Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images Here are our bold predictions for Sunday’s game. The Dallas Cowboys return to action on Sunday night as they travel to San Francisco to take on the 49ers. Despite all the injuries the 49ers are dealing with, this will still be a very difficult matchup for the Cowboys. Before the two teams square off on primetime, here are three bold predictions for the game. Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images 1) Dak Prescott rushes for 40+ yards in a game for the first time since Week 6 of 2023 It’s been a long time since the Dallas Cowboys made Dak Prescott a focal point of their run game. A little over a year ago, back in Week 6 of the 2023 season against the Los Angeles Chargers, was the last time we saw the Cowboys do just that. Prescott used his legs to make some big plays in that game, and his seven rushes for 40 yards and a touchdown were a big reason the Cowboys walked away with a win. Prescott isn’t the runner he once was at this point in his career, but there are still opportunities for him to be effective with his legs. This week against the 49ers there’s a good chance he’ll have plenty of opportunities to do just that. San Francisco has faced three quarterbacks with at least average mobility this season. All three have been very effective against the 49ers’ defense running the football. Sam Darnold – 5 rushes for 32 yards Kyler Murray – 7 rushes for 83 yards 1 TD Patrick Mahomes – 5 rushes 39 yards 1TD Dak Prescott will follow suit and have his best day on the ground in over a calendar year. Prescott rushes for 40+ yards and scores a pivotal rushing touchdown helping ease Dallas’ offensive red zone struggles, Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images 2) Trevon Diggs and Jourdan Lewis both record interceptions For the first time in his NFL career, we are going to see Brock Purdy try to shoulder the bulk of the offensive load on Sunday. San Francisco’s number two receiver Brandon Ayuk is out for the season after suffering a torn ACL, and there’s also a good chance that Christian McCaffrey won’t play and Deebo Samuel’s status is up in the air. If this is the case, Purdy is going to have to do something he’s never really done in his career. Elevate lesser talent and be the reason they win a game. If the Cowboys can slow down San Francisco’s run game and force Purdy to throw, they should have plenty of chances to take the football away. After throwing just 11 interceptions in 16 regular season games last season, Purdy has struggled to take care of the football this year. His seven interceptions, 14 dangerous plays, and 10 interceptable passes are all top six in the league among all starting quarterbacks. Dallas’ defense takes advantage of Purdy’s ball control issues and Trevon Diggs and Jourdan Lewis both come down with interceptions. Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images 3) Cowboys finally slay the dragon that is the San Francisco 49ers If there is ever a time for the Cowboys to finally beat the 49ers, it would be this Sunday. San Francisco is as beat up as they’ll ever be, and the Cowboys have had a full two weeks to prepare for this matchup. If the Cowboys can’t beat the 49ers when they are as decimated as they currently are, it’s hard to believe they’ll ever find a way to beat them. This game has a chance to turn Dallas’ season around if they can walk out with a win. It doesn’t have to be pretty, but the Cowboys need to find any way they can to scratch and claw their way to a victory. On Sunday they’ll do just that. Led by Dak Prescott and their secondary making some key plays, Dallas finally beats the 49ers, walking out of San Francisco with a 24-20 victory.
