Dallas Cowboys Rumors: Team Can Clinch Playoff Spot This Week

Dallas Cowboys rumors include how the team can clinch a spot in the NFL Playoffs during Week 13. The Cowboys play the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night, Dec. 1, in a game that would be the first step toward clinching that playoff spot. As the Week 13 NFL schedule continues over the weekend, the two games which would directly affect the Cowboys are the Washington Redskins vs. Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. San Diego Chargers.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Dallas Cowboys hold the top seed in the NFC at 10-1, while the Washington Redskins (6-4-1) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5) are currently battling for a Wild Card and the No. 6 seed. The Redskins hold that final playoff slot heading into Week 13, but could get passed with a bad showing against the Arizona Cardinals.

If the Cowboys beat the Minnesota Vikings and the Buccaneers lose to or tie the San Diego Chargers, then the Cowboys become the first team to clinch a spot in the 2017 NFL Playoffs. The Cowboys can also clinch that spot by beating the Vikings and having the Redskins lose to the Cardinals. Both scenarios involve the Cowboys beating a Vikings team that has been placed in a must-win situation during Week 13.

The Cowboys are the only team in the NFL that has the potential to clinch a playoff spot in Week 13. At 10-1, the Cowboys are also two-and-a-half games ahead of the Seattle Seahawks (7-3-1) for the top seed in the conference. It means that the Cowboys could be looking at scenarios to clinch that first-round bye as early as Week 15 of the NFL schedule.

While there had been many Dallas Cowboys rumors about how the team would decide whether Dak Prescott or Tony Romo would be the starting quarterback this year, the team has gotten to a place where most rumors are now quite positive for the franchise and the fans. The Cowboys still need to worry about the New York Giants, though, as the race for the NFC East title hasn’t been settled just yet.

The New York Giants have a nice six-game winning streak going. This has improved the team to 8-3 on the season, which is actually the second best record in the NFC. Currently, the Giants are in the first Wild Card spot, as the four division leaders get to enjoy the top four seeds in the postseason. The Giants also hold a key tie-breaker over the Cowboys after beating them 20-19 in Week 1 of the 2016 NFL season.

An important game in the upcoming schedule is the Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants on December 11. The two NFC East teams will get the primetime slot on Sunday night football, with a lot on the line in regard to playoff seeding. If the Cowboys lose to the Vikings and the Giants beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13, then that Week 14 matchup would be for first place in the division. It would also be a battle for the No. 1 seed in the conference. That raises the stakes quite a bit.

The Cowboys can’t take the time to look ahead to that Week 14 game, as the team needs to take care of business on Thursday night first. The Vikings are in a must-win situation, so the team should be ready to put up a fight against the Cowboys. Following the games against the Vikings and Giants, the Cowboys close out the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions, and Philadelphia Eagles. The team can make some of those games meaningless by simply winning its next two games. Doing that will make the next round of Dallas Cowboys rumors about who the team might play in the second-round of the 2017 NFL Playoffs.

[Featured Image by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images]