Each year the NFL makes a big production about 'releasing the schedule' in April. But the NFL's scheduling formula has already determined 14 of 16 opponents each team will face next year, just not when and in what sequence.
Given what we know about the NFL's scheduling formula, we can take a quick look at what the 2016 schedule could look like for the Cowboys.
In 2016, the Dallas Cowboys will play three home games and three away games against the NFC East; they will play four games against the NFC North and four games against the AFC North; finally, they'll play a team each from the NFC West and NFC South that finishes in the same spot in their division as the Cowboys will in the NFC East.