NFL did an inadvertent favor to the Cowboys with 2024 schedule decision

Among the things that stuck out the most about the Dallas Cowboys' 2024 NFL season schedule, it's the team's slate of games against the AFC North.

It's never a good idea to underestimate such a division, specially as they pride themselves in playing a physical, hard-nosed, smash-mouth brand of football. That's something the Cowboys haven't exactly specialized on in recent years and flipping that switch in time for the start of the regula season will be absolutely crucial. 

And although they won't be easy games, the NFL did the Cowboys an inadvertent favor by the way they set the games up.

After all, the Cowboys will be facing the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, and Pittsburgh Steelers in the first five weeks of the regular season. In the case of the Browns and the Steelers, which are road games, that means Dallas will get to avoid the cold weather advantage these teams benefit from late in the year. 

It's safe to say that ten out of ten coaches would much rather face those two in September or October than they would in November or December due to the weather implications. 

The Cowboys do draw the Bengals in Week 14 but play them at home. 

This might seem like a small advantage at first but with the Cowboys facing a much tougher schedule than the division rival Philadelphia Eagles, it's certainly an important one as the NFC East will likely come down to the wire. 

The AFC North is widely considered one of the best divisions in football entering the 2024 campaign as the Browns have one of the best defenses in the league while the Ravens have MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson. Of course, facing Joe Burrow and the Bengals is never fun and he's got a better offensive line this year. 

The Steelers are the "easy" opponent out of that division but Mike Tomlin remains the ultimate underdog and you just know the Cowboys will be on upset alert once Week 5 comes around as the long-tenured coach will have his players ready for the primetime showdown.