Cowboys can basically wrap up the NFC East before Thanksgiving
Holding a two-game lead over divisional rivals, the Dallas Cowboys are on pace to clinch the NFC East before Thanksgiving arrives.
How about them Cowboys?
The phrase has been used in jest rather than celebration in recent years, but everything has fallen perfectly into place to warrant a few hurrahs for America’s Team.
Dak is back, Zeke is back to his former self, and Kellen Moore has been leading the offense to win after win.
Besides a challenging Week 1 battle against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Cowboys have won every subsequent game this season, putting them at 4-1. Wins over the Eagles and Giants position them nicely within the division. In case of a playoff tiebreaker, the Cowboys are poised to win it all.
Every NFC division currently has a 4-1 team, and the Cowboys are well ahead of their NFC East competitors. Both the Washington Football Team and the Philadelphia Eagles trail behind at 2-3, while the Cowboys handed the New York Giants their fourth loss in Week 5.
Dubbed the NFC Least last season, the Cowboys have proven that they would have dominated the division were it not for a tragic ankle injury to Prescott in Week 5 of 2020. The Cowboys finished third in the division last season at 6-10, a far cry from their current 4-1 record.
Cowboys clinch NFC East long before Thanksgiving
The opening to this season is reminiscent of 2016, when Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott stunned the league with breakout rookie performances. The Cowboys offensive line became famous that year for their fortitude, and the Cowboys finished 13-3.
This year, the Cowboys have an embarrassment of riches in various position groups, including wide receiver and linebacker. CeeDee Lamb has set the NFL aflame, streaking downfield opposite Amari Cooper for impressive touchdowns week after week. The Jaylon Smith cut made the Cowboys’ depth at the position apparent, something the Smith cut clarified is not the case for many teams in the NFL.
With 17 regular season games, the division winners will look a little different this year. If the Cowboys only afforded four losses, they would still finish with 13 wins, a ratio that would likely clinch the division.
While the rest of the NFC East teams flounder as they did last year, the Cowboys have proven that they were one player away from a playoff berth. Who knows — the Cowboys could be resting their starters long before Week 17.