The Dallas Cowboys’ 44-21 domination of the Los Angeles Rams bodes very well for their hopes of catching lightning in a bottle down the stretch of the 2019 season. The Cowboys did not clinch a playoff berth, but they did secure their first victory of the season over a club with a winning record, dropping the Rams to 8-6 on the season and improving their own record back to 7-7.
Dallas reduced their magic number on the season to two, so any combination of wins by them or losses by the also 7-7 Philadelphia Eagles that amounts to two sends the Cowboys to the playoffs as NFC East champions for the second year in a row. If Dallas is able to pull off the feat, it will be the first time a team repeats as division champions since the Eagles pulled off the feat from 2001 through 2004. The two clubs just happen to face off, in Philadelphia, in Week 16.
[GAME RECAP: Cowboys Win, De-horn Rams 44-21]
But while the Cowboys couldn’t secure their own ticket to the dance, they helped out several other teams do just that by knocking off the Rams. Thanks to the Dallas win, San Francisco and Seattle – Rams rival from the NFC West – and the NFC North leaders the Green Bay Packers, all secured their tickets.
The Seahawks, 30-24 victors over the Carolina Panthers in an early game, moved into the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC when the 49ers somehow lost to their head coach’s former team. Kyle Shanahan’s team had a tough schedule down the stretch, but no one expected them to fall to the Atlanta Falcons like they did, 29-22 in another late-afternoon game.
The New Orleans Saints could become the fourth NFC team to have an 11-3 record after 15 weeks if they can defeat the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football.
Here’s a look at the current NFC Standings.
1. Seattle Seahawks (11-3) – wins NFCW tiebreaker due to head-to-head win over SF, breaks tie for seed due to common games, conference games
2. Green Bay Packers (11-3) – wins tiebreaker over New Orleans due to conference-game record
3. New Orleans Saints (11-3)
4. Dallas Cowboys (7-7) – wins division tiebreaker due to head-to-head win over Philadelphia
5. San Francisco (11-3)
6. Minnesota Vikings (10-4)
The Cowboys will win the NFC East if they beat Philadelphia next week. If they lose, Dallas will need the Eagles to lose to the New York Giants in Week 17 while Dallas defeats Washington. That scenario will also get them in.
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