Dallas Cowboys' Playoff Chances Dwindle If They Can't Upset Baltimore Ravens

The Dallas Cowboys are not expected to beat the Baltimore Ravens Tuesday night, but they better pull off the upset if they hope to make a run toward the playoffs. Even in a historically bad division, America’s Team is almost out of time in its pursuit of a postseason berth.

Dallas is set to visit Baltimore in the final game on the Week 13 schedule. A loss would drop the Cowboys to 3-9, putting them on the brink of elimination.

Sitting in the basement of a weak NFC East, Dallas only has a 6% chance of making the playoffs, according to FiveThirtyEight’s forecast, as of Monday afternoon. A win over the Ravens bumps up their postseason chances to 17%, while a loss gives the Cowboys only a 4% chance to win the division.

With quarterback Lamar Jackson expected to come off the COVID-19 list, Baltimore is a heavy favorite against Dallas. The latest betting line favors the Ravens by 8.5 points, according to point spreads compiled by OddsShark.

Being a heavy underdog doesn’t preclude the Cowboys from winning. On Sunday, the New York Giants had arguably the most improbable victory of the 2020 season as a double-digit underdog.

With backup quarterback Colt McCoy under center, New York stunned the Seattle Seahawks with a 17-12 road victory. The Giants improved to 5-7 to maintain their spot atop the NFC East.

The Cowboys are running out of chances to make up ground in the standings. Dallas has only four games left on its schedule after Tuesday’s matchup with Baltimore.

Dallas will visit the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 14 and host the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15. A Week 16 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles and a Week 17 game against the Giants will be must-win situations.

The Washington Football Team is ahead of Dallas in the NFC East and has already swept its season series with the Cowboys.

Entering the season with Super Bowl aspirations, Dallas might be the league’s biggest disappointment. A bad defense and key injuries have derailed the Cowboys’ championship hopes. Four different quarterbacks have started for Dallas.

The Cowboys have been outscored by 91 total points in their last six games.