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.
After their opening four regular season games in September, the Cowboys head on the road for three out of their four games in October, with the lone home matchup coming against the Washington Commanders.
With preseason in the books, let's examine the Cowboys' schedule for the second month of the regular season football calendar:
Oct. 5 - @ N.Y. Jets
Series History: Cowboys lead all-time series 8-5
Last Meeting: Sept. 17, 2023 – Cowboys 30, Jets 10
Biggest Storyline: This game will be a battle of two first-time NFL head coaches in Brian Schottenheimer and New York's Aaron Glenn, who was previously the defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions. In his playing days, Glenn spent two years with the Cowboys from 2005-06, playing under his former head coach with the Jets in Bill Parcels. In his first season with Dallas, he led the team with four interceptions. Now, he'll look to beat the Cowboys as the head coach of the team that drafted him as a player in the first round in 1994.
Jets Offseason Recap: With early signs that quarterback Aaron Rodgers wouldn't be returning to the Jets in the 2025 season, they went out and signed former Bears and Steelers quarterback Justin Fields to a two-year, $40 million deal where he projects to be the starting quarterback, meaning he'll face off against his former head coach Matt Eberflus if that remains the case come Week 5. In the draft, New York continued to invest in their offensive line, drafting Missouri's versatile offensive tackle Armand Membou with the seventh overall pick, making it back to back years the Jets have picked a tackle in the first round after selecting Penn State's Olu Fashanu in 2024.
Oct. 12 - @ Carolina
Series History: Cowboys lead all-time series 12-5
Last Meeting: Dec. 15, 2024 – Cowboys 30, Panthers 14
Biggest Storyline: The Cowboys have won eight of their last ten games against the Panthers dating all the way back to 2005, and will look to grab their fourth straight win over Carolina in Week 6. They'll also look to score 30 or more points against the Panthers for the fourth straight time, with 30 points in 2024, 33 in 2023, and 36 in 2021. Dallas and Carolina swapped running backs in free agency as well, with Rico Dowdle signing with the Panthers and Miles Sanders coming over to Dallas.
Panthers Offseason Recap: The biggest move the Panthers made this offseason was keeping their best cornerback in the fold, signing Jaycee Horn to a four-year, $100 million dollar extension to make him the highest paid defensive back in NFL history. They also signed Chiefs defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton to a three-year, $54 million deal with the hope that he can continue to develop into a force on the defensive line. In the draft, they gave Bryce Young a weapon on the outside by selecting Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan with the eight overall pick, who was widely considered the best wideout in the class. They continued to add to their defensive front in the draft by picking Texas A&M EDGE Nic Scourton, Ole Miss EDGE Princely Umanmielen, and Flordia DT Cam Jackson.
Oct. 19 – vs. 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 one of the best rookie seasons of all time, quarterback Jayden Daniels helped the Washington Commanders reach the NFC title game. In his two games against the Cowboys, Dallas' defense held him relatively in check compared to the damage he dealt to other opposing defenses. In the second year of the former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn era in Washington, can the Cowboys perform like that again and be able to pick up a win or two over the Commanders in 2025? If they're able to contain Daniels again, it certainly helps their cause.
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.
Oct. 26 - @ Denver
Series History: Broncos lead all-time series 9-5
Last Meeting: Nov. 7, 2021 – Broncos 30, Cowboys 16
Biggest Storyline: The Cowboys offense will have their work cut out for them as they head to Mile High for the first time since 2017, with the Broncos retaining a majority of their loaded defense that was a top-10 unit a year ago headlined by the 2024 defensive player of the year Pat Surtain at corner. They'll also need to be prepared to stop a tricky Sean Payton led offense spearheaded by second year quarterback Bo Nix, who led the Broncos to the playoffs in his rookie season behind one of the better offensive lines in football.
Broncos Offseason Recap: Not only did the Broncos retain a lot of their defensive talent, they also added more playmakers there in free agency and the draft. Denver signed a pair of 49ers defensive standouts who are recovering from injuries in LB Dre Greenlaw and S Talanoa Hufanga, who when healthy can be difference makers. They also used their 20th overall pick on Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron, who has the versatility to play anywhere in the secondary and won the Jim Thorpe award last season, given to the best defensive back in college football. On the offensive side, the Broncos drafted UCF RB R.J. Harvey, who has all the traits that successful Sean Payton running backs of the past have possessed, and gave Nix another receiving weapon in TE Evan Engram, who is looking for a bounce back year after injuries sidelined him for much of 2024.
