Dallas Cowboys Schedulegami: Opponents Never Faced in Primetime
What is a schedulegami? MockSlate calls it a schedulegami when two teams meet in a scheduling window they’ve never shared before.
The Cowboys have faced the Buccaneers 20 times, but never on Monday night. If they were scheduled there, that would be a schedulegami, their first-ever Monday night meeting.
The Cowboys have never faced 3 of their 31 possible opponents on Monday, Sunday, or Thursday night. Every one of those 3 has met Dallas in at least one other scheduling window, such as a Saturday or a game abroad.
The 2026 schedule adds three schedulegamis: Baltimore in an international game in Week 3, Tampa Bay on Thursday night in Week 5, and Jacksonville on Sunday night in Week 16.
Every Cowboys opponent by scheduling window, 1966–2025
Each number shows how many times Dallas has faced that opponent in the listed window. “Never” means the matchup has not happened there yet; “2026 first” means this season will be the first.
| Opponent | Gamessince 1966 | Mon nightsince 1970 | Sun nightsince 1987 | Thu nightsince 1978 | Thanksgivingsince 1966 | Christmassince 1966 | Saturdaysince 1966 | Kickoffsince 2002 | Intlsince 2005 | Fridaysince 1966 | Wednesdaysince 1966 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagles | 119 | 12 | 16 | never | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | never | never | never |
| Commanders | 119 | 17 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 2 | never | never | never | never |
| Giants | 116 | 13 | 14 | 1 | 3 | never | 3 | never | never | never | 1 |
| Cardinals | 81 | 9 | 4 | never | 4 | 2 | 2 | never | never | never | never |
| Saints | 32 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | never | 1 | never | never | 1 | never |
| Falcons | 29 | 2 | 1 | never | never | never | 1 | never | never | never | never |
| 49ers | 29 | 2 | 3 | never | 2 | never | 1 | never | never | never | never |
| Lions | 28 | 4 | never | 1 | never | never | 1 | never | never | never | never |
| Packers | 28 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | never | never | never | never | never | never |
| Rams | 27 | 3 | 2 | never | 1 | never | never | never | never | never | never |
| Vikings | 26 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 | never | never | never | never | never | never |
| Bears | 24 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | never | never | never | never | never | never |
| Steelers | 20 | 1 | 1 | never | 1 | never | never | never | never | never | never |
| Seahawks | 20 | 1 | never | 1 | 3 | never | never | never | never | never | never |
| Buccaneers | 20 | never | 3 | 2026 first | 1 | never | 1 | 1 | never | never | never |
| Browns | 19 | 1 | never | never | 2 | never | 3 | never | never | never | never |
| Panthers | 16 | 2 | 1 | never | 1 | never | 2 | never | never | never | never |
| Colts | 16 | 1 | 1 | never | never | never | 1 | never | never | never | never |
| Titans | 16 | 3 | never | 1 | 3 | 1 | never | never | never | never | never |
| Bengals | 15 | 1 | never | never | never | never | never | never | never | never | never |
| Dolphins | 15 | 1 | 1 | never | 5 | never | never | never | never | never | never |
| Patriots | 15 | 1 | 2 | never | 1 | never | never | never | never | never | never |
| Broncos | 14 | never | never | never | 2 | never | never | never | never | never | never |
| Chargers | 14 | 1 | never | never | 1 | never | never | never | never | never | never |
| Raiders | 14 | 1 | 1 | never | 3 | never | 1 | never | never | never | never |
| Jets | 14 | never | 1 | never | 1 | never | 3 | never | never | never | never |
| Chiefs | 13 | 1 | never | never | 2 | never | never | never | never | never | never |
| Bills | 12 | 3 | never | never | 1 | never | never | never | never | never | never |
| Jaguars | 8 | never | 2026 first | never | never | never | never | never | 1 | never | never |
| Ravens | 7 | never | never | never | never | never | 1 | never | 2026 first | never | never |
| Texans | 7 | 1 | 2 | never | never | never | never | never | never | never | never |
2026 Cowboys schedulegamis
Week 3 — Cowboys vs. Ravens
First-ever Cowboys–Ravens International meeting. Final: Ravens 34, Cowboys 31.
Week 5 — Cowboys vs. Buccaneers
First-ever Cowboys–Buccaneers Thursday night meeting. Final: Buccaneers 24, Cowboys 16.
Week 16 — Cowboys vs. Jaguars
First-ever Cowboys–Jaguars Sunday night meeting.
Cowboys venue-first matchups, 1966–2025
Schedulegami vs. venue first: A schedulegami means the teams have never met in that scheduling window. A venue first means they have met in the window, but one team has never hosted it.
