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There are three weeks left in the regular season and hope is about as dim as it has been all year for the Dallas Cowboys. Obviously this team has not been very competitive since Dak Prescott went down, but they are technically coming off of a win and are less than four-point underdogs by most estimations.
What has made the latest prospects for this season feel somewhat dim has been the separation that the Washington Football Team (and to a lesser degree the New York Giants) has had in the NFC East. Dallas has been in the mix all season long, but that was mostly due to the fact the division as a whole was floundering at historic levels.
That is no longer true to the same degree as Washington has six wins to the Cowboys’ four at the moment. It is, of course, mathematically possible for Dallas to win the NFC East, but the probabilities continue to shrink by the week.
Where hope seems to be well alive is with regards to a top five pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Those who have set their priorities towards this have adopted the Team Tank mantra that finds its way to lower-quality teams every year, but maybe that doesn’t include you.
Whatever you are rooting for - tanking or an NFC East title - here is your rooting guide for this week.
The ceiling for the Cowboys pick is likely fourth overall given that they have now defeated the Cincinnati Bengals. This is very much in play over the final three games of the season, but if the Cowboys win another they will see their pick fall quite a ways. Look at this week’s opponent in the San Francisco 49ers as an example. They have only one more win than the Cowboys at present time yet sit at 12th overall in the current draft order. It can happen that quickly.
What will you be rooting for this week?