The Dallas Cowboys could be sitting anywhere in between 5-1 and 1-5 when they reach the seventh week of the 2024 NFL schedule.
Whether they are sitting atop the standings (5-1), or wondering what happened (1-5), the week off is timely.
They start a crucial stretch of the schedule in the weeks that follow. The 49ers, Eagles, and Texans await and Dallas needs to be rested for that run.
It will be the fourth time the Cowboys have enjoyed a bye in the seventh week.
All four have come in the last nine seasons.
The first Week 7 bye arrived in 2016 followed by a Week 7 bye in 2021. This year’s bye will mark back-to-back Week 7 byes for Dallas.
The NFL first started scheduling bye weeks in 1990.
By The Bye
The Cowboys have had 35 bye weeks since 1990 – this includes the 1993 season when the NFL had two bye weeks on the schedule.
Dallas is 24-11 all-time in games played following a bye week.
They are 9-3 at home in such games and 15-8 on the road. They will play at San Francisco following this year’s bye week.
The last time the Cowboys faced the 49ers following a bye was back in 2017 and the game was also played out west.
That year, Dallas’ bye fell on Week 6.
The Cowboys routed the winless 49ers 40-10 on three Dak Prescott touchdown passes and two Ezekiel Elliott scoring runs.
It’s doubtful Dallas will have as easy a game this year.
The Eagles and Giants have been the Cowboys most common post-bye opponents. Dallas has faced both teams six times following byes.
While the Cowboys are 5-1 in those games against Philadelphia, they are just 3-3 against New York.
The Cardinals are next at four games – with Dallas winning all four contests.
The Cowboys defeated the Phoenix Cardinals 41-10 after a Week 14 bye in 1990. Emmitt Smith’s four touchdown runs led the way at Texas Stadium that day.
After last year’s Week 7 bye, the Cowboys crushed the Los Angeles Rams 43-20 at AT&T Stadium.
Week 7 History
With Dallas off for the second straight Week 7, their all-time record for the week carries over one more year.
The Cowboys are 32-28 overall on Week 7. They are 21-5 at home but a woeful 11-23 on the road.
Dallas lost the 1982 Week 7 game due to the strike in addition to the four bye weeks.
The Cowboys have won their last four Week 7 home games.
The last time Dallas lost at home in Week 7 came against the Giants in 2010. Tony Romo was knocked out of the game early in the 41-35 loss.
Eli Manning threw four touchdown passes in the game to lead New York.
Conversely, Dallas has lost its last two Week 7 road games. The last Week 7 win on the road came in the aforementioned 2017 victory in San Francisco.
The Cowboys NFC East rivals have been the most common Week 7 opponents for Dallas.
But they only have a winning record against one of those teams to show for it.
The Cowboys hold a 6-5 record in Week 7 against the Eagles. However, the Giants are 4-3 and the Commanders are 5-1 against Dallas.
The Cowboys are 4-2 against the Cardinals and 3-2 when playing the Rams in Week 7.
They are 4-0 against the Lions. Dallas is a combined 4-4 against the five AFC teams they have faced on Week 7.
The Cowboys have never played any of the teams in the AFC East or AFC South in the seventh week of any season so far.
My Prediction
(based on the current rosters)
Depending on who you listen to Dallas is predicted to be as high as 5-1 and as low as 1-5.
Honestly, either scenario is possible with this team as it sits today. But that can change in the three-plus months until the season kicks off.
If you’ve been reading this series of posts, you know I’m predicting Dallas will enter the bye at 2-4.
And the schedule isn’t getting any easier after Week 7.
We’ll hope I’m wrong – me more than anyone else – but something tells me we’re in for a long season.