The Dallas Cowboys lost to the Denver Broncos on Sunday. Their activity in Week 8 is now officially over.
The game took place on October 26th which is a significant time in the world of television. Annual ratings are about to be assessed and established and typically we see the NFL and its broadcast partners get particularly strategic with how they schedule games/teams to set themselves up in as best of a position as possible.
We can see this with the next seven weeks and how the NFL has strategically lined up the Cowboys. Consider that from now through Week 14 the Cowboys will play on a Sunday just one single time.
- Week 9: Cowboys vs. Cardinals (Monday Night Football on ESPN)
- Week 10: BYE
- Week 11: Cowboys at Raiders (Monday Night Football on ESPN)
- Week 12: Cowboys vs. Eagles (Sunday afternoon game on FOX in all likelihood)
- Week 13: Cowboys vs. Chiefs (Thanksgiving Day on CBS)
- Week 14: Cowboys at Lions (Thursday Night Football on Prime Video)
ESPN, FOX, and CBS are among the NFL’s most major network television partners. Prime Video (Amazon) is not a traditional television broadcast partner, but obviously their commitment to the league from a financial standpoint is significant and the league is appeasing them as a result.
NBC is the fourth major television partner that the NFL has. and while the game is on a Sunday which disrupts the uniqueness of this stretch, the Cowboys’ Week 15 game is against the Vikings on NBC’s Sunday Night Football. The NFL has made sure that every outlet cutting a check is getting their fair share of their most visible team.
While the Cowboys will host the Chargers in Week 16 in a standard early window game, their next contest after that in Week 17 on the road against the Commanders will be on Netflix. This is one of the league’s newest financial investments and the first time that the Cowboys are appearing on their platform.
If we add the significance of the stretch after Week 14 we can consider that the Cowboys are going to be on primetime or in a standalone game in seven of their next eight games. That is crazy.
- Week 9: Cowboys vs. Cardinals (primetime and standalone game)
- Week 10: BYE
- Week 11: Cowboys at Raiders (primetime and standalone game)
- Week 12: Cowboys vs. Eagles (Sunday afternoon game but will cover most of the country)
- Week 13: Cowboys vs. Chiefs (standalone game)
- Week 14: Cowboys at Lions (primetime and standalone game)
- Week 15: Cowboys vs. Vikings (primetime and standalone game)
- Week 16: Cowboys vs. Chargers (Sunday early game)
- Week 17: Cowboys at Commanders (standalone game)
Get ready for the Cowboys to be center stage for all things NFL, exactly how they wanted it to be this time of year.
See More:
