Can the Cowboys still save the 2025 season?

They also have to take care of business against the imploding Washington Commanders and New York Giants over the final two weeks of the season.

Dallas must be no worse that 8-6-1 by the time they play the Commanders in Washington on Christmas Day. A 10-6-1 record probably gets Dallas into the postseason.

A 9-7-1 record and they will need a lot of help from the other NFC teams to get in.

If Dallas is at 6-8-1 prior to the Christmas Day game, their season is over no matter how the last two games play out.

A Brutal Stretch

Let’s assume a win tomorrow against Vegas and a 4-5-1 record. The Cowboys then play a murderer’s row slate of opponents the next five weeks.

That includes three games in 12 days.

And those three opponents will be Philadelphia and Kansas City at home on just three days of rest, followed by the Lions in Detroit the Thursday after Thanksgiving.

To stay alive for the playoffs, Dallas has to win at least two of these games. That would put them at 6-6-1.

Then comes home games against the Vikings and the Chargers.

Win both, and Dallas is 8-6-1 with road games against Washington and the Giants ahead.

Win those two games too, and a 10-6-1 record probably gets the Cowboys in as a wildcard.

That’s the good news, that there is still a chance, but only if the Cowboys’ defense can elevate itself and play much better than they have in the first half of the season.

The Likely Scenario

Unfortunately, the Cowboys probably won’t be able to pull off that one path to the playoffs. The recent additions to the defense will help, but can’t cure what ails the defense.

They’ll be more competitive for sure.

But in all likelihood, they only win two of those five crucial games – probably the Vikings and Chargers – which all but seals their fate with an 8-8-1 record being the best they can do in 2025.