So, normally not winning your division would set you up for a decent path the following year, but, of course, in the Cowboys' case for next season, the NFC is loaded this year, and the second place teams are better than them. Just looking on the surface, the Cowboys will play the teams that finish second in their division, and after this weekend it looks as if they will play teams such as the Packers, Ravens, and Buccaneers.
We've got a team that I think has got a top future, as far as next year's concerned. Starting with the offense, starting with that as we stand here tonight. And I think we've got the bones of a heck of a defense out there as well. And so, I think that as we do things that are directed toward making us better, period, no matter who we do it with, as we do those things, we're starting [from a] real good spot.
For Philadelphia, they've also struggled in recent weeks; if not for the Dallas Cowboys' failure to win, this division could have actually been a close race. Instead, they are a win away from both clinching their ticket to the postseason and from becoming the first team to win back-to-back NFC East titles in two decades. As seven-point favorites, they are pretty clearly poised to do just tha
Over the season's final three weeks, it will be interesting to see how the Cowboys approach their rookies. Dallas seems set with Booker, and second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku, as both players have been steady contributors. Third round pick Shavon Revel remains an enigma. The Cowboys say they like what they've seen from him so far. However, Revel has been getting burned in coverage far too often.
As a unit, the defensive line is at 39% in Pass Rush Win Rate (12th) and 32% Run Stop Win Rate (6th), so the plan is to push the middle of the pocket and make every Justin Herbert dropback feel crowded. Individually, the star power inside has been Quinnen Williams, who is number one in Run Stop Win Rate (46%) among inside defensive linemen, while Osa Odighizuwa is also top-10 (39%).
There are some definite positives from the 2025 season for the Cowboys. Brian Schottenheimer proved he is a capable head coach, navigating some really rough waters to a point where he still seems to be in command of his club, and still has the respect of the roster. His side of the ball, the offense, has been one of the better units in the league in 2025 and will return most of the key players, pending a resolution of George Pickens' situation.
That's right, the man in question is the player Dallas received from Green Bay this summer in exchange for the All-Pro Parsons. Kenny Clark, 30, joined the Cowboys, alongside two first-round picks, and has played well in a reformed interior defensive line that now includes both Quinnen Williams and Osa Odighizuwa. Due to the financial details above, the trio may last one season.
There's not much left to root for in the Dallas Cowboys 2025 season. Sure, there is the mathematical possibility of making the playoffs, but the reality is that the season is effectively over and Cowboys Nation turns its lonely eyes to the draft and free agency? Well, at least the draft part. We're going to ask you if you are confident in the direction of the team.
Although Dallas leads the NFL in total offense and ranks fifth in scoring, the team is all but guaranteed to miss the playoffs. After dropping to 6-7-1 with a loss to the Vikings in Week 15, the Cowboys' chances of earning a postseason bid are under 1%, according to ESPN's Football Power Index. It's fair to place most of the blame for the Cowboys' lackluster season on their defense.
As we head toward the playoffs, three NFL teams are carrying more than $100MM in dead money. That represents more than a third of the salary cap. The 49ers are also on track to make the playoffs with more than $100MM allocated to players no longer on their 53-man roster. Here is where the 32 teams stand for dead money (via OverTheCap) with three weeks left in the regular season: