Contenders or Pretenders? Cowboys Flop Against NFC's Best

As the Dallas Cowboys finish the regular season and prepare for the NFC playoffs, they must face an inconvenient truth:

Their best conference "win" is a loss.

After Sunday's frustrating 25-22 loss to the playoff-bound Arizona Cardinals, the Cowboys fell to 3-4 against teams with winning records and only 6-5 outside their division. Ugly reality: They haven't beaten an above-.500 opponent since before Halloween.

Their "signature" win against NFC playoff opponents was way back in Week 3 at home over the Philadelphia Eagles. Their best performance against a conference opponent headed for the postseason? The season-opening, 31-29 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers almost four months ago.

An ESPN report last weekend claims multiple NFL executives consider the Cowboys to be pnly a "fringe contender". After the loss to Arizona, TV talking heads are already crowing that they were "exposed".

No way around the fact that Dallas built its playoff resume by feasting on the NFC East. It is 5-0 in the division, with an average margin of victory of 27-11. Interesting, however, that the worst division in the NFC is the North - home of the No. 1-seeded Green Bay Packers - and its three teams with seven wins or less.

But while the Packers are 3-0 against likely NFC playoff teams (with wins over the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Cardinals), the Cowboys are only 1-2 with the win over Philly and losses to the Cardinals and Buccaneers.

"To get to where we want to go we have to play the best," said Cowboys' quarterback Dak Prescott. "Whoever it is, line 'em up. We'll play here, their backyard. Wherever."

During their dynamic 4-0 December run, the Cowboys bolstered their reputation as both the NFL's most prolific offense and most opportunistic defense. Both of those elements bogged down against an elevated opponent in Arizona, as they produced only 301 yards and created zero takeaways.

A troubling trend? Or merely a hiccup?

Only three of Dallas' 11 victories have come against teams with winning records. It has lost three consecutive against winning opponents, the last win coming in overtime at New England on Oct. 17.

By virtue of the loss to Arizona, the Cowboys fell to the NFC's No. 4 seed. Starting Saturday night in Philadelphia, they will face only teams with winning records the rest of the season.

We're about to learn if they are legitimate contenders or merely pretenders?