The highly anticipated schedule release for the Dallas Cowboys came out this past Thursday, and there were plenty of reactions to the 2026-27 slate.
Most of the discussion is about the absolutely brutal part of the early schedule from Week 3 through Week 7. The Cowboys take on the Baltimore Ravens in Rio de Janeiro, then travel to face their state rival, the Houston Texans, followed by a Thursday night game at home vs the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It doesn't get easier as they go on the road against the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles.
That very well could be a defining part of the season, but let's not forget the rest of the schedule. The primetime games and early season always get a lot of attention, but there are some intriguing games later in the year that Cowboys fans must sit down and watch or be at.
Here are three underrated games on the Cowboys schedule that are a must-watch.
Week 16: Jaguars at Cowboys
This is actually a Sunday Night Football home game for the Cowboys on Dec. 27, the weekend following Christmas. AT&T Stadium will be hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team that won the AFC South last season. The Jaguars are coming off a 13-4 regular season and are expected to be a playoff team again.
This game is in Week 16, and could be a huge matchup for the Cowboys in terms of potentially making the playoffs. Going up against a young playoff-worthy opponent at home on SNF should make for an entertaining game. The Cowboys defense will have to try to stop Trevor Lawrence and a potent Jags offense, while the Cowboys offensive line will have to face a strong pass rush, including Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker, among others.
The Jaguars aren't a big-name opponent, and that's probably why this interesting matchup hasn't gotten much attention.
Week 13: Cowboys at Seahawks
You wouldn't expect a game against the Super Bowl champions to be underrated, but there are so many big-time matchups throughout the season that the one against the Seattle Seahawks seems forgotten, given it's all the way in Week 14 on Dec. 7.
This will probably be the toughest game of the season for the Cowboys, as they face the vaunted Seahawks on the road at Lumen Field on Monday Night Football. It's the toughest place to win a football game, and it will be a test for quarterback Dak Prescott to lead a high-powered Cowboys offense. It will also be interesting to see how the Cowboys' defense looks at that point and if they'll be able to stop Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who's now the highest-paid WR in NFL history.
Week 8: Cardinals at Cowboys
Given that the Arizona Cardinals were the second-worst team in the league last season, why is this an underrated matchup to watch? The one problem is that the Cowboys have struggled immensely against the Cardinals throughout the years.
The Cardinals went into AT&T Stadium and had one of their three wins of the season last year in a 27-17 victory. The Cowboys have, in fact, lost four consecutive games versus the Cardinals and last beat Arizona in 2017 during Prescott's second season. Dallas is 1-8 against Arizona in the last nine matchups.
Three of the last four losses have been at AT&T Stadium, which is where the game will take place this season in Week 8 at 12 p.m. (CST). The Cowboys will also be on a short week after playing the Eagles on the road on Monday night. It has the makings of another trap game.
The Cowboys will like that safety Jalen Thompson is on their side now, and this is a revenge game for him. The Cardinals do have some big names on offense, such as No. 2 overall pick Jeremiyah Love at running back, Trey McBride at tight end, and Marvin Harrison Jr. at wide receiver. Dallas will look to get its first win against Arizona in almost a decade.
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