One thing we know is that the Dallas Cowboys will not be going to the playoffs in 2010. That ship sailed when Dallas started the year with a 1-7 record. Jason Garrett has done an admirable job at rallying the troops, since he's taken over the Cowboys are a formidable foe and have posted a 3-1 record (almost 4-0, curse you Malcolm Jenkins of the Saints). But, too little too late where the playoffs are concerned.
So what's the next best thing to making the playoffs? How about damaging the playoff hopes of the Philadelphia Eagles?
The Eagles have been hot, they've won four of their last five games, the only blemish coming against the Chicago Bears. Michael Vick has resurrected his career in Philly, and is now thought of as an elite quarterback, at least so far this season. He leads all vote-getters in the Pro Bowl. The press thinks they could be among the best NFC teams, and their 8-4 record confirms it.
The Eagles are currently tied with the New York Giants (8-4) for the lead in the NFC East. They are steamrolling towards the playoffs. That's where we come in. Can you imagine how satisfying it would be for the Cowboys to knock off the Eagles, damaging their playoff hopes, and start them on a downward spiral. In such a luscious scenario, we might even get the chance to kill their hopes during the last game of the season. Granted, the Eagles could lose this game and still keep on moving down their current path to the playoffs. Still, when your team is 4-8, it's fun to dream about your rival's demise. And if we can be the impetus of the demise, all the better.
The NFC is a tangled mess where the playoffs are considered. Atlanta leads the NFC at 10-2, and by extension leads the NFC South. Right behind them in the South are the New Orleans Saints at 9-3 and then the Tampa Bay Bucs at 7-5. The aforementioned Bears lead the NFC North at 9-3, followed closely by the Green Bay Packers at 8-4. The St, Louis Rams and the Seattle Seahawks are battling for the NFC West. When you look at the records, the wild-card teams will come from either the South, North or East.
Based on that situation, the Eagles are no lock even though they're 8-4 and looking as good as any team in the NFC not named Atlanta. So besides just simply beating the Eagles on Sunday, I'd love for the Cowboys to start their downfall, followed by a crushing defeat the last week of the season that knocks them out of the playoffs.
Hey, a guy can dream.
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