Cowboys’ OT win over Eagles didn’t quite clinch NFC East. Here’s what needs to happen

The Dallas Cowboys, now 8-5, are a strong favorite to win the NFC East.

On Sunday, the team earned a thrilling overtime victory over the Philadelphia Eagles (now 6-7), 29-23.

Despite a few early hiccups, quarterback Dak Prescott and WR Amari Cooper connected for the game-winning score in the extra period.

Head coach Jason Garrett even went against his usual practice by going for it on fourth down in OT.

However, technically, the win did not secure the NFC East division title for owner Jerry Jones and his team.

If this game had gone the other way, then these two teams would have been faced with a tougher road to the NFL Playoffs.

But as of right now, the Cowboys are two games up on the Eagles, as well as the Washington Redskins, in the NFC East standings with three games to play in the regular season.

And because the Cowboys earned a two-game season sweep over the Eagles, they also hold the head-to-head tie-breaker advantage.

So, if the Cowboys beat the Colts in Indianapolis next Sunday and the Eagles fall to the Rams on the road, Philadelphia cannot win the division.

In that same scenario, the Redskins would need to win their final three games. And the Cowboys would have to lose their final two games of the regular season (home vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Dec. 23 and at the New York Giants on Dec. 30).

The Cowboys and the Redskins split their season series. However, Washington is trending downward.

Since the season-ending injuries to quarterback Alex Smith, the team has lost four games in a row. Backup Colt McCoy is also out for the season after he suffered a broken leg.

The Cowboys have now won five games in a row.

But even if the team lost its final three games, either Washington or Philadelphia will have to win out.

The Eagles and Redskins will also meet in the final week of the regular season in Philadelphia on Dec. 30.

This story was originally published December 9, 2018 at 7:33 PM.