An already unlikely playoff path was made impossible for the Dallas Cowboys after a 34-26 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football. The Cowboys needed to win to continue their push towards a playoff berth. Now, they'll need some help to get into the postseason.
The Philadelphia Eagles need to lose their three remaining games for the Cowboys to not only win the NFC East but also to qualify for the playoffs. One of those games is against the Buffalo Bills, who are talented enough to beat the Eagles. Unfortunately, the other two games are against the lowly Washington Commanders.
Cowboys' Playoff Outlook Is Bleaker Than Ever After Sunday
While upsets happen all the time in the NFL, Cowboys fans shouldn't hold their breath when it comes to the Eagles' clashes with the Commanders. In the last 17 games between the NFC East rivals, Philadelphia has beaten Washington 13 times, highlighting just how lopsided the feud has been.
Making matters worse is the fact that it is unlikely the Cowboys get to take the field again before being eliminated. The Eagles and Commanders will be duking it out on Saturday afternoon, while the Cowboys won't play until the early window on Sunday when they host the Los Angeles Chargers. In other words, Dallas will be forced to watch Philadelphia decide its playoff fate.
If the Cowboys can beat the Chargers, the rest of their schedule is more than favorable. They'll face the Commanders and New York Giants in back-to-back road games to close out the regular-season slate. With how winnable those games are, that only adds to how devastating Sunday's loss was.
While the Cowboys have no one to blame but themselves for where they are, it doesn't make it any easier for a tortured fan base to swallow. It's as if each of the past few seasons, the franchise does just enough to offer slight hope or provide a reason for fans to buy in, only to wilt at the most unexpected moment.
This was the case Sunday with second-year QB J.J. McCarthy, who previously struggled and appeared to offer even the banged-up Dallas defense a chance to gain a bit of momentum. Instead, the Cowboys fumbled their opportunity to put pressure on the Eagles and are now going to be sitting at home on Saturday, hoping for a miracle, understanding that their fate is out of their hands for now.