So much has been happening in the football world over the last few weeks. It's pretty common to see teams go up and down in the playoff picture as the postseason gets closer. The Dallas Cowboys have successfully clinched the playoffs and will for sure be in.
However, believe it or not, the Cowboys can still clinch not only the NFC East division, but the #1 overall seed. Let's explore multiple scenarios on how the Cowboys can promote their seeding position going into the playoffs.
NFC East Division:
This outcome is a bit simpler than you may think, with the Philadelphia Eagles losing yesterday to the New Orleans Saints (thank you Andy Dalton), the Cowboys can win the NFC East. In order for this to occur, you would need:
- The Philadelphia Eagles need to lose to the New York Giants
- The Dallas Cowboys beat the Washington Commanders
Simple! One thing that does come to mind is that the Giants may not play their starters on Sunday against the Eagles. The reason for this is that they have clinched the 6th seed no matter what (even with another loss).
For the Commanders, they may not play any of their starters either now that they are eliminated from the postseason, so that should make it easy for the Cowboys. Overall, the chances of the Eagles losing to the Giants are going to be pretty low this weekend. I would love to see the boys overtake the dirty birds and win the division but I just don't think it'll happen.
The #1 Seed:
I find it pretty hard to believe that there's a chance the Cowboys can become the #1 seed in the NFC. After a couple of heartbreaking losses and an Eagles team that refuses to lose, it's neat that we have a chance. However, this is where things get complicated, here's what needs to happen.
- Philadelphia Eagles lose to New York Giants
- Dallas Cowboys beat Washington Commanders
- San Francisco 49ers lose to Arizona Cardinals
That's it, even that doesn't sound too unrealistic. I was going to also add that the Minnesota Vikings needed to lose a game however they just lost to the Green Bay Packers, 17-41 on Sunday, and because the Cowboys destroyed them earlier in the season they would break the tie with their records.
Again, It's hard to see the Giants beating the Eagles this weekend, but it's even harder seeing the 49ers losing to the Cardinals. While Quarterback Brock Purdy is making the name “Mr. Irrelevent” age like milk, the 49ers have become a terrifying team that I would not want to play in the postseason.
Perhaps Defensive End J.J. Watt can come in clutch though (considering it is his last game before retirement) against the 49ers but still, it's a long shot. The good news is even if the 49ers don't lose, but the Eagles do, then the Cowboys can take the #2 seed in the NFC.
For those who are asking “why would San Frinsico own the tiebreaker against the Cowboys?” It is because they are 5-0 against their division while the Cowboys are 4-1 against theirs. If that wasn't the case then the Cowboys wouldn't need them to win or lose.
While this is a bit far-fetched at the moment, it is still a possibility and not far off from happening. The percentage of all three of those events happening is defiantly below 8%, but it's not totally out of the question. I would love to see us pull away but for now, I am happy we will make the playoffs and I can not wait for the postseason.
