(Editor’s Note: Time to check the mail! The DallasCowboys.com staff writers answer your questions here in ‘Mailbag’ presented by Miller Lite.)
The NFL season is now 17 games, and the NFL actually slates a bye in Week 14? With three weeks to go? What’s the point? Everyone is already beat to dirt. Why aren’t byes set for all teams in the middle of the season? How does a bye SO late in the schedule help any team? – Alex Stelmach/Stevenson Ranch, CA
Mickey: I’m with you on all that. Truly amazing taking advantage of the Cowboys, having them play in so many high-profile games for the benefit of TV and ratings, have them do all that traveling early in the season and then not give them a break until so late. And remember, while in Oxnard for training camp, those first two preseason games are two more road games, too, to Seattle, not a short flight from LAX, not to mention the roundtrip bus ride to the airport for the trip on top of more miles in the air before returning home. This schedule is exhausting, and that has nothing to do with the quality of opponents. Think about it. Fly to Seattle and back. Fly to Phoenix and back to DFW. Fly to Newark and back for the night game against the Giants. Then 11 days later, fly to Rio and back, fly to Houston and then play the next game on a short week (Thursday). Whew.