Some matchups have appeared in a primetime window several times, but always with the same team hosting. The table below shows where the other team has never hosted that matchup in the same window.
| Matchup | Window | Games | Hosted bydesignated home team | Never hosted by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys–Commanders | Thanksgiving | 11 | Cowboys | Commanders |
| Cowboys–Dolphins | Thanksgiving | 5 | Cowboys | Dolphins |
| Cowboys–Cardinals | Sunday night | 4 | Cardinals | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Cardinals | Thanksgiving | 4 | Cowboys | Cardinals |
| Cowboys–Rams | Monday night | 3 | Rams | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Buccaneers | Sunday night | 3 | Cowboys | Buccaneers |
| Cowboys–Raiders | Thanksgiving | 3 | Cowboys | Raiders |
| Cowboys–Vikings | Thanksgiving | 3 | Cowboys | Vikings |
| Cowboys–Giants | Thanksgiving | 3 | Cowboys | Giants |
| Cowboys–Eagles | Thanksgiving | 3 | Cowboys | Eagles |
| Cowboys–Seahawks | Thanksgiving | 3 | Cowboys | Seahawks |
| Cowboys–Titans | Thanksgiving | 3 | Cowboys | Titans |
| Cowboys–Giants | Saturday | 3 | Giants | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Panthers | Monday night | 2 | Cowboys | Panthers |
| Cowboys–Packers | Monday night | 2 | Cowboys | Packers |
| Cowboys–Vikings | Monday night | 2 | Vikings | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Seahawks | Monday night | 2 | Seahawks | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–49ers | Monday night | 2 | 49ers | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Texans | Sunday night | 2 | Texans | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Patriots | Sunday night | 2 | Patriots | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Bears | Thursday night | 2 | Bears | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Bears | Thanksgiving | 2 | Cowboys | Bears |
| Cowboys–Browns | Thanksgiving | 2 | Cowboys | Browns |
| Cowboys–Broncos | Thanksgiving | 2 | Cowboys | Broncos |
| Cowboys–Packers | Thanksgiving | 2 | Cowboys | Packers |
| Cowboys–Chiefs | Thanksgiving | 2 | Cowboys | Chiefs |
| Cowboys–49ers | Thanksgiving | 2 | Cowboys | 49ers |
| Cowboys–Cardinals | Christmas | 2 | Cardinals | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Panthers | Saturday | 2 | Panthers | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Commanders | Saturday | 2 | Cowboys | Commanders |
| Cowboys–Bengals | Monday night | 1 | Cowboys | Bengals |
| Cowboys–Browns | Monday night | 1 | Browns | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Texans | Monday night | 1 | Cowboys | Texans |
| Cowboys–Colts | Monday night | 1 | Cowboys | Colts |
| Cowboys–Chiefs | Monday night | 1 | Cowboys | Chiefs |
| Cowboys–Chargers | Monday night | 1 | Chargers | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Raiders | Monday night | 1 | Raiders | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Dolphins | Monday night | 1 | Dolphins | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Patriots | Monday night | 1 | Patriots | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Steelers | Monday night | 1 | Cowboys | Steelers |
| Cowboys–Falcons | Sunday night | 1 | Falcons | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Panthers | Sunday night | 1 | Panthers | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Colts | Sunday night | 1 | Cowboys | Colts |
| Cowboys–Jaguars | Sunday night | 1 | Cowboys | Jaguars |
| Cowboys–Raiders | Sunday night | 1 | Raiders (Oakland) | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Dolphins | Sunday night | 1 | Cowboys | Dolphins |
| Cowboys–Jets | Sunday night | 1 | Jets | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Steelers | Sunday night | 1 | Steelers | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Lions | Thursday night | 1 | Lions | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Packers | Thursday night | 1 | Cowboys | Packers |
| Cowboys–Giants | Thursday night | 1 | Giants | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Seahawks | Thursday night | 1 | Cowboys | Seahawks |
| Cowboys–Buccaneers | Thursday night | 1 | Cowboys | Buccaneers |
| Cowboys–Titans | Thursday night | 1 | Titans | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Bills | Thanksgiving | 1 | Cowboys | Bills |
| Cowboys–Panthers | Thanksgiving | 1 | Cowboys | Panthers |
| Cowboys–Chargers | Thanksgiving | 1 | Cowboys | Chargers |
| Cowboys–Rams | Thanksgiving | 1 | Cowboys | Rams |
| Cowboys–Patriots | Thanksgiving | 1 | Cowboys | Patriots |
| Cowboys–Saints | Thanksgiving | 1 | Cowboys | Saints |
| Cowboys–Jets | Thanksgiving | 1 | Cowboys | Jets |
| Cowboys–Steelers | Thanksgiving | 1 | Cowboys | Steelers |
| Cowboys–Buccaneers | Thanksgiving | 1 | Cowboys | Buccaneers |
| Cowboys–Eagles | Christmas | 1 | Cowboys | Eagles |
| Cowboys–Titans | Christmas | 1 | Titans | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Commanders | Christmas | 1 | Commanders | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Falcons | Saturday | 1 | Falcons | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Ravens | Saturday | 1 | Cowboys | Ravens |
| Cowboys–Lions | Saturday | 1 | Cowboys | Lions |
| Cowboys–Colts | Saturday | 1 | Cowboys | Colts |
| Cowboys–Raiders | Saturday | 1 | Raiders (Oakland) | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Saints | Saturday | 1 | Saints | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–49ers | Saturday | 1 | 49ers | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Buccaneers | Saturday | 1 | Buccaneers | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Eagles | Kickoff Game | 1 | Eagles | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Buccaneers | Kickoff Game | 1 | Buccaneers | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Saints | Friday | 1 | Saints | Cowboys |
| Cowboys–Giants | Wednesday | 1 | Giants | Cowboys |
2027 Cowboys matchups that could become schedulegamis
These are Dallas’s projected 2027 opponents and the scheduling windows where each matchup has never happened. Three opponents still depend on Week 18 standings. The full projection is on the Cowboys team page.
