We’ve reached another NFL Sunday, and it is the third in a row where we won’t see America’s Team on the field. As they get ready to kick off on Monday, the Cowboys’ wishlist for today’s slate still runs deep.
Between their aggressive trade deadline pursuit, the return of a few key injured defenders, and the placement of their two first-round picks, Dallas has more rooting interests than just about anybody.
They have a lot to overcome to make the playoffs, and they also have a lot on the line in the 2026 NFL Draft.
As shown by their two deadline deals, Dallas wants to get hot, at least for now. As long as that remains their objective, they’ll need to watch around the league, hoping for help from other teams.
With that in mind, here are the main games to watch if you’re following the Week 11 Cowboys’ wishlist today.
1. Giants Upset Packers: Divisional Foe Can Help 1st-Round Pick
The first game is the most obvious one: Dallas needs the New York Giants, led by Jameis Winston, to upset the Green Bay Packers.
Big Blue has a chance, with interim HC Mike Kafka, to hand the Packers their third consecutive loss. That would both help the Cowboys’ draft position big time and could contribute to a stumble out of the Wild Card race for Green Bay.
The Green and Gold are seven-point favorites in this one, so it would be a fairly big upset, but we’ve seen Jordan Love’s squad lose or get close to it against big underdogs before.
Don’t forget, they were one single second away from losing to the Cowboys in that 40-40, crazy tie.
Dallas needs a vintage-Winston game, and a fired-up Giants squad after the firing of Brian Daboll. If they get it, Cowboys fans should start feeling really good about their draft position in April.
2. Lions Over Eagles: NFC East Championship Not Impossible Yet
Second, we have another obvious one, as Dallas is surely hoping for a Lions win over the Eagles in a showdown of two NFC heavyweights.
This Sunday Night Football matchup has the chance to give the Cowboys a major morale boost going into Monday’s game. If Jared Goff & Co. can knock the Eagles down a peg, and Dallas can win against Vegas, some momentum may swell.
The Birds are three games ahead in the NFC East currently, so it isn’t the easiest path in the world, but with nearly half the season to go, anything is possible.
Dallas and Detroit may be rivals at this point, but they will be on the same side in this matchup tonight.
Cowboys fans need to put their pride aside and pull hard for the Lions.
3. Falcons Beat Panthers: Wild Card Path Eases With Atlanta Win
Lastly, we have an unorthodox matchup in terms of Dallas’s interests, but it is important. The Falcons need to take down the 5–4 Panthers to ease the path to a Cowboys Wild Card appearance this January.
Obviously, Carolina beat Dallas in Charlotte just a few weeks ago, so they hold a head-to-head tiebreaker over America’s Team.
With Atlanta sitting at a lowly 3-6, they aren’t much of a threat to get involved in that race, even with a win today over their NFC South rival. That means this is a no-brainer for Cowboys fans: you have got to root for Atlanta.
At this point in the season, Dallas’s record makes things hard for them, but their aggressive pursuits at the trade deadline and slew of opportunities make a playoff position possible.
They just need some things, like these three games, to fall into place.
