The Dallas Cowboys finished the regular season with the best record in the NFC, which means they get home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, and also get a bye week this weekend. One of the benefits of having the bye week during the playoffs is the fact that it allows teams to get healthier, which is something the Cowboys are taking advantage of at the moment, that for sure changes the odds in most US top sportsbooks. Morris Claiborne and La'el Collins, who have missed some time dealing with injuries, are expected to be back at practice and should be able to play next week.
The bye week also gives players like Jonathan Cooper, who recently signed with the team, extra time to learn the team's playbook since Randy Gregory has been suspended for a year by the NFL.
The extra week also gives the Cowboys more time to prepare for their opponents, which will be either the Detroit Lions, New York Giants, or the Green Bay Packers. So which one of these three opponents do the Cowboys stack up best against?
New York Giants
This might be the one team the Cowboys do not want to meet in the playoffs after losing two regular season match-ups between the NFC East rivals. The Giants' defense was able to stifle the Cowboys' offense and with Jason Pierre-Paul expected back in the lineup, things will be even more difficult for Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense.
Despite losing two games to the Giants, the Cowboys are confident they can defeat their rivals because both games they played were close and could have gone either way. Despite the team's confidence, it is safe to say they would rather not play New York if they had a choice.
Detroit Lions
Cowboys fans will likely love to play the Lions the most after the beat down Dallas put on them during the regular season. Quarterback Matthew Stafford hasn't been the same since he injured his finger and his team limped into the playoffs, losing their final three games. However, it is unlikely the Cowboys will get to play the Lions, who travel to Seattle to take on the Seahawks this weekend.
Green Bay Packers
The Cowboys defeated the Packers convincingly on the road, which normally would make any team confident about their chances in a rematch. However, the Packers lost that game while they were in the middle of a four game losing streak and weren't playing very well at the time.
At the end of the season, the Packers were one of the hottest teams in the NFL, reeling off six consecutive wins to clinch their division and a playoff berth, which makes them one of the most dangerous teams in the playoffs.
Since the Cowboys won the NFC, they won't have to travel to Lambeau Field this time around, which makes a big difference. But, since they will be going up against Aaron Rodgers, who threw 15 touchdowns and zero interceptions during the six-game winning streak, there are no guarantees they will defeat the Packers if they meet again.
