FRISCO, Texas – With the offseason program in the rear-view mirror, training camp is the last thing standing in front of the Cowboys before the 2025 season begins.
The team will head to Oxnard in mid-July before starting the preseason with three games to ramp up for their NFL opening night matchup against the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Four of the Cowboys' final five opponents in the regular season were in the playoffs in 2024, setting up for some crucial games in the final weeks of the year should Dallas be knocking on the door of a playoff bid.
Let's examine the final five games of the Cowboys' schedule in December and January as the first regular season of the Brian Schottenheimer era comes to a close:
Dec. 4 - @ Detroit
Series History: Cowboys lead all-time series 19-13
Last Meeting: Oct. 13, 2024 – Lions 47, Cowboys 9
Biggest Storyline: After the Cowboys won six straight games against the Lions going into last year's matchup, Detroit came out with vengeance and didn't hold back in a blowout victory a year after a controversial ending to the 2023 matchup between Detroit and Dallas, which the Cowboys won 20-19. Now, the Lions will head into the 2025 campaign with two new coordinators, after offensive coordinator Ben Johnson departed to be the head coach of the Chicago Bears, and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn became the head coach of the New York Jets. Detroit still has one of the best overall rosters in the league, can the new coaching staff under former Cowboys tight end Dan Campbell still find success?
Lions Offseason Recap: From a roster standpoint, the Lions didn't make a lot of big moves during the free agency period and focused on keeping and building depth to a roster that already has high end talent. The problem in 2024 was injuries, especially on the defensive side of the ball, most notably with Pro Bowl EDGE Aidan Hutchinson going down in Week 6 against the Cowboys with a season ending injury. Their biggest free agent add was former Jets CB D.J. Reed, who agreed to a three-year, $48 million deal with Detroit. In the draft, the Lions picked Ohio State DT Tyliek Williams with the 28th overall pick, and followed it up with Georgia OL Tate Ratledge and Arkansas WR Isaac TeSlaa in the second and third rounds respectively.
Dec. 14 – vs. Minnesota
Series History: Cowboys lead all-time series 19-15
Last Meeting: Nov. 20, 2022 – Cowboys 40, Vikings 3
Biggest Storyline: The Cowboys have won five of the last six against the Vikings dating back to 2013, but will be seeing a very different version of Minnesota compared to what they last saw in 2022. After Sam Darnold and a Brian Flores led defense helped propel Minnesota to the playoffs in 2024, the Vikings turn the reigns to J.J. McCarthy at quarterback, who will get his first NFL action after missing all of his rookie season with a torn meniscus. The biggest challenge for the Cowboys will be trying to find answers for Flores' defense, which finished top five in points allowed last season.
Vikings Offseason Recap: Minnesota was active in the free agent market, with their biggest addition coming in the former of former Colts guard Will Fries signing a five-year, $87.7 million deal with the team. They also bolstered the interior of their defensive line with a pair of defensive tackles in Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, two players the Cowboys are familiar with from their clashes in the past. The Vikings also re-signed RB Aaron Jones to a two-year deal, who has had lot of success playing against the Cowboys in the past during his days with the Green Bay Packers. With their first round pick, Minnesota drafted Ohio State OL Donovan Jackson who can slide in just about anywhere on the offensive front.
Dec. 21 – vs. L.A. Chargers
Series History: Cowboys lead all-time series 8-5
Last Meeting: Oct. 16, 2023 – Cowboys 20, Chargers 17
Biggest Storyline: Could this matchup be one between two teams that play very similarly? Jim Harbaugh is known for having teams that run the football well and play fast, physical defense, which is exactly what Brian Schottenheimer is looking to do in his first year as head coach of the Cowboys.
Chargers Offseason Recap: For the most part, the Chargers' free agency additions were safe, depth additions with the biggest being the signing of guard Mekhi Becton, who saw his career turn around with the Philadelphia Eagles after things didn't work out initially with the New York Jets. Los Angeles' 2025 draft class found pieces that all could fill positions of need, especially in the first three rounds with North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton being picked in the first. Ole Miss WR Tre Harris in the second and Oregon DL Jamaree Caldwell in the third. The Chargers' 2024 class featured by Joe Alt and Ladd McConkey had plenty of success in their rookie seasons, and the 2025 class has the talent to match their counterparts from a year ago.
Dec. 25 - @ Washington
Series History: Cowboys lead all-time series 79-49-2
Last Meeting(s): Nov. 24, 2024 – Cowboys 34, Commanders 26 / Jan. 5, 2025 – Commanders 23, Cowboys 19
Biggest Storyline: In their second meeting in 2024, the Commanders beat the Cowboys on a last second touchdown grab to move Dallas' season record to 7-10. It was more of a game for where Washington would fall in the playoff pecking order than anything else, and it goes without saying that the Cowboys hope to be in that position in 2025. Every division game will count, and the NFC East is tumultuous year in and year out, so this game could have a lot more hanging on it compared to when the two teams met a year prior.
Commanders Offseason Recap: Given how well the team performed with Daniels at the helm last year, the Commanders have pushed all their chips to the middle to try and win now. They traded for Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil to protect Daniels' blindside, acquired WR Deebo Samuel via trade with the 49ers. They also picked up a familiar face for the Cowboys in WR Michael Gallup, who hasn't played since his sixth and final season with the Cowboys in 2023. In the draft, the Commanders had just five total picks after an offseason full of trades, but landed high upside players in the first two rounds with Oregon OT Josh Conerly Jr. and Ole Miss CB Trey Amos.
TBD - @ N.Y. Giants
Series History: Cowboys lead all-time series 77-47-2
Last Meeting(s): Sept. 26, 2024 – Cowboys 20, Giants 15 / Nov. 28, 2024 – Cowboys 27, Giants 20
Biggest Storyline: If the Giants end up hitting on their free agent and draft signings, then this game could very well be just as if not more important for the Cowboys as the week prior against Washington. If Dallas is in a race for the top seed in the division, depending on how the other three teams fair, all the marbles could end up being on this game. The biggest factor to whether or not that will be the case is how much both the Giants and the Cowboys have improved from 2024, but even still, Dallas has had New York's number for quite some time now.
Giants Offseason Recap: The Giants selected Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter with the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, continuing to bolster their pass rush arsenal that also includes Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, and former Cowboy Chauncey Golston who signed with New York in free agency. They were one of two teams that traded back into the first round to select again, picking Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart with the 25th overall pick, joining a veteran room that features Russell Wilson and Jamies Winston. They also added some help in the secondary in the form of Paulson Adebo from the Saints and Jevon Holland from the Dolphins in the hopes to improve their turnover numbers, after finishing -8 in turnover margin in 2024.
