NFL insider weighs in on Cowboys' chances to claim NFC East after loss to Eagles

The Dallas Cowboys‘ 28-23 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles could have major implications on the playoff picture later this season, but according to NFL insider Dan Graziano, Jerry Jones’ squad still has a good chance of winning the division.

“It is an overreaction,” Graziano said of those claiming the Cowboys cannot take back the NFC East on Get Up. “That was a close game that could have gone either way. If you look at the upcoming schedules of these two teams, when they meet again in early December, the Cowboys could have caught up by then based on who they’re playing in the meantime.

“I think they’re right there with them. That game will be in Dallas. If the Cowboys win their upcoming games and the Eagles struggle in theirs, the Cowboys absolutely have a chance to get back in this race before the end of it. And you guys know, I believe in the NFC East curse of no one winning two in a row.”

The Eagles, who won the NFC East last season, would have to break a 20-years-long stretch of no single team winning the division back-to-back. The last time the division was won by the same team in consecutive years, however, it was the Eagles in 2005. It is the longest active streak among divisions in the NFL as well as the longest in league history.

Between now and the next time the Cowboys and Eagles meet, Philadelphia takes on three teams that are all above .500. They face the Chiefs, the Bills and the 49ers.

Dak Prescott: ‘It’s a game of inches’

The Cowboys looked like they were going to capitalize off of several mistakes by the Eagles in the fourth quarter but the game ended on a pass from Dak Prescott to rookie tight end Luke Schoonmaker who went down just shy of the end line.

As the refs opted not to call defensive pass interference on the play, Dallas’ comeback effort failed.

“It’s a game of inches,” Prescott said in his post-game press conference. “That’s why you’ve gotta love this game: it’s tough to win. We fought our asses off. Great NFC East matchup, and they came out with it tonight. An inch or two on one of those few plays and we’d be talking about a different outcome. They got this one. It sucks, and we’ll take it and move forward and use the fight, a lot of the success — a lot of good things came out of this despite the loss. 

“… It sucks at the moment but a lot of good we can take from this and use going forward.” 

The Cowboys are now 5-3 on the season, which is two and a half games back from the Eagles who control the division at 8-1. Dallas doesn’t get a break from divisional action, welcoming the New York Giants to AT&T Stadium for Week 10. After that, they’ll travel to Carolina to face the Panthers before hosting the Commanders for Thanksgiving Day.