Eagles vs. Cowboys: 5 Playoff Scenarios in Play with a Dallas Victory

The NFL playoffs are right around the corner, and we still don't know which team from the NFC East will make it into the second season. The Dallas Cowboys are in the best spot as they control their own destiny. Beat the Eagles and Giants, and they are in. It's as simple as boiling Texas water.

Right?

Things are never as simple as they seem for the Cowboys. If Dallas would have taken care of business against the Cardinals and Giants then a playoff spot would be in the bag right now. But Dallas lost in OT to the Cards and squandered a late game lead to the Giants. The Cowboys defense has looked bad as of late and their secondary is appalling enough to bring tears to your eyes.

So the Eagles, or the "Iggles," travel to Dallas on Saturday afternoon to face the Cowboys for a game that has playoff implications for both teams. Dallas wins and more than likely they will secure a playoff spot. If Philly wins then who wants to bet on how many curse words Jerry Jones drops in the Cowboys owners' box?

At any rate here are five playoff scenarios if the Cowboys win on Saturday evening.

Falcons at Cowboys

I'm still thinking that Atlanta will face the Cowboys in the wild-card round of the playoffs. If Dallas wins their last two they are in and with the way the Falcons are playing, I fully expect these two teams to face each other in the second season.

I'm also still sticking with my prediction that the Cowboys will beat the Falcons and move on to the divisional round to maybe play the Saints. What blows is that Dallas will have to travel to the N.O. and the Saints are almost unstoppable in the thunder dome.

But before Dallas and their fans can look that far ahead the Cowboys have to take care of business against the Eagles on Saturday.

Saints at Cowboys

In the unlikely situation that the Falcons win the NFC South and the Saints lose the Panthers in Week 17 then New Orleans will travel to Jerry world to face the Cowboys.

With this situation it's a toss up for me. The Saints are a totally different team away from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome but traveling to play another team in another dome won't necessarily work against them.

Dallas has the talent to beat the Saints but as of right now I can't call which way this game would go. My gut tells me the Saints but my head says that it's not as easy as it seems.

Thoughts on who would win this game?

Falcons at Giants

Yeah even if the Cowboys win there is still a chance they won't make the playoffs at all. If the Giants beat the Jets and Dallas in the next two weeks then they are in.

Instead of Atlanta traveling to Dallas for a wild-card game the dirty birds would take off for New York for an evening of trading paint with the G-Men.

If this scenario were to play out will Jason Garrett and Rob Ryan keep their jobs?

Lions at Cowboys

I must say that this matchup intrigues me the most. The Lions came back and beat the ‘Boys in week four after Dallas jumped out to a 24-point lead.

To have the Lions come back to the scene of the crime would be the sweetest type of possible revenge for the Cowboys.

In order for this one to play out the Falcons have to lose their last two and the Lions have to beat the Packers. It’s very possible since Green Bay can no longer win every game and the Lions would like as much positive momentum going into the playoffs as possible.

Can the Lions do it again versus Dallas or will the Cowboys get their payback?

Dallas at Green Bay

While the Packers are the league’s most exciting team because they were the hottest I don’t think they scare anyone. Back in 2007 when the Pats were running the score on every team I believe it put a little fear in the hearts of a few squads.

But this Packers team isn’t that type of team and more than anything the majority of NFL teams would like a shot at the defending champs.

The last time the Packers and Cowboys met Dallas put up seven points to Green Bay’s 45. Remember that game? That’s the one that ran former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips out of town.

The result this time will be much different; at least I hope that it would be. I don’t believe that Dallas would just take what the Packers are giving and participate in another blowout.

The Cowboys would have to beat the Lions for a shot at Green Bay and that one is more than likely to happen.

Not calling this one because to much has to happen before we see this matchup but wouldn’t it be fun to watch?