Dallas Cowboys: History shows playoff help should arrive
By Brad Austin
NO HELP WOULD BE AN ANOMALY
If Dallas wins out and neither of the two help scenarios come through, it would then mean eight NFC teams finished with 10+ wins.
After a little digging, history says that outcome is absurdly unlikely. The last time either conference finished with eight 10+ win teams was the NFC in 1991.
For those doing the math that was over a quarter of a century ago. In fact it was the only time it happened since the schedule expanded to 16 games in 1978.
Both conferences had an attempt at this each year over the last 39 seasons. Yet the strange enigma occurred only once among 78 prior attempts.
The math on that indicates a 98.7% chance either Detroit will lose one game or Atlanta will lose twice.
Both need to stumble for Dallas to slide in, but it’s likely at least one will do so.
A conference finishing with seven 10+ win teams is also uncommon but a little more rational. It happens roughly every five years. The NFC did it last in 2012.
Next: Ranking every top-10 pick in Dallas Cowboys’ history
Yes the Cowboys must handle their own business and hope for a few gifts. At least the odds say some help is coming and possibly enough to restart the season at 0-0.