Can Dallas Cowboys still make the playoffs? Where Mike McCarthy and co. stand after Commanders' win over Eagles

Modified Dec 22, 2024 23:32 GMT

Dallas Cowboys v Carolina Panthers - Source: Getty — The Cowboys have been officially eliminated from playoff contention - Source: Getty

With three weeks to go, the Dallas Cowboys had the worst possible news for their season on Sunday. Mike McCarthy's team has been inconsistent all season for many reasons, and Dak Prescott's injury sealed their destiny when the quarterback was lost for the year.

The division was never attainable with the Philadelphia Eagles winning ten straight games midway through the season. But they still held out hope for an NFC wild card berth had they won all their remaining games. Unfortunately for them, 2024 ended without playing.

Cowboys' playoff status after Commanders' win over Eagles in Week 16

Dallas has been officially eliminated from playoff contention. The team is now four games behind the Washington Commanders, who currently hold a 10-5 record, and they can't reach any of the three teams who currently hold the NFC wild card spots.

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The Minnesota Vikings (12-2), the Green Bay Packers (10-4) and the Washington Commanders would still have more wins than the Cowboys even if they lose out. The maximum record they can achieve is 9-8, however, our Sportskeeda Playoff Predictor has Jerry Jones' team finishing with a 6-11 record.

On our simulator, there aren't many special scenarios compared to what's expected to happen in the final three weeks. However, a four-way tie for the first overall pick stands out, with the Giants, the Raiders, the Browns and the Patriots winning exactly three games.

Cowboys' playoff scenario amid 6-8 record

There are no more ways for Dallas to qualify for the 2024 postseason. The three remaining games will be important for Mike McCarthy, whose job is under fire: putting together a winning streak to finish the year 9-8 could be enough to convince Jerry Jones to give him one more year as the head coach.

They'll play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during Week 16's Sunday Night Football. In Week 17, they'll face the Philadelphia Eagles away from home, before closing the season with a home game against the same Washington Commanders.

Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb signed massive contract extensions during the offseason but they were not able to take the team further. Many things need to change in 2025 for Dallas to return to the playoffs.

About the author

Henrique Bulio is an NFL and College Football journalist at Sportskeeda and the Editor-in-Chief of Pro Football Brasil. He has a total 13 years of experience working in American Football, and playing quarterback at an amateur level in Brazil has given him a unique perspective of the game.

Henrique follows the Philadelphia Eagles closely due to Michael Vick's historic performance on MNF against the Washington Commanders in 2010. His all-time favorite player is Ed Reed; he believes that Reed is the greatest safety to ever play the game. Bill Belichick gets the nod as Henrique's favorite coach for coaching the Patriots to glory over two decades.

If Henrique were to be able to go back in time and watch one game, it would be Super Bowl XLIX, where the Patriots and the Seahawks played a complete, back-and-forth game that concluded with one of the biggest talking points in NFL history.

Technical deep dives are Henrique’s specialty, and he ensures never to use misleading words in his articles, since he himself consumes a lot of information off the web. He has had the privilege of interviewing Cairo Santos, Lamar Jackson, Jim Harbaugh, Sean McDermott, Bruce Arians, Matt LaFleur, among others.

Aside from football, Henrique likes to play poker and Counter-Strike.

Know More

Dallas Cowboys Fans! Check out the latest Cowboys Schedule and dive into the Dallas Cowboys Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Henrique Bulio