Cowboys must win, but the options for divisional round down go to 2
The Dallas Cowboys are committed to the task at hand. Despite being slight road favorites, there’s no question that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom Brady present a ridiculous hurdle for the Cowboys to climb over. With the team’s history against the quarterback (0-7) and on the road on the playoffs (0-for-30 years), there’s no way they are looking beyond the task at hand, escaping Monday night with a win.
However, outside the stadium, the view from the couches and bleachers is not as important. Fans can care about the rest of the NFC playoffs, and with Saturday’s results, more is known about what kind of path Dallas would need to traverse to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1995 season.
What San Francisco’s victory means
Dallas entered wild card weekend with five possibilities. The worst is that they could lose Monday night and end their season. Based on the games they played before they went on the field, they could win. However, it is possible that they will be victorious. This depends on which of their four opponents won.
Dallas was almost assured of having to travel if they won, but there was one longshot to them playing at AT&T Stadium.
If all three teams on the road won, Dallas would have hosted the divisional round against New York Giants. The Seattle Seahawks would have travelled to Philadelphia.
Two of these other options were eliminated by the 49ers defeating the Seahawks.
Dallas is unable to host a divisional round home game, but there are still slim chances they will get one if everything goes according to plan.
If New York upsets Minnesota
Three points separated the Giants and Vikings in Minnesota earlier this season. If the Giants can make a comeback to the crime scene and win, then Dallas will be facing the Eagles for the third consecutive season.
If everyone makes it home from Monday feeling well, it will create a great rubber match in which both teams will have their starting quarterback for the first series.
Philadelphia won in Week 6, 26-17, in Cooper Rush’s final start. After having been fortunate in the weeks before, he was 4-0 on his season and 5-0 in his entire career.
In Week 16, Dallas won the rematch, 40-34. Gardner Minshew was in the center for the Eagles. Dak Prescott, Jalen HUTS and Gardner Minshew would likely lead an epic winner takes all third matchup.
Minnesota defeats Giants
If Minnesota holds serve, Dallas will be sent to the west coast for divisional round. It would be a rematch of last year’s wild-card loss, when the 12-5 Cowboys were the lone home team to lose in the initial round.
The longest winning streak in NFL history is now 11 consecutive wins by the 49ers. The broadcast mentioned that the last few teams to have double-digit winning streaks into the playoffs were all eliminated in the divisional round.
Kyle Shanahan’s QB, right now being played by Brock Purdy, is humming along at 6-0 during the streak.