Cowboys news: CeeDee Lamb, Dak Prescott ‘took advantage’ of bye week to recalibrate
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys all in one place. CeeDee Lamb, Dak ‘took advantage’ of bye week, recalibrated connection for Cowboys – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb took the bye week as an opportunity to get better. With two weeks to recalibrate and to prepare for the coming battle against the San Francisco 49ers, the two attacked the issue in balance with also allowing their bodies (and minds) to rest and reset. “We love a bye week,” said Lamb. “Let’s just say that we took advantage of it. Anything we felt like we missed out on together as a unit, as a duo, we hopped on it and got right to work, used every day, every opportunity that we could to get better. I feel like it’s going to show.” For his part, Prescott agrees. “I can just tell you now, it’s been better in these last couple of days,” he added. Having drawn criticism as of late from Hall of Fame quarterback and Cowboys’ legend Troy Aikman, Lamb accepted the intent behind the statement and isn’t shying away from the accountability component of it all. “We’ve got to be better overall — that’s all,” the All-Pro wideout said in response to Aikman’s assessment of Dallas’ current crop of receivers and their route running. DeMarvion Overshown: Cowboys can’t use injuries as excuse to not improve – Josh Sanchez, Sports Illustrated DeMarvion Overshown talked to the media about overcoming injuries and preparing for the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday. “We just got to trust our training and trust the brothers that we play with out on the field,” Overshown told DallasCowboys.com. “We’ve got a lot of players down and so do they, but we can’t use that excuse [for not] playing good football. We’ve all been playing this game for a long time and we know our end goal, and that’s to go 1-0 every week. “That’s the plan this week too.” San Francisco has beaten Dallas in each of the past three seasons, so coming away with a big win after an embarrassing effort the last time they saw the field would be a major victory for the Cowboys. The 49ers will be shorthanded on offense, but it’s up to the defense to stay disciplined and do their job to set the rest of the team up for success. “We’ve got to get going,” said the former rookie third-round pick. “Those first six weeks — September football, early October football — you’re still trying to figure it out. We’ve seen some ups and we’ve seen some very lows. So we know this is a good opponent that we’re looking forward to, and in a crazy atmosphere. Mike McCarthy remains confident in Cowboys, despite struggles – Ali Jawad, Sports Illustrated Despite all of the chaos outside of the locker room, Mike McCarthy believes the team is focused on improving. When asked about the team’s focus and intensity coming off the bye week, McCarthy acknowledged the challenges posed by the team’s inexperience but stressed the importance of continued progress and building chemistry. “I think we’re a team that’s growing,” McCarthy said. “I think that’s really where we were coming out of training camp. You could see it in Oxnard. We did a lot of good things, but our inexperience whether it’s a young player or a new veteran that’s arrived at the time he’s arrived. You just got to keep working for those things together. The belief, the energy, and all that.” Despite external perceptions, McCarthy assured that the locker room is filled with belief and energy. “Trust me, what goes on outside the locker room is not an illustration of what’s going on in the locker room,” McCarthy stated. “The practices, the way they go about it, the energy that they bring into the meetings, we’re getting better. I see it. I believe it. I do feel strongly, they believe it. It’s easy to come in here and talk about all the things that haven’t gone right. That’s not a clear picture of our football team.” NFL trade deadline: Salary cap space, draft picks for 32 teams – NFL Nation Reporters, ESPN The trade deadline is approaching. What does that mean for the Dallas Cowboys? 8. Dallas Cowboys: Cap space: $22.7 million Looks can be deceiving when it comes to cap space. The Cowboys have plenty of it — until you remember they need more than $20 million for the impending dead money on the contracts of guard Zack Martin, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and wide receiver Brandin Cooks once their deals are voided in 2025 (and if they’re not re-signed). Dallas will restructure the contracts of quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb by March to create more space. But the front office has been clear in its approach: The Cowboys will not play at the high end of the free agency market. As a result, keeping their top draft picks is even more of a must with how they want to build their roster. — Todd Archer Brandon Aubrey jury