Realistically, the Eagles will win the East. So, here's the wild-card race

[30yrheel]

Still say we had to beat Philly twice and win the nfce. Not a good year to hope for a wildcard.

 

[Wayne02]

Stopping their run game had a lot to do with their passing attack. We basically were step by step with their receivers most of the game. We forced him to make bad throws. We put the game in the QB's hand and prevailed. They even used a quick highlight replay on how all of our DBs were stride for stride with their receivers most of the game.

They also showed plenty of highlights where Maclin and Jackson were running free without a defender in sight and Foles couldn't make the throws.

 

[cowboys1981]

They also showed plenty of highlights where Maclin and Jackson were running free without a defender in sight and Foles couldn't make the throws.

Couldn't make throws because he kept getting a lot of pressure. When that happens that mental clock shrinks.

 

[KJJ]

Not a good year to hope for a wildcard.

No it's not there's 6 teams with 4 losses or less and SF has 5 losses. This will likely be the 4th straight season the Cowboys will need to win the division to make the playoffs and that won't be an easy task with Philly on pace for a 13-3 season.

 

[toto1939]

Tiebreaks are head-to-head, division record, conference record?

Actually...no (according to Star-Telegram article I read yesterday). When it comes to wild card selections, the conference record comes ahead of head-to-head, so it may not make much difference that we beat the Seahawks and lost to the 49ers and to the Cardinals (who may end up in the wild card race the way they are now dropping games). Unfortunately, our conference record is NOT good, so we are going to be in trouble relying on tie-breakers.

 

[MRV52]

Who cares, the road to the Superbowl is going through Green Bay. Good luck to any team that thinks they can beat them at Lambeau after today's performance. Only team that has a shot of beating them is Seattle Imo.

 

[CowboyStar88]

Fans will say, "Just win and none of this tiebreaker stuff matters!"............except, of course, we all know Dallas isn't going to just keep on winning. We'll be very lucky to be end up 11-5.



The Eagles are 3-0 in the NFC East. The Cowboys are 2-2.

For Dallas to win the division tiebreaker, the Cowboys would have to go undefeated over their remaining division games to finish 4-2 while the Eagles would have to go winless over their remaining division games to finish 3-3. Not going to happen, really.

For the Cowboys to overtake the Eagles directly via superior win-loss record, they'd need some unlikely Eagles collapse. For Dallas to be 12-4 and Philly 11-5, for instance, the Cowboys would have to finish 4-0 and the Eagles finish 2-2. Or the Cowboys could go 3-1, but the Eagles would have to go 1-3.

So let's look at the wild cards.

We really need Arizona to keep on winning. We don't want the Cardinals to fall to the wild card level, because they hold the tiebreaker over Dallas. If the Cardinals fall to the wild card level, the Cowboys could get ejected from a playoff berth.

We want San Francisco to keep on losing. They hold the tiebreaker over Dallas. Right now Dallas is 8-4 and San Fran is 7-5, so let's keep things that way; them a game below us. We want Detroit and Seattle to keep on losing.

Again, if we keep winning, the division title might be ours - but let's be frank: The wild card playoff berth is, realistically, where it's at.

Personally I think we end up at 10-6 and miss the playoffs because of the tie breaker stuff. What is it only one other team missed the playoffs after 10 wins right?

 

[mldardy]

Who cares, the road to the Superbowl is going through Green Bay. Good luck to any team that thinks they can beat them at Lambeau after today's performance. Only team that has a shot of beating them is Seattle Imo.

So because they won today means no one will beat Green Bay and everyone should just give up. The Packers didn't exactly dominate today. There's 4 more weeks to play all of these games and plenty of teams and the ones that do make the playoffs don't care about playing in Lambeau when they have a chance to get to the Super Bowl. Every team that is in the playoffs has a shot to win in Lambeau.

 

[Alexander]

So because they won today means no one will beat Green Bay and everyone should just give up. The Packers didn't exactly dominate today. There's 4 more weeks to play all of these games and plenty of teams and the ones that do make the playoffs don't care about playing in Lambeau when they have a chance to get to the Super Bowl. Every team that is in the playoffs has a shot to win in Lambeau.

So you believe Buffalo, Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Detroit will beat the Packers?

I get that the Lions beat them before, but that game was not at Lambeau.

 

[Alexander]

Personally I think we end up at 10-6 and miss the playoffs because of the tie breaker stuff. What is it only one other team missed the playoffs after 10 wins right?

Arizona did it just last year. Now they come back and well, due to bad luck and things, they could do it again.

There is no moral victory winning ten games and missing out.

It just means you lost a game along the way that you should have won.

 

[mldardy]

So you believe Buffalo, Atlanta, Tampa Bay and Detroit will beat the Packers?

I get that the Lions beat them before, but that game was not at Lambeau.

No that's not what I said. I meant the teams in playoff contention and the ones that do make the playoffs. So don't be silly with that ridiculous question. The playoffs are a different animal and teams are not going to be afraid because they have to go to Lambeau because people like you think the Packers are invincible. It doesn't work that way in the playoffs and the Packers have lost in Lambeau in the playoffs so it is not even close to impossible.

 

[mldardy]

Personally I think we end up at 10-6 and miss the playoffs because of the tie breaker stuff. What is it only one other team missed the playoffs after 10 wins right?

New England also missed at 11-5 in 2008 I believe. This year is one of those rare seasons, well not that rare as it happened to the Cards last year, where a good team could miss the playoffs.

