Updated NFL playoff picture following Cowboys shameful loss to Eagles

The Cowboys can win seven straight to get into the NFL Playoffs, right?
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb / Sam Hodde/GettyImages
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The Dallas Cowboys' dreadful 2024 campaign continued this past Sunday, as America's Team took an embarrassing 34-6 defeat at the hands of the rival Philadelphia Eagles.

While CeeDee Lamb made a little franchise history with his 450th career reception, the Cowboys as a whole made some NFL history — just not the good kind. Dallas is now the only team to ever trail by 20 or more points in five consecutive home games, which is just mind-boggling given how good they were at AT&T Stadium the past two years.

But that's just where this team is right now.

Now 3-6 after suffering their fourth straight loss, the Cowboys now just have to count the weeks until they're eliminated from postseason contention because there's no way they're getting back to the playoffs for a fourth straight season.

A win on Sunday over the Eagles would've given them an outside shot, but that was genuinely their last chance. As for Philly, Nick Sirriani's squad actually moved into first place in the NFC East at 7-2 as the Washington Commanders fell to 7-3 after taking a one-point loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

From an overall standpoint, the Eagles sit in the No. 2 slot in the NFC. The top spot, of course, still belongs to the Detroit Lions, who improved to 8-1 with an improbable comeback victory on Sunday night over the Houston Texans. The Cowboys will welcome those same Texans to town next Monday night.

The Commanders fell from second to sixth in the conference, as the Minnesota Vikings improved to 7-2 with an ugly win over the Jacksonville Jaguars to hold the No. 5 position.

Let's have a look at how the rest of the conference shakes out and where the Cowboys fit in. Spoiler alert: They don't.

Updated NFC playoff picture and standings heading into Week 11

Here's a look at the seven teams who would fill the NFC side of the bracket if the NFL Playoffs were to start tomorrow.

  1. Detroit Lions (8-1, 1st NFC North)
  2. Philadelphia Eagles (7-2, 1st NFC East)
  3. Atlanta Falcons (6-4, 1st NFC South)
  4. Arizona Cardinals (6-4, 1st NFC West)
  5. Minnesota Vikings (7-2, 2nd NFC North)
  6. Washington Commanders (7-3, 2nd NFC East)
  7. Green Bay Packers (6-3, 3rd NFC North)

The Cowboys, as they did a week ago, currently sit in the 13th slot in the conference, ahead of only the New Orleans Saints (No. 14, 3-7), Carolina Panthers (No. 15, 3-7), and New York Giants (No. 16, 2-8).

While Dallas can technically still win the NFC East, that's not happening unless Mike McCarthy & Co. sweep the Commanders and win the second game against Philly in Week 17. But again, that's not happening.

The only chance the Cowboys really have is to somehow sneak into the final wild-card slot, which is currently held by the Green Bay Packers, who are 6-3. That's a lot of ground to make up in the next eight weeks.

Plus, they'd have to bypass the other five teams also fighting for that same spot, a group that currently consists of the San Francisco 49ers (No. 8, 5-4), Chicago Bears (No. 9, 4-5), Seattle Seahawks (No. 10, 4-5), Los Angeles Rams (4-5), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 12, 4-6).

Is it 2025 yet?

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