After a humbling 47-9 defeat to the Detroit Lions in Week 6, the Dallas Cowboys find themselves at a middling 3-3. Their bye week offered no solace in the NFC East race, as both the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles notched victories. As it stands, the Cowboys find themselves in the No. 10 position in the overall NFC playoff picture, trailing the Eagles (4-2) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3) in the chase for the coveted final wild-card spot, currently held by the Chicago Bears (4-2).
To keep their postseason streak alive for a fourth straight year, the Cowboys need to start putting more games in the win column, beginning with their Sunday night clash against the San Francisco 49ers. Ironically, the Niners might just be the most winnable game on Dallas’s radar over the next five weeks.
With a record of 3-4, San Francisco is the sole team with a sub-.500 standing among future opponents. The more daunting challenges lie ahead against the Atlanta Falcons (Week 9), Philadelphia Eagles (Week 10), and Houston Texans (Week 11), so let’s break down what Dallas is up against.
Week 8 at San Francisco 49ers
Were the 49ers firing on all cylinders, this matchup against a historic rival might mirror their recent debacle against the Lions. However, San Francisco is far from full strength, their bruised and battered roster telling the tale.
Christian McCaffrey remains sidelined, and Brandon Aiyuk’s season-ending knee injury compounds their woes. Key players like Deebo Samuel, who’s battling pneumonia, and George Kittle, hindered by a foot injury, are uncertain for the game, while defensive anchors Nick Bosa and Jordan Mason are also less than ideal due to nagging injuries.
The Cowboys, despite missing Micah Parsons and DaRon Bland, are faring slightly better on the injury front and have to capitalize on their current health advantage. The Niners’ defense has been leaking, giving up at least 329 yards in each of their last three matchups and allowing an average of 25.3 points per game.
This is the chance for Dak Prescott and Dallas’s offense to strike early and hard. If they can claim an initial lead, Dallas’s defense should have enough in the tank to maintain it.
Projecting a close score, a 24-17 victory for the Cowboys seems likely.
Week 9 at Atlanta Falcons
It’s a bit of a head-scratcher with the Falcons so far—they’ve oscillated between looking formidable and falling flat, as evidenced by their hefty 20-point loss to the Seahawks in Week 7. Here again is a window for the Cowboys to grab a win.
Atlanta’s defense hovers lightly at 336.1 yards allowed per game, a stat Prescott could realistically exploit. Of course, ball security, as always, remains key.
Much like Atlanta’s overall performance, Falcons’ signal caller seems to be riding the highs and lows. After a standout four-touchdown display against Tampa Bay in Week 5, his output cooled, with just two touchdowns since and a pair of costly picks in their loss against Seattle.
The Cowboys should keep one eye on Atlanta’s sneaky good ground game, powered by Bijan Robinson’s 119.6 rushing yards per game—the Cowboys, after all, are surrendering 143.2 yards per game on the ground, making that duel one to watch. In the end, expect a high-scoring battle, with Dallas eking out a 35-31 triumph.
Week 10 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
In this NFC East showdown, it’s the Cowboys’ second divisional bout and the first of a pair showdown with the Eagles, fresh off what should be a walk-in-the-park clash with the Jaguars. Presently, this match-up doesn’t bode well for Dallas, compounded by their struggles to secure a home win this season.
The Eagles, running on a winning streak against the Browns and Giants, seem to be finding their groove. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has been surgical, boasting passer ratings of 126.1 and 119.3 in recent games.
Running back Saquon Barkley, thriving in his new digs, looks poised to slice through the Dallas front. On the defensive side of things, the Eagles are holding strong with a consistent showing, averaging just 19.2 points against per game, ranking sixth in the league.
Ultimately, Philly seems likely to leave AT&T Stadium with a 28-17 win.
Week 11 vs. Houston Texans
When glancing at the Houston Texans, it’s clear they’ve got some grit. Week 7 saw C.J.
Stroud struggle against Green Bay, connecting on just 10 of 21 attempts for a meager 86 yards, complemented by an arsenal missing Nico Collins, Robert Woods, and five defensive starters. Yet they squeezed out a win thanks to a clutch field goal from Brandon McManus.
Against this backdrop, Dallas doesn’t seem destined to conquer this home game challenge. Dallas will rack up some points—as Houston’s average of 22.7 points allowed per game suggests—but the Texans are set to score more.
The Cowboys defense previously demonstrated vulnerability to balanced offenses against Detroit, and Houston offers a similar punch. If Stroud finds his rhythm and Joe Mixon stays on his tear, it’s likely to be a long day for the Dallas defense.
Expect a competitive match where the Cowboys end up on the losing end, with a 34-24 decision in favor of the Texans.
In sum, the Cowboys must navigate these next four games with a level of urgency. To maintain any realistic hope of postseason play, they’ll need at least a split in these clashes.
