Updated NFL playoff picture: Cowboys win, Saints lose top seed

After getting shocked by the Dallas Cowboys in primetime, the New Orleans Saints no longer control their own destiny in the NFC.

Thanks to a stunning upset on Thursday Night Football, the New Orleans Saints took a huge hit in their quest to lock up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Despite possessing one of the most dynamic and dominant offenses in the NFL, led by 39-year-old quarterback Drew Brees, the Saints were stymied by a talented Dallas Cowboys defense at AT&T Stadium.

As the 13-10 final score indicated, the Cowboys won the game purely behind a shutdown defensive effort, capped off with a game-ending interception by Jourdan Lewis with a little over two minutes remaining.

It was the first loss for the Saints since Week 1, who had since won 10 straight games. Now at 10-2, New Orleans has dropped out of place for the No. 1 seed in the NFC behind the Los Angeles Rams. Both teams were previously tied at 10-1, but the Saints own the tiebreaker having been the only team to defeat the Rams.

Should the standings hold up and the Saints enter the playoffs as the No. 2 seed, it won’t be devastating. They’ll still be in good shape with a first-round bye. However, it would’ve given them a significant advantage over the Rams if they could host them in the playoffs at the Superdome, the only building Los Angeles has lost in this year.

As for the Cowboys, their Thursday night win moves them to 7-5 overall. It’s not an eye-popping record, but it’s good enough for first place in the NFC East and they are one step closer to wrapping up the division.

The Washington Redskins are right on the Cowboys’ tail at 6-5 and the Philadelphia Eagles are just behind the Redskins at 5-6, and those two teams meet on Monday night. With that being said, this was a big win for Dallas to allow itself a bit of breathing room.