Predicting the rest of the Cowboys 2022 schedule, playoff positioning

Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Commanders Week 18 prediction

After completing their dismantling of the AFC South, creating a slue of opportunities for American Conference stragglers to steal a spot in the playoff, the Cowboys return to divisional play to conclude the regular season.

Unless these predictions are completely backward, Dallas will have the fifth seed locked up at this point, and will likely be resting their starters against Washington in Week 18.

That makes for an interesting consideration as the Commanders — currently holding the No. 6 seed — will still have a lot to play for. The Seahawks, Lions, and Packers are all looming and have completely feasible paths to the playoffs which could all remove the Commanders from their current seat. For no reason other than Dallas’ first-team using this game as a bye week ahead of the postseason, the Commanders will win this game and seal their position in the playoff.

PREDICTION: Cowboys 21, Commanders 26

Cowboys first playoff matchup prediction

Remember that bit from earlier about the NFC South stinking like hot garbage? The Cowboys will take a trip to Tampa Bay to play the Buccaneers on Wild Card Weekend.

The Panthers are surging right now, riding high on the underdog mentality and Steve Wilkes’s interim leadership, but the Buccaneers will outlast them and win their third straight division title.

Too many times have we bet against Father Time — Tom Brady — and there’s simply no chance that he loses this joke of a division in 2022.

Regardless of who ends up in the fourth seed playing the Cowboys, however, we should expect a blood bath. There are no teams in the NFC South — who will indubitably hold the No. 4 seed — that can hang with these Cowboys. Dallas’ first game of this year’s playoff will silence the “maybe next year” crowd for at least a week.

PREDICTION: Cowboys 31, Buccaneers 17