The Cowboys' 41-35 win on Thursday was crucial in many aspects.
It was their 14th straight home win. They are also guaranteed a winning season for the third straight year.
The Cowboys last did that between the 2016-18 season after not having done it since a five-year run from 2005-09.
They are all but certain to have a third straight double-digit-wins season. The last time they did that was from 1991-1996.
And finally they are likely locked in for a third-straight playoff appearance.
Something else they haven't accomplished since that five-year run from 1991-96.
Bring On The Eagles
Sunday's showdown against the Eagles might be the biggest game Dallas has faced in a very long time.
A win and they are tied for first.
Philadelphia will face Seattle on the road next. Dallas will have to run a gauntlet of Philadelphia, Miami, Buffalo, and Detroit.
But if they win all four then the pressure will all fall onto the Eagles to keep pace.
Dallas is 73-56 all-time against the Eagles. They are 42-24 at home and have beaten Philadelphia the last five games played in Texas.
Thursday's Struggles Impacting Dan Quinn's Future?
During the Cowboys' recent three-game run – prior to the Seahawks game – Dan Quinn was all but a lock to be offered a head coaching slot in 2024.
The defense looked bad for most of the game against Seattle.
It was the third game this year that Quinn's defense has come out flat-footed. It cost Dallas one win and nearly a second.
The third game was the blowout loss in San Francisco.
It is interesting to note that all three games have come against NFC West opponents.
It's unlikely that Quinn's stock will drop, especially if the defense rebounds down the stretch. But Quinn will definitely get looked at.
If he goes elsewhere to be a head coach, who would replace him? Al Harris has done a great job coaching the defensive backs.
Harris would be a good replacement.
There might also be a former Cowboys' player out there who could step in if Quinn is hired away. He even played under Jimmy Johnson.
Who might that be? Well, since you asked…
Y'all Fired The Wrong Coach
Jack Del Rio was a linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys from 1989-91. He's been a head coach and a defensive coordinator around the NFL.
After the Cowboys destroyed the Commanders on Thanksgiving Day, Del Rio was fired as Washington's defensive coordinator.
He was one of two coaches on the defensive side of the ball that head coach Ron Rivera threw under the bus. Likely to save his own job.
But after the Dolphins torched Washington on Sunday, one wonders if the wrong man got shown the door.
Del Rio is a good coach. He could help this defense if Quinn is elsewhere in 2024.
By The Numbers
The win on Thursday moved Dallas to 12-10 all-time against the Seahawks. They are 8-4 at home against Seattle.
It was also the third-straight Week 13 win for Dallas and moved them to 28-12 at home and 40-23 overall all-time for the week.
The Cowboys are now 4-1 against the Seahawks in Week 13 contests.
Grand Theft Playoffs
The only people not being critical of Sunday's announcement of the Final Four in college football's playoffs are Alabama fans and SEC officials.
Only in a bizzarro world does an undefeated Power 5 conference champion not make a field that boasts two one-loss champions.
The three undefeated champions – Michigan, Washington, and Florida State – should have been automatic. The fourth slot should have been between Texas and Alabama.
With both teams being one-loss champions the obvious tie-breaker would be the head-to-head matchup – won by Texas at Alabama.
But the committee, fueled by an SEC bias that is long overdue to be jettisoned, twisted itself into a pretzel to find the flimsiest reason to screw over Florida State.
The excuse that the Seminoles would play without their starting quarterback is nonsense. Florida State's last two wins without him came against quality opponents.
Alabama needed a one-in-a-million miracle two weeks ago against a mediocre Auburn team.
Some of Alabama's wins in 2023? Middle Tennessee, South Florida, and Chattanooga.
Powerhouses all right there, right? They barely beat Texas A&M and Arkansas at that.
The good news is that this will be the last year of the four-team playoff format. Conference champions will not be cheated again.
But the Seminoles were flat out robbed. The members of the committee should be ashamed of themselves.
