The Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1) need help. Lots of it. This was true before they lost to the Detroit Lions last week, but that result exacerbated the issue. If the Cowboys want to be a playoff team in 2025 then they have to win out and have a lot of things go their way.
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Sunday’s NFL action did not exactly bring any of these things. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost, which was nice in the sense that they could be a contender for a Wild Card spot, but we are really reaching to use that as a positive data point. No NFC team holding a Wild Card spot before Sunday lost as the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers both won. The Packers took over the top spot in the NFC North by beating the Chicago Bears and as a result the latter now holds the final Wild Card spot. Keep in mind the San Francisco 49ers hold the second one and were one of the teams on bye this week.
NFC Playoff Picture entering Week 14 Monday Night Football
- Los Angeles Rams, NFC West leader (10-3)
- Green Bay Packers, NFC North leader (9-3-1)
- Philadelphia Eagles, NFC East leader, (8-4)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers, NFC South leader (7-6)
- Seattle Seahawks, Wild Card (10-3)
- San Francisco 49ers, Wild Card (9-4)
- Chicago Bears, Wild Card (9-4)
The Eagles play on Monday night so these results are subject to change, but regardless of outcome these are the seven teams who would be in the playoffs if they started today.
It is particularly frustrating to see that the Lions are the first team out as that would have been the Cowboys had they found a way to win last week.
In The Hunt
- Detroit Lions (8-5)
- Carolina Panthers (7-6)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
The Panthers were also on bye this week, so when you consider the nine teams ahead of Dallas in NFC hierarchy, only two of them lost (Tampa Bay and Chicago). It was a rough one in that particular sense.
Dallas is actually closer in the overall conference standings to the teams that have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention than they are to one of the Wild Card spots. The Cowboys are 10th in the NFC and the Atlanta Falcons (eliminated) are 12th. This is the lump of coal that nobody asked for.
For what it’s worth this entire discussion is all relative to the Cowboys’ position in the NFC’s Wild Card race, but the more probable (not exactly probable in general, just more than the other option) path to the playoffs for the Cowboys is as the NFC East winner. In order for that to happen the formula is rather simple, so to speak, as they have to win out and see Philly lose 3 of their remaining 5 games.
Go Chargers.
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