them much further than MetLife Stadium.
After a home game against Washington, Dallas will face the Baltimore Ravens at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro.
That Week 3 matchup will be the first regular-season NFL game played in Rio. It also gives the Cowboys a demanding early schedule, with two divisional games, an international trip and a meeting with one of the AFC’s most physical teams packed into the opening three weeks.
Dallas sports fans have no shortage of entertainment competing for their attention, including baseball, basketball, hockey and digital options such as online blackjack.
Even within that crowded market, the beginning of a Cowboys season carries a different level of scrutiny.
Every decision involving Dak Prescott, the offensive line and the rebuilt defense will be examined immediately.
Dallas Open Against A Familiar Rival
The Cowboys begin on Sunday Night Football against the Giants in New Jersey. Starting the season on the road is challenging, but the opponent needs little introduction.
Dallas and New York meet twice every year as members of the NFC East. That familiarity can reduce the value of a surprise because both coaching staffs understand the other team’s core personnel and tendencies.
The Giants enter the season after a difficult 2025 campaign that included a long losing run. Changes to their coaching staff and roster make them less predictable than their previous record suggests.
For Dallas, the opener is an early test of discipline. Divisional games are often shaped by turnovers, penalties and field position because each side knows how the other prefers to play. A clean performance would give the Cowboys a useful start before two complicated fixtures.
It will also provide the first proper evidence of how Dallas intends to balance its offense. Dak Prescott remains the quarterback, while CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens give him two dangerous receiving options. Opposing defenses cannot devote all their coverage to Lamb without creating opportunities elsewhere.
Tyler Smith’s Injury Changes The Offensive Line
Dallas will begin the season without left guard Tyler Smith, who requires surgery after suffering ligament damage in his thumb. He is expected to miss at least four games after being placed on injured reserve.
Smith has earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections and is one of the most dependable players on the Cowboys’ offensive line. His absence affects both pass protection and the running game.
Offensive linemen rely heavily on hand placement and grip strength. A damaged thumb makes it difficult to control a defender after the initial contact, even if the player can tolerate the pain. Surgery removes the temptation to keep playing with limited function, but it leaves Dallas without Smith during a difficult stretch of the schedule.
T.J. Bass is expected to replace him at left guard. Bass has made 10 NFL starts and worked regularly with the first-team offense during training camp. His experience should make the transition less disruptive than using a rookie with no regular-season snaps.
Limited action last season produced encouraging pass-protection numbers for Bass. He allowed no sacks and only a small number of pressures, although playing every offensive snap is different from entering the lineup for selected games.
Bass will line up between left tackle Tyler Guyton and center Cooper Beebe. Communication across that side of the line will matter, particularly when opponents use disguised blitzes or move defensive linemen shortly before the snap.
Washington Brings The First Game To AT&T Stadium
The Cowboys’ home opener takes place against the Washington Commanders on September 20. It gives Dallas a second consecutive NFC East opponent before the team leaves the country.
A home game should reduce some of the logistical pressure, but Washington has built their offense around the mobility and passing ability of Jayden Daniels. Defending a quarterback who can extend plays places extra demands on the pass rush and secondary.
Dallas cannot allow edge defenders to chase too aggressively and create open running lanes. Interior pressure may be particularly useful because it can force Daniels away from the center of the field and towards a defender maintaining outside containment.
The Commanders game also tests the depth of the Dallas defensive front. Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark give the Cowboys considerable size inside, while the wider rotation must keep players fresh enough to defend long drives.
AT&T Stadium can become loud when the Cowboys create pressure or force an opponent into third-and-long. The defense must first earn those situations by stopping early-down runs and limiting short completions.
The Rio Game Takes Dallas Onto Unfamiliar Ground
Dallas faces Baltimore at the Maracanã on September 27. The game begins at 4:25pm Eastern Time and will be the NFL’s third regular-season fixture in Brazil, following two games in São Paulo.
Rio is a new host city for the league. The Maracanã is known internationally for soccer, having staged World Cup finals and major domestic matches. Converting it for American football requires adjustments to the playing surface, sidelines, and technical areas.
The matchup is considered a Cowboys home game, even though it will be played thousands of miles from Texas. Dallas will therefore have only eight regular-season games at AT&T Stadium.
Travel is part of the competitive challenge. Players must deal with a long flight, different training facilities and an unfamiliar matchday routine. Coaches also need to decide when the team should arrive, balancing additional preparation time in Brazil against disruption to the normal weekly schedule.
The Ravens present a difficult opponent under any circumstances. Their physical rushing attack can control possession, while their defense has traditionally placed pressure on opposing quarterbacks through varied formations.
Dallas must also prepare for the return journey because an away game against the Houston Texans follows one week later. That creates a short period in which players must recover after an international fixture and prepare for an in-state opponent.
Dak Prescott Has Two Leading Receivers
Prescott begins the season with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens as his main wide receivers. The pairing gives Dallas several ways to attack a secondary.
Lamb can line up outside or move into the slot, where releases are harder to disrupt with physical coverage. Pickens offers size, contested-catching ability, and a threat on deeper passes.
Using both receivers on the same side can force a defense to reveal its coverage. If a safety moves towards Lamb, Prescott may find Pickens isolated against one cornerback. If the defense keeps two safeties deep, Dallas may have better opportunities underneath or in the running game.
Pass protection determines how often those deeper routes can develop. Smith’s absence may encourage opponents to attack the left side of the offensive line, especially on obvious passing downs.
Prescott can reduce that pressure by changing protections before the snap and releasing the ball quickly. The offense must still retain enough longer-developing plays to prevent defenses from crowding the line of scrimmage.
The running backs also have a role in protection. Javonte Williams, Malik Davis, and Emari Demercado may be asked to identify blitzing linebackers before releasing into passing routes.
The Defense Contains Several New Pieces
Dallas have invested heavily in changing the structure of their defense. Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark strengthen the interior, while veteran edge rusher Von Miller adds experience.
Miller’s return to Texas gives the Cowboys a pass rusher who understands high-pressure games and postseason football. His workload may need to be managed, but he can still influence passing situations without playing every defensive snap.
Rookie safety Caleb Downs is another important addition. Selected in the first round, he can operate deep or move closer to the line against the run. That flexibility allows the Cowboys to alter their coverage without substituting.
New personnel still require time to work together. Defensive tackles must understand how linebackers react behind them, while safeties and cornerbacks need consistent rules for passing receivers through different coverage zones.
The opening divisional games should reveal how quickly that coordination has developed. Rio then provides a different type of examination against a Baltimore offense capable of forcing defenders to make decisions while moving at speed.
The First Five Games Will Test The Roster’s Depth
Dallas follow the Baltimore game with fixtures against Houston and Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers visit AT&T Stadium on Thursday, October 8, giving the Cowboys a shortened preparation week after facing the Texans.
By the end of Week 5, Dallas will have played three NFC opponents, travelled to Brazil and completed a Thursday night game. Tyler Smith is guaranteed to miss at least four of those fixtures.
The schedule makes depth important immediately. Bass, the defensive rotation and the backup skill players will all receive meaningful responsibilities before the season has settled into a rhythm.
Dallas do not need to resolve every question during September, but the opening month will establish which parts of the roster can withstand injuries and travel. It will also show if the combination of Prescott, Lamb, Pickens and the rebuilt defense is balanced enough to compete when the schedule becomes difficult.
The Rio game will attract international attention, yet the results against New York and Washington may carry greater long-term importance.
A strong divisional start would give the Cowboys control over part of their NFC East record before they face the unusual demands of the Maracanã.
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