A Dallas Cowboys win Sunday has even bigger implications

There are many reasons the Dallas Cowboys must beat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Yet the magnitude is much bigger than it seems.

Fresh off three straight losses and a embarrassing free fall, a Dallas Cowboys win on Sunday would be important over any NFL opponent. Of course the 3-3 Philadelphia Eagles are not just any opponent.

For any hopes of winning the NFC East division to materialize, Dallas must win at least one of two meetings against the other division contender in the race. Trying to even the score on a chilly Philadelphia Sunday in late December is not the best idea.

The Cowboys must bag this victory at home by any means necessary. Running the ball behind a wounded offensive line against the second ranked rush defense is not the answer. Dallas will have to expose the Eagles 29th ranked pass defense to prevail.

MORE AT STAKE THAN ONE VICTORY

So let’s assume Dallas squeaks out a home win against their rival and moves to 4-3 (3-0 NFC East). Philadelphia drops to 3-4 (1-1 NFC East). The Cowboys would hold a one game overall buffer and two more division wins.

That sounds great on the surface but the win considering the near future schedule could multiply the advantage in a massive way by November 5th. The two following weeks after this contest unfold in a very favorable way for Dallas.

DALLAS

• OCT 27th – Bye
• NOV 4th – New York Giants (2-4)

PHILADELPHIA

• OCT 27th – Buffalo Bills (4-1)
• NOV 3rd – Chicago Bears (3-2)

The Cowboys have the luxury to rest players the following week and then face the shredded Giants on Monday night the week after. At the same time the Eagles will run smack into the 4th and 3rd ranked scoring defenses in football.

With a win Sunday, it’s very likely the Cowboys will wake up on November 5th at 5-3 (4-0 NFC East). There’s an equally likely chance the Eagles will lose one of the two very tough games following a loss to the Cowboys.

After eight games and half a season in the books, Dallas could easily hold a two-game lead over their rival and three more division wins. A victory on Sunday may not lift playoff success potential, but it would strongly boost division champion aspirations.