A realistic look at our playoff hopes

Washington could decide the division as they have 2 games with the Eagles and also play the Cowboys at home. They almost just beat the Broncos so it is possible that us or the Eagles losses against them.
 
Bobhaze said:
The bigger hope for me is the potential for a better 2026. So many NFL success stories actually depend a ton on the decisions and moves made in the off-season.

IF…IF we have a good off-season next year adding more talent on defense, add some key FAs or smart trades, we could make a serious run again. A lot of IFs.
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Yup. Team is playing at a high level, and this playoff push is a good thing for team maturity and experience.
I was fully ready to commit to the tank but you beat both Eagles and KC to earn the right to fight it out
No matter what happens this year next year you have a very good roster to take into the season with a staff that has built a solid culture.

It has been a while since Dallas had a direction that made sense and talent on hand to compete.
 
This weekend might determine our chances. We need to beat Detroit and then have Philly lose to the Chargers. Philly isn't bad enough to lose out or anything like that, so we likely need them to lose to the Chargers as I am pretty sure they will lose to Buffalo up there later this month.

Now if that doesn't work out, you have to focus on the WC. San Fran needs to implode. They have the Bears, Colts and Seattle left. They could easily lose two of those games but that still would mean we would have to win out.
 
...we gotta hope the WC teams lose couple of games. Its NFL anything can happen.

Moreover, Eagles could also lose two/three of five. It will get interesting.
 
WillieBeamen said:
I think our biggest obstacle is winning out.

If we do that, I feel good about getting in
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:hammer:

If we handle our business, I doubt all of the teams ahead of us will win enough to stay ahead of us (i.e. CHI/LA/ SEA/SF will all win at least 3 AND PHI/GB will win at least 4 and TB/DET will win at least 5). That would require half of the NFC to finish above .670 for the remainder of the season. At least 2 of those teams will falter down the stretch. There are 11 games where the top 9 NFC teams play each other...and another 5 where they play against AFC teams currently slotted as playoff teams.
 
If we win Thursday and the Iggles lose to the Chargers Sunday, I think we will win the East. The Bears have a very hard schedule coming up as do the niners. If we win Thursday, I dont see us losing another game. I just cant imagine we miss playoffs with 11 wins.

This is why the NFL is so great. NOTHING is a given for almost all of those teams.
 
Bobhaze said:
There is no question the Cowboys have gone from embarrassingly bad to a potential playoff team in the last month. Our defense has gone from “cover your eyes” bad to above average - at least in the last 3 games. Our offense has been top shelf almost all year and looks more and more lethal as the season progresses.

In the midst of the understandable excitement of this team’s improvement, there remains certain realities this team faces about making the playoffs. With 5 games to play, here are the tough challenges in the Cowboys chances of making the playoffs:
  • Currently, the Cowboys are 1.5 games behind the suddenly staggering egirls which makes the division still within reach unless the egirls regain their footing. It’s possible their fade continues but it’s also possible they recover. (They have the commanders twice in the next 5 games)
  • The teams ahead of us in the wild card race in Week 13 - the rams, 49ers, panthers, seabags - all needed to lose and unfortunately they all won.
  • In the wild card race, the challenge appears tougher than it might be winning the division.
Here are the Current NFC Playoff Standings:
  1. Chicago Bears (9-3) NFC North Leader
  2. Los Angeles Rams (9-3) NFC West Leader
  3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4) NFC EastLeader
  4. Tampa Bay Bucs (7-5) NFC South Leader
  5. Seattle Seahawks (9-3) WC 1
  6. Green Bay Packers (8-3-1) WC 2
  7. San Francisco 49ers (9-4) WC 3
At 6-5-1, the Cowboys are currently 2.5 games behind the three teams ahead of them in the wild card hunt. Not impossible but we are going to need at least one of those WC teams ahead of us to seriously fade.

All the Cowboys can do is win their remaining games and hope for some help. The margins with 5 games left are razor thin. This Thursday’s game vs the lions is obviously huge because Det at 7-5 is also fighting for a playoff spot.

As we head down the stretch for the last 5 games, what a fun ride lays ahead. The NFL is the most unpredictable league in pro sports so don’t look at any team’s schedule and predict wins and losses. Anything can happen.
Click to expand...
As always, very nice write up . The following is our remaining schedule

Detroit 12/4
Minnesota 12/14
L.A. Chargers 12/21
Washington 12/25
NY Giants

Winning against all 5 of these teams is doable but on the flipside, it can also be said that losing against all 5 can very easily happen. I honestly don't think the Giants will be hard to beat at all. Last time we played Washington, I think we embarrassed them enough by winning by 22 points, I don't think they're going to let us put on a repeat performance... That one I actually think is going to be a tough one this time. As you said Detroit is fighting for a playoff spot. We have to have our game on right from jump if we're going to do anything. I don't think Minnesota will be much to beat but again, like any given Sunday, the second I say that they put on a display against us. Honestly, I haven't seen much of the Chargers to have an opinion.
 
Each win places us more in the conversation. None bigger than Thursday .


Lose it and it’s probably over . But we’ve been saying that for 3 or 4 weeks now.

Good news is we will be favored in the remaining games after Detroit.

If we do pull this amazing comeback off it will probably rank up their like 1970 when we fell to .500 to win rest of our games on the way to our 1st SB.

Could be first time in years we were just happy to get in. But if we continue playing like this we will be a tough out.

And could end up being the greatest turnaround season in Cowboys history.
 
Bobhaze said:
There is no question the Cowboys have gone from embarrassingly bad to a potential playoff team in the last month. Our defense has gone from “cover your eyes” bad to above average - at least in the last 3 games. Our offense has been top shelf almost all year and looks more and more lethal as the season progresses.

