Can the Dallas Cowboys still make the playoffs after win over Panthers?
The Dallas Cowboys pulled off a win over the lowly Carolina Panthers, bringing their record to 6-8, but their playoff chances are still slim to none.
The Dallas Cowboys notched a win on Sunday, a 30-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers. It’s not much to brag about, as the Panthers were 3-10 coming into that game, but Carolina had been showing signs of improvement while Dallas was coming off a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals the previous week, and the Panthers were actually the favorites to win.
Road W for the #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/cmvVyPO0I5
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 15, 2024
The Cowboys' record improved to 6-8 with the win over the Panthers and yes, their playoff odds, which were at 0.2% before the game, did improve as well...but not by much.
Cowboys' updated playoff odds after Week 15 victory
The Cowboys have had a pretty terrible season, but they have had a few wins here and there (including some divisional wins) that have kept fans' hopes of a postseason alive and proved that the team is at least refusing to tank.
After making the playoffs in the past three straight seasons, this year’s odds are not looking good. They entered Week 15 coming off a disappointing loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. But after the win over the Panthers, they technically are still alive in the postseason race.
Quite the Sunday for the Dallas Cowboys, from both a playoff and tank perspective pic.twitter.com/RX8J3PbuUB
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) December 16, 2024
In the NFC standings, the Cowboys rank 12th, ahead of only the New Orleans Saints.
Current NFC Standings:
| Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lions | 12-2 |
| 2 | Eagles | 12-2 |
| 3 | Buccaneers | 8-6 |
| 4 | Rams | 8-6 |
| 5 | Vikings | 11-2 |
| 6 | Packers | 10-4 |
| 7 | Commanders | 9-5 |
| 8 | Seahawks | 8-6 |
| 9 | Cardinals | 7-7 |
| 10 | Falcons | 6-7 |
| 11 | 49ers | 6-8 |
| 12 | Cowboys | 6-8 |
| 13 | Saints | 5-9 |
The Cowboys' best bet is to try to snag the No. 7 spot from the Washington Commanders, but there are still four teams standing in their way there. And the Commanders don’t look like a team on the verge of collapse. To make this happen, Dallas will need to win the rest of their games and have the Commanders lose their next two against the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons.
To win out will be difficult as the Cowboys' remaining schedule is a challenging one.
Cowboys' remaining schedule:
| Date | Opponent | Opponent’s current record | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, Dec. 22 | vs Buccaneers | 8-6 | 8:20 p.m. |
| Sunday, Dec, 29 | @ Eagles | 12-2 | 4:25 p.m. |
| Sunday, Jan. 5 | vs Commanders | 9-5 | TBD |
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Even IF the Cowboys win out and the Commanders collapse, however, the Cowboys still would need the other four teams standing between them to flop as well, specifically the Rams or Seahawks.
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