The Dallas Cowboys haven’t looked like a good football team for the last two weeks, losing back-to-back games in embarrassing fashion. At 2-4 overall, it’s been a tough start to what was thought to be a promising season. It’s a streak that could be made worse Monday night by losing to a Philadelphia Eagles team that’s decimated by injury.
There is still a long way to go in the 2026 campaign, especially with a division that’s ripe for the taking. To do that, the Cowboys must play better immediately, which starts with the Eagles in Week 7, but includes a three-game stretch where Brian Schottenheimer’s team could right the ship. The next three games could determine where the Cowboys’ season ends up.
In their next three matchups, Dallas plays three opponents who are all 2-4 like themselves. After the Eagles, the Cowboys play at home against the Arizona Cardinals, and then at the Indianapolis Colts. That’s a three-week span where the Cowboys could go undefeated and come out above .500 at 5-4.
The Eagles will be starting a backup quarterback, and could be without star running back Saquon Barkley, who's questionable, in this week’s matchup. Then the Cowboys play a Cardinals team that is in the bottom half of the league in both offense and defense in Week 8, before the team heads to the midwest to play a Colts squad that's 1-2 at home, has a QB that’s thrown for more interceptions than touchdowns, and is averaging under 21 points per game at Lucas Oil Stadium.
It’s not exactly a murderers row for the Cowboys, who have a chance to get back on the right track. Win all three and the season could be salvaged. Lose one or more games and fans will start to go scorched earth on Jerry Jones, Schottenheimer, the rest of the coaches and players.
Win all three and the Cowboys can build momentum heading towards Thanksgiving, which is when former coach and Hall of Famer Bill Parcells said the season really begins. After those next three games, the Cowboys play the San Francisco 49ers, before hosting the one-win Tennessee Titans in Week 11 and the Eagles again on Turkey Day.
There are five games in the span of the next six weeks where the Cowboys might be favored, can go 5-1 and be the team they hoped to be leaving training camp. It starts this week against their NFC East rivals and continues in the following two weeks before the 49ers matchup.
Winning three in a row is easier said than done for Schottenheimer’s team, who have only won back-to-back games once during his tenure. This season, the Cowboys have failed to live up to expectations, struggling to do the little things right and aren’t sharp in any phase of the game. At 2-4, opposing teams could be looking at Dallas as an easy win as well.
There are no gimmies in the NFL, the Cowboys have already learned that lesson the hard way this season. But the team does have a chance to get moving in the right direction.
The next three games might determine where Cowboys’ 2026 season ultimately heads; win all three and the conversation could change from disappointing to promising. It’s a big three weeks for the Cowboys.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys' fate could come down to the next three weeks