What seemed impossible a couple of weeks ago is starting to look like a reality for the Dallas Cowboys. A potential move to the 2021 NFL Playoffs seems quite possible after defeated the Eagles 37-17. With divisional games remaining in Week 17, things are looking promising and Mike McCarthy could make the postseason in his first season as this team’s head coach after all.
What do the Cowboys need to go to the playoffs?
Very simple and without much detours, this needs Dallas to advance to the postseason:
- Win against the Giants
- Eagles win against Washington
With the win against New York, the Cowboys would close the year with a 7-9 record. With a potential loss for the Football Team to Philadelphia, Ron Rivera’s side would finish 6-10 and would be in second place in the NFC East. If the Cowboys win but Washington is also victorious against the Eagles, then both would have the same number of wins and losses but with the WFT beating them in tiebreaker criteria (for the two wins in the campaign against Dallas).
If they are in the postseason, they will play in the Wild Card Round at AT&T Stadium as the fourth seed in the NFC and as the division leader. If this happens, they would face the fifth seed in the conference (which the Buccaneers currently have).
If they go to the playoffs, won’t 2020 be a failure anymore?
Definitely not. Quarterback Andy Dalton finished in good shape and against the Eagles in Week 16 he had his best game as a Cowboys player, finishing with 22/30, 377 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT. He led Dallas to victory and effectively paired his entire arsenal of receivers for the first time as each recorded:
- WR Amari Cooper: 4 receptions, 121 yards
- WR Michael Gallup: 6 receptions, 121 yards, 2 TDs
- WR CeeDee Lamb: 3 receptions, 65 yards, 1 TD
It was thought that after QB Dak Prescott’s injury the season was lost and there was no way to get it back, but today they are more alive than ever. It would not be the best of the seasons because even when his starting quarterback was healthy there was a crisis, especially because of the weak defense that Mike Nolan, the defensive coordinator, commands.
Most importantly, even if they don’t advance to the postseason, the future is promising for 2021 with the right adjustments and changes. McCarthy would remain as head coach (something Jerry Jones confirmed was going to happen), but they would need to fire staff so they are better armed for next year. With Prescott back the following season, the project would be more stable and promising.
The latter especially because they closed this campaign in good shape and with great chances of winning the NFC East, so with a healthy and complete team in 2021 they could fight for the division and even in the National Conference.
Do you think the Dallas Cowboys will end up sneaking into the 2021 NFL Playoffs? We read you in the comments.
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