The Dallas Cowboys are 10-4 heading into Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins, needing a win if they want to keep high seeding hopes alive for the postseason.
The Cowboys are still in prime position to make a postseason run, but the seeding across the NFC remains a mystery. They can clinch a playoff berth this weekend with a win.
Cowboys Playoff Chances | Week 16 Update
Note that this article was originally published on Dec. 24. The results of this week’s games are below and will continue to be updated throughout the day.
After Week 16, the Cowboys are one game behind the Philadelphia Eagles (11-4) in the NFC East and are the No. 5 seed in the NFC playoff picture.
Sunday Games Update
Seahawks (8-7) defeated Titans (5-10)
Lions (11-4) defeated Vikings (7-8)
Dolphins (11-4) defeated Cowboys (10-5)
Christmas Day Update
Eagles (11-4) defeated Giants (5-10)
Ravens (12-3) defeated 49ers (11-4)
Keep reading below to see the playoff scenarios for the Cowboys entering Week 16. And head over to PFN’s free NFL Playoff Predictor to test various scenarios and see how they change the playoff bracket.
NFC Seeding Ahead of Week 16
The Cowboys clinched playoff contention last week before playing against the Bills.
Here is what the rankings look like for the NFC playoff picture:
- San Francisco 49ers
- Dallas Cowboys
- Detroit Lions
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Los Angeles Rams
- Minnesota Vikings
Although the Eagles and 49ers will still determine the fate of the Cowboys, the NFC is still coming down to the wire.
Can the Cowboys Clinch the NFC East?
Although chances are still thin of the Cowboys winning the NFC East, it’s possible.
With the Cowboys and Eagles losing in Week 15, the race remains the same.
MORE: NFL Week 16 Playoff Bracket
The Cowboys can still help themselves clinch the NFC East if they win their last three games of the regular season. But that might not be enough.
The Cowboys play the Dolphins, Lions, and Commanders in their remaining schedule.
But the Eagles have an easier path with their schedule, playing the Cardinals and the Giants twice.
If the Eagles lose one game and the Cowboys win out, the NFC East will be a done deal for Dallas.
But if the Eagles win out, they will win the NFC East regardless of what the Cowboys do.
If the Cowboys and Eagles finish with the same record at the end of the season, they get home-field advantage for at least one game because they have a better conference record than the Cowboys.
Can the Cowboys Clinch the NFC?
Even though the chances of the Cowboys winning the NFC are even more slim than their chances of winning the NFC East, it’s still not impossible.
It all depends on what the Eagles and 49ers do the rest of the season.
This week, the Eagles play the Giants, and the 49ers play the Ravens.
The Cowboys’ loss to the 49ers in Week 5 continues to haunt their chances for higher seeding in the playoffs.
Although it’s not likely if the Eagles and 49ers both lose and the Cowboys win this week, they could inch ahead in the NFC.
But if the 49ers lost at least two of their next three games, the Cowboys could get higher seeding and home-field advantage.
But this would probably be a temporary spot since the Eagles and 49ers don’t have difficult schedules in the final two weeks of the season.
All the Cowboys can control now is beating the Dolphins, Lions, and Commanders within the next three weeks.
Want to predict the rest of the 2023 season with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? Looking for the most up-to-date NFL standings? What about a breakdown of team depth charts or the NFL schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with that and more!