As the NFL turns the final stretch into Week 13, Cowboys fans once again have found new hope after a big victory over the defending Super Bowl Champion and NFC East division-leading Philadelphia Eagles to improve their record to 5-5-1.
The win, coupled with a loss by the Carolina Panthers, has bumped the Cowboys to 9th in the NFC Playoff picture.
Just three weeks ago, a playoff berth seemed like a long shot, but now, the path to the playoffs is clear: win at all costs, and pray for some help from their NFC foes.
However, this is the NFL, and expecting the Cowboys to run the table into the playoffs might be your Christmas wish, but it’s unlikely to happen.
Dallas will likely stumble along the way.
It might be against the Chiefs on Thanksgiving, or maybe the Lions the following Thursday night. The loss might even be to the Justin Herbert-led Chargers.
Either way, it’s safe to assume the Cowboys will need some help from their NFC foes to reach the postseason.
That’s why today we will be discussing which outcomes need to happen in Week 13 to clear the path for the Cowboys to reach the tournament after the regular season is over.
Packers (7-3-1) over Lions (7-4)
The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions are not only fighting for a playoff spot, but they are also in a race to the finish to win the NFC North title.
I chose the Lions as the victim in this scenario because Dallas has already tied with the Packers, and Green Bay holds the current advantage in a tiebreaker because they are two games ahead of the Cowboys in conference record.
It’s almost a double-point scenario because the Lions are the next opponent for the Cowboys after Kansas City on Thanksgiving Day.
In a span of 2 weeks, the Lions could drop from 7-4 to 7-6, clearing the way for the possible 7-5-1 Cowboys to leapfrog them in the standings.
Eagles (8-3) over Bears (8-3)
You might be wondering why I’m choosing the Eagles over the Bears here, but my logic is simple: Dallas already lost a head to head battle with Chicago, and I also don’t see it likely they can catch Philadelphia for the division title.
I would prefer that the Eagles have the higher seed in the playoffs, considering the fact the Cowboys would end up likely sixth or seventh seed.
A third matchup with their division rival seems like a better chance to advance than a second meeting with a Bears team that is getting better week by week.
Also, just imagine the atmosphere in Philadelphia, and how sweet it would be to go into hostile territory and eliminate the defending Super Bowl champions from the playoffs.
Rams (9-2) over Panthers (6-6)
The Los Angeles Rams sit atop the NFC with a record that the Cowboys are not likely to reach. For this reason, the best outcome of this game is to drop the Panthers to 6-7.
Dallas has unfortunately already lost a head to head matchup with Carolina, so relying on other teams to worsen their record is a must.
The tie with Green Bay actually might help the Cowboys in the long run.
If they end up with the same amount of wins as Carolina, that tie actually puts Dallas ahead in the standings.
Matthew Stafford has been playing lights out, and I fully expect the Rams to easily win this game and help the Cowboys move up in the NFC standings.
Arizona (3-8) over Tampa Bay (6-5)
This is the first game in the Week 13 rooting guide where we need the team with the worse record to somehow pull out a victory.
The NFC South division has been subpar, with the top three teams still in the hunt because the division-leading Buccaneers sit with a 6-5 record, a mere half game ahead of the 6-6 Panthers, and two games ahead of the 4-7 Falcons.
It would behoove the Cowboys for the Panthers to somehow win the division, leaving the fight for a Wildcard spot with the Buccaneers instead of the Panthers, who Dallas would lose a tiebreaker to because of the head-to-head loss.
Arizona is still led by QB Jacoby Brissett, who has been playing some good football despite the team’s record.
It’s the NFL, and it’s any given Sunday. Arizona could pull off the upset, especially with Baker Mayfield dealing with an injured shoulder.
Vikings (4-7) over Seahawks (8-3)
Here is another game that is unlikely to end with the outcome Cowboys fans would hope for.
Seattle is one game behind the Rams for the NFC West lead, so they sit as the 5th seed in the current NFC playoff picture despite having the same record as the second and third seeds.
The reason Cowboys fans should want the Seahawks to lose as many games as possible is because they are unlikely to leapfrog the Rams for the division lead, so they are essentially in a battle for a Wildcard with the Cowboys.
Seattle has a 2.5 game lead on Dallas in the standings, but the Cowboys can try and close the gap with help from their NFC friends.
Minnesota still has a date with the Cowboys, and they sit 1.5 games behind Dallas in the standings.
The Cowboys can afford to let them close that gap a bit, considering there is a head-to-head matchup coming up.
As Cowboys fans, all we can do is follow this Week 13 rooting guide and hope for the best.
They need to take care of their own business, and then let the playoff chips fall where they may.
