The Dallas Cowboys continued their annual tradition of playing on Thanksgiving, and this year’s game had some of the highest stakes in recent memory. Facing off against the Kansas City Chiefs, both teams entered the Week 13 matchup with five losses. That’s why the game was considered a must-win for both sides. Fortunately for the Cowboys, they won the exhilarating matchup 31-28.
Now, Dallas is 6-5-1, hoping to fight its way into the playoffs. The NFC is loaded this year, with six teams already sitting at eight wins, but the Cowboys still have a window into the postseason. Just ask Tony Romo. The win on Thursday helped open the window a little bit more. Here’s a look at the current NFC playoff picture following Dallas’ win on Thursday.
Updated NFC playoff standings after Cowboys' Thanksgiving win over Chiefs
1. Los Angeles Rams (9-2)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (8-3)
3. Chicago Bears (8-3)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5)
5. Seattle Seahawks (8-3)
6. Green Bay Packers (8-3)
7. San Francisco 49ers (8-4)
8. Detroit Lions (7-5)
9. Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1)
10. Carolina Panthers (6-6)
11. Atlanta Falcons (4-7)
12. Minnesota Vikings (4-7)
13. Arizona Cardinals (3-8)
14. Washington Commanders (3-8)
15. New Orleans Saints (2-9)
16. New York Giants (2-10) — eliminated
The Cowboys are currently the No. 9 team in the NFC, two spots out of the final playoff seed. Right in front of Dallas is the 7-5 Detroit Lions, who lost to the Green Bay Packers Thursday afternoon, and the 8-4 San Francisco 49ers, who will play the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. With five weeks left in the season, Dallas can certainly catch both teams and claim a playoff spot.
The Cowboys have seemingly hit their stride, winning their last three games, including wins against the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chiefs in a span of four days.
With games against the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders, and New York Giants still on the schedule, Dallas has a road to the playoffs. The game next Thursday, in Detroit, will be especially important, since the Lions are the team right in front of Dallas.
It’s worth noting that while the Cowboys’ most likely path to the playoffs is through a wild-card spot, they are very much still alive in the NFC East race. The Eagles are 8-3 and will play the 8-3 Chicago Bears on Friday. If Philly loses to Chicago, it will have just one fewer loss than Dallas.
That will make the final five weeks of the season very intriguing for the NFC East. What’s important for the Cowboys, though, is that they continue to stack wins.