Cowboys playing a major role in who wins the NFC East

A 10-7 record is not going to be good enough to win the NFC East in 2024.

Since that is the absolute best record the Dallas Cowboys can end the year with, that rules them out of defending their title. Barring, of course, the Eagles and Commanders both collapsing in record fashion.

So, the Cowboys now have two goals in mind:

The first is to try to keep their very slim hopes for the playoffs alive by winning out. The second, should the first fail to materialize, is to play spoiler.

They already did that on Sunday with that wild win over the Commanders in D.C.

They have one more game against both Washington and Philadelphia this year. Dallas may not make the playoffs themselves, but they’re going to have a say on who does in the NFC East, and where they will be seeded.

Dallas Cowboys (4-7)

We’ve now had an extra day to process the Cowboys’ unexpected win over Washington on Sunday.

Nope, I still don’t believe that fourth quarter. Not with key players on the bench and back in Dallas.

The win kept the Cowboys’ slim playoff hopes alive.

They’ll need to focus on each game as it comes, and not get caught looking ahead.

Great advice, especially with Thursday’s game against the Giants looming. A trap game loss is the last thing Dallas needs to endure.

One would point out the running game seemed to be working better on Sunday.

Whether or not that was due to them going up against a Dan Quinn defense which traditionally struggles against the run, or the makeshift offensive line, remains to be seen.

But Dallas did seem to find room to run behind T.J. Bass and Brock Hoffman. Just saying…

Next game: hosting New York Giants, Thursday, 3:30 p.m.

New York Giants (2-9)

The Giants are in a race with the Jaguars and Raiders for the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft.

Losers of sixth straight, New York doesn’t have a winnable game remaining on the schedule. They would appear to be a lock for that top pick.

The only question remaining about the Giants is which dire position of need they will address with that top pick?

Do they replace Saquon Barkley, who they foolishly let leave in free agency, with Ashton Jeanty? Or do they buy into the hype and get Shedeur Sanders at quarterback?

One thing is for sure, by demoting and then releasing quarterback Daniel Jones prior to getting walloped by Tampa Bay on Sunday, the Giants have clearly thrown in the towel on 2024.

They might throw their head coach and GM out the door behind that towel in about six weeks too.

Next game: at Dallas, Thursday, 3:30 p.m.

Philadelphia (9-2)

The Eagles have pretty much put the rest of the NFC East far behind them.

The win over the Rams on Sunday night kept them one game behind Detroit in the race for the NFC’s top seed and first-round bye. The Lions do have a slightly tougher schedule remaining.

Philadelphia is showing no signs of repeating last year’s epic collapse down the stretch.

They are a much better team. They are also a better coached team, with two solid coordinators that can overcome the handicap of having Nick Sirianni as head coach.

If the Eagles are on a championship run, they need to send a share of the playoff winnings to the Giants front office.

Letting Saquon Barkley walk in free agency, and to a division opponent, is going to go down as the worst front office call in NFL history.

Next game: at Baltimore, Sunday, 3:25 p.m.

Washington Commanders (7-5)

Over the first half of the season, Quinn and the Mighty Commanders were the talk of the NFC.

At 7-2, Washington was in first place in the NFC East and chasing the Detroit Lions for the potential first-week bye in the playoffs.

Since then? Washington has lost three in a row and the Lions are chewing up anything that gets in their way.

Now it’s no longer a question of if Washington will win the division, and possibly a playoff bye. Now, it’s a question of whether or not they’ll even make the playoffs at all.

The Commanders are only a half-game ahead of the Arizona Cardinals for the last wild card spot, with the Rams, Bucs, and 49ers all within striking distance.

Washington needs to hit the reset button, and fast, or else the Eagles will be the lone NFC East in the playoffs.

Next game: hosting Tennessee, Sunday, Noon.