Inside The Star
As the NFL turns the final stretch into Week 13, Cowboys fans once again have found new hope after a big victory over the defending Super Bowl Champion and NFC East division-leading Philadelphia Eagles to improve their record to 5-5-1.
The win, coupled with a loss by the Carolina Panthers, has bumped the Cowboys to 9th in the NFC Playoff picture.
Just three weeks ago, a playoff berth seemed like a long shot, but now, the path to the playoffs is clear: win at all costs, and pray for some help from their NFC foes.
However, this is the NFL, and expecting the Cowboys to run the table into the playoffs might be your Christmas wish, but it’s unlikely to happen.
Dallas will likely stumble along the way.
It might be against the Chiefs on Thanksgiving, or maybe the Lions the following Thursday night. The loss might even be to the Justin Herbert-led Chargers.
Either way, it’s safe to assume the Cowboys will need some help from their NFC foes to reach the postseason.
That’s why today we will be discussing which outcomes need to happen in Week 13 to clear the path for the Cowboys to reach the tournament after the regular season is over.
The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions are not only fighting for a playoff spot, but they are also in a race to the finish to win the NFC North title.
I chose the Lions as the victim in this scenario because Dallas has already tied with the Packers, and Green Bay holds the current advantage in a tiebreaker because they are two games ahead of the Cowboys in conference record.
It’s almost a double-point scenario because the Lions are the next opponent for the Cowboys after Kansas City on Thanksgiving Day.
In a span of 2 weeks, the Lions could drop from 7-4 to 7-6, clearing the way for the possible 7-5-1 Cowboys to leapfrog them in the standings.
You might be wondering why I’m choosing the Eagles over the Bears here, but my logic is simple: Dallas already lost a head to head battle with Chicago, and I also don’t see it likely they can catch Philadelphia for the division title.
I would prefer that the Eagles have the higher seed in the playoffs, considering the fact the Cowboys would end up likely sixth or seventh seed.
A third matchup with their division rival seems like a better chance to advance than a second meeting with a Bears team that is getting better week by week.
Also, just imagine the atmosphere in Philadelphia, and how sweet it would be to go into hostile territory and eliminate the defending Super Bowl champions from the playoffs.
The Los Angeles Rams sit atop the NFC with a record that the Cowboys are not likely to reach. For this reason, the best outcome of this game is to...
