Let there be no doubt, the NFC East runs through the Dallas Cowboys

It hasn’t always been pretty this season for the Dallas Cowboys as they start their run through the NFC East. In the first thirteen weeks of the season the Cowboys have played the Giants once and the Eagles once. In the next five weeks, four of them are against NFC East opponents, and with a two game lead, it’s safe to say the East runs through the Dallas Cowboys.

It won’t be easy moving forward, but there is no reason this team can’t win these next few games, the question of course is will they.

One of the things that will help the Cowboys is all of the players that just returned or are returning. In the last game Dallas got back Demarcus Lawrence and are now poised to get Neville Gallimore and Randy Gregory for defensive line reinforcements. Another week of practice for Tyron Smith and La’el Collins, Amari Cooper recovering from COVID, and CeeDee Lamb getting back into the swing of it, this offense can be explosive. Yes, Ezekiel Elliott is banged up, but if the Cowboys stay efficient when running they can make it work.

The Dallas Cowboys now start their run through the NFC East and Sunday’s game will help in setting up the final few weeks.

With a win against Washington on Sunday it becomes possible the Cowboys can wrap up the East the following week, with a little help as well. However, should the Cowboys stumble it puts Washington in one game and another face-off against the Cowboys two weeks later.

The other team in the race are the Eagles who have a bye this week. They would face Washington the following week, the Giants, Washington, and then Dallas. That last game could matter, but a win this week helps not make it worth much.

Ideally the Cowboys want to lock the East up and quickly as possible. The offense has to find its rhythm again and the defense needs to work on run defense. Not having Mike McCarthy did show a less tendency to for for it on fourth down, and there may have been some adjustment questions, but he should be back soon as well. Win this week, and the push for the playoffs can end sooner, and the team can rest up people over the final few weeks as needed.

This week is the gauntlet, not just for the Cowboys, but for the NFC East as a whole. The East runs through the Dallas Cowboys right now and a win can help push that mantra even further. Week sixteen could matter for playoff seeding, but it is the next three games that matter so that week sixteen matters. So for the final push the Dallas Cowboys need to start against Washington, twice in three weeks.

• Published on 12/07/2021 at 13:01 PM
• Last updated at 12/07/2021 at 12:53 PM