Jerry Jones gets honest on importance of Week 18 win despite no NFL playoff hopes

The Dallas Cowboys take the field for the final time this season on Sunday afternoon, when they make the trip to MetLife Stadium for an NFC East showdown against the New York Giants.

While the team was eliminated from the NFL playoff race two weeks ago, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones does not want to go down without a fight.

Jones recently spoke about the importance of finishing the season on a high note, as the team aims to gain momentum entering the offseason.

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“You weigh that against how valuable it was to win the game (at Washington),” Jones said, via the Athletic. "I don’t mean to sound like a motivational talk here, but the win was big to us (last week)."

Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jone — Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones talks before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at AT&T Stadium | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

“To go up against the Giants and to finish with hopefully the kind of taste we got in our mouth (after beating Washington), to go do that, there’s a tremendous carryover. And I’m not just talking about the players. I’m talking about everybody, coaches, fans, all the way through.”

If Dallas gets the win in Week 18, they will finish with a 5-1 record against division rivals. While that is not the ultimate goal, it is a positive sign for the team moving into the future.

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It will be interesting to see how the team approaches the season finale, especially concerning star quarterback Dak Prescott. Prescott currently leads the league in passing yards and could lock up the first passing yards title of his NFL career.

Of course, if the team wants to avoid any devastating injuries that could carry over into the 2026 season, sitting Prescott in a meaningless game would be the right call.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during warmups before the game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Kickoff between the Cowboys and Giants at MetLife Stadium is set for 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX.

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