duty: Will Cowboys kicker play in Week 8? – Jacob Camenker, USA Today Despite fulfilling his civic duty on a jury, Brandon Aubrey should not miss any game time. Aubrey missed Cowboys practice on Wednesday, Oct. 23 for jury duty and was selected to serve on a 12-person jury for a felony assault case in Tarrant County, centered around a second-degree strangulation charge, per Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. It was Aubrey’s decision to partake in jury duty on Wednesday, though the Cowboys attempted to “pull him away” from it, the Star-Telegram reports. Aubrey is expected to return to court on Thursday and Friday. Judge David Hagerman – who is reportedly presiding over the case, per ESPN’s Todd Archer – is also expected to work with Aubrey around his football schedule. Still, there is no clear timetable on the case’s length, so Aubrey’s ability to
Cowboys Headlines: Parsons, Bland still DNP; Dak owns ‘average’ play, players weigh in on fan tours
Micah Parsons, DaRon Bland miss practice again for Cowboys :: ProFootballTalk Link Both players sat out Thursday’s practice, casting some doubt on Jerry Jones’s earlier proclamation that they would be game-time decisions. Of Parsons in particular, Mike McCarthy said the edge rusher is currently “not over the threshold” in terms of being able to go versus San Francisco. Friday and Saturday’s work sessions will be critical for Parsons and Bland. Updates: Kendricks’ chances of playing Sun. :: The Mothership Link Kendricks was limited for the second straight day with a shoulder ailment, but he says he’ll do whatever it takes to play in Week 8 against the 49ers, the team he nearly signed with before changing his mind to come to Dallas. Cowboys lose up-and-coming weapon to another ACL injury :: Cowboys Wire Link John Stephens Jr. saw his promising rookie season cut short in 2023 by a preseason ACL tear. While the undrafted tight end hadn’t yet cracked the lineup as a Cowboy, coaches raved about his development. Now the youngster has suffered a serious setback, tearing the same ACL in practice on Wednesday. He’ll have surgery and miss the remainder of the 2024 season. Cowboys CB hopes to turn tide vs depleted 49ers receiving corps: ‘Opportunity’s going to come’ :: Cowboys Wire Link Caelen Carson is working his way back from a shoulder injury, and the rookie is eager to help the Dallas defense start racking up some turnovers, something they haven’t done all that well thus far. “It’s been an emphasis all year; it just hasn’t happened,” the fifth-round draft pick explained. This may be the week, as the 49ers’ receiving corps has been decimated by injury. Bye week criticism brought Cowboys’ Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb to common theme :: Dallas Morning News Link Lamb declined to respond directly to Troy Aikman’s recent criticism of him, but the receiver did admit, “Got to get better overall.” Prescott acknowledged that Lamb’s camp holdout may have hindered their communication but added, “There’s more plays out there for me to make, whether it’s in the design or not.” The two found time during the off week to watch game tape together and work on some routes. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott describes his 2024 season as ‘average’ through six games, details what could improve :: CBS Sports Link The offensive numbers are way down from last year, and Prescott is taking the responsibility. “I’d say I’ve played average, and average isn’t good enough right now by any means,” Prescott said Thursday. It’s thought the quarterback using his legs more would help add a spark, something that worked after the bye week last season. He says the offensive line- with its two rookies- is gaining confidence and improving their communication. Science Lab: A literal drive to survive as concerning Cowboys’ offensive stat emerges :: The Mothership Link The Cowboys have been dreadful in the red zone, hitting paydirt just 37.5% of the time. Maddeningly, they are one of the league leaders in drives of 10 or more plays, but Brandon Aubrey has kicked as many field goals at the end of those drives as the offense has scored touchdowns. As for chunk plays, Dallas is among the worst in the NFL. Capitalizing on extended drives and creating chunk plays have to become a part of the Cowboys’ repertoire. Cowboys get big WR news at Thursday’s practice :: Sport DFW Link Brandin Cooks won’t be eligible to return until Week 10 at the earliest after his knee procedure and subsequent infection, but he is progressing nicely. The 31-year-old returned to practice on Thursday and was seen working out on resistance cords in an encouraging sign. Cover 1, Cover 3, Cover your eyes: Cowboys defensive flip hasn’t worked :: Cowboys WIre Link Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson have practically swapped roles in Mike Zimmer’s defense this year. Neither is having a strong season