An enormous part of the NFL offseason for fans and even players, is the release of the schedule for the upcoming season. Every fan wants to know who their team will face Week 1, or when the rivalry games are. Perhaps the most important thing to be gleaned from the now 18-week slate, is at what point the bye week falls.
Almost every player and coach will say they want the bye week later in the season. Week 10 through 13 is most ideal so teams can heal up and recalibrate their strategies for the stretch run. There are some seasons where this isn’t true though, and for the Dallas Cowboys the bye week hitting a bit early is at the exact ideal time in 2021.