As hard as it is to believe, the Dallas Cowboys are mathematically alive in the race for the NFC’s top seed and first-round bye.
Monday night’s loss to the Houston Texans dropped the Dak Prescott-less Dallas Cowboys to 3-7 with seven games to go. At this rate, Dallas is far more likely to finish with the first-overall pick than they are to make the postseason.
Not only are the Cowboys still alive in the playoff race, however. But if a series of incredibly bizarre events unfold, they could secure the NFC’s top seed — meaning they’d need just two home wins to reach the Super Bowl.
The DraftKings X/Twitter account outlined the nine scenarios that must play out for the Dallas Cowboys to get home advantage for the postseason. Before we start, let us again clarify that the odds are still practically impossible.
For starters, the 3-7 Dallas Cowboys must win out. The NFC-leading and 9-1 Detroit Lions have to lose the rest of their games. Somehow, the Washington Commanders have to beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16 and then lose the rest of their games.
That’s three scenarios. Among the others, The 2-8 New York Giants must defeat the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The AFC must win every single game remaining against their NFC opponents. The 8-2 Minnesota Vikings must lose their next six games before defeating Detroit in Week 18.
Too much to keep track of? We’re not one. The Dallas Cowboys also need the Atlanta Falcons to win the NFC South with a 9-8 record. The Arizona Cardinals must finish 8-9, with their three NFC West division rivals each finishing 9-8.
Lastly, the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears must finish with identical 9-8 records for the Dallas Cowboys to finish with the top seed.
Dallas Cowboys Would Be Lucky To Win 3 More Games
With the way they’re playing, and with their remaining slate of opponents, Dallas would be lucky to finish better than 5-12. If you’re a Dallas fan, you may as well hope for them to tank and finish with the highest possible draft pick.
