Dallas Cowboys Playoffs: Who Will ‘America’s Team’ Play Next? Packers, Giants, Lions Among Potential Opponents

After leading the NFC with a 13-3 regular season record, the Dallas Cowboys get to sit back and relax on Wild-Card Weekend. What happens during the team’s bye will determine their opponent for their first game of the 2017 NFL playoffs.

As the No. 1 seed in the conference, the Cowboys will host the lowest remaining NFC seed in the divisional round. Dallas won’t know whom they’ll be playing until the conclusion of Sunday’s game between the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants. Saturday’s contest between the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions will also affect the Cowboys’ postseason future.

No matter what happens, Dallas can’t play two of the other five NFC playoff teams. The Atlanta Falcons have a first-round bye, as well, and they’ll be hosting a game in the second round. If the No. 3 seed Seahawks defeat the Lions Saturday night, Seattle will travel to Atlanta for the divisional playoffs.

That leaves the Lions, Packers and Giants as potential options for the Cowboys. Because Detroit is the sixth and lowest seed in the conference, they will punch a ticket to Dallas if they can upset Seattle. If the Seahawks win Saturday afternoon, the winner of Sunday’s game at Lambeau Field will play the Cowboys on the road.

If the oddsmakers are correct, Dallas will host Green Bay in their first playoff game. Seattle is an eight-point favorite over Detroit, and Green Bay is favored by 4.5 points over New York.

Having already faced each of their potential opponents in 2016, the Cowboys might be rooting against the Giants on Wild-Card Weekend. Before resting their starters in a meaningless Week 17 loss, Dallas’ only two defeats on the season came at the hands of their NFC East rivals. New York won by a point in the season opener, and they defeated Dallas 10-7 in Week 14.

Dallas went on the road and defeated Green Bay by two touchdowns in Week 6. In Week 16, the Cowboys doubled up the Lions 42-21.

In their last trip to the postseason, Dallas played both Green Bay and Detroit. The Cowboys defeated the Lions at AT&T Stadium on Wild-Card Weekend in 2015, and they narrowly lost to the Packers at Lambeau Field the following week after Dez Bryant’s infamous incomplete catch.

The Cowboys have home-field advantage until Super Bowl LI.