The bye week allows the chance to do several things. For one, it breaks the monotony. Since Week 1 the Dallas Cowboys have been locked into a rhythm of game preparation. A week off allows the coaching staff to do an extended amount of self scouting, which could lead to new game-plan wrinkles as they step back and see what was and wasn’t working from how they planned out the season.
Another level of course is health. A week off from the bangs and bruises is helpful to every player, whether they have an injury or not. But when a player has missed time, getting a week of rest and recuperation is paramount to finishing the year strong.