NFL: Dallas Cowboys and 8 Other Teams That Cannot Afford to Lose Another Game

With only three weeks left in the 2011 season, it's that time of the year where some teams are in desperation mode. While everyone knows that losses are going to happen, they also know that there comes a time when it must stop.

That much is obvious. However, we need to look at the teams besides the Cowboys and Raiders, and look at those teams in the driver's seat. You wouldn't think it, but those teams are under a lot of pressure as well.

That being said, watch for these teams to be playing their hearts out over the final three weeks of the season.

Seattle Seahawks (6-7)

Here is a team that never seems to go away. At one point, the Seattle Seahawks were 2-6 and pretty much an after thought to everyone in the NFL world.

Now, the 'Hawks are 6-7 and very much in the hunt for a wild-card position. Marshawn Lynch is averaging over five yards per carry over the last five games, Tarvaris Jackson isn't look so incompetent, and the defense has really been stepping up.

However, all the great play aside, Seattle's backs are still against the wall.  They need to win out, no doubt about it.  8-8 won't cut it this year, and 7-9 sure as hell won't.

In order to sneak into the playoffs, they'll need to win their remaining games against Chicago, San Francisco and Arizona. In addition, they need Dallas to drop at least one of their remaining games, and for Detroit to finish 9-7 (there's a tiebreaker there somehow).

That would get them a sixth seed.  It's a reach, but it's possible.

Arizona Cardinals (6-7)

The Cardinals have made an even more stunning run towards the postseason than the Seahawks. After an abysmal 1-6 start, the Cards have won five of their last six games.

Those games haven't been pretty, but it's getting the job done. John Skelton has been making himself look like the better option with Kevin Kolb out with an injury.

Chris Wells has also stepped up his game in 2011, finally looking like the first-round pick that he was. 

In addition to the offense showing up, the defense has been playing much better. In their last five wins, they've allowed 20 points or less. They're not beating scrubs, either—three of those wins are in Philadelphia, and at home against Dallas and San Francisco.

Like the Seahawks, the Cardinals need a lot of help. They must win out against Cleveland, in Cincinnati, and finish with a potential Sunday night blockbuster against Seattle. Given the tiebreakers among the teams finishing 9-7 (according to my predictions), Arizona would hold tiebreakers over Detroit and Dallas, thus getting them into the wild-card position.

With John Skelton leading the team, it's hard to imagine Arizona winning out.  However, don't sleep on the Cardinals.

Oakland Raiders (7-6)

Oakland was in firm control of the AFC West for a very good part of this season.  That has all gone out the door over the last couple weeks.

First of all, Denver has won six games in a row. Secondly, Oakland has dropped their last two. They're going to have to play top-notch football from here on out.

They won't be winning the West. Denver has a cake schedule past New England, and will finish 10-6. Since they own the tiebreaker with Oakland, they will win the West.

For Oakland, they need to get the defense playing better. That defense has allowed 34 points to Miami and 46 to Green Bay over the last couple weeks—that won't give the offense a fair chance, and that's a good offense.

To get a wild-card spot, Oakland needs to win out, and the Jets have to drop at least one of their final three. Besides that, Oakland would beat out New York and Cincinnati in the event of a tie at 10-6.

Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)

Cincinnati had such a bright outlook just a couple weeks ago. They began the season 6-2 and were in very good control of a potential playoff berth. After dropping four of their last five games, they're on the outside looking in.

Potential Rookie of the Year candidates Andy Dalton and A.J. Green have been good all season long, but that will only take the team so far.

The main letdown over the last few weeks has been the defense. They allowed 31 to Baltimore, 20 to Cleveland, 35 to Pittsburgh and 20 to Houston. The Houston game wasn't bad, but it was awful to watch T.J. Yates run a legitimate and dominating two-minute drill in Week 14.

Now, at 7-6, Cincinnati will need some help. They own head-to-head tiebreakers with Tennessee, and will likely hold them over the Jets. Oakland will be their issue.

The Bengals will need to win out with three games remaining in St. Louis, and then at home against Arizona and Baltimore. Those aren't easy wins.

They also need the Raiders to drop at least one game, which is very possible, but not likely.

It's desperation time in Cincinnati.

Chicago Bears (7-6)

It was an impressive defensive showing in Denver this past week, but it came up just short.  The Chicago Bears are losers of three in a row. 

I won't waste much time on this slide. If Jay Cutler and Matt Forte had stayed healthy and on the field, I'd say the Bears would be playoff shoe-ins. Now, 7-6 is too close to the line for a team that, by Week 17, probably won't hold too many tiebreakers.

The road to three straight wins under Caleb Hanie runs through Green Bay. For that reason, I'm counting Chicago out.

Got to say, though, I feel for them. Rough set of circumstances.

New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys (Both 7-6)

I group these two together for a reason—they still have a game against each other.

The road there isn't as bad for the Cowboys as it is for the Giants. Dallas, prior to Week 17 on the road against New York, plays in Tampa Bay against a struggling Bucs squad, and then is in Dallas to play Philadelphia.

The Giants stay at home for the rest of the way, hosting the Redskins, who aren't bad opponents. The Giants have already lost to them once. In Week 16, the Giants will play the Jets in their home stadium.

Both teams should walk into Week 17 at 9-6. Winner take all.

Tennessee Titans (7-6)

The Titans may have suffered a serious setback in Week 14 against New Orleans after Matt Hasselbeck went down to injury. Jake Locker has played well, but I'd rather have the experienced veteran who's been to a Super Bowl out there on the field.

Regardless, Tennessee's season has been an impressive one, no matter how you slice it.  They've got no really great playmakers on defense, Chris Johnson really hasn't shown up all season and they've used the "washed up" Matt Hasselbeck as their leader.

It's all come together for a 7-6 record.

Tennessee's schedule is favorable, at least for the next couple weeks—they'll play Jacksonville and Indianapolis. In Week 17, they'll travel to Houston.

With the way the tiebreakers play out, Tennessee would have a legitimate playoff hope. Let's assume Tennessee wins all three games and finishes tied with Oakland, Cincinnati and New York at 10-6. Should that happen, the Titans will get in as the sixth seed. 

In the event of a tie between three or more teams, the first tiebreaker is conference record, which they would own at 8-4. The fact that they lost to the Bengals would be irrelevant unless there was a tie between just those two teams.

In the end, winning out and a Jets loss gets Tennessee in.

New York Jets (8-5)

Despite being 8-5 and in control of a wild-card spot right now, the Jets probably have the most to lose with a single loss.

As I explained on the Titans slide, the Jets would lose a tiebreaker to them. In fact, the Jets would probably lose most tiebreakers in any situation if I've done the calculations correctly. 

By going 11-5, the Jets aren't in danger of losing a spot. The only team that could finish ahead of them in the wild-card chase would be the loser of the Pittsburgh/Baltimore run towards the AFC North championship.

The road isn't easy for the Jets, as they play in Philadelphia, then against the Giants and finish in Miami.

Does Rex Ryan have more magic up his sleeve?