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The Dallas Cowboys just picked up an absolutely mandatory victory. They still face an uphill battle if they want to usurp the NFC East lead from the Philadelphia Eagles, but their 40-34 victory on Christmas Eve extended their chances by at least another week.
The Cowboys got everything they could handle and more from the Jalen Hurts-less Eagles. The win keeps them two games behind Philadelphia with two games left this season.
Getting to the Super Bowl is a tall task, but it's even harder as a Wild Card. The odds of getting a home playoff game without winning a division are quite low, so the Cowboys know what is at stake.
It took a complete effort, but the Cowboys stayed alive in the NFC East. At the very least, they have provided another team an opening to get the NFC's top seed from Philadelphia.
Cowboys fans are understandably ecstatic over the victory, even if it came against a backup. The Eagles' first victory over Dallas came without Dak Prescott, so the two teams are effectively even now.
Either way, they're thrilled with their team's performance tonight.
The victory might have come against a backup quarterback, but it still counts and might even count a little more this late in the season.
How can the Dallas Cowboys win the NFC East?
Even after the clutch victory, the Dallas Cowboys face an uphill and unlikely battle to win their division. They trail by two with two games remaining, which means their path to the NFC East crown is simple.
They need to win out and they need the Eagles to lose out. The Cowboys get the 7-8 Tennessee Titans next week, who are suddenly second in the AFC South and in desperate need of wins.
They will finish the season against the 7-7-1 Washington Commanders, who might be in desperate need of that win to sneak into the playoffs.
The Eagles will finish against the 6-9 New Orleans Saints and the 8-6-1 New York Giants. They need just one win to clinch the division and could clinch the top seed in the NFC with the same.
