Dallas Cowboys' NFC East hopes get lifeline ahead of crucial NFL playoff push

The Dallas Cowboys are trending in the right direction with three consecutive wins. The Philadelphia Eagles, however, are headed in the opposite direction with back-to-back losses.

In Week 12, they were defeated by the Cowboys, who fought back from a 21-0 deficit to win 24-21. On Friday, they lost again, this time to the Chicago Bears, who won 24-15.

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That loss means the Eagles are now 8-4 and just 1.5 games ahead of the 6-5-1 Cowboys. They also lost their tiebreaker to Dallas since they no longer have the head-to-head advantage. Making matters better for the Cowboys, they are now 3-1 in the division compared to 2-2 for the Eagles.

Looking at the final schedule for the two teams, the Cowboys might have the advantage, especially after the way they played the past few weeks.

1.5 games back from Philadelphia.

Cowboys have left:

Detroit
Chargers
Giants
Vikings
Commanders

Eagles have left:

Chargers
Bills
Commanders
Commanders
Raiders

Run the table you make the playoffs as division winners imo.
— Connor Livesay (@ConnorNFLDraft) November 28, 2025

Philadelphia, which was in firm control of the division, gave Dallas a lifeline with its recent losses. That could be exactly what the Cowboys needed, especially considering how close the Wild Card race is.

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Do the Cowboys have to run the table?

Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott and guard Tyler Booker celebrate with a turkey after the game against the Kansas City Chiefs. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Cowboys' best chance of making the postseason, or winning the NFC East, happens if they run the table. An 11-5-1 finish would likely be enough to get in, but that's asking a lot.

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Fortunately, Dallas could still make it with a little help, even if they don't win their final five games. In that scenario, they'll be leaning on others to pull off a few upsets.

That said, it feels like too much of a long shot to make the postseason if they happen to lose more than one down the stretch. No matter how it unfolds, the Cowboys deserve credit for making it interesting.

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