Here's one more peek deeper into the Cowboys' regular-season schedule – two places where they may have caught a break, and two places that don't look so favorable.
Pros 1. They essentially get two Thanksgiving stretches this year – the 11-day break between the opener at the Giants and the Week 2 trip to Seattle; and a 10-day break to prepare for Philadelphia at the beginning of December. And unlike last year, they'll play at home (vs. Cleveland) four days before Thanksgiving.
- Six of the first nine games on the road is almost unheard of, but so is five of six games at home in November-December leading into their Dec. 30 finale at Washington. Granted, three of those games are against Philly, Pittsburgh and New Orleans.
Cons 1. Assuming Robert Griffin III is a Redskin, the Cowboys won't face the dynamic QB until late November and December. That gives RGIII 10 games to figure out the NFL before his first trip to Dallas on Thanksgiving. They'd rather face the rookie in September, I'd imagine.
- Many assume the Saints will be a train wreck this year. But they've still got Drew Brees, and by Week 16 a couple of key items from BountyGate should be resolved: interim head coach Joe Vitt will be reinstated and putting his stamp on the team; and whatever player suspensions are handed down in the coming days should be served by Dec. 23. Again, it's a team you'd rather see early on.
