There are currently some very frustrating vibes surrounding the Dallas Cowboys. Through the first fives games, they’ve alternated wins and losses, which is the epitome of an average football team.
When they lost to the 0-4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it wasn’t that they didn’t win, it was how poorly they looked while doing it. Their defense made undrafted free agent rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels look like a seasoned pro, and their offense, which is usually what they can fall back on, scored just 16 points.
It’s been a display of inconsistency by the Cowboys so far this season.
One thing that’s in their favor in terms of having a shot at the playoffs is that the NFC East, or NFC Least as its been nicknamed, is still more than winnable. The New York Giants lead the division at 3-1-1. Behind them are the Philadelphia Eagles and the Cowboys at 2-3, and the Washington Commanders are 1-3-1. Dallas has the Green Bay Packers on their slate for Sunday Night Football in Week 6 followed by the Eagles on Monday Night Football in Week 7. These games are very important of course, but the Cowboys need to approach these as must wins.
As much as the Cowboys could win the next two games, their up and down play could easily lead to back-to-back losses as well. They would fall to 2-5 if that was the case, and put them in a very bad spot not even half way through the season. It would not only result in them being 1-2 in division play, but that would give them four losses in the NFC, which would be crippling when it comes to tie breakers for a potential playoff spot.
Since the playoff extension in 1990, 155 teams have started the season with a 2-5 record. Only nine of those teams have made the postseason, which is 5.81%. It’s just a very deep hole to dig out of and the Cowboys still have teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, and Jacksonville Jaguars on their schedule. Those teams have the flaws as well, but they’ll also be extremely difficult to beat.
The Cowboys need to adopt a back against the wall mentality going forward and stack up some wins quickly. After the Packers and the Eagles, they will face the 1-4 Arizona Cardinals and the 2-3 Indianapolis Colts. So, if they can pull out victories over the next few weeks, they have a shot to go on a nice run and climb up the standings in the NFC significantly.
Do you think the Cowboys can knock off the Packers and the Eagles in the next two games? Let us know your thoughts and prediction in the comments.