to show for it; both are currently sitting on the lowest PFF grades of their careers. And because their switch is typically a pre-snap alignment, it’s not fooling opposing offenses. If not now, when? Cowboys will look to reverse 49ers recent dominance :: Cowboys Wire Link The Cowboys have lost the last three meetings with their West Coast rivals, twice in the playoffs and each final score worse than the last. While the 49ers are dealing with numerous injuries, the Cowboys are coming off a bye week. This may be Dallas’s best chance at getting the San Francisco monkey off their back. ESPN, former Cowboys criticisms about club culture sets Micah Parsons off :: Cowboys Wire Link ESPN’s story about fan tours causing havoc at team headquarters has lit a firestorm, but Parsons isn’t buying it. “Sometimes you gotta call bull [expletive] when you see it! This ain’t it,” he posted on X. Jourdan Lewis also seemed to downplay the seriousness of the distraction, writing, “we are some of the most mentally tough people in the world – supposedly,” and then saying of his teammates, “hopefully that’s not a problem.” ‘It’s an excuse’: Dak Prescott, other Cowboys react to ESPN report questioning impact of fan tours :: Lone Star Live Link Prescott also took issue with the notion that fan tours are a huge issue for Cowboys players. “You gotta embrace it,” Prescott said. “You can walk by and you can have a negative mindset about it and allow that to ruin your day. Or you can be thankful that you’re an organization that people want to see. And, you know, for me, it’s just easy to say, ‘What’s up?’ Wave and keep walking.” Zack Martin also dismissed the presence of fans as a factor in on-the-field play. Murder wasn’t the case that they gave him: Cowboys assassin heads to court :: Cowboys Wire Link Kicker Brandon Aubrey is juggling his prep week with his civic duty this week, serving on a Tarrant County jury in a second-degree strangulation case. The case does not require the jury being sequestered, so
Cowboys injuries: Micah Parsons did not practice, John Stephens tore his ACL
Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images Your latest Cowboys injury news. The Dallas Cowboys were impacted by injury news in yesterday’s practice. Tight end John Stephens unfortunately tore his ACL in practice and is lost for another year with this same type of injury. Cowboys TE John Stephens suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in Wednesday’s practice, according to sources. He missed last year with the same injury in the same knee. Surgery upcoming. He had yet to be active for a game this season but the club liked his upside. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) October 24, 2024 It sad news for a young player the Cowboys were really hoping they could develop. The injury outlook for the rest of the Cowboys is below. Here’s where Dallas stands regarding injuries after Thursday’s practice. Today’s Cowboys practice report: Brandon Aubrey DNP, still performing his civic duty. Micah Parsons and DaRon Bland still DNPs. Nick Vigil is a new addition. pic.twitter.com/NQbfl1TWyM — Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) October 24, 2024 After working with the training staff yesterday, Micah Parsons has not yet worked into practice. Head coach Mike McCarthy said his status for Sunday was “up in the air.” Among those also not practicing were DaRon Bland (foot), who still awaits his season debut after starting the year on injured reserve and kicker Brandon Aubrey did not practice and was excused for jury duty. Listed today as limited participants were Eric Kendricks, still managing a calf injury, and wide receiver Ryan Flournoy (ankle). For a second consecutive day, defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (wrist) was a full participant, as was cornerback Caelen Carson. We don’t have an official injury report from the 49ers at this time.
Cowboys vs 49ers: 3 things to hate about the Week 8 opponent
The 49ers might not be hitting on all cylinders yet, but linebacker Fred Warner is a problem to be reckoned with. Warner is one of the best LBs in the league and he’s been a First-Team All-Pro in three of the last four seasons. There aren’t many defensive players tobetter. Through seven games this season, another All-Pro year looks like it’s coming for the leader of the 49ers’ defense. Warner leads the defense in tackles, has a sack, two tackles for a loss and two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. In his last two games against the Cowboys, Warner’s wreaked havoc. In the 2023 meeting, Warner had a sack, a forced fumble which the 49ers recovered, and an interception. The pick was his second off quarterback Dak Prescott in as many games, matching the one he got in the 2022 playoff matchup. Warner is an elite defensive player who affects offenses each week, and the Cowboys have to hate facing him in Week 8.
