After a big win over the Commanders and with an offense many are declaring the best in the NFL, the Cowboys are riding into Week 8 with some momentum. If they can sustain it against a very good Broncos team, Dallas will be hard to ignore as a potential playoff team. But the hole they’ve dug for themselves isn’t small, and they will likely need some help along the way to make the tournament.
Granted, the most optimistic path to the playoffs is that Dallas finishes the season 13-3-1 and writes their own ticket. But we’re not quite that homerish. Still, it’s prudent to look at the Cowboys as a team with upward potential and possible playoff contenders.
Here’s where the Cowboys sit in the NFC playoff standings going into Week 8:
- Packers (4-1-1 overall, 3-0-1 vs NFC)
- 49ers (5-2, 5-1)
- Eagles (5-2, 4-1)
- Buccaneers (5-2, 3-2)
- Lions (5-2, 2-1)
- Seahawks (5-2, 2-2)
- Rams (5-2. 0-2)
- Bears (4-2. 3-2)
- Panthers (4-2. 2-1)
- Cowboys (3-3-1, 2-3-1)
Dallas is at least two wins behind most of those teams, and has the head-to-head disadvantage over Chicago and Carolina. But interestingly, even if they finish the season with the same number of wins as the Bears or Panthers, they’d still have a better overall record because of that tie with Green Bay. That would nullify the head-to-head tiebreaker. So, you see, the tie may not have been all bad.
As we dig into the Week 8 schedule and what helps the Cowboys, we’ll continue to assess how results would impact both the 2025 playoffs and the 2026 draft. The Cardinals, Lions, Rams, and Seahawks are all on by this week, along with two AFC teams, so it will be a shorter list.
NFC East
Giants d. Eagles
Easy one here; a New York win helps Dallas in the division race and in the draft. The Giants sweeping the Eagles would be quite the shocker, but we’ve seen crazier things in the NFC East through the years.
Chiefs d. Commanders
Washington has the QB and pieces to mount a second-half comeback this season, so another loss here is better for any potential division or wild card situation. While we don’t love the Commanders having a better draft pick than Dallas next April, it’s the lesser of evils.
NFC vs. NFC
Saints d. Buccaneers
There will probably be times that we want division leaders like Tampa Bay to win games against other NFC teams who could bother Dallas in the wild card race. But the 1-6 Saints don’t appear to be such a team, making this another upset to comfortably root for. While it further cements New Orleans as a top-five draft team, Dallas probably isn’t getting into that mix anyway.
NFC vs. AFC
Chargers d. Vikings
Minnesota is right on Dallas’ heels with a 3-3 record, and they should be getting QB J.J. McCarthy back very soon. Like Washington, this is a team we don’t need clawing their way back into playoff contention. The Cowboys can help put them away with a Week 15 meeting up north.
Dolphins d. Falcons
Similar logic; Atlanta is also 3-3 and could be a problem if they find some consistency with their young quarterback. Draft-focused fans should root the other way, given that Miami is probably too bad to catch and Atlanta’s a team Dallas needs to stay below in the standings. But from the playoff perspective, we’re rooting for the Dolphins.
Bills d. Panthers
AFC teams beating NFC teams is typically good for us, and that’s certainly true with the Panthers given their current playoff positioning. Thankfully, Buffalo is about as well-equipped to hang a loss on Carolina as anyone.
Ravens d. Bears
Will Lamar Jackson’s return change Baltimore’s fortunes? We certainly hope so, because losses by the Bears and Panthers this week would help get Dallas to the edge of a playoff spot.
Texans d. 49ers
If Dallas can win the NFC East, matching wins with the Niners would be nice for seeding purposes. Houston winning also helps Dallas in potential draft order, so it’s good either way.
Steelers d. Packers
Potential playoff implications? Check. Owning the Packers’ 2026 draft pick? Check. Pittsburgh staying ahead of Dallas in the draft order? Check.
AFC vs. AFC
- Bengals d. Jets
- Browns d. Patriots
- Titans d. Colts
This is all draft-focused. Wins by Cleveland and Tennesee make them easier to pass in the order, and don’t hurt on the other end against winning clubs like the Colts and Pats. But with the Jets at 0-7, better they just keep losing and give a win to a more catchable team like the 2-4 Bengals.
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