The Unexpected Teams Cowboys Fans Must Root For (and Against) to Keep Playoff Dreams Alive.QQ
It may be a bye week in Dallas, but with a wide-open NFC East and two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cowboys’ wishlist in Week 10 is still as long as any in the league.
They are the only NFC team with a bye week this Sunday, and their much-needed break comes at the heels of an aggressive trade deadline; certainly, the front office is hoping that push keeps them in the playoff race.
At 3-5-1, however, they’ll need help to achieve that lofty goal, even with Qunnien Williams and Logan Wilson deploying in to help a struggling defense.
So, let’s go through the rooting guide, so to speak, of the Cowboys’ rivals’ games kicking off tomorrow.
1. Packers Over Eagles, Despite Draft Interests
The obvious game to watch for Cowboys fans this week is between their two biggest rivals: the Green Bay Packers host the Philadelphia Eagles.
It is legitimately hard to decide who to root for in this one, as Dallas has a stake in both teams losing.
For draft pick purposes, you’d want an Eagles win. Jerry Jones & Co. still hold the Packers’ first-rounder in 2026, and they would surely like that to be as high as possible; Green Bay’s upset loss to Carolina last week adds fuel to that fire.
On the flip side, however, a Packers win makes the NFC East that much more competitive down the stretch. Before the trade deadline, that didn’t matter, but now it does.
Thus, I think you have to go for a Philly loss in Wisconsin today. As long as Dallas has Williams and Wilson in the building, the defense will improve; you might as well hope for a chance at the division title.
2. Giants Must Beat Bears For Wild Card Hopes
Second, we have another one that may go against your initial instinct, as the Giants and Bears face off in Soldier Field.
In this one, you should be rooting for the NFC East rival to beat Caleb Williams’ squad in the snow, and the reason why has nothing to do with the division shared by Dallas and New York.
Rather, this is about the playoff race that is set to ensue in just a few weeks.
The NFC North is hoarding Wild Card spots right now, with all four teams in the division fighting for the postseason. Dallas, with the Eagles’ big NFC East lead, can’t afford so many teams up north squeaking in.
Cheer for a Giants victory today, and maybe the road this December will be easier because of it.
3. Injured Commanders To Upset The Mighty Lions
Lastly, we have the same situation as we just did with New York—Chicago. The Cowboys’ wishlist in Week 10 caps off with another NFC East victory over an NFC North opponent.
The badly injured Commanders, who are missing Jayden Daniels after an incredibly gruesome arm injury, need to knock off Dan Campbell’s Lions this week.
At 3-6, you can’t really count Washington as a threat to the division, or the Wild Card; they haven’t looked nearly as dangerous this season, their injury report is a mile-long, and they didn’t make any moves at the trade deadline.
Detroit, on the other hand, is a major Wild Card threat to Dallas, just like Chicago. If they can lose today as well, it would boost the likelihood of the Cowboys’ chances as they come out of their bye week.
All in all, I am rooting for the Packers over the Eagles, the Giants over the Bears, and the Commanders over the Lions this week, and you should be too. The Cowboys don’t play, but it is a big week for their potential playoff chances.
