Although they are not mathematically eliminated yet, the Dallas Cowboys now hold only a minimal chance, less than 2% according to NFL.com, of making the playoffs after falling 26-34 to the Vikings. The Cowboys will miss the playoffs because they have lost back-to-back games after winning three straight previously. This marks the second consecutive year they will miss the postseason and extends their streak to 30 consecutive years without advancing past the Divisional Round, let alone reaching the Conference Championship.
Owner Jerry Jones, the rest of the front office, and coach Brian Schottenheimer certainly have a mountain of work for the offseason, starting with fixing a defense that allowed 78 points in these last two devastating losses, a level of performance that makes success in the NFL impossible. Last year’s defensive woes were similar, even with Micah Parsons on the team. Tragically, it is believed that Parsons suffered a torn ACL, ruling him out for the rest of the year.
Eagles Poised to End Division’s Historic Instability
On the other side of the ball, Dak Prescott’s offense has performed well for most of the season, largely due to Jones’s heavy investment and the playmakers they possess in running back Jaovnte Williams and wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. However, Pickens has failed to surpass 40 yards in consecutive games for the first time this year, precisely when his production was needed most, leading to speculation that he won’t be re-signed and will become one of the most sought-after free agents in the offseason.
While one could continue listing excuses for the Cowboys’ expected mediocrity this year, the most significant impact of this latest loss is that it signaled the end of a 20-season streak in the NFC East where no team had won the division in consecutive seasons.
With the Giants and Commanders having terrible seasons, the Cowboys were the only slight hope of dethroning the Eagles, who won it last year. That hope now looks impossible, as just one more Eagles victory or one more Cowboys defeat in the final three weeks will secure the division title for Philadelphia.
The Eagles’ last three games include two against the Commanders and one against Buffalo. Given the Commanders’ current situation, it is highly likely they will lose at least one to Philadelphia. Meanwhile, the Cowboys host the Chargers and close the season with road games against the Commanders and Giants. Given their current spiral, they could realistically even lose to the Giants.
The Division Streak That Defined the NFC East
This streak of no back-to-back division champions began in 2005 when the Giants snapped a four-year run by the Andy Reid Eagles (2001-04). Since then, the NFC East had never seen one of its four teams repeat as champion for 20 seasons. Over those two decades, the Cowboys and Eagles each won the division seven times, including two each in the last four years, while the Commanders and Giants each won it three times (most recently the Commanders in 2020 and the Giants in 2011).
In that same span, the Giants and Eagles have each won the Super Bowl twice, and the Commanders reached the Conference Championship just last season. Then there are the Cowboys, who have not advanced past the Divisional Round in three decades.
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