The Dallas Cowboys have officially been eliminated from the playoffs despite picking up a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16.
Dallas entered Week 16 with a very slim chance of making the playoffs. The Cowboys needed to win every game to finish the year, and they would likely need multiple other teams in the NFC to finish the season winless.
This season will mark the first time since 2020 that the Cowboys have missed the postseason. In between playoff absences, the team put up three straight 12-5 regular seasons.
The Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders are now the two remaining teams from the NFC East in contention to win the division. According to The Dallas Cowboys, this extends an incredible streak of 20 straight seasons without a repeat division winner.
The Cowboys’ elimination from the 2024 postseason comes as no surprise after the team began the season with a record of just 3-7, forcing the Cowboys to play the remainder of the season perfectly to keep hope for the playoffs alive.
Multiple major injuries suffered by some of the Cowboys’ most impactful players hurt the team’s ability to compete at a high level early in the season. This resulted in a five-game losing streak in which just two of these matchups were within one possession.
Dallas has two games remaining this season before the franchise fully commits to the offseason plans. The Cowboys will take on the Eagles in Week 17 and the Commanders in Week 18.
While Philadelphia has already secured a spot in the 2024 playoffs and could potentially clinch the top overall spot in the NFC, the Commanders are searching to secure at least one more win to clinch a wild card slot.
The players and coaches on the roster will now look to secure two more wins and damage the Eagles’ and Commanders’ playoff standings; however, the front office is likely preparing for a busy offseason.
An updated list of the 2025 NFL Draft order has the Cowboys selecting a player with the 15th overall pick, providing an interesting discussion on what position the team would benefit most from.
Although Dallas could look to fill in holes on the defensive side of the ball by selecting a defensive lineman or linebacker, the most likely outcome is the Cowboys selecting an offensive skill position player who can create plays in their rookie season.
The Cowboys may look to running backs and receivers who could immediately step in and fill team roles, with players such as Ashton Jeanty and Luther Burden III standing out as the best fits.