2010 Schedule Release

The 2010 schedule release is always a big deal in my house. It allows my family to plan our fall trips and pick the games we want to attend. The opponents are obviously no surprise but a few of the dates and times do raise an eyebrow. Here are some quick first impressions of the Dallas Cowboys 2010 schedule.

1. Philadelphia in the final game again? I was hoping for the Redskins but it shouldn't surprise me that the schedule makes tried to make it tough on the Cowboys again with the finale being played at Philadelphia. Hopefully this year the Cowboys can lock up the division before the final game.

2. New Orleans on Thanksgiving is shocking. The Cowboys usually get an easy game on Thanksgiving but it looks like it will be a tough one this season. I'm surprised the schedule makers put such a good game on Thanksgiving when they are basically guaranteed good ratings no matter who Dallas plays.

3. I know its hard to predict the quality of each team before the draft has even taken place but it sure looks like a possible 4-0 start at this point. And 5-0 is out of the question depending on how the Brett Favre saga plays out in Minnesota.

4. Three Sunday night games. I love the Sunday night games but I hate Sunday night in week 1. We will have to sit and wait all day long for the Cowboys to get on the field. That makes for a very long day.

5. The Christmas day game just pisses me off. I can't believe the NFL thinks it is a good idea to make any team play on Christmas when it doesn't fall on a Sunday. It always causes major trouble with my family when I have to bail on family time on a major holiday for a Cowboys game. Thanksgiving is understood to be a game day but Christmas doesn't go over so well with my relatives.

6. I know it isn't a surprise but it is always nice to see Detroit on the schedule.

7. Two Philadelphia games in December. Hopefully the Eagles will take a step back this season while they break in their new quarterback.

8. Get ready for the Houston Texans and their fans to treat the week 3 game like the Super Bowl. They are almost treated as insignificant throughout the rest of the state and their fans want nothing more than to embarrass the Cowboys. They have beaten the Cowboys before in Houston so I'm sure the crowd will make it a tough game again.

It is nice to be able to look at the schedule and truly believe that every game is winnable. I'm not saying 16-0 is going to happen for the Cowboys. It isn't. But the Cowboys are capable of beating every team on their schedule.