The Dallas Cowboys are still technically in the playoff picture - but just barely. At this point, their postseason hopes are hanging by the slimmest of threads, and they all run through one familiar rival: the Philadelphia Eagles.
Let’s break it down. The Cowboys don’t have any wild card lifelines left.
That ship has sailed, thanks to a stacked NFC where the competition has simply outpaced them. So if Dallas is going to find its way into the playoffs, it’ll have to do it by winning the NFC East.
And the only way that happens is if the Eagles completely collapse down the stretch.
Here’s the scenario: Dallas needs to win out. That means going 3-0 in their final three games - no room for error.
Meanwhile, the Eagles would have to lose all three of their remaining games. That’s the only path.
No tiebreakers to lean on. No backdoor wild card math to calculate.
Just three wins for Dallas and three losses for Philly. Simple in theory, brutal in practice.
What makes it even tougher? Philadelphia’s schedule.
The Eagles face the 4-10 Washington Commanders twice in the final three weeks, starting with a Saturday evening matchup in Week 16. That’s the first domino that has to fall for Dallas - and it’s not exactly one you’d bet the house on.
Washington hasn’t shown much this season, and Philly will be heavily favored in both meetings.
But that’s where the Cowboys are now. They’re rooting hard for the Commanders this week and again in Week 18.
In between, they’ll be pulling for the Buffalo Bills to handle business against the Eagles in Week 17. It’s a strange position for Dallas - scoreboard watching, hoping for help, and needing to be perfect themselves.
Of course, none of this matters if the Cowboys don’t take care of their own business. That starts Sunday against the Chargers. From there, it’s about staying locked in, week by week, and hoping the improbable starts to unfold.
It’s a long shot - no question. But as long as the math isn’t zero, there’s still a pulse. And in the NFL, we’ve seen crazier things happen.