Kenny Clark shares harsh truth about Cowboys' three-game winning streak

The Dallas Cowboys notched three consecutive victories coming off their Week 10 bye to improve to 6-5-1 and climb back into the playoff race. 

This Thursday night, Dallas will play at a 7-5 Detroit Lions side that will also enter that game outside of the postseason spots in the NFC standings. On Tuesday, Cowboys defensive tackle Kenny Clark spoke honestly about what the club achieved over its previous three contests. 

Kenny Clark challenges Cowboys to handle business against Lions

"It's a lot of good momentum, but it don't mean nothing if we don't go out and handle business," Clark said, per Patrik Walker of the Cowboys' website. "We gotta wash all that away, what we did. It's week-to-week, and we got to just keep on proving ourselves and getting ourselves out of the hole."

As of Wednesday morning, the ESPN Football Power Index gave the Cowboys just an 18.3 percent chance to make the playoffs. During a Tuesday radio appearance, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones acknowledged that the "best shot" for Dallas to qualify for the postseason tournament "is to win the division."

The 8-4 Philadelphia Eagles sit atop the NFC East standings. Philadelphia and Dallas split the season series involving the two rivals. 

Brian Schottenheimer isn't thinking about catching Eagles in the standings

"I’m a game-by-game guy," first-year Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said on Tuesday, according to Jon Machota of The Athletic. "Always have been. Always will be. I just think it serves you the best to do it that way because it’s such a long season. …You have to take each day and each week by themselves. I believe you really focus more on yourself."

On Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Cowboys as three-point underdogs against the Lions. Schottenheimer indicated he wants his players to ignore such outside noise ahead of the matchup at Detroit's Ford Field. 

"We talk more about ourselves than we talk about the opponent," Schottenheimer continued. "Our best ability to perform well and win games is based on what we do, how we perform, how we execute, not what the opponent does. We play really good opponents every week, but I just think it’s an important part of the process. And then, ultimately, when we get to a Super Bowl, it’s going to be no different."

The upcoming "Thursday Night Football" game could prove to be somewhat of a mini-Super Bowl for both clubs, considering what's on the line. On Wednesday, the ESPN Football Power Index gave the Lions a 42.4 percent chance to make the playoffs.