| Opponent | Why they play | Windows never played | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Giants | Division — twice a year | Christmas, Kickoff Game, International, Friday | confirmed |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Division — twice a year | Thursday night, International, Friday, Wednesday | confirmed |
| Washington Commanders | Division — twice a year | Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesday | confirmed |
| Buffalo Bills | Interconference rotation | Sunday night, Thursday night, Christmas, Saturday, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesday | confirmed |
| Miami Dolphins | Interconference rotation | Thursday night, Christmas, Saturday, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesday | confirmed |
| Atlanta Falcons | Conference rotation | Thursday night, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesday | confirmed |
| Carolina Panthers | Conference rotation | Thursday night, Christmas, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesday | confirmed |
| New England Patriots | Interconference rotation | Thursday night, Christmas, Saturday, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesday | confirmed |
| New York Jets | Interconference rotation | Monday night, Thursday night, Christmas, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesday | confirmed |
| New Orleans Saints | Conference rotation | Christmas, Kickoff Game, International, Wednesday | confirmed |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Conference rotation | Monday night, Christmas, International, Friday, Wednesday | confirmed |
| Los Angeles Rams | Same-place finish, NFC West | Thursday night, Christmas, Saturday, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesday | pending Week 18 standings |
| Detroit Lions | Same-place finish, NFC North | Sunday night, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesday | pending Week 18 standings |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 17th game — same-place finish | Thursday night, Christmas, Kickoff Game, International, Friday, Wednesday | pending Week 18 standings |
Cowboys schedulegami FAQ
- What is a schedulegami?
- MockSlate calls it a schedulegami when two teams meet in a scheduling window they've never shared before. The Cowboys have faced the Buccaneers 20 times, but never on Monday night. If they were scheduled there, that would be a schedulegami, their first-ever Monday night meeting.
- How many opponents have the Cowboys never faced in primetime?
- Dallas has never faced 3 of its 31 possible opponents in primetime. Those teams are the Broncos, Jaguars, and Ravens. Counted one window at a time, the Cowboys have never faced 5 opponents on Monday night, 11 on Sunday night, and 22 on Thursday night; the 3 above are the ones missing from all three.
- Which teams have the Cowboys never played on Monday night?
- The Cowboys have never played the Buccaneers, Broncos, Jets, Jaguars, and Ravens on Monday night. That's 5 of their 31 possible opponents through the 2025 season.
- Which Cowboys matchups have only happened on Sunday afternoons?
- None. Every opponent has met the Cowboys somewhere other than a Sunday afternoon.
- Which Cowboys games are schedulegamis in 2026?
- Three: Week 3 vs. Baltimore in an international game, Week 5 vs. Tampa Bay on Thursday night, and Week 16 vs. Jacksonville on Sunday night. Each matchup will appear in that window for the first time.
- What is the difference between a schedulegami and a venue first?
- A schedulegami is the first time two teams meet in a scheduling window. A venue first means they have met in that window before, but one team has never hosted it.
About the data
MockSlate calls it a schedulegami when two teams meet in a scheduling window they have never shared before. The order of the two teams does not matter, and neither does the venue: two teams that have only ever met on Sunday night in one city have still met on Sunday night, so the same game in the other city is a venue first, not a schedulegami. Sunday afternoon windows never count. A game counts in every window it fits, so a Monday night game in Mexico City is both a Monday night game and an international game. Primetime here means Monday, Sunday, and Thursday night. Two levels are tracked: the first time two teams meet in one window, and the first time they meet anywhere but a Sunday afternoon.
Game history is the same record as Primetime & Holiday History, regular season only, with franchises carried forward under their current names; Monday night counts every Monday game the way that tool counts it. Coverage by window: Monday night: since 1970, every Monday game as Slot History counts it; Sunday night: since 1987; Thursday night: all Thursday games since 1966 as Slot History counts them; the first non-Thanksgiving Thursday game in the data is 1978; the weekly package began in 2006; Thanksgiving: since 1966; Christmas: since 1966; Saturday: since 1966; Kickoff Game: since 2002; International: since 2005; Friday: since 1966; Wednesday: all-time. A Sunday international game with a verified 8 PM ET or later kickoff counts as International and Sunday night; two games count, the 2005 49ers at Cardinals game in Mexico City and the 2026 Vikings at 49ers game in Mexico City. Schedulegami is a MockSlate term, first published September 2026.
More Cowboys: Primetime & holiday history · Team page · Scorigami · Rest & travel · All schedulegami teams
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Updated: October 26, 2026