The Dallas Cowboys have a strong chance to clinch a spot in the 2022 NFL playoff picture in Week 15. Even if the Cowboys lose their upcoming game, realistic scenarios exist for Dallas to be guaranteed one of the seven seeds in the final postseason bracket.

The Cowboys are in the playoff picture for good with a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 15. Dallas has better than -200 odds to beat Jacksonville at online sportsbooks. With a 10-3 record, the Cowboys are five games ahead of the Jaguars in the overall standings.

If the Jaguars upset the Cowboys, a couple of teams can't win in order for Dallas to clinch a playoff spot Sunday. First, the San Francisco 49ers have to beat the Seattle Seahawks on "Thursday Night Football," well before the Cowboys and Jaguars square off. If Seattle loses Thursday, a loss by either the Detroit Lions or Washington Commanders would put Dallas in the NFC playoff bracket no matter what happens the rest of the regular season.

The 49ers are favored by more than a field goal over the Seahawks. San Francisco beat Seattle 27-7 in Week 2. Brock Purdy has been terrific in two games as the 49ers quarterback. The Seahawks could be fading with three losses in their last four games.

The odds suggest that there's a greater than 50% chance that one of the Lions or Commanders will lose. Detroit is a one-point road favorite against the New York Jets. The Commanders are 4.5-point favorites against the New York Giants, just two weeks after the NFC East rivals played to a tie.

If the Seahawks lose, a tie between the Lions and Jets would also get Dallas into the playoff picture. If Dallas ties Jacksonville, the Cowboys are in the postseason as long as Washington and New York don't play to another tie.

All of these scenarios would secure a wild-card berth for the Cowboys, though Dallas is still hoping to stay in the NFC East race. The Cowboys are two games behind the Philadelphia Eagles for first place in the division. Philadelphia is the only team in the entire league that has clinched a playoff berth.

If the Cowboys win and the Eagles lose in Week 15, first place in the NFC East will be on the line when the two rivals meet in Dallas in Week 16. Philadelphia is a heavy road favorite against the Chicago Bears Sunday.

The Eagles beat the Cowboys 26-17 in Philadelphia in Week 6. Cooper Rush started at quarterback for Dallas in that game. Since Dak Prescott has returned from his thumb injury, the Cowboys are 6-1.

Philadelphia has a two-game edge for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Minnesota Vikings are two games behind the Eagles. Dallas has the same record as Minnesota and the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Vikings.

Whether it's Dallas or Philadelphia, the second-place finisher in the NFC East is almost guaranteed to get the No. 5 seed and a first-round matchup with the NFC South champion. The Cowboys are 2.5 games ahead of the Commanders atop the wild-card standings. The Giants are a half-game in front of the Seahawks for the spot in the NFC playoff standings.

The Cowboys would visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Wild-Card Weekend if the regular season ended after Week 14. Dallas has four more wins than Tampa Bay.

The Bucs beat the Cowboys 19-3 in Week 1.

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys throws a touchdown pass to Blake Jarwin #89 during the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles in the game at AT&T Stadium on October 20, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. Tom Pennington/Getty Images