Exploring Cowboys' playoff chances after Week 12: Does Dallas stand a chance after 34-26 win vs Commanders?

The Dallas Cowboys' 2024 collapse has been a media favorite this season. However, they earned a much-needed breather Sunday with a 34-26 win over the Washington Commanders, highlighted by two clutch special teams performances in the fourth quarter.

KaVontae Turpin returned a kickoff for a touchdown, giving the Cowboys a ten-point lead just before the two-minute warning.

After two Commanders scoring drives ended with Austin Seibert missing another extra point, Juanyeh Thomas scooped up an onside kick attempt. Thomas ran untouched to the end zone, scoring another touchdown.

With the Cowboys now up to 4-7, what does this mean for their playoff prospects?

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Can Cowboys still make the playoffs in 2024?

Yes, they still have a shot, but they must be perfect in their next six games and win all of them. Even one loss could hurt their chances, forcing them into tiebreakers with other teams.

Their first opponents in this stretch, the New York Giants, should be easy. Offensively, "Big Blue" has been among the worst teams, consistently failing to find the endzone. And that is not even getting to the recent release of former starting quarterback Daniel Jones.

As for the defense, all the offensive line has to do is contain the monstrous pass rush led by nose tackle Dexter Lawrence and linebackers Kayvon Thibodeaux, Brian Burns and Azeez Ojulari. Then Cooper Rush and his receivers, led by CeeDee Lamb and tight end Jake Ferguson, can get to work dismantling the weak secondary.

The Cincinnati Bengals are up next, likely offering a tougher challenge with Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase leading the way. However, their run game remains a weakness.

Then there’s the Carolina Panthers. While offensive talents like Chuba Hubbard and Adam Thielen shine, their struggling defense continues to hold them back.

The aforementioned Burns had already been a major loss for them. Then they lost Derrick Brown for the season to a torn meniscus. Veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson is also out with an Achilles tear, and the secondary is talent-starved.

The problems, however, emerge with the last three teams: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles and Commanders. All three are contenders with, at worst, decently stacked rosters on both sides of the ball and sweeping this stretch will determine whether "America's Team" gets to play January football.