Can the Dallas Cowboys turnaround this season and make the playoffs?

NFL Network analytics expert Cynthia Frelund figures the Dallas Cowboys have a slim to no chance to make the playoffs. How many games can they win?

In her recent NFL.com article, Cynthia Frelund published the results from the 20,000 simulations she ran from her win-loss model. Frelund projects the Dallas Cowboys to win 7.4 games.

Her model also gives Dallas a 15.5 percent chance of making the playoffs. With nine games remaining, I will explore which games I think the Cowboys can win.

America’s Team will make their only appearance on Monday Night Football against the Tennessee Titans on November 5th. The Titans sport the 30th ranked offense and 11th ranked defense. Let’s go with the win at home pattern.

The following week will be the first of two meetings with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles sit at four wins and four losses and will be pumped coming off their bye. The pattern continues with a road loss.

The week after, the Cowboys return to Atlanta to face the Falcons where offensive tackle Chaz Green was turnstiled by defensive end Adrian Clayborn last year. Good news, Clayborn plays for the New England Patriots now. Big D finds a way to get their first road win.

At Thanksgiving, Dallas will get a chance to close the gap with first place Washington. Wide receiver Amari Cooper will loosen the box and running back Ezekiel Elliott will run for twice as many yards as last time and the Cowboys claim their first win streak of the year.

The following Thursday, the New Orleans Saints will march into town with a strength on strength match-up between the quarterback Drew Brees-led offense and the linebacker Sean Lee or is it Jaylon Smith-led defense. If the Cowboys will be contenders, they need to win this game. I don’t think they do.

After the mini-bye, the Cowboys will host the Eagles who will now sit in first place in the NFC East. In a must win game, the home team finds a way to get back in the win column.

In the last game against an AFC South team, the Cowboys travel to Indianapolis to play the Colts. Big D will smother the surprisingly strong run game of the Colts to win their eighth of the year.

Returning home to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who have the NFL’s first ranked offense, Dallas will face Fitzmagic. Cornerbacks Byron Jones and Chidobe Awuzie won’t get fooled by wide receivers Mike Evans or DeSean Jackson for a 75-yard touchdown pass. And the Cowboys pull off a much-needed win.

In the last game of the year, the 9-6 Cowboys travel to cold New York to take on the Giants. By then, trick shot quarterback Alex Tanney of Dallas practice squad fame, will probably be starting for the struggling G-Men. And as a result, the Cowboys will claw out a 14-6 win. But will it be enough to clinch a playoff spot?

Do you have optimism that the Dallas Cowboys will make the playoffs? Or do you feel the NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund is correct. Tell us in the comment section below.