The Cowboys will play Philadelphia twice in their next six games, but if scheduling means much, they look like an offense that should be on the rise in the coming weeks.

Playing around with the numbers, they suggest that the Cowboys will have the most favorable slate of defenses over the next six weeks. Those are against defenses that (on average) are currently allowing 2.64 TDs per game. In these offensively challenged times, that’s the most in the league. In their upcoming six-week run, Dallas will play against the Panthers, Commanders and Giants.

It could bode well for Dak Prescott, who’s been trending upwards recently.

In the chart below, I left out touchdowns scored on kick returns and turnovers. I wanted to focus instead solely on what defenses are giving out. And I zeroed in on the next six games for each team (so that’s Weeks 9-14 for some, and Weeks 9-15 for those with byes) – the stretch run.

The numbers suggest that the Cowboys, Lions, Titans, Patriots and Saints have the easiest upcoming schedules.

The five hardest schedules coming up in the near future all belong to teams with offensive firepower and serious playoff aspirations: Jaguars, Eagles, Bengals, Seahawks and Dolphins.

Not saying we should be giving up on those teams, but they’ll be fighting more of an uphill battle.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE, TOUCHDOWNS (next 6 G)
TeamPassRunTotal
Dallas1.66.942.64
Detroit1.73.772.50
Tennessee1.331.132.46
New England1.50.952.46
New Orleans1.55.902.45
Minnesota1.63.712.34
Chicago1.32.962.28
Kansas City1.38.882.27
Tampa Bay1.231.042.27
NY Giants1.43.832.25
Washington1.241.012.25
NY Jets1.34.902.24
Atlanta1.31.942.24
Baltimore1.28.962.24
San Francisco1.38.822.23
Houston1.41.812.22
LA Rams1.32.902.22
Las Vegas1.37.822.20
Cleveland1.34.852.19
Pittsburgh1.24.952.19
Green Bay1.34.852.18
Indianapolis1.28.912.18
Buffalo1.51.602.14
Denver1.22.902.12
Carolina1.32.792.11
LA Chargers1.30.742.04
Arizona1.24.741.98
Miami1.36.591.95
Seattle1.30.641.94
Cincinnati1.07.871.93
Philadelphia1.22.631.86
Jacksonville1.02.741.76

—Ian Allan