What we have learned about the Cowboys going into Week 8
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images The Cowboys have some major issues to fix coming out of the bye week. The Dallas Cowboys are off of their bye week and currently sit at 3-3, which is third in the NFC East. As they look to get back on track after the beat down they received from the Detroit Lions, their old nemesis, the San Francisco 49ers, await them this Sunday. They have suffered even more unfortunate luck on the injury front than the Cowboys have. However, until proven otherwise, the 49ers have their number, and this game will still be tough to win. Dallas is in the midst of a tough stretch of games with the Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, and Houston Texans coming up. It’s no secret that the Cowboys have a lot of issues to fix, and it’s going to take some herculean efforts, especially on offense, for them to stay afloat. Here’s what we have learned about the Cowboys as they enter Week 8 Dak Prescott will likely have to be Superman most games As unfair as it might be, this is where the Cowboys are at. The organization refused to address the running back position in the draft or going after an effective guy in free agency. As a result, Dallas has the worst running game in the NFL at 77.2 yards per game. So, this means that Prescott and CeeDee Lamb have to find a way to regain their chemistry and quick because the Cowboys are pretty much a one-dimensional offense. This also means that head coach Mike McCarthy, who calls the offensive plays, has got to come up with some better route concepts to get these wide receivers open. If not, it’s going to be tough sledding the rest of the season. The offensive line has got to find some continuity This ties into the first point. Yes, the Cowboys have two rookies on the offensive line, which means there will undoubtedly be growing pains, especially with both playing new positions. However, this is the seventh game of the year, and some chemistry should have been built at this point, even if it was just a little bit. One key area is how they handle combo blocks. It’s bad right now, and it keeps unrelenting pressure on Prescott. Offensive line coach Mike Solari has to do a better job getting these guys in sync for the Cowboys to have a chance. Dallas has to be better at scoring to begin each half It’s always important to begin each half well. For the Cowboys, they haven’t performed on a high level at the start of either. They have a total of nine points on the opening drives of the game and 16 to start the second half. Whereas their opponents have put up 30 points on opening possessions and 31 points to begin the second half. The Cowboys have only matched their opponents twice, scoring wise, in terms of how they begin either half. They have to get much better at scripting their first 15 plays and making adjustments at halftime.
Thursday Night Football odds, pick and live discussion: Vikings at Rams
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Who wins tonight… Minnesota or Los Angeles? The Minnesota Vikings play the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. FanDuel has the Vikings as 2.5-point favorites over the Rams. Final score prediction: Vikings 27 – Rams 20. Check out FanDuel for all of your NFL betting needs. This is an open thread for game chat.
Cover 1, Cover 3, Cover your eyes: Cowboys defensive flip hasn’t worked
Cover 1, Cover 3, Cover your eyes: Cowboys defensive flip hasn’t worked reidhanson Most will agree, the Cowboys’ biggest shake up of the 2024 offseason was their change at defensive coordinator. Gone was Dan Quinn. After coaching the Dallas defense for three successful seasons, Quinn earned a head coaching job in our nation’s capital. Replacing him at the helm was long time coordinator Mike Zimmer. Zimmer brought with him his infamously demanding defensive scheme, a nonsense attitude and an acceptance for timely split safety looks. While the Cowboys were still expected to lean on man coverage in 2024, they were also expected to show more two-high safety looks. Zimmer was known to disguise coverage frequently and split his safeties over the top from time to time. It was a departure from his predecessor who both preferred single high safety formations and didn’t put much value is disguises. 2024 has proven to be surprising but not quite in the way many imagined. Zimmer has indeed disguised coverages, rolling safeties and linebackers at the last second to catch passers off guard, but he hasn’t moved Dallas off the single-high safety reliance. https://x.com/fball_insights/status/1848828006363529723 Between Cover 1 and Cover 3, the Cowboys play a combined 61% of their snaps in single high. While that may be down from the seasons prior, it still represents their two most popular coverages seven weeks into 2024. It’s understandable since the Cowboys have two fairly different safeties starting on their defense. Malik Hooker, traditionally their free safety, has been one of the better centerfielders in the NFL. In his last two seasons under Quinn, he ranked inside the top 15 of the 88+ safeties Pro Football Focus graded. Donovan Wilson, their primary box safety, didn’t grade as well by PFF but since the majority of his splash plays come near the line of scrimmage with him running downfield, his positioning seemed appropriate as well. Under Zimmer that has changed somewhat. Hooker’s snap percentage at deep safety has dropped from 84 percent under Quinn to 66 percent under Zimmer. Wilson’s snap percentage at deep safety has jumped from 38 percent under Quinn to 57 percent under Zimmer. While the slight increase in split safety looks accounts for some of that, the two players can be seen routinely playing each other’s roles throughout a game. Hooker can often be seen sneaking up into a box role while Wilson positions himself back as the single high. What would have been a unicorn moment in 2023 now looks commonplace on the Cowboys defense in 2024 and it’s hard to understand why. Deception is one thing, but these are typically pre-snap alignments, so the intention is stated at the start. This is just a case of role swapping and based on early returns it isn’t working out great. Based on PFF grades Wilson is having the lowest graded season of his career in 2024. He’s flashed a nice play here and there, but most will agree it’s been a pretty poor season for the man who’s on the books for $7,370,575 this season. Hooker is having a season to forget too. The former first-round pick is also having the lowest graded season of his career and is having a hard time justifying his more modest $3,985,296 cap hit as well. It seems the two players were better when they were focused on their respective expertise. Maybe run fit discipline led to change or maybe it was matchups that has Zimmer playing mix and match with his two playmakers but whatever the reason, it doesn’t seem to be worth it. The Cowboys are still leaning heavily on single high safety looks under Zimmer but where the new defensive coordinator differs from his predecessor is which safety he uses where. That may not be a good thing. Related articles [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Mazi Smith has not elevated his game against the run or the pass as hoped
Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images Even the most glowing optimists have to admit things have not looked great for Mazi Smith. Former Dallas Cowboys first-round pick Mazi Smith has been the most divisive draft pick since Taco Charlton, another Michigan alumni. Entering his final collegiate season, Smith was touted as the freakiest athlete in college football, according to Bruce Feldman’s Freak List of 2022. “Mazi’s rotational strength is ridiculous,” said longtime Michigan strength coach Ben Herbert, who said Smith is the strongest defensive lineman he’s seen in 25 years in the business. “He is an incredible combination of rare traits packaged into one player. He is just ridiculously strong and powerful.” Since then, Smith has not lived up to his No. 1 ranking and has struggled to translate the strength he showed in college to the NFL. Per NFL Pro, Smith has failed to record a single pressure on any of his 80 pass rushes this season. He is the only defensive tackle who has not registered a pressure on at least 50 pass rushes. According to NFL Pro, there have only been 16 defensive tackles to not record a pressure through Week 7 with at least 50 pass rushes since 2018. Not the historic company a young defensive tackle would want to be associated with. Even if you trust the numbers of Pro Football Focus more than NFL Pro, Smith has just two pressures on the season on pass rush snaps per PFF. That is still tied for 107th among interior defensive linemen playing at least 20 percent of the pass rush snaps. In Smith’s defense, he was not expected to be an elite pass rusher from the defensive tackle position like Aaron Donald, Chris Jones, or Dexter Lawrence. His job was to be a great run defender who Will McClay said the night he was drafted “had upside as a pass rusher.” However, he has also been underwhelming in that area, with a 29.9 PFF run defense grade (just behind fellow Cowboys DT Linval Joseph, who has a 30.1 run defense grade). The former Michigan man has shown his potential when things come together. Just a few weeks ago, against the New York Giants, Smith had the best performance of his career, flipping players like rag dolls. Mazi Smith pic.twitter.com/K4bqjuaMa9 — Jess Nevarez (@JessNevarez_) September 27, 2024 Smith’s performance against New York is what fans were hoping for when the Cowboys drafted the most exceptional athlete in college football. There’s still time for Smith to turn things around, as there’s more than half a season left in his sophomore campaign. He has not looked great in the few weeks since, but maybe the bye week did him some good. At this point, we can only hope—and that’s not how fans usually feel about a Cowboys first-round pick in the middle of their second season.
NFC Week 8 rooting guide for Cowboys fans
Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images How can this week’s other NFC games help or hurt the Dallas Cowboys? The Dallas Cowboys return to action in Week 8 coming off their bye. Sitting out didn’t hurt the team’s position within the conference; Dallas didn’t move from the 10th spot with their 3-3 record even after last week’s games. With the entire NFC playing this week, how can potential results affect the Cowboys’ playoff chances? Last week brought some shakeup as Detroit moved ahead of Minnesota in the NFC North and the Bears climbed into a wild card spot, putting all four North teams into the tournament based on current standings. Seattle’s win over Atlanta, coupled with the 49ers’ loss to the Chiefs, moved the Seahawks back into the top spot in the NFC West. Here are the NFC playoff standings going into Week 8: Detroit Lions (5-1 overall, 5-1 vs NFC) Washington Commanders (5-2 overall, 3-1 vs NFC) Seattle Seahawks (4-3 overall, 1-3 vs NFC) Atlanta Falcons (4-3 overall, 4-1 vs NFC) Minnesota Vikings (5-1 overall, 3-1 vs NFC) Green Bay Packers (5-2 overall, 2-2 vs NFC) Chicago Bears (4-2 overall, 2-0 vs NFC) ————————————————————————————— Philadelphia Eagles (4-2 overall, 3-2 vs NFC) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3 overall, 4-1 vs NFC) Dallas Cowboys (3-3 overall, 1-2 vs NFC) Arizona Cardinals (3-4 overall, 2-3 vs NFC) San Francisco 49ers (3-4 overall, 1-3 vs NFC) While beating the 49ers this week is obviously most critical to the Cowboys, the rest of the NFC’s schedule will impact them as well. Let’s run through those games and see which way we want things to swing for Dallas. Bears over CommandersBengals over Eagles Two no-brainers here as the Cowboys need to catch up to their division rivals. While Washington’s win would help the Bears in the wild card race, Dallas’ best path to the playoffs remains winning the NFC East. They still have all of their semiannual meetings with the Commanders and Eagles on the schedule, so that feels more tangible than the Cowboys worming their way into the NFC North’s stranglehold on the conference. Falcons over Buccaneers This is already the second game between Atlanta and Tampa Bay; the Falcons won the first matchup two weeks ago. Given the Bucs’ injuries, Atlanta may now be the favorites in their division. That means the Cowboys need whoever isn’t winning the NFC South to start taking some losses for any potential wild card implications. But this one is almost a push. Rams over Vikings Even with their first loss of 2024, Minnesota still looked like the second-best team in the NFC. Catching them is unlikely, but every little bit helps. At 2-4 and with a roster in shambles, Los Angeles sounds like they’re about to enter fire sale mode. Still, playing at home on a Thursday night, they could pull off an upset. Titans over LionsJaguars over PackersBills over SeahawksDolphins over Cardinals While we’re still focused on Dallas trying to win its division, these AFC-NFC games offer easy rooting decisions. Nothing about the NFC teams winning these helps the Cowboys Giants over SteelersChargers over SaintsBroncos over Panthers These last few are all about hurting New York’s position in the 2025 Draft. We never want nice things for our NFC East rivals, and especially when what the Giants really need is a new quarterback. After seeing the way Jayden Daniels has elevated the Commanders, the last thing Dallas wants is the Giants also becoming a contender again.
