Dallas Cowboys' playoff odds plummet after brutal Week 14 collapse

Riding a three-game winning streak, the Dallas Cowboys headed into Ford Field full of confidence, ready to take on the Detroit Lions.

It was clear early on that Detroit was going to be the aggressor, as they took a 20-9 lead into halftime. The Cowboys then turned the ball over on the first series in the third quarter, leading to a 27-9 lead for the home team.

The Cowboys deserve credit for continuing to fight, even pulling to within three points in the fourth quarter when Dak Prescott hit Ryan Flournoy for a 42-yard touchdown. It was all Detroit after that, as they won 44-30.

MORE: Dak Prescott's viral comments come back to bite Cowboys in loss to Lions

Dallas deserves credit for rebounding from a 3-5-1 start, especially since they went 2-1 during their toughest stretch of the season. That said, it's still a major blow to their playoff chances.

What are the updated playoff odds for the Dallas Cowboys?

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott rolls out during the first half against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

According to The Athletic's NFL playoff simulator, the Cowboys have a 9% chance of making the playoffs right now. Those odds increase significantly if they win all four remaining games, but they remain under 50%.

MORE: George Pickens responds to Richard Sherman after Cowboys' loss to Lions

Here's a look at who the Cowboys will face down the stretch as they fight to keep their hopes alive.

Week 15: Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 16: Cowboys vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Week 17: Cowboys at Washington Commanders
Week 18: Cowboys at New York Giants

None of those games are going to be easy, but the Cowboys could be favored in at least three of them, with the Chargers standing out as the toughest opponent left. If they do pull off all these victories, their playoff chances increase to 47%, so they'll still need a lot of help to get in.

They can't worry about anything other than the schedule they're facing, so Dallas needs to get back to work and do all they can to increase those odds.

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