Cowboys still have to navigate a tough road to win division, No. 1 seed

Dec 11, 2023
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Cowboys' QB Dak Prescott looks to pass vs Buffalo

The Cowboys dominating 33-13 victory over the Eagles on Sunday night tied the two teams for first in the NFC East.

It also put both teams into a three-way tie with the 49ers for the best record in the NFC at 10-3.

As it stands now, the 49ers have the tie-breakers for the top seed in the playoffs. Dallas is currently in first in the NFC East.

But the Cowboys’ current tie-breaker advantage over Philadelphia vanishes if the Eagles win out no matter what Dallas does.

The Cowboys also have the toughest remaining schedule of the three teams.

Dallas faces the Bills (7-6) in Buffalo next week, the plays division leaders Miami (9-3) on the road and Detroit (9-4) at home.

A road win over Washington is never a lock either. So Dallas needs to keep winning and then get help.

The Eagles’ toughest remaining opponent is coming up next Monday when they play the Seahawks (6-7) in Seattle.

Philadelphia has two games with the Giants (4-8) and they host a game with the lowly Cardinals.

The 49ers will host the Ravens (10-3) in two weeks with their other three opponents being the Cardinals, Commanders, and Rams.

Clearly, Dallas must win out and get one more loss from the Eagles and 49ers if they want the division and the No. 1 seed.

History Against Dallas?

Since the NFL expanded from a 14-game schedule to a 16-game slate in 1978, then to 17 games in 1990 and 18 games in 2021, Dallas has not fared well.

The Cowboys are 25-20 in Week 15 games and 24-21 in Week 16 games. But they are a woeful 13-21 in Week 17. That is right at .500.

They are 2-1 in Week 18 games, winning in 2021 and losing in 2022. Dallas won a Week 18 game scheduled in 1993 when the NFL tried out two bye weeks for that season.

A miserable week in fantasy football for Cowboys' players 1
Tyreek Hill (10) and the Miami Dolphins will be a tough foe in Week 16.

Dallas is 0-1 against both Miami and Buffalo and 1-2 against Detroit in games played over the final four weeks of the season.

Overall though, Dallas is 8-5 against Buffalo, despite having lost the last two meetings. The Cowboys are 3-3 in games played in Buffalo.

Dallas is 8-7 overall against the Dolphins, winning the last four contests.

The Cowboys are 4-2 in games played at Miami.

Dallas enjoys an 18-12 mark over the Lions with five straight wins under their belt over that franchise. They are 12-3 at home when playing Detroit.

Assuming Dallas runs the gauntlet, and gets one loss from the Eagles and 49ers, they will head for Washington with a 77-48-2 record over the Commanders.

But Dallas is just 34-31 in games played at Washington.

Against The Eagles All-Time

Dallas is now 6-3 against the Eagles in Week 14 matchups – 4-1 when those games are played in Texas.

The Cowboys are 74-56 all-time against Philadelphia.

The Cowboys have won the last six meetings at AT&T Stadium and hold a 10-6 mark at their newest home.

They were 26-14 in games played at Texas Stadium and 7-4 at the Cotton Bowl. 

How Hard Can It Be?

The Kansas City Chiefs appeared to score the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter on Sunday.

Travis Kelce improvised, lateraling the football after catching a pass to Kardarius Toney. Toney raced into the endzone for the apparent score.

Only one problem though.

Toney had lined up offsides on the play. And it wasn’t even close.

Replay showed Toney with his foot well across the line at the snap. Making it even worse, he was looking right down the line at the ball.

(Screengrab of the play showing Toney lined up offsides.)

The Cowboys have had some critical offsides calls go against them under similar circumstances with players lined up incorrectly.

Seriously, how hard can it be guys? And for a receiver, they have the ability to check with the official standing right there.

Brutally bad work there, especially given Toney’s woes with dropped passes this year,

Expect a much different receiver room in Kansas City next year.

Anyone Have Any Points To Spare

Sunday saw two of its NFL games go into halftime in a scoreless tie for the first time since Oct. 30, 1988.

One of the teams involved (Houston) didn’t even exist back then. Another (Las Vegas) was playing in a different city entirely.

Both the Houston-Texans-New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings-Las Vegas Raiders games failed to record a single first-half point.

The Texans and Jets managed to find where they left their offenses by the second half. The Jets won the game 30-6.

The Vikings and Raiders never quite did.

Greg Joseph’s 36-yard field goal with just under two minutes left in the game accounted for all of the scoring.

The 3-0 final sounded more like an upcoming Twins-Athletics game with Oakland’s baseball team moves to Vegas in 2028.

One of the teams involved in 1988’s “First Half of Futility’ was the Cowboys. Dallas hosted the Phoenix Cardinals at Texas Stadium and the teams were tied 0-0 at halftime.

