The Cowboys’ only realistic path is to win the NFC East, so the key team they now “need to lose” is the Philadelphia Eagles.
Current situation
The Cowboys are 6–7–1 and sit second in the NFC East behind the Eagles, who are 9–5. Wild-card spots are effectively out of reach because several NFC teams already have nine or more wins, putting Dallas too far behind in conference tiebreakers.
What must happen
For Dallas to win the division, scenarios outlined by playoff analysts require:
- The Cowboys to win all their remaining games, finishing 9–7–1.
- The Eagles to lose all of their remaining games, dropping from 9–5 to 9–8 and falling behind Dallas on winning percentage because of the Cowboys’ tie.
So, in simple terms, Dallas needs Philadelphia to lose out while the Cowboys win out.