In the midst of the understandable excitement of this team’s improvement, there remains certain realities this team faces about making the playoffs. With 5 games to play, here are the tough challenges in the Cowboys chances of making the playoffs:
  • Currently, the Cowboys are 1.5 games behind the suddenly staggering egirls which makes the division still within reach unless the egirls regain their footing. It’s possible their fade continues but it’s also possible they recover. (They have the commanders twice in the next 5 games)
  • The teams ahead of us in the wild card race in Week 13 - the rams, 49ers, panthers, seabags - all needed to lose and unfortunately they all won.
  • In the wild card race, the challenge appears tougher than it might be winning the division.
Here are the Current NFC Playoff Standings:
  1. Chicago Bears (9-3) NFC North Leader
  2. Los Angeles Rams (9-3) NFC West Leader
  3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4) NFC EastLeader
  4. Tampa Bay Bucs (7-5) NFC South Leader
  5. Seattle Seahawks (9-3) WC 1
  6. Green Bay Packers (8-3-1) WC 2
  7. San Francisco 49ers (9-4) WC 3
At 6-5-1, the Cowboys are currently 2.5 games behind the three teams ahead of them in the wild card hunt. Not impossible but we are going to need at least one of those WC teams ahead of us to seriously fade.

All the Cowboys can do is win their remaining games and hope for some help. The margins with 5 games left are razor thin. This Thursday’s game vs the lions is obviously huge because Det at 7-5 is also fighting for a playoff spot.

As we head down the stretch for the last 5 games, what a fun ride lays ahead. The NFL is the most unpredictable league in pro sports so don’t look at any team’s schedule and predict wins and losses. Anything can happen.
Click to expand...
I’ve been saying all year don’t give up hope as the NFL is any given Sunday. They’re closer to winning the NFC East than a wildcard so that’s my hope. Glad to see others finally coming around.
 
The only option is to win out and hopefully the right teams lose
 
ColoradoCowboy said:
Nah. Those are at least good teams. No shame in losing to a good team, especially when we had no one in particular playing on defense at a LOT of positions.

It's that Cardinals game that REALLY sticks in my craw. Still makes me want to vomit.
Click to expand...
Yes two reasons there are a worse team but don't forget it was at home you should have won that game at home you cannot drop a home game to that team... It is the one and only one on our schedule that you just sit back and go how the flip did we lose that game...
 
If nothing else it turned a season which appeared dead in the sand going into Bye .

And made this season fun again. It will definitely be one we won’t forget however it ends.

And could be the type of season which carry’s over into next year.

I said all year that we’ve never had a losing record when Daks healthy . And looks like he’s going to hold that record in tact.

I’d even argue finishing 8-8-1 would be a positive ending to this season. But I’d bet we beat that.
 
For me, I am in the March Madness college basketball tournament frame of mind concerning these Cowboys on a game by game basis.

And that is...
Survive and Advance
Just keep winning
Cowboys!
 
Bobhaze said:
There is no question the Cowboys have gone from embarrassingly bad to a potential playoff team in the last month. Our defense has gone from “cover your eyes” bad to above average - at least in the last 3 games. Our offense has been top shelf almost all year and looks more and more lethal as the season progresses.

In the midst of the understandable excitement of this team’s improvement, there remains certain realities this team faces about making the playoffs. With 5 games to play, here are the tough challenges in the Cowboys chances of making the playoffs:
  • Currently, the Cowboys are 1.5 games behind the suddenly staggering egirls which makes the division still within reach unless the egirls regain their footing. It’s possible their fade continues but it’s also possible they recover. (They have the commanders twice in the next 5 games)
  • The teams ahead of us in the wild card race in Week 13 - the rams, 49ers, panthers, seabags - all needed to lose and unfortunately they all won.
  • In the wild card race, the challenge appears tougher than it might be winning the division.
Here are the Current NFC Playoff Standings:
  1. Chicago Bears (9-3) NFC North Leader
  2. Los Angeles Rams (9-3) NFC West Leader
  3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4) NFC EastLeader
  4. Tampa Bay Bucs (7-5) NFC South Leader
  5. Seattle Seahawks (9-3) WC 1
  6. Green Bay Packers (8-3-1) WC 2
  7. San Francisco 49ers (9-4) WC 3
At 6-5-1, the Cowboys are currently 2.5 games behind the three teams ahead of them in the wild card hunt. Not impossible but we are going to need at least one of those WC teams ahead of us to seriously fade.

All the Cowboys can do is win their remaining games and hope for some help. The margins with 5 games left are razor thin. This Thursday’s game vs the lions is obviously huge because Det at 7-5 is also fighting for a playoff spot.

As we head down the stretch for the last 5 games, what a fun ride lays ahead. The NFL is the most unpredictable league in pro sports so don’t look at any team’s schedule and predict wins and losses. Anything can happen.
Click to expand...
The problem predicting wins and losses in the NFL is that things are seldom predictable. Cowboys could beat the brakes off of Detroit and lay an egg against a team that has almost no life in it.

The Cowboys winning out is unlikely. Not because the Cowboys are not better than every team left on their schedule but because it is hard to win in the NFL.

Fortunately that’s also the case for the teams we are chasing. In the unlikely event that Dallas wins out it is probable that the Cowboys would get in the playoffs.

This week will narrow down the odds one way or the other. Hopefully we will get a win and the teams we need to lose will lose. We just have to continue to stack wins.
 
Unfortunately Detroit needs the upcoming game as much as Dallas. It’s going to be a playoff atmosphere.
 
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