BTB: Cowboys Begin Four-Game Sprint To The Playoffs

[jobberone]

One quarter of the season left to determine which NFC East team will make the playoffs.

The Dallas Cowboys sit atop the NFC East standings with exactly one quarter of the 2013 regular-season left to be played. Dallas is 7-5, and although tied with Philadelphia, they hold the tiebreaker advantage by beating Philly in a head-to-head matchup. The Eagles will have a chance to avenge that loss and tie the Cowboys in head-to-head percentage, but Dallas is still ahead at this point on the next tiebreaker, winning percentage in the division. Dallas is 4-0 and Philly is 3-2. The Cowboys can hold on to that tiebreaker by simply beating the Commanders in three weeks.

The Cowboys slate of four games remaining comes with two very big question marks. Will Jay Cutler play for the Bears this coming week and will Aaron Rodgers play for the Packers in two weeks? Right now both teams entertain hopes of winning their division, with the Bears having the more realistic shot. The Bears will want Jay Cutler back under center for Monday night's game, but at this point it is unknown if he will go. The Packers might just give up on bringing Rodgers back this year if the playoffs fall out of reach. They face the lowly-Falcons this week, it's possible Rodgers could play that game, or it's possible he doesn't play at all this year.

Dallas was hoping for help this past weekend in the form of a Cardinals win over the Eagles, but that failed to materialize. This week the Eagles host the Lions who are desperate to hold on to their lead in the NFC North. The two top teams in the NFC East will face the two top teams in the NFC North over the weekend.

Going the wild-card route for Dallas is not as promising a path. Both Carolina (9-3) and San Francisco (8-4) are trailing in their respective divisions but hold better records than Dallas overall. Neither looks like a team that will be giving up those spots anytime soon. Dallas hopes for the playoffs still run through the division.

The rest of the season plays out like this for Dallas and Philly.

Dallas: @ Chicago, vs. Green Bay, @ Washington, vs. Philadelphia
Philadelphia: vs. Detroit, @ Minnesota, vs. Chicago, @ Dallas

So, will the Cowboys close out strong and make the playoffs? Vote in the poll and hit us up in the comments.

http://cowboyszone.com/threads/btb-cowboys-begin-four-game-sprint-to-the-playoffs.275984/

 

[Idgit]

I'll play the odds and say 'yes.' Come on you 'I don't know' guys. Of course we don't *know.* Put some skin in the game, though.

 

[StarBoyz83]

I hope so but I just have a feeling it'll end as normal.

 

[03EBZ06]

Yes they will. I'm a firm believer that Cowboys will win the Division this season.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I say I have seen this movie before and until they can change the ending I will vote no.

PROVE IT to us Cowboys. PROVE it to us that you are ready to get over the hump and get to the playoffs.

From that point on we can work on getting further along. At this point, the way this defense is, if we earn it and win the division that is about as much as I could hope for. I of course would be sad if we made it and lost our playoff game but frankly just getting to the playoffs would be a big step for this team right now.

 

[CyberB0b]

It seems like this team is always controlling their own destiny at the end of the year and seem to come up short. I voted I don't know, because frankly, I have no idea. They were laying an egg against Oakland, but showed some heart. They have shown they can play with the best, but they have also played down to competition. They have been blown out and have dished out a blow out. Who knows?

 

[DFWJC]

Philly seems to have the more favorable schedule...except when they lose the divsion at Dallas in week 17!

I think they may come into Dallas with a 1 game lead; but Dallas wins it by beating them and winning the tie-breaker.

For those saying you've seen this before, well, you have....and we won!
In a do or die situation, the home field is huge.
Last time Dallas was in that situation and played at home, they beat Philly to win the division in 2009.

 

[cowboys2233]

I'll play the odds and say 'yes.' Come on you 'I don't know' guys. Of course we don't *know.* Put some skin in the game, though.

I hate the way those Bears games line up. If we beat Chicago, it'll actually help the Eagles later on because we'll have essentially eliminated the Bears from playoff contention and they will probably have "mailed it in" when the Eagles face them in week 16. Screw it, my prediction is that we'll win the next 3 and clinch the division prior to week 17. The Eagles will beat us and we'll laugh at them because it will mean NOTHING. LOL.

 

[cowboys1981]

I really like our chances with the additional rest for Detroit and us. Lets focus on Chicago and beat them in their house. I'll be rooting hard for the Lions on Sunday.

 

[cowboys2233]

I really like our chances with the additional rest for Detroit and us.

SSHHHH!! Peter King will hear you!!

 

[cowboys1981]

SSHHHH!! Peter King will hear you!!

Lol!! He'll quote me and say its from a Cowboy source.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

If the Cowboys can beat Chicago on the road in December to win three in a row, I'll be impressed.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

I say I have seen this movie before and until they can change the ending I will vote no.

PROVE IT to us Cowboys. PROVE it to us that you are ready to get over the hump and get to the playoffs.

From that point on we can work on getting further along. At this point, the way this defense is, if we earn it and win the division that is about as much as I could hope for. I of course would be sad if we made it and lost our playoff game but frankly just getting to the playoffs would be a big step for this team right now.

Every time someone votes no, a puppy gets kicked. Just FYI...

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Every time someone votes no, a puppy gets kicked. Just FYI...

No you were misinformed....

 

[RastaRocket]

All hail Sean Lee!

We will make the playoffs because of his return. And yes, if you were wondering, he will intercept Nick Foles.

 

[Nation]

I went with No because I think Philadelphia is better than us. I know we held the Eagles to 3 points, but I think that is not my norm expectation from both how our defense played and how Foles played.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

No you were misinformed....

I love that movie.

"He hates these cans!"

 

[Kevinicus]

Philly seems to have the more favorable schedule...except when they lose the divsion at Dallas in week 17!

I think they may come into Dallas with a 1 game lead; but Dallas wins it by beating them and winning the tie-breaker.

For those saying you've seen this before, well, you have....and we won!
In a do or die situation, the home field is huge.
Last time Dallas was in that situation and played at home, they beat Philly to win the division in 2009.

That wasn't a do or die game...the playoff game was though.

 

[DFWJC]

That wasn't a do or die game...the playoff game was though.

Yeah, someone mentioned that.
It was only do or die for the division title plus home field, but not for a playoff birth.

 

[cowboys1981]

I went with No because I think Philadelphia is better than us. I know we held the Eagles to 3 points, but I think that is not my norm expectation from both how our defense played and how Foles played.

Shutting down Foles had a lot to do with us stopping McCoy that game. Stopping McCoy gave them little hope rushing and it made their passing attack predictable.

Not saying you are, but some point to the bad winds contributing to their lack offense, but we had to play in that weather as well.

I'm confident in beating Philly because we can do a better job protecting our line than they can.