At 3-5-1, the time for the Dallas Cowboys to make a playoff push is now. Everything is in their favor to beat the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night, and if they don't, they won't be ready at all for the late-season gauntlet they've got coming.
Jared Dubin from CBS Sports writes an article about ranking 12 struggling franchises in the NFL and where they can go from here. The Jets, Saints, and Titans are teams in the "long way away" category, and he has the Bengals and Cowboys in the "closer than you think" category.
It's been on the mind of every Cowboys fan since the beginning of the season. The reason Dubin has the Cowboys in a playoff picture is pretty simple: just improve your defense a tiny bit, and the rest will follow.
Cowboys' defese doesn't even need to be above average to achieve their highest potential
" If (Dallas or Cincinnati) can figure out a way to level up defensively, they could quickly make a move up their standings in their respective conferences. Maybe not all the way to the top, but certainly into the playoff picture. All it would take is competency -- not even necessarily getting to above average."Jared Dubin
Even if the Cowboys were the 24th-ranked defense, that would be enough to make all the difference in the world. Even though fans might've wanted Trey Hendrickson or Maxx Crosby, it was going to be taxing to get some game-changers like those two guys. Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson might just be enough to move the needle.
If the Cowboys' defense stays near dead-last, they truly do need to blow up the team, as Jerry Jones is doing nothing but wasting some of Prescott's best years. Other than the past two affairs, Prescott has looked like an MVP, and to prove that he's not the problem, the Cowboys are fifth in the NFL in total points following Week 10. Of course, the teams they trail are likely playoff-bound.
Dubin adds that Dallas is closer than Cincinnati because of Joe Burrow recovering from injury. Dubin says with Prescott at 32 and with Pickens' future still up in the air, there's still uncertainty for the Cowboys. Even with Dallas and Pickens feeling mutual about a new contract, look at what happened with Micah Parsons. Fans thought he was a sure lock to stay, and he didn't.
The gauntlet of facing the Eagles, Chiefs, Lions, Vikings, and Chargers will be the toughest tests of the season. Fans can only hope that the bye week was the reality check the Cowboys needed, and even then, they don't have to be a great defense.
As Dubin put it, just be competent.