The Dallas Cowboys, coming out of the bye, had the exact type of showing that the team may have wanted. After a better-than-expected start to the season, where they were competitive with potential Super Bowl contenders in the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers, the team hit a rough patch midway through the year.
However, in a primetime Monday Night Football game in Week 11, it seemed like things got back on track for the franchise, albeit against the abysmal Las Vegas Raiders. They’ll need to continue on this trend to make some noise, but the victory at least keeps the dreams of a playoff push alive for America’s Team.
Cowboys Still in the Playoff Hunt
Going into the bye after a brutal loss to the Arizona Cardinals, who were without starting quarterback Kyler Murray, no less, it seemed like the season was going to go completely downhill for the Cowboys.
An electric start from the offense had cooled off to some extent, while the second-last-ranked unit on PFSN’s Defense Impact continued to be exposed every week. At the trade deadline, though, the team decided to add Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson to the roster to bolster that side of the football.
The results, at least in the first week against Las Vegas, were immediate. Holding them to 16 points, while forcing an interception and a safety, Dallas dominated outright, winning 33-16.
It improved them to 4-5-1 on the season. But at 10th place in the NFC, the playoffs are still a way away for the organization. The two teams immediately ahead of them are the Detroit Lions (6-4) and the Carolina Panthers (6-5).
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Neither is currently in the playoffs, with the San Francisco 49ers, at 7-4, currently serving as the seventh seed in the conference. The division, with the Philadelphia Eagles at 8-2, appears to be out of reach, barring a historic collapse from the reigning Super Bowl champions.
As a result, the focus for Jerry Jones and his men has to be on a Wild Card berth. That means every game is vitally important for them, with each victory swinging the odds in their favor in a significant way.
According to PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor, their chances of making the playoffs stand at 6.5% after the victory over the Raiders. Coming into Monday, that number was at 5.3%, marking a noticeable swing for the Cowboys.
In comparison, the 49ers and the Lions currently have an 80% and 63.1% chance to make the playoffs, respectively.
Unfortunately, a loss to the Panthers in Week 6 could ultimately cause them significant trouble in terms of seeding. However, they still have a game against the Detroit Lions in Week 14 on the calendar, which could ultimately decide their playoff fate.