Dallas Cowboys clinch NFL playoff berth with Falcons loss to Carolina

The Atlanta Falcons’ 9-7 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday yielded little of note for either NFC South squad, but it did have playoff implications for the Dallas Cowboys. With the Falcons’ loss, the 10-3 Cowboys clinched their playoff berth. They would have done so with a loss by Atlanta or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, even before kicking off against the Buffalo Bills.

Clinching their spot in the playoffs marks three straight postseason appearances for the Cowboys under Mike McCarthy. They’re just two wins away from reaching the 12-win mark and already hold the lead in the NFC East after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14.

Dallas has reached double-digit victories in each of the last three years. In years 2021 and 2022, the Cowboys were 12-5. The last time Dallas strung together at least three seasons of 10 or more wins was back during the glory days. The Cowboys reached double digits in 1991 through 1996.

The team has games remaining against the Bills, Dolphins, Lions and Commanders. They’ll be home at AT&T Stadium only one more time – against the Lions on Dec. 30. The Cowboys are 7-0 at home this year, but 3-3 on the road. The Cowboys did some wet ball drills this past week to prepare for rainy conditions in Buffalo on Sunday.

Cowboys, Jerry Jones considering extension for Mike McCarthy

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys front office won’t wait until Mike McCarthy’s contract runs out in 2025 to re-up on the head coach.

Although last season’s early exit from the playoffs prompted upheaval in Dallas, the head coach took over play-calling duties and now, the offense is first overall in the league. Rapoport revealed the latest from Jones on a potential contract extension for McCarthy ahead of the Week 15 matchup.

“McCarthy has a contract extension potentially looming, this according to Jerry Jones, who I talked to this week,” Rapoport shared. “McCarthy heading into the final year of his deal next year. I asked Jerry Jones, ‘When would those conversations take place?’ He said after the season. Based on his words to me, it’s something that could potentially be coming. That would be good news, I would say, for the Cowboys.”

After his exit from Green Bay, McCarthy initially signed a five-year deal when he accepted the job in January of 2020. How long his extension could go for is now up for debate. Jones told the coach this summer that he’d like to keep the former Packers skipper around as long as he did Tom Landry – roughly three decades.