Week 14 TNF features two teams looking to keep their playoff hopes alive
USA TODAY Sports’ Chris Bumbaca and Prince Grimes break down the huge Thursday night matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions.
When the Dallas Cowboys lost to the Arizona Cardinals on “Monday Night Football” ahead of their Week 10 bye, many believed it would mark the beginning of the end of Dallas’ season.
Instead, first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer and red-hot quarterback Dak Prescott led the Cowboys on a three-game, post-bye winning streak. That allowed the Cowboys to return to the fringes of the NFC playoff picture – until Thursday night.
The Cowboys are now postseason longshots after the loss to Detroit on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 14. That much was expected after they began the season 3-5-1, but their path to the postseason got significantly more difficult after the loss. Here’s what to know:
The Lions were the NFC’s No. 1 seed in 2024 and Dan Campbell’s squad will pose a formidable test for the Cowboys. But given what Dallas’ offense and improved defense have shown in recent weeks, the Cowboys may have a chance to remain hot and get Jerry Jones and their fans dreaming of a potential playoff berth.
Here’s what to know about Dallas’ playoff chances and where the Cowboys rank in the NFC East and wild-card standings.
The Cowboys chances to make the playoffs dropped to just 8% after their loss to the Lions on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 14, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
With a win, their chances would’ve improved to 39%.
Dallas’ playoff chances may look slim, but it’s worth noting their chances stood at just 4% before their Week 12 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. They then improved to 10% before the Cowboys beat the Kansas City Chiefs on Thanksgiving.
If Dallas can continue to win, its chances should increase.
That said, the Cowboys may have an easier path to the postseason as an NFC East contender than as a wild-card contender. They are just 1.5 games back of the Eagles in the divisional race while remaining two-plus games back in the wild-card battle.
The Cowboys will benefit from playing an easy schedule down the stretch. Dallas has the second-easiest remaining schedule league-wide, per Tankathon.
The Cowboys have just one remaining matchup against a team with a winning records: the Los Angeles Chargers. Dallas also has two remaining divisional matchups. Both are on the road, but they are against the lowly New York Giants and Washington Commanders, who have thus far combined to post a 5-20 record across 25 games.
Below is a full look at Dallas’ remaining schedule for the 2025 NFL season:
- Week 15: vs. Minnesota Vikings
- Week 16: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
- Week 17: at Washington Commanders
- Week 18: at New York Giants
The Cowboys are in second place in the NFC East standings entering Week 14. They will remain there regardless of what happens during this week’s action.
Here’s how the NFC East standings look entering Week 14:
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-4)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
- Washington Commanders (3-9)
- New York Giants (2-11)
The Cowboys and Eagles have already finished their season series, splitting their two games 1-1. That means Dallas will need Philadelphia to lose at least a couple of times down the stretch as the Cowboys look to make up ground on the reigning Super Bowl champions.
The bad news? The Eagles have the fourth-easiest schedule league-wide. They have to play the Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills but will also get three combined matchups against the Washington Commanders and Las Vegas Raiders.
Dallas will hope Los Angeles can at least put additional pressure on Philadelphia by beating the Eagles on “Monday Night Football” in Week 14. That would go a long way toward making the NFC East battle come down to the wire.
- Chicago Bears (9-3; NFC North leaders)
- Los Angeles Rams (9-3; NFC West leaders)
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-4; NFC East leaders)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5; NFC South leaders)
- Seattle Seahawks (9-3, wild card No. 1)
- Green Bay Packers (8-3-1, wild card No. 2)
- San Francisco 49ers (9-4, wild card No. 3)
In the hunt: Detroit Lions (8-5); Carolina Panthers (7-6); Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1); Atlanta Falcons (4-8); Minnesota Vikings (4-8); Washington Commanders (3-8)
Eliminated: Arizona Cardinals (3-9), New Orleans Saints (2-10), New York Giants (2-10)