 

[kramskoi]

No the division is realistically where its at .. Some are glass half empty .. Others are glass half full .. I'm like fill the glass back up please

We have 3 games left against NFC opponents .. We go 3-0 in those games we win the NFC east .. Philly going 2-2 or worse is not unheard of or even impossible .. The team went on a 6 game tear before .. Why not again ? Going 6-0 in the right situation could get us to the superbowl or at least NFC championship .. Is it possible .. Absolutely .. Plausible ?? Maybe ??
Will it happen ?, only time will tell.. But to just say with a defeatist attitude that our only realistic chance is s wild card .. Is reckless and totally ludicrous ... Have we all forgotten how we felt about this team in the summer and what they have accomplished ... Most had us less than 7 wins ... Most predicted week after week this is where we lose ...for once ... Just once why doesn't a fan show support for this team and watch and wait to see how the chips fall before we determine their fate ... Good post .. And I love the discussion .. I just think its a bit premature and finite to be honest

I will wait and see how they respond against Chicago, but that still does not mean that they have the chops to beat Philadelphia on the road, regardless of their road record. It's just a bad match-up for them right now. I see a team that has regressed a little since the Washington loss...snap counts have increased for the defense and decreased for the offense. It is a disturbing trend but the biggest thing is the absolutely inexplicable play of the offense, which went completely AWOL last thursday. I get the gut feeling that the defense is as good as it is likely to get. They still have problems with consistent pressure. They made Sanchez look like an elite quarterback. They are playing their hearts out for Marinelli but at some point you hit the wall as far as talent. The defensive line needs a stud or two because next year it will be much harder to win the division, with New York likely rebounding. Unless they suddenly figure out how to pass-block the Eagles d-line, I don't see them winning in Philadelphia, which means they won't win the division. Romo and co. have to show up every Sunday or the chances of victory become severely diminished. I'm sure they will bounce back but, will the offense be good enough to catch Philadelphia over the next four games. I figured (after the bye) that they needed to be playing better than they did over the 6-1 run, but they have struggled the last two weeks, and each time they have started with double-digit deficits. This is a trend that they cannot afford to continue or they could miss even a wild-card berth, something no Dallas team has ever done following a 6-1 start. Damn unfortunate business...damn unfortunate.

 

[CowboyStar88]

I'm not sure this team beats the Bears the Colts or the Eagles we could go 1-3 the next 4 and end up 9-7 which is exactly what I see happening. Washington was able to get after Luck and still lost we have no pass Rush and Philly just embarrassed this team on Thursday. Does anyone really think Scandrick and Carr can stop The Bears big WR? I see a game just like last year there. Doesn't look good for this team

 

[Alexander]

New England also missed at 11-5 in 2008 I believe. This year is one of those rare seasons, well not that rare as it happened to the Cards last year, where a good team could miss the playoffs.

I am sure that will be the takeaway. Did not make the playoffs, but we were really really good, honest.

Sorry, consolation ribbons are for losers.

No playoffs is failure as far as I am concerned.

Sure it exceeded expectations but means nothing at the end of the day.

I have never believed in moral victories. They mean exactly zero.

 

[manster1966]

We beat Chicago, Philly, And The Commanders and the Eagles lose to Us and The Seahawks We win the division. We would have the same division record. The next tie breaker is common opponents record. The Seattle win would be the difference.

 

[MRV52]

So because they won today means no one will beat Green Bay and everyone should just give up. The Packers didn't exactly dominate today. There's 4 more weeks to play all of these games and plenty of teams and the ones that do make the playoffs don't care about playing in Lambeau when they have a chance to get to the Super Bowl. Every team that is in the playoffs has a shot to win in Lambeau.

They are the best team in the NFL at the moment and if they get home field throughout the playoffs it will be tough beating them. Look how their defense is starting to play. They shut down the Patriots pretty good who were steam rolling through everyone.

 

[MRV52]

No that's not what I said. I meant the teams in playoff contention and the ones that do make the playoffs. So don't be silly with that ridiculous question. The playoffs are a different animal and teams are not going to be afraid because they have to go to Lambeau because people like you think the Packers are invincible. It doesn't work that way in the playoffs and the Packers have lost in Lambeau in the playoffs so it is not even close to impossible.

There are no more NY Giants miracles in Lambeau when you look at this years NFC teams.

 

[CowboyStar88]

I will wait and see how they respond against Chicago, but that still does not mean that they have the chops to beat Philadelphia on the road, regardless of their road record. It's just a bad match-up for them right now. I see a team that has regressed a little since the Washington loss...snap counts have increased for the defense and decreased for the offense. It is a disturbing trend but the biggest thing is the absolutely inexplicable play of the offense, which went completely AWOL last thursday. I get the gut feeling that the defense is as good as it is likely to get. They still have problems with consistent pressure. They made Sanchez look like an elite quarterback. They are playing their hearts out for Marinelli but at some point you hit the wall as far as talent. The defensive line needs a stud or two because next year it will be much harder to win the division, with New York likely rebounding. Unless they suddenly figure out how to pass-block the Eagles d-line, I don't see them winning in Philadelphia, which means they won't win the division. Romo and co. have to show up every Sunday or the chances of victory become severely diminished. I'm sure they will bounce back but, will the offense be good enough to catch Philadelphia over the next four games. I figured (after the bye) that they needed to be playing better than they did over the 6-1 run, but they have struggled the last two weeks, and each time they have started with double-digit deficits. This is a trend that they cannot afford to continue or they could miss even a wild-card berth, something no Dallas team has ever done following a 6-1 start. Damn unfortunate business...damn unfortunate.

Took the words right out of my mouth... Miss the playoffs after 6-1 without any major injuries should get a coach fired. That's a huge collapse

 

[Alexander]

Took the words right out of my mouth... Miss the playoffs after 6-1 without any major injuries should get a coach fired. That's a huge collapse

Especially after last season was excused due to defensive injuries.

It is time for the defense to man up and win games.

If they can't, it is time for Jones and Co. to man up and fix the talent issues.