Vikings have a chance to cripple Cowboys' playoff hopes Sunday night

Will Jerry Jones be fleeing his suite before the clock strikes zero Sunday night?

Nov 20, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) and center Tyler Biadasz (63) in action during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Who needs a win more Sunday night: Dallas or Minnesota?

Technically, it's the Vikings, who are eliminated from playoff contention unless they win out and get a lot of help. But the Cowboys, who are just two wins behind Philadelphia for first place in the NFC East, will see their playoff hopes take a crushing hit if they lose to Minnesota.

According to the playoff predictor from The Athletic, Dallas will have a 15% chance to qualify for the playoffs with a win over the Vikings, while a loss will drop their chances to 2%. But if the Cowboys lose and the Eagles beat the Raiders earlier on Sunday, their playoff hopes crumble to less than 1%.

In that scenario, Dallas would be 6-7-1 with three games to go, while the Eagles would be 9-5.

Dallas's only path to the playoffs at that point would be winning out, coupled with the Eagles losing out. Philadelphia finishes the season with two games against the Commanders and one against Buffalo. The Cowboys end the season with games against the Chargers, Commanders, and Giants.

If Minnesota can't make the playoffs, the next-best thing might be doing their part to help prevent the Cowboys from getting in. Remember, the Green Bay Packers are a legit Super Bowl contender largely because Jerry Jones traded them superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons.

That trade reportedly included a poison pill in the official language that prevents the Cowboys from trading defensive tackle Kenny Clark, whom they received for Parsons, to any of Green Bay's rivals in the NFC North.

Meanwhile, the Vikings do have a miracle path to the playoffs, but it requires them to win out to finish 9-8, the Bears losing their last four games, and the Lions losing their next three before defeating Chicago in Week 18. Minnesota may also need to win a tiebreaker over the NFC South runner-up.

Sunday night's game in Dallas should be another opportunity for the Vikings to show some punch on offense. The Cowboys rank dead last in the NFL in pass defense, and they're giving up nearly 30 points per game. J.J. McCarthy should be able lead scoring drives and boost fan confidence that he can still develop into the franchise quarterback after an inconsistent six starts to begin his career.

Sunday's game kicks off at 7:20 p.m. CT, so the Vikings might be eliminated by the time they step on the field, and the Cowboys may very well already know that their playoff hopes are all but gone.