Phoenix won the game 16-10 on two Earl Ferrell touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

Phoenix Cardinals quarterback Neil Lomax (15) threw a touchdown pass to Earl Ferrell (31) after the two teams played to a scoreless first half tie on Oct. 30, 1988. (AP Photo/Rob Schumacher)

The other 1988 game was Miami at Tampa Bay. The Dolphins won, scoring 17 point in the third quarter.

The Buccaneers answered with 14 in the fourth after a scoreless first half.

Richard Paolinelli

Richard Paolinelli

Richard Paolinelli is a sports journalist and author. In addition to his work at InsideTheStar.com, he has a Substack -- Dispatches From A SciFi Scribe – where he discusses numerous topics, including sports in general. He started his newspaper career in 1991 with the Gallup (NM) Independent before going to the Modesto (CA) Bee, Gustine (CA) Press-Standard, and Turlock (CA) Journal -- where he won the 2001 Best Sports Story, in the annual California Newspaper Publishers Association’s Better Newspapers Contest. He then moved to the Merced (CA) Sun-Star, Tracy (CA) Press, Patch and finished his career in 2011 with the San Francisco (CA) Examiner. He has written two Non-Fiction sports books, 11 novels, and has over 30 published short stories.

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Apinan Lertpruk
Apinan Lertpruk
Dec 11, 2023 11:26 AM

We need to win out and hope the Eagles lose 1 game.

Brian McVicker
Brian McVicker
Dec 11, 2023 12:04 PM

And the 9ners

Jeff Clark
Jeff Clark
Dec 11, 2023 12:47 PM

We gotta win one game at a time

Selina Conquest
Selina Conquest
Dec 11, 2023 5:32 PM
Reply to  Jeff Clark

Jeff Clark exactly and we’re going to let the haters keep talking

Jeremy Hedgemon
Jeremy Hedgemon
Dec 11, 2023 2:44 PM

Excellent game, but still a long way to go. Great team win 10-3 Dallas Cowboys.But now it’s time to get ready and turn the page to the 7-6 Buffalo Bills we can’t afford to this team lightly and come out slow out the gates we got to stomp our foot on there necks and pushiest them all game long to let’s them we coming for them for 60 minutes for 4 quarters alright from the opening kickoff.And Dallas Cowboys players need to come out with hit first punch mentality mindset to be.The aggressive hunger toughness resiliency dominant purpose to go out there and set the MF tone in all 3 phases of the football on the offensive side run the ball down the ball down there throats and push these players back on there heels in the trenches to let’s them we coming and going to hit the mouth all game long from the opening kickoff until the end of the game on the defensive side play up into your man to be more physically then they are alright to let’s them get the ball to there best players on the offensive side of there ball.There already saying we are -1.5 underdogs going to there place and that’s Highmark Stadium in Erie County,in Buffalo and people alright doubting we wouldn’t haven’t any other way need be more hunger this week and go out there and play Dallas cowboys we need to bring it down.There Dallas Cowboys Nation with 36,000 screaming rowdiness loudest proudest roaring nosies passion fans to help our players feed off our energy from the opening kickoff in prime time week 15 on NFL on FOX at 3:25pm tho with big game feel and let’s goo out there and make our on statement and play to our standards and we can’t afford to take our foot off gas pedal and do there little things to be ready this coming Sunday evening and have that’s sense of urgency alright and go out there and seize everything tho and our preparation film study and on the practice field this week to go out there and up our play to another level going on the road and stay in the moment!!!

Fred Goodwin
Fred Goodwin
Dec 11, 2023 2:51 PM

That inexcusable loss to the pitiful Cardinals will come back to haunt them.

VAM
VAM
Dec 11, 2023 6:02 PM

Cowboys have the tougher remaining schedule, at least on paper. Bills can be a real tough out as they are fighting for a potential playoff spot, and Allen can be exceptional at times. They should be the hungrier of the two teams.

Good, interesting stat info on different weeks/teams of the schedule for the Boys. Toney made a big blunder, but IMO Mahomes came off like a spoiled brat on the sidelines and afterwards. What a difference between players today (especially QBs who get all kinds of protection) and years ago. Can’t image a Staubach throwing a juvenile temper tantrum like that.

One note, I don’t think Philly plays the Rams. I think it’s the Cardinals, Giants twice and Seattle.

Richard Paolinelli
Dec 11, 2023 6:26 PM
Reply to  VAM

I think Mahomes’ meltdown was more a season of frustration with his receivers not named Kelce finally boiling over. That was clearly an offsides that had to be called. And Staubach would not have melted down like that, he’d just look over at Landry, who’d look up through the hole in the roof for a few moments and then the ref would have picked up the flag, lol.

And you are correct, I apparently had the Rams on the brain. Philadelphia does get to host the Cardinals instead of heading out to play the Rams. The story has been updated and thanks for catching that – and for reading as well.

Pablo Lopez
Pablo Lopez
Dec 12, 2023 11:18 AM

Gauntlet two down two to go next up the Bills let’s concentrate on beating the Bills

Mike Dougherty
Mike Dougherty
Dec 12, 2023 12:10 PM

They’ll be ready

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