The Dallas Cowboys started the season by trading Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers and losing five of the first nine games.
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To address defensive struggles, the Cowboys acquired Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline. After a Week 10 bye, Dallas rebounded by defeating the Las Vegas Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, and Kansas City Chiefs to reach 6-5-1 and re-enter the playoff race.
What Are the Dallas Cowboys’ Chances of Making the Playoffs?
Meanwhile, the Eagles’ three-game losing streak has also played a significant role in helping the Cowboys get back into the race for the NFC East title.
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The Cowboys are on the brink of elimination entering Week 16 after consecutive losses to the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.
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To win the NFC East, the Cowboys needed to win their last three games, and the Eagles needed to lose their last three. If the Cowboys lose even once or the Eagles win a single game, they are eliminated from playoff contention.
The Cowboys were required to win the NFC East to make the playoffs, as they are out of the Wild Card race. Even if Dallas ties Green Bay’s record for the final spot, the Packers win the conference-record tiebreaker.
UPDATE: The Cowboys have now been eliminated from the playoffs after the Eagles defeated the Commanders in Week 16.
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According to PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor, the Cowboys now have just a 1.30% chance to win the division.
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If the Eagles lose to the Washington Commanders on Saturday, the Cowboys can extend their season another week by defeating the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. PFSN Analytics gives the Eagles a 62.1% chance of winning against the Commanders, while the Cowboys have a 48.5% chance of beating the Chargers.
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If the Eagles lose and the Cowboys win, Dallas’ chances to win the NFC East rise to 6.5%. In Week 17, the Cowboys have a 55.3% chance to beat the Commanders on the road on Christmas Day, while the Eagles have a 45.6% chance at Buffalo.
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If we get a second straight week of Dallas wins and Philadelphia loses, the division will come down to the final week of the season. The Cowboys have a 60.2% chance of winning on the road against the New York Giants. The Eagles will conclude their season with a home game against the Commanders, and Philadelphia has a 65.0% chance of winning.
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After Williams was added to the defense, the Cowboys posted their best PFSN’s Defense Impact (DEFi) score of the season in his first game and their fourth-best in his second. However, this improvement faded in the last three games, with the Cowboys placing 25th or lower in the DEFi weekly rankings each time.
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As Week 16 begins, PFSN Analytics gives the Cowboys a 5.2% chance of having their draft pick fall in the top ten. In addition, Dallas owns the Packers’ first-round pick from the Parsons trade.
