Eight weeks of the NFL’s regular season have passed, meaning the playoff picture is clearing up for a few teams. For the Dallas Cowboys, things are still pretty murky.
The Cowboys currently sit at 3-4, holding third place in the NFC East after back-to-back losses to the 49ers and Lions. With a Week 9 battle against the Falcons approaching, Dallas doesn’t have favorable odds to make a postseason push.
According to DraftKings sportsbook, current odds are suggesting there’s an 80% chance Dallas will miss the playoffs (-400). That figure aligns with other well-known projections. After Sunday’s loss to San Francisco, ESPN is giving Dallas a 12% chance to clinch a playoff spot.
Why are oddsmakers picking against the Cowboys at this point? A tough upcoming stretch of games could be a factor.
In the next four weeks, the Cowboys will test their luck against teams with winning records. Atlanta (5-3), Philadelphia (5-2), Houston (6-2) and Washington (6-2) could give Dallas some trouble before Thanksgiving arrives.
It’ll be a pivotal stretch for a Dallas team hoping to regain its physical identity. The Cowboys haven’t missed the playoffs since 2020, winning 12 games each of the last three seasons.
Despite a quiet offseason, the team was still considered among the NFC’s best before the 2024 campaign kicked off. Oddsmakers had listed Dallas at +1600 to win Super Bowl LIX, tying with Houston for the sixth-best odds.
That’s shifted considerably after seven games, with DraftKings listing the Cowboys at +8000 to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. Can the Cowboys turn things around before it’s too late?
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