Hot Cowboys Move to No. 2 Seed in NFC Playoff Race

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys close Sunday as the NFC’s No. 2 seed for the NFL Playoffs.

The quick climb began for the Cowboys when they methodically dispatched the New York Giants 21-6 Sunday at MetLife Stadium. That pushed them closer to a division title, while keeping pace with the NFC leaders.

The Cowboys (10-4) then got closer still during their airplane ride home.

Due To their edge in a current three-team tiebreaker with the Bucs and the Cardinals (even though Dallas lost to the Bucs and has the Cardinals coming up), their Sunday losses vault Dallas into that tie …

And into the No. 2 slot ahead of them.

So, the NFC playoff standings:

1. Packers: 11-3

2. Cowboys: 10-4

3. Buccaneers: 10-4

4. Cardinals: 10-4

5. Rams: 9-4

The Bucs lost to the underdog Saints. The Cards lost to the underdog Lions. Even the Packers almost lost, hanging on for a 31-30 win over the Ravens.

And suddenly, Dallas - which will be favored in each of its final three games - is within breathing distance of the No. 1 spot, which comes with the reward of a first-round playoff bye.

Three consecutive wins puts Dallas in this position. The latest at the Giants was fueled by an opportunistic defenses that caused four turnovers, including three interceptions.

That’s at least four takeaways in three straight games – the longest such streak for the franchise since 1994. Trevon Diggs is the first Cowboy since Everson Walls in 1981 with double-digit interceptions.

Diggs grabbed his league-leading 10th pick midway through the fourth quarter. (Walls holds the team record with 11.) Jourdan Lewis and Malik Hooker also had picks.

Dallas' 23 interceptions are the most in the NFL.

Those kind of stats prompted Diggs to make a haughty claim.

“We’re the best defense for sure,” he said.

Maybe. Diggs and rookie linebacker Micah Parsons, with his 11 sacks, are each in the discussion for Defensive Player of the Year. They’re the first teammates with at least 10 picks and sacks since Antonio Cromartie (10 INTs) and Shawne Merriman (12.5 sacks) did so for the San Diego Chargers in 2007.

“It’s amazing just to be on a team with a strong defense,” said DeMarcus Lawrence, who forced a fumble. “It doesn’t get any better than that.”

The Cowboys would like better play from the Dak Prescott-led offense - “I’ll let everyone know the (Dallas) defense is kicking our (the offense’s) ass,” Prescott happily conceded on the subject of which unit is carrying the load.

But again …

Dallas is down to three games left in the regular season, with the next two at AT&T Stadium. Up first is Washington, which lost to the Cowboys a week ago. A key seeding game follows against Arizona on Jan. 2 before closing things out at Philadelphia.