Scenario: We beat the Chiefs and Lions

[OGSixshooter]

...but lose to the Giants and Commanders and miss the playoffs. Is that acceptable?

For my mind, with a $60mm QB and given the expectations ...no.

And therein lies the fly in the ointment for the "haters": Dak normally crumbles under expectations.

I do not believe that beating the Eagles raises expectations - division game, Eagles were due,etc. - but beating the Chiefs will raise them considerably. Especially on Thanksgiving.

So...if we beat the Chiefs Dak MUST get to the playoffs. The Chargers are not better than the Lions, Chiefs or Eagles.

 

[jazzcat22]

ESPN said this morning even with this win, Dallas has a 10% chance to make the playoffs. Beat KC, it improves to 20%.
Lose it drops to 4%.

This shows different.

https://www.playoffstatus.com/nfl/cowboyswhatif.html

Current 80% no playoffs
Win it improvs to 74% no playoffs
Lose, it drops to 90% no playoffs.

Here is for the NFC outlook

https://www.playoffstatus.com/nfl/nfcstandings.html

 

[Whyjerry]

Can't lose to Carolina, Chicago and Arizona. Needed to win 2 out of 3 there.

 

[rambo2]

...but lose to the Giants and Commanders and miss the playoffs. Is that acceptable?

For my mind, with a $60mm QB and given the expectations ...no.

And therein lies the fly in the ointment for the "haters": Dak normally crumbles under expectations.

I do not believe that beating the Eagles raises expectations - division game, Eagles were due,etc. - but beating the Chiefs will raise them considerably. Especially on Thanksgiving.

So...if we beat the Chiefs Dak MUST get to the playoffs. The Chargers are not better than the Lions, Chiefs or Eagles.

One game at a time.

 

[reddyuta]

Can't lose to Carolina, Chicago and Arizona. Needed to win 2 out of 3 there.

if we had made the Williams trade sooner we might have won those games.

 

[Coogiguy03]

Can't lose to Carolina, Chicago and Arizona. Needed to win 2 out of 3 there.

post of the afternoon!!!

 

[Coogiguy03]

if we had made the Williams trade sooner we might have won those games.

he wouldn't have had fixed our secondary issues though

 

[CT Dal Fan]

The losses to Carolina and Arizona hurt the worst, but I also wish they could have gotten that tie with the Packers back.

Sitting at 6-5 with another conference win right now, even with the bad losses, would have helped the wild card chances immensely.

 

[starfan1]

he wouldn't have had fixed our secondary issues though

True dat nor does he fix the williams fumble and the pickens drop that ends up in the hands of their DB.Although hes more than made up for that game

 

[CT Dal Fan]

if we had made the Williams trade sooner we might have won those games.

The Jets weren't in fire sale mode sooner. Dallas tried to get Williams by trading Parsons to the Jets and they said no at the time.

 

[SDCowboy]

This team isn't going to the playoffs this season. Why do people do this to themselves.

 

[dupree89]

Can't lose to Carolina, Chicago and Arizona. Needed to win 2 out of 3 there.

Yep. Though I kinda would remove Chicago. Turns out they are pretty good. Arizona was 100% unacceptable.

 

[baltcowboy]

The NFC has at least 7 teams that will win double digits games. The Cowboys have a chance but can’t lose anymore games. It is going to be tough.

 

[DrlabonAggiesCowboys]

Cowboys have to run the table and not lose another game to get a WC birth

 

[OGSixshooter]

The NFC has at least 7 teams that will win double digits games. The Cowboys have a chance but can’t lose anymore games. It is going to be tough.

This is my read. We are better off losing to KC and cutting losses if we are going to lose to the Commanders or Giants in December. I'd rather lose now than later basically.

If we beat the Chiefs, we can only afford to lose 1 game after that for it to be meaningful.

 

[Doomsday]

Can't lose to Carolina, Chicago and Arizona. Needed to win 2 out of 3 there.

That was pretty much the end of the season right there.

 

[baltcowboy]

This is my read. We are better off losing to KC and cutting losses if we are going to lose to the Commanders or Giants in December. I'd rather lose now than later basically.

If we beat the Chiefs, we can only afford to lose 1 game after that for it to be meaningful.

Yeah if they lose another game it would have to be to AFC. I just don’t know if you make the playoffs at 10-6-1.

 

[mmohican29]

That was pretty much the end of the season right there.

Probably the AZ game is where it died. But let's get on this heater and scare the poop out of the NFL for '26. Why not?

As for QW's, LW, and KC: it takes 2 teams to make deals. You can't fault the club for the additions when they were made.

The Parsons trade will prove to be a brilliant move: we were nowhere with him as it was.

We maybe win 8 or 9 games tops with a happy #11 on this team prior to his exile.

 

[Whyjerry]

Yep. Though I kinda would remove Chicago. Turns out they are pretty good. Arizona was 100% unacceptable.

The league is funny. The difference between 9 and 10 wins is huge.

 

[Tabascocat]

Dallas does control their destiny, win out and they are in. That isn’t going to happen but it is fun while it lasts