Even though the Dallas Cowboys didn't play in Week 10 due to their bye, they might still be one of the biggest losers of Sunday's slate. With a 3-5-1 record after nine weeks, America's Team definitely needed other squads to give them a bit of a helping hand, which was far from the case
Instead, everything that could've gone wrong for head coach Brian Schottenheimer's team went wrong. The Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions, and Chicago Bears all won their respective games, which is not going to help the Cowboys' playoff aspirations.
Cowboys' Playoff Hopes Looking Grim After Week 10
As things stand now, the Cowboys are on the outside looking in of the playoffs. They're the seventh seed in the NFC. They sit behind the San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, and Minnesota Vikings in the race to catch up with the Bears.
Even so, it's not all lost. The Philadelphia Eagles will hit the road to play the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, and with Matt LaFleur's team being favored (1.5-point favorites on FanDuel Sportsbook), they could help the Cowboys stay within reach in the division.
The Cowboys are 2-1 in the division, and, technically, they can still catch the Eagles. The Washington Commanders and New York Giants have injuries at quarterback, and the Cowboys still have a rematch with the Eagles at home, opening the door for a potential comeback (albeit a long shot).
Dallas will have little to no margin for error going forward. Team owner/general manager Jerry Jones made a big statement by adding star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams last week and also trading for linebacker Logan Wilson. Clearly, Jones still thinks this team has a chance to compete at the highest level, even if the fan base doesn't share that same optimism.
The Cowboys entered the bye week boasting one of the worst defenses in the game. They give up the second-most total yards (414.8) and points per game (30.8). They also rank dead last in third-down conversion percentage allowed (52.6%), and they give up the fifth-most rushing yards per game (143.0).
The Cowboys still have to face Super Bowl contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions, and Los Angeles Chargers, plus their aforementioned divisional matchups. That will put even more pressure on the first-year head coach and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, who has left plenty to be desired.
Needless to say, it'll be interesting to see how long the Cowboys' playoff dreams will stay afloat. You can never say never in the NFL, but even the most die-hard Dallas fans have to admit that one or two more losses could completely slam the door shut on any potential postseason aspirations.