Despite renewed playoff hopes, Cowboys can't grow complacent

The Dallas Cowboys have found themselves back in the playoff hunt after victories over the teams that made last season's Super Bowl.

Dallas (6-5-1) beat the Philadelphia Eagles (8-4) in Week 12 and the Kansas City Chiefs (6-6) on Thanksgiving in Week 13. Per Ed Werder of WFAA-TV in Dallas, that marked the first time in NFL history a club beat both of the previous season's Super Bowl teams in a span of four days.

While the victories are certainly exhilarating for the Cowboys, head coach Brian Schottenheimer is reminding them that now is not the time to celebrate.

Brian Schottenheimer reminds Cowboys to stay focused amid late-season playoff push

"Just because we've won three games, that doesn't change anything. You know?" Schottenheimer told Werder for a story published Monday. "We've got to really focus on the fundamentals. I think focusing on skills that help you play at an elite level is what's going to help us continue to sustain success and win games moving down into the latter part of the season and put ourselves in a position to make the playoffs."

To make the postseason, the Cowboys may need to win out or capture the NFC East, which now looks more possible. The Eagles' divisional lead is slipping away after losing two straight games.

With Philadelphia stuck in a late-season slide, Dallas must keep building momentum. Any losses at this point in the season could disrupt it, making the Cowboys' road game against the Detroit Lions on "Thursday Night Football" even more crucial.

Detroit (7-5) is also fighting to keep its postseason hopes afloat. The Lions are now eighth in the NFC after losing two of their past three games. The high-stakes matchup should test the Cowboys' toughness.

"We've got to embrace it ... that's something we hang our hat on, and we're physical as well," Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said Monday, via Werder. "That's a stable of who they are. We've just got to know that. We got to know the importance of being physical more than ever."