So you’re saying there’s a chance? The Dallas Cowboys have a slim chance of still playing postseason football this year, despite a roller coaster season that has Dallas at 6-6-1 in a deep NFL playoff race in the NFC. They’re currently the 10th ranked team in the NFC and after the loss to Detroit have a massive uphill climb to get into the postseason.
The easiest path for them to get into the postseason is to win the NFC East, which feels a lot more realistic than it once did after the Philadelphia Eagles’ loss to the LA Chargers on Monday. If that doesn’t happen, the Cowboys will need a lot of help to find a way into the postseason after a year hiatus.
Here are all the farfetched ways the Cowboys could sneak into the NFL playoffs, despite a less than satisfactory 2025 season.
Cowboys make the playoffs by winning the NFC East IF:
Philadelphia loses three of next four
WEEK | OPPONENT |
|---|---|
15 | vs. Raiders |
16 | at Commanders |
17 | at Bills |
18 | vs. Commanders |
Philadelphia could be free-falling here soon. The defending Super Bowl champions are still in control of the division and their remaining schedule plays in their favor. But it doesn’t mean that surprise losses between the Washington Commanders, Las Vegas Raiders and Buffalo Bills couldn’t happen.
Dallas needs Philadelphia to continue to spiral if they want to win the division and get into the playoffs that way. That’s not their only way, but it’s the bulletproof way.
Cowboys can get a wildcard spot in the playoffs IF:
Chicago Bears fall apart
WEEK | OPPONENT |
|---|---|
15 | vs. Browns |
16 | vs. Packers |
17 | at 49ers |
18 | vs. Lions |
Assuming the Chicago Bears make a mockery of the Cleveland Browns, the Cowboys would need the Bears to lose out against the Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers to have the advantage over them. The Bears’ first win of the season was against Dallas so if the Bears did tie, they’d have the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The Bears ended their five-game winning streak on Sunday against the Packers, but they’re still one of the hottest teams in the NFC. The NFC North is still up for grabs, which doesn’t bode well for the Cowboys.
OR Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers drop games
WEEK | LIONS OPPONENT |
|---|---|
15 | at Rams |
16 | vs. Steelers |
17 | at Vikings |
18 | at Bears |
WEEK | 49ERS OPPONENT |
|---|---|
15 | vs. Titans |
16 | at Colts |
17 | vs. Bears |
18 | vs. Seahawks |
The Cowboys can still get in if the Bears do beat the Browns and don’t lose each of the final three games and it hinges on the Lions and 49ers dropping a few games too. If the Bears end up at 11 or 12 wins, Dallas needs the Lions to lose two of their last four games. Detroit has to play the LA Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears. It’s not irrational to think that could happen.
The Lions already lost to the Vikings this year and the Rams are the best team in the NFC, following Chicago’s loss, so it’s not an impossible scenario. If you’re a Cowboys fan, you’re rooting for the Rams for sure and possibly the Vikings to end Detroit’s playoff hopes. Worst case scenario is the Lions pull off a tie, meaning the Lions would hold the head-to-head over the Cowboys in a tiebreaker.
As for the 49ers, they need to lose three of their last four games. It's unlikely they'd lose to the Titans, but a trip to Indianapolis to face the Colts could be tricky — if they figure out their QB situation well enough. The Bears and Seahawks beating them seems probable.
The NFC South isn't a threat
TAMPA BAY REMAINING SCHEDULE | CAROLINA REMAINING SCHEDULE |
|---|---|
vs. Falcons | at Saints |
at Panthers | vs. Buccaneers |
at Dolphins | vs. Seahawks |
vs. Panthers | at Buccaneers |
Whether Tampa Bay holds out for the NFC South title or the Panthers take the crown, the NFC South is a two-horse race with the loser getting eliminated and the winner getting in. There's a scenario where the Panthers get to 10-6-1 while holding a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Cowboys. However, in that scenario, Carolina would still beat the Bucs for the division title, making their wildcard tiebreaker irrelevant.
In a weird way, the tie is saving Dallas’ season, putting them out of range of the NFC South loser — though a win over the Packers would have simply solved all their problems. Dallas is at the mercy of pretty much everyone else in the playoff picture. The most important thing for them is to win out, nothing else matters if they lose again. After that, they need to hope the Eagles lose, opening up the NFC East division title. After that, a whole lot has to happen if Dallas wants a wildcard spot.