Thursday Night Football Insights
The recent game was pitched as a “must-win” situation for both the Cowboys and Lions, but that might be a bit of an exaggeration. Even though a loss would complicate their playoff scenarios, both teams still had ways to sneak in. Still, it would definitely make things tougher for them.
For the Cowboys, the stakes were particularly high. A victory against the Lions was crucial for their playoff aspirations. But, oddly enough, despite having a rather unimpressive record of 6-6-1, they still have a sliver of hope left. It all hinges on the Philadelphia Eagles.
As it stands, the Cowboys’ chances of reaching the playoffs have dwindled to just 7% following their loss. Winning their remaining games is the first step, and, well, that seems somewhat doable given the opponents they’ll face as the season wraps up.
The Chargers pose the biggest challenge, but the matchup against the Commanders could also be tricky. It’s easy to overlook Washington, but there’s a chance Jaden Daniels could be back for their game, having practiced fully this week. Much will depend on whether they decide to rest him for the rest of the season or bring in a replacement, which could impact the Cowboys if they aim to win.
If the Cowboys manage to win out, they would finish with a record of 10-6-1, boosting their playoff chances up to about 46%. This is where the Eagles come into play.
Currently sitting at 8-4, the Eagles have a 96% probability of making the playoffs. Even if they stumble, that figure would still be around 93%. For the Cowboys to leapfrog the Eagles in the NFC East, Philadelphia would need to lose three out of their last five games. The issue, however, is that their upcoming schedule doesn’t look very promising:
Realistically, it would help if the Eagles were to lose against the Chargers this week, fall to the Bills in Week 17, and perhaps split with the Commanders. The latter would likely have Daniels back and would definitely be looking to compete.
There are also a couple of alternate scenarios where the Cowboys could still find their way to the playoffs, even without clinching the NFC East. This possibility hinges on the struggling 49ers snagging a wild card, provided teams like the Bears, Seahawks, Packers, and Lions win at least three of their remaining games.
But, let’s be honest—this is probably a long shot. The most straightforward route for Dallas is simply to win their games and hope that anyone playing against the Eagles comes out on top, which, honestly, should be a straightforward ask for Cowboys fans.
