Dallas Cowboys hopes still alive for NFC East title and No. 1 seed in NFC playoffs
The once seemingly improbable dream remains alive for the Dallas Cowboys.
Once three games behind the Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) in the race for the NFC East title, the Cowboys (12-4) are now just one game back heading into the final week of the season.
The Eagles dropped their second straight game in a 20-10 setback to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
It gave the Cowboys, who followed a 40-34 victory against the Eagles last Sunday with a 27-13 victory against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday, a chance to play for the NFC East title in the season final against the Washington Commanders.
A win coupled with an Eagles loss to the New York Giants would give the Cowboys the division title for the second straight season.
The Cowboys also still in the race for home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They need to win the division title and hope for a loss by the San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings in one of their final two games.
The only caveat is that the Giants will head into the game with little motivation, as they are locked into the sixth seed in the playoffs win or lose.
The Cowboys, who have already clinched the fifth seed in the playoffs, will play a Washington team that has also has nothing to play after being eliminated from the postseason on Sunday.
If the Cowboys don’t win the division title, they have a date set to face play at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC wildcard playoffs.
Tampa Bay beat Carolina and clinched NFC South title on Sunday, becoming the fourth seed.
This story was originally published January 1, 2023 at 2:55 PM.
