The Dallas Cowboys need to accomplish the following in Week 18 in order to secure the NFC East and the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

After winning a close but contentious game against the Detroit Lions on Saturday night, the Dallas Cowboys saw the Arizona Cardinals upset the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, maintaining America’s Team’s lead in the NFC East.

Dallas has the lead in the fourth tiebreaker because they have a stronger record inside the conference, even though the Eagles and Cowboys have the same 11-5 record. In the NFC, the Cowboys have an 8-3 record, while the Eagles have a 7-4 record.

The two rivals tied using the first three tiebreaker scenarios, those being head-to-head record, division record, and record in common games played.

As such, Mike McCarthy & Co. enter their regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders controlling their own destiny, a luxury that seemed improbable after suffering losses to the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins.

No matter what happens in the Eagles vs. New York Giants game, the Cowboys will secure the No. 2 spot in the NFC and win the NFC East with a victory over Washington on Sunday afternoon.

The good news for Dallas is that the Commanders have lost all nine games, including their only victory in Week 9 against the New England Patriots, who have only four wins this season along with Washington.

Additionally, their worst loss during their seven-game losing streak was a 45-10 setback to Dallas on Thanksgiving Day, when Dak Prescott threw for 331 yards and four touchdowns.

The bad news for the Cowboys is that they’re playing this game on the road. While a perfect 8-0 in the friendly confines of AT&T Stadium, they’re just 3-5 away from home. Nevertheless, Dallas is still seemingly in the driver’s seat heading into Week 18.

If, by chance, however, the Cowboys lose, the Eagles would win the division with a victory over the Giants. If both teams lose (or tie), Dallas would still own the tiebreaker.

• Cowboys win vs. Commanders OR
• Cowboys tie vs. Commanders + Eagles tie vs. Giants OR
• Eagles lose vs. Giants

As previously stated, the Cowboys win not only the NFC East but also secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC, which means they will host the No. 7 seed during Super Wild Card Weekend and, should they advance, the Divisional Round. For the Eagles, the same situation holds true.

The No. 5 seed will automatically go to the team that finishes last in the division. That team will play the NFC South winner, which will be decided by a three-team race between the Tampa Bay Bucs, New Orleans Saints, and Atlanta Falcons before Week 18.

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