(Editor’s Note: Time to check the mail! The DallasCowboys.com staff writers answer your questions here in ‘Mailbag’ presented by Miller Lite.)
Again, Dallas has three games in 11 days, and then there’s the brutal travel. I understand the attraction to air Cowboys games in prime time, but at some point, is the onus on the NFL to protect its players? Secondly, is the team able to sign off and approve the schedule, reaping some of the blame? – David Nestle/Vandalia, OH
Mickey: Great question and the answer is somewhat complicated. Teams can submit dates to the NFL their stadium will not be available for home games for whatever reason. Scheduling requests can be made early in the process, but there will be no strikes accepted once the final 272-game, 18-week version of the schedule is finalized. So, the hope is the schedule takes into account travel when it comes to player safety, the number of times a team is scheduled to play within a short period of time and when teams are forced to play during a short week (Thursdays). Having said all this, the computer sure didn’t do the Cowboys any favors having them open the season on a Sunday night on the East Coast and then requiring them to take a 10-hour plane ride to Rio De Janeiro like 10 or 11 days later in a Week 3 Sunday game. On top of that, then after playing a Week 4 noon road game at Houston, asking them to play the Week 5 game on a short week, Thursday night next. This is indeed a brutal five-game stretch, three of the five games involving travel.