After last week’s demoralizing and damaging loss to the Panthers, the Cowboys are on the brink of collapse in 2025. While many things are still mathematically possible, and will be even if they lose again this week, Dallas is near the point where talking about playoff chances becomes futile. In this week’s rooting guide, we’ll lean more heavily towards better positioning in the 2026 NFL Draft, but still keep a hopeful eye on what could improve the Cowboys’ postseason hopes.
Thursday night’s upset win by the Bengals over the Steelers was a good start. With no playoff implications in an all-AFC matchup, we got what we wanted by Cincy improving to 3-4 and becoming less threatening in eventual draft ordering.
For games with broader potential impact, how you personally root going forward depends on your focus. That’s certainly the case for every remaining Dallas game, but also most of the schedule involving NFC teams.
NFC East
Vikings d. Eagles
If you still hope for a playoff spot, the best way to get it is by winning the NFC East. The tragedy of last week’s loss by Dallas is that it squandered a chance to gain ground on both Philadelphia and Washington. But even with that blown opportunity, they’d still move ahead of Washington with a win this week. If that happens while the Eagles somehow lose a third-straight game, Dallas would be right on their heels in the division.
Draftwise, it still makes more sense for the Vikings to win to help Dallas. Minnesota is only 3-2 while Philly is 4-2, so that would pull the Vikings further up in the standings and still leave Philly as a four-win team. If Dallas falls against Washington, they’re that much more ahead of the pack in draft order.
Giants d. Broncos
New York somehow getting back in the playoff hunt seems even more unlikely than Dallas. They’re far more relevant in the draft discussion, so a win is a good thing. And thankfully, with Denver at 4-2, it doesn’t hurt much for the Giants to pull off another upset.
NFC vs. NFC
Saints d. Bears
Another win-win from either perspective. Just 1-5 currently, New Orleans could become catchable in the draft order if they can eke out a few more wins this year. Upsetting the Bears would also help Dallas’ playoff chances, especially given Chicago’s head-to-head tiebreaker. That tiebreaker is also why you’re not as worried about the Bears’ record worsening for draft purposes, because it has the opposite effect in that situation.
Cardinals d. Packers
Arizona picking up its third win could pull them above Dallas in the standings, so that’s good for the draft. It also doesn’t hurt that much playoffs-wise, because Green Bay is only leading the NFC North by a hair right now. They could easily end up in the wild card race, and their tie with the Cowboys at least makes them more desirable there than teams who could end up with head-to-head tiebreakers. Considering the Cowboys hold the Packers draft pick, any loss by them is a good thing.
Falcons d. 49ers
This is more split between the two worlds. Draft focused: we’d rather see Atlanta (3-2) win and move further away from Dallas in the order. Playoff focused: it makes sense for the 49ers to just run away with the NFC North, which they currently lead, and put losses on as many potential wild card teams as they can. So this is one where your rooting interest depends on your priorities.
Lions d. Buccaneers
Same idea here. Detroit winning is better for draft purposes, moving them further up the standings and away from Dallas. The Bucs are the Niners of the NFC South, so their winning would be good for us from a playoff perspective and potential wild card clash with the Lions.
NFC vs. AFC
Jaguars d. Rams
Both teams are 4-2, so it’s a wash from a draft perspective. In that case, we can lean toward the playoffs side and root against the NFC team.
Panthers d. Jets
There’s probably no catching the 0-6 Jets in the draft order, especially since Dallas has a head-to-head win over them. So better that they just stay in that top spot and allow Carolina to get another win, which moves them further away from a premium pick. Playoff-focused fans will obviously want the opposite, as the Panthers could be a problem in the wild card race with their own tiebreaker against Dallas.
Texans d. Seahawks
This is a win-win for both the draft and playoffs. Houston (2-3) is a potential issue for Dallas in draft order, while 4-2 Seattle could easily keep us out of a wild card spot if the 49ers do end up winning their division.
AFC vs. AFC
- Browns d. Dolphins
- Titans d. Patriots
- Raiders d. Chiefs
- Chargers d. Colts
Easy picks within the same conference: teams with worse records beating the better teams and helping Dallas’ potential draft pick. With both Cleveland and Miami at 1-5, it doesn’t matter much. But the Dolphins feel like less of an overall mess than the Browns, so we could see them winning a couple more down the road.
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