Inside The Star
Heading into Week 14, the Dallas Cowboys suddenly find themselves in the thick of the NFC playoff race after three consecutive victories over the Raiders, Eagles, and Chiefs.
The team that once looked destined for an early offseason and high pick in the draft now look like one of the contenders for the Super Bowl, but there’s a catch: they have to make it to the playoffs first.
Dallas sits with a 6-5-1 record and ninth in the overall conference standings, just behind their next opponent, the Detroit Lions.
A victory in Detroit on Thursday Night Football would go a long way to securing that final playoff spot, but the Cowboys could use a little help from their NFC foes.
Here is your Week 14 rooting guide, letting you know all you need to know about which of the NFC teams can help the Cowboys get into the postseason tournament.
The Seattle Seahawks are playing inspired football behind their suddenly dominant defense, which so happens to include former Cowboy DeMarcus Lawrence.
Fresh off of a shutout victory over the hapless Minnesota Vikings, the Seahawks are currently the top Wildcard team, but are tied for the NFC West division lead with the Los Angeles Rams.
Cowboys fans should be rooting against Sam Darnold and the Seahawks this weekend, and put their hopes on the shoulders of Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons.
At 4-8, hoping for the Falcons to pull off the upset against a Seahawks team playing so well is not a good bet.
However, this is the NFL after all, and the Falcons have the offensive firepower to make it a shootout. They (and Cowboys fans) just might get lucky.
Here is another game that is unlikely to go in the Cowboys’ favor.
The Saints, behind rookie QB Tyler Slough, have lost six of their last seven, and there doesn’t appear to be any help coming.
For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they are in a slump of their own, having dropped four out of their past six games.
The four losses came to Detroit, New England, Buffalo, and the Los Angeles Rams; all winning teams.
Cowboys fans can pray for a miracle, but it’s not likely the Saints can take care of business on the road unless they are extra motivated by a division game.
Thanks to a big win over the Eagles last Friday coupled with a Rams’ loss to the Panthers, the Chicago Bears jumped to the top of the NFC playoff picture.
If the playoffs started today, Chicago would earn a first-round bye, but the Packers are right on their heels.
Since the Cowboys lost a head-to-head matchup with Chicago, but managed to tie Green Bay, it’s better if the Bears continue with the better record and the Packers drop in the standings.
Should the Bears win this weekend and the Cowboys pull off a road win against...
