Three things Cowboys must do to reach NFC Championship Game for first time since 1995

The Dallas Cowboys’ 31-10 loss in their Week 15 game at the Buffalo Bills appeared to be a harbinger of doom for a team that felt this year was different after a 10-3 start.

However, thanks to the Philadelphia Eagles’ stunning 20-17 loss at the Drew Lock-led Seattle Seahawks on Monday night that dropped their record to 10-4, the Cowboys still have a chance at the NFC East division title and home playoff games in the first two rounds of the postseason after clinching a berth on Sunday for the third season in a row. That’s a feat not accomplished in Dallas since the Cowboys did so in six consecutive seasons: 1991-1996. They won Super Bowls in 1992, 1993 and 1995, which is the last time they reached an NFC Championship Game.   

“Hey, this gauntlet of games is laid out nice for us and this is an example of it,” Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said on Monday. “None of us feel good about what happened in Buffalo yesterday. That’s not who we are, as far as how we believe in our team.”  

Here are the three ways the Cowboys can fix some issues now with three games remaining in the regular season — at the 10-4 Miami Dolphins in Week 16, versus the 10-4 Detroit Lions in Week 17 and at the 4-10 Washington Commanders in Week 18 — in order to put themselves in a position to prove who they are and to avoid another postseason exit prior to the NFC Championship Game.

Secure NFC East crown, ensuring at least two playoff home games

If the regular season ended today, the Cowboys and Eagles would be down to tiebreaker No. 5 for the division title. That tiebreaker is strength of victory — the combined won-lost-tied percentage of all of the teams a franchise has defeated. Philadelphia currently has the edge with a .493 strength of victory to the Cowboys’ .379. 

Fortunately for Dallas, they play the AFC East-leading Dolphins and NFC North-leading Lions in each of their next two games. Should they win…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/three-things-cowboys-must-do-to-reach-nfc-championship-game-for-first-time-since-1995/

Author : Garrett Podell

Publish date : 2023-12-19 19